McWane brings science to Children's Hospital!

By Kathy Fournier, Director of Science Education

Outreach is a very important part of the Education Department here at McWane. With our Outreach program, we take our science programming on the road, visiting schools, churches and other facilities throughout the area. One of the regularly scheduled stops for our Outreach program is Children’s Hospital.

In the fall of 2007, our Vice President of Education, Jan Mattingly talked with staff at Children’s Hospital and developed a structure for a partnership between our two organizations. Since then we have been going to Children’s Hospital each month. This opportunity has been amazing. First, we visit the Dialysis Clinic. These children are there at least 3 times a week for 4 hours to receive their treatment, so we come in and provide some fun and educational distractions for them during their treatment. I certainly feel that the kids enjoy our visits, but what I did not expect was how it would affect me, other educators and docents who assist with these outreaches. In the Dialysis Clinic we often see the same children month after month, and as the months go by, we have been able to form relationships with these kids. I look forward to seeing them at each visit to see how they are doing.

At one of our monthly visits one of the regular patients was not there; it turned out he had received his kidney transplant and no longer needed dialysis treatment. What bittersweet news! Obviously I was thrilled that he was now healthy and no longer needed these long and uncomfortable treatments, but sad that I would no longer be able to talk with him at each visit. This particular young man had also come to McWane Science Center on a field trip from the hospital recently and was thrilled to have the opportunity to see our exhibits and educational programs. As I was as leaving Children’s Hospital that morning, I happened to see him in the lobby of the hospital--he was there for a check-up after his transplant and was happy that he had gotten a great report. I got to meet his mother, and as we talked about our visits, she told me that he now wanted to have his birthday at McWane. She said, “He can’t stop talking about McWane Science Center, about how much fun he had on his field trip there and how much he enjoyed doing the activities you brought with you when you came to visit him in the hospital.” We gave each other big hugs, and I told him to be sure to find me when he came for his birthday.

The second part of our outreach at Children’s Hospital is to provide the same programming in a room where patients and their parents can come and have a break from the hospital routine and have some educational fun. Here we do not often see the same patients each visit, but we know that the kids enjoy having an entertaining and educational activity to break up their day. Go Green, Weather Watchers and Sticky Icky Science are just a few of the programs we have been able to present to these children. I think the parents enjoy it as much as the kids! I know from experience that the days spent in the hospital with a sick child can be long, tedious and stressful. I am honored to be able to provide an opportunity for these families to give them some relief from their situation and that is both enjoyable and educational.

Children’s Hospital does a great job offering a variety of opportunities for their patients. I appreciate the fact that they value an educational experience in addition to the movie nights and the other fun activities on their schedule. This hospital outreach has been such a rewarding experience that I plan on participating in as many as possible. I value the relationships that we are building with these families, and I look forward to seeing them here at McWane Science Center when they are able to come and visit us.