Some children are spending Halloween in the hospital but thanks to a dedicated staff of nurses and doctors, patients at Palm Beach Children's Hospital are still having a spook-tacular time.
It's all part of an annual effort to bring a bit of normalcy into the holiday for the patients there.
Wednesday marked the very first Halloween for 2-year-old Davely Analia De Leon.
“She wanted to wear a princess dress," said her mother, Elizabeth De Leon.
The family traveled from East Texas to South Florida to provide better care for little Davely. She was born with a bone disorder and has experienced amputations of her leg and part of her hands.
Just weeks ago, she had surgery on her other leg.
“Seeing her get up and walking is a big blessing to me," said Elizabeth.
She’ll spend the next four months at the hospital but days like Wednesday bring joy back into her world.
“I’m very grateful that they are able to provide smiling faces and make my daughter happy as she’s going through this journey," said Elizabeth.
For dozens of patients like Davely, doctors, nurses and other staff transformed the hospital hallways into a trick or treaters paradise. Staff lined the hallways with handfuls of candy, treat bags and other goodies for the kids as they paraded through the first floor in costume.
This year’s theme was “Mother Nature-oween.” Each department decorated the halls with different themes of nature, such as the ocean, lake, reef, and animals.
“It kind of revives their attitude," said Brandi Gonwa, a supervisor in the interventional radiology department who poured her heart into creating an underwater oasis for the kids. "It creates such an environment for them and distracts them from being in the hospital.”
The pint-sized patients are also celebrating Halloween in the NICU center, with tiny costumes provided by local donors.
“They bought build-a-bear costumes, the nice small size for our patients," said Lisa Barron of the Childlife department at PBCH.
Costumes for all of the kids -- big and small -- were provided by generous donations in the community so that families did not have to worry about spending money on the holiday.
In the end, the staff threw a big party for the kids with food, games and crafts -- allowing each child to have a moment to focus on their happiness.
“I just had a mom tell me that all of the experiences they’ve had, those are the memories they’re going take. Not the times they were in pain.”
Staff will be planning more events like this for the kids as we head into the holiday season.
