Patients at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford Will Experience: An Evening at the Oasis

* The hospital’s school throws prom celebration teachers call an “event to look forward to, not because they’re in the hospital, but because they deserve to be regular kids.”
* Media invited to meet patient families this Friday, May 29.

For Release: May 28, 2015

Summary:
Pyramids? Palm trees? Perhaps a camel (mirage!)? In a hospital cafeteria transformed into “An Evening at the Oasis.”

It’s an excitedly anticipated time of year. School is ending, and kids of all ages who have attended the hospital school this year are ready for the prom event of the season. For kids like 14-year-old Jeremy from Chester, CA, who is awaiting a heart transplant, prom is a way to do “regular kid stuff” and definitely something to look forward to. “I get to hang out with my friends from school, we are all here for different reasons but we can relate to each other,” said Jeremy.

Jeremy has been at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford since October, and school here has been an enjoyable part of a long wait for a donor heart, and now he says, “It feels normal to go to a school at the same place where I get my blood drawn.” Mom Kelly said, “He’s excited to get together with the friends he’s made, many come and go from school so this is a chance for everyone to get together and have fun.” While many will go all out for hair and makeup and dresses and suits, Jeremy plans to play it cool – rumor is he is thinking about a t-shirt that has a picture of a tux on it.

This is the 11th year the school has hosted a prom. The school relies on a large group of volunteers to pull off the event, which expects to see over 150 kids and guests in attendance.  Over 100 volunteers, including representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Hewlett-Packard, will be helping to make this a memorable event for the school’s students and their guests.  Kids will enjoy dancing, casino games, prizes, a photo booth and more at the “Evening at the Oasis” themed event.

“It’ll be a huge night under desert stars,” said teacher-organizer Kathy Ho,  “it’s so important for these kids — some of whom will never go to their school prom — to have a night where they can forget they’re in a hospital and just be kids.”

What:
Photo/video and interviews with kids, families, and caregivers on prom night

When:
Friday May 29, 6pm-9pm

Where:
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford
725 Welch Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304

Authors

Samantha Dorman
(650) 498-7056
sdorman@stanfordchildrens.org

Robert Dicks
(650) 497-8364
rdicks@stanfordchildrens.org

About Stanford Medicine Children's Health

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford at its center, is the Bay Area’s largest health care system exclusively dedicated to children and expectant mothers. Our network of care includes more than 65 locations across Northern California and more than 85 locations in the U.S. Western region. Along with Stanford Health Care and the Stanford School of Medicine, we are part of Stanford Medicine, an ecosystem harnessing the potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education, and clinical care to improve health outcomes around the world. We are a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the community through meaningful outreach programs and services and providing necessary medical care to families, regardless of their ability to pay. Discover more at stanfordchildrens.org.