Houston Texans cheerleaders host cheerleading camp at hospital

August 23, 2016

Several “oohs and aahs” could be heard from some of Texas Children’s Hospital’s patients last week as they turned a corner on the fourth floor of the Pavilion for Women and saw eight Houston Texans cheerleaders waiting just for them.

“Wow!” 8-year-old Phoebe Danticat exclaimed when she saw the cheerleader’s smiling faces and shiny pom-poms. “This is awesome!”

The cheerleaders recently hosted their second mini Jr. cheerleading camp at Texas Children’s Hospital. During the camp, members of the cheerleading squad visited with the patients and their families, played games, signed autographs, posed for photos and taught them a dance routine. Following the event, the cheerleaders visited pulmonary, heart and adolescent medicine patients, bringing along pom-poms and autographed posters.

For cheerleader Ashley R., the August 16 visit was an opportunity to get the patient’s minds off of being in a hospital.

“Many of these children aren’t able to go to a Texans game because of their illness,” she said. “I am happy to be able to bring a part of the game to them and to have the opportunity to try and put a smile on their faces.”

The cheerleaders were able to do that and much more.

“It’s been a really good day,” said Phoebe’s twin sister, Marabelle. “Seeing the cheerleaders today was a really nice surprise.”

Texas Children’s teamed up with the Houston Texans more than a year ago to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives through camps, programs and events all year long. We are working alongside the Texans through community engagement and education programs to give Houston-area kids the tools necessary to make healthy choices throughout their lives. Last week’s mini Jr. cheerleading camp is just one of many of the exciting events we’ll take part in throughout the year. Click here to learn more about our partnership and view a series of photos below from the recent mini Jr. cheerleading camp.