February 16, 2022

Texas Children’s furriest team members paraded through the halls of the Heart Center at the Medical Center campus to help make it a “pawsitively” lovely Valentine’s Day for our cardiology patients and their families.

Therapy dogs Elsa, Bailey, Pinto and Pluto brought holiday cards, festive beaded necklaces and even a few kisses to children throughout Legacy Tower, including stops to visit the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) and Adult Congenital Heart Program.

Six-year-old patient Kyleigh Ward said she was very excited to see her best friend Bailey during the special Valentine’s Day parade. Kyleigh has been hospitalized at Texas Children’s for nearly 150 days awaiting a much-needed heart transplant.

“We love the dogs,” said Kyleigh’s mother, Briancca. “It was very therapeutic to see them come around and spend time with the families. … I’m glad Kyleigh had a good time. I had a good time, too.”

The four golden retrievers are the heart of Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, which is designed to enhance the emotional well-being of patients and families in the hospital. Along with Angus at West Campus and Cohen at The Woodlands campus, the dogs are specially bred and trained to work full-time as service dogs in a pediatric setting alongside our child life specialists.

“The Child Life Heart Center team and Animal-Assisted Therapy team came together to make the dog parade happen, and I’m so happy it went well,” said Victoria Ramos, child life activity coordinator.

“My role is to bring normalization and play to patients and families while they are in the hospital,” she said. “Bringing in the AAT dogs makes the job even more special. … What could be more fun than a parade where we come together and create fun memories for patients and their families?”

February 10, 2015

They say love knows no age. Whoever said that wasn’t taking into consideration that love is a confusing mystery before a certain age. Connect asked some young Texas Children’s patients what they thought of Valentine’s Day and the word “love” and they shared their hilarious thoughts on this day dedicated to the ones we love.

Watch this adorable video.

January 27, 2015

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It’s time to spread the love. Many patients who spend Valentine’s Day with us don’t get to be a part of their school’s Valentine’s Day celebrations and miss out on the opportunity to exchange Valentine’s with other kids their age. That’s where you come in!

Texas Children’s Patient Activities Team makes sure these kids get to celebrate the holiday. The team is sponsoring a Valentine’s Day card drive Monday, February 2, through Friday, February 6. This year’s drive is only a week long and only handmade cards are being accepted, so make sure you don’t miss this opportunity to bring smiles to the faces of our patients.

The cards will be delivered to patients on inpatient floors Friday, February 13. To volunteer for card delivery, e-mail Irma Vargas.

Signed Valentine’s Day cards can be placed in collection boxes at the following locations starting February 2.

  • Abercrombie first-floor information desk
  • Meyer Building first-floor security desk
  • West Tower third-floor information desk
  • Nabisco Building (in the cafeteria)
  • 8080 N. Stadium Drive
  • Bank of America Building 12th floor

Please do not include any patient names, religious statements or get well messages on the cards. For example, you may write “to a cool kid” or “to a friend.” Here are additional guidelines:

  • Use bond paper and non-toxic markers, crayons or water-based paints only.
  • Draw with stencils or decorate with stickers.
  • Do not glue solid items on the cards.
  • Do not use glitter or glitter glue.
  • Do not include anything edible on or with the cards.
  • Do not include any religious messages.
  • Do not specify gender, name or ethnicity.
February 11, 2014

What’s better than having passion for the mission and knowing your spouse is in the same boat? It’s like a real life reality show for many couples at Texas Children’s who get to see their loved ones not just after hours but sometimes even run into them serendipitously around the organization.

Dr. George Mallory and his wife Debbie, Dr. Larry Hollier and his wife Dr. Lisa Hollier along with Tony Sanders and his wife Regina Barnett-Sanders tell us what it’s like to see your spouse around the halls or even ride to work together. Plus an update from last year’s engaged couples, newlyweds Tarra Kerr and Dan Christopher along with Sarah and Aaron Solis talk about their weddings and the moments they shared with their coworkers that made their special days memorable.

If you and your loved one work together and want to make sure you’re featured next year, send an email to connect news.

February 10, 2014

Last year the Texas Children’s loading dock received flower and candy deliveries on Valentine’s Day causing not only delivery delays of these items, but also a delay in patient care product deliveries.

To eliminate this problem please notify your spouses, significant others, mothers, brothers, sisters and friends not to send you Valentine gifts directly to the docks. Florist deliveries can be sent by the florists directly to your desk. The dock does not have the resources to deliver these thoughtful personal gifts as they are concentrating on the delivery of patient care products.

If flowers do come to the dock they will try their best to get them to you, but patient care product delivery takes precedence. They will attempt to deliver all personal items should they come to the dock; however, they may need to call individuals to come to the dock to pick up their gifts.

Thank you for your patience.

February 4, 2014

Surprise your coworkers, friends or special someone and place your Valentine Delivery orders by Monday, February 10, at the Abercrombie and Pavilion Express Shops. Purchase your items, complete the form, and they will deliver the items on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14. Minimum order is $20.00, and delivery is free of charge.

Contact Stephanie Martinez, Volunteer Services, with questions.