PEORIA, Ill. – It can be difficult enough to see your child undergo a hospital stay, especially with a major medical issue.
But OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois has been trying to make it easier, by providing play and education opportunities alike.
It’s the sort of thing Stacie Schwab’s nine-year-old daughter Ellie, who’s spent time in the hospital from multiple spina bifida-related complications, has come to love.
“It’s amazing for her,” said Stacie Schwab. “She doesn’t sleep much, because she’s worried about what she gets to do the next day. She has me up at eight, we order breakfast. Then, at nine, as soon as that door (to the playroom) opens, she’s probably the first one in there.”
Wednesday, as part of a special National “STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Math)” Day activity, Ellie got to make her favorite color, then use it to make a miniature mold of a human heart.
“I like to learn and do art stuff like that,” said Ellie Schwab. “I love to learn new things about stuff like that. It makes me feel pretty good.”
Ellie says it also helps keep her mind off of why she’s in the hospital, which is a good thing.
An educator says hopes it inspires Ellie or others to work in medicine when she grows up, but any of the STEAM fields will be just fine.
“I think the more exposure the kids have to all of these opportunities, it will get more people into the healthcare industry, which is huge right now,” said Becky Dailey, OSF Children’s Hospital teacher.
Dailey also helps students keep up on their school assignments so they don’t fall behind during their stay.
Ellie admits, though, that for now, she still wants to work at Chuck E. Cheese when she gets older, just like her grandma.
