Saturday 4 March saw a successful Teddy Bear Hospital event, the first of it’s kind to take place in Trinity. Set up in in Trinity’s Sports Centre and with entry free of charge, this event was run by Trinity’s Paediatric Society and its associated health care students, who sought to help familiarise children with the health care environment, reducing the anxieties and stresses associated with it.
At the core of the event was the idea that children travelled through different healthcare settings such as first aid, radiology, surgery and meditation – accompanied by their very own teddy bear. The varying stands simulated different aspects of hospital life, such as teddy bear x-ray and bandaging. The event attracted both children and their parents to interact with hospital equipment, learn about the human body and also healthy eating.
Seán Gallagher a JF medical student and one of the organisers of the event, said the event ultimately aims “to reduce anxiety for children around going to hospital and to reduce the stigma for children around certain things like x-rays and MRI scans”.
Amy Restan, a SS medical student said that the team “were really happy at how the event turned out. We had 170 children sign up for the event, and we are expecting more to arrive today”.
The event was strongly advertised by the organising committee through RTÉ radio and additionally, by emailing schools across Dublin. The event was support by The Ronald McDonald Trust and Bumbleance. Eddie McGuiness, Communications Manager for Bumbleance, a child-friendly ambulance service, said events like these are “important for children and their parents, because going to hospital as a child is extremely scary and anything that reduces those fears should be supported”.
