by Shani Thornton | Jan 3, 2017 | Blog
HAPPY NEW YEAR! This year, we thought we’d kick off 2017 by focusing on something fun – PLAY. Everyone, young and old, here and there, across the world plays. At The Standish Foundation for Child and Family Centered Healthcare, we know how important play is to the...
by Shani Thornton | Dec 20, 2016 | Blog
A Look into Medical Camps with Dr. Ben Let us catch you up….we are delving hardcore into what it means to play, and why it is CRITICAL to understand it and incorporate it into your pediatric healthcare practices. Our last blog segment by Dr. Ben attempted to shine...
by Shani Thornton | Dec 18, 2016 | Blog
On this day, December 10th, in 1948 the United Nations drafted the Universal Declaration of Human rights – a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations outlining, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected. So when...
by Shani Thornton | Nov 30, 2016 | Other
Every year unsuspecting and very disappointed parents find themselves trying to give their sick kid a happy holiday from within hospital walls – a challenge that you can help with. With the holidays upon us, here are a few tips FOR and FROM health care providers on...
by Shani Thornton | Nov 12, 2016 | Other
All of us at Standish Foundation wish you and your family a peaceful Thanksgiving -Andy Mangione Standish, President Through the years, I’ve attended events honoring Active U.S. Military and Veterans. Yet this post-election Veterans Day event was different. I was...
by Shani Thornton | Jul 18, 2016 | Other
We would like to extend our sympathy to the entire Copeland family, especially Kim, Maegan and Austin. Sean and Brodie Copeland, the two Americans killed in the terrorist attack in Nice were from Lakeway, Texas where Standish Foundation for Child & Family...
by Shani Thornton | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog
If you know a child life specialist, give them a hug, high-five, or a social media shout out! We’d like to honor to these incredible child life specialists Laura Gaynard, Deb Vilas, Cinda MacDonald, Maria Fatima Garcia-Lorenzo, Natalie Fyles, Khatuna Dolidze, Susan...
by Shani Thornton | Dec 20, 2015 | Other
It’s been a fantastic year at Standish Foundation for Child & Family Centered Healthcare. For 2016, plans are being made to deliver our programs in Austin and even more cities in the U.S. We will continue helping to minimize the suffering and fear of hospitalized...
by Shani Thornton | Nov 28, 2015 | Other
The holidays have something in common with hospital stays. Hospitals are places of hope and healing. Hospitals are also places of pain and sorrow. Most children don’t understand the juxtaposition of the two. It’s an abstract and unfathomable concept. Standish...
by Shani Thornton | Nov 24, 2015 | Other
Ever wonder who comes up with those awesome, themed spaces at children’s hospitals and clinics? Andy Keller is one of them. Here he offers some tips and insights for making healthcare spaces a bit more child-friendly. In your professional opinion, what are the top 3...
by Shani Thornton | Nov 19, 2015 | Other
We’re once again exploring the world of alternative therapies for children, mainly art, music and play. While the idea of employing these with adults seems a little preposterous (although, they have a place!), these therapies are almost non-negotiable for kids. There...
by Shani Thornton | Nov 4, 2015 | Other
One of the best ways to explain a doctor’s visit or something more serious, like a surgical procedure, to a young child is with the help of a story. Here’s a short list of some of our favorite books Going to the Hospital by Fred Rodgers Poo Plays Doctor ...
by Shani Thornton | Oct 8, 2015 | Other
Shoal Habib said, “Hospitals are unlike other places in that people who are in them don’t want to be.” Consider the children with acute and chronic illness who are in hospitals frequently. They become experts on the unwelcome, unwanted hospital experience. These...
by Shani Thornton | Oct 31, 2015 | Other
Understanding what little ones need is always a challenge—are they hungry, tired, afraid? When they’re in the hospital, that challenge is compounded. Their little minds are inundated with new information, sights, sounds and sensations and then, something unfamiliar...
by Shani Thornton | Sep 30, 2015 | Other
Making the hospital a happier place for children of all ages is a rewarding, but of course challenging task—and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Tactics and techniques differ for different genders, cultures and age groups. What’s employed for school-age...
by Shani Thornton | Sep 23, 2015 | Other
We never get tired of hearing about how Child Life Specialists arrived in their professions. Brenda Sturgeleski, BA, Ed, LES, CCLS, CTRS, shares how she turned a fine arts degree and passion for serving children into a Child Life career. How did you get involved in...
by Shani Thornton | Sep 17, 2015 | Other
Learning your child has cancer or another serious illness that is or could be life-threatening has the power to make you feel very alone, but it also introduces you to a network of people who understand what you’re going through and understand the power of hope and...
by Shani Thornton | Sep 3, 2015 | Other
Lois Wolgemuth has worked as a Child Life Specialist at Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, for 31 years, but discovered her passion for helping hospitalized children at age 12. She’s truly devoted her life to the Child Life profession and shares...
by Shani Thornton | Aug 29, 2015 | Other
“Our JOB is to provide healthcare. The way we do it is our GIFT to patients and families.” –Andrea Standish Recently, I met with a dynamic woman named Kelli Kelley who is the Founder and Executive Director of Hand to Hold. After navigating a path without much support...
by Shani Thornton | Aug 27, 2015 | Other
Hello from Jerusalem! While we are here working with Augusta Victoria Hospital, we are also celebrating our 5th birthday. We’re grateful to those who have supported us, donated, mentored, prayed, laughed, helped and advised us. We’ve gotten social with each other;...
by Shani Thornton | Aug 20, 2015 | Other
Shani Thornton is the voice behind Child Life Mommy, a blog about being a mom and a Certified Child Life Specialist. Shani is a true warrior for child-centered healthcare practices and we’re honored she took the time to chat with us about her experiences as a child...
by Shani Thornton | Aug 17, 2015 | Other
Standish Foundation for Child & Family Centered Healthcare is returning to the pediatric cancer center at Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem on August 16, 2015. Our journey to Jerusalem is bittersweet. We will be going to the memorial of Dr. Tawfiq Nasser....
by Shani Thornton | Aug 1, 2015 | Other
August is national immunization awareness month. Of course, it’s also back-to-school season, so there’s a good chance shots and physicals are on your mind right now, especially if you’re a healthcare provider, or a parent. If you’re the latter, you may be dreading...
by Shani Thornton | Jul 30, 2015 | Other
Summer 2015 marks the five year anniversary of the founding of the Standish Foundation for Child and Family Centered Healthcare. We’re celebrating by sharing the stories of some of the people that have worked alongside us. From Advisory Council Member Caroline...
by Shani Thornton | Jul 9, 2015 | Other
Children at Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem play with “Chemo Ducks”—a specially designed stuffed duck that has a port to help show children what to expect during their chemotherapy treatments. It’s a common scenario. Somehow in conversation my affiliation with...
