Holiday Celebrations Bring Smiles to Shriners Children’s Boston

Each year a series of exciting events helps to make the fall and winter holidays brighter for patients and families at Shriners Children’s Boston. Visits from Boston sports teams, Santa and Boston firefighters made this an especially memorable season of surprises. These opportunities not only bring joy to our patients, but they also provide a sense of normalcy and tradition for children spending time in the hospital during the holidays.

The fun began in October with our annual Spirit of Children Halloween party, complete with arts and crafts and costumes. Spirit of Children’s mission is to make hospitals less scary for kids and their families by supporting child life departments at partner hospitals. Each year volunteers from local Spirit of Halloween stores provide supplies, decorations, costumes and spooky fun for our patient party.

On Halloween, patients began the day with a special surprise visit from New England Patriots players dressed as Disney characters. Matt Judon, Vederian Lowe, Chad Ryland, Chris Board, Matt Sokol and Calvin Monson played games and did crafts with patients, while also leaving time for autographs. Later that afternoon patients trick-or-treated throughout the hospital, receiving treats from staff who came to work in costume to add to the fun. An ice cream party hosted by the Ladies of the Oriental Shrine North America rounded out the day.

“Patients love the opportunity to interact with players from Boston sports teams,” said Jackie Raftery, MS, CCLS, a certified child life specialist at Shriners Children’s Boston. “It is a way to boost morale and promote camaraderie.”

The Boston Bruins also stopped by Shriners Children’s Boston to spread some holiday cheer. To begin the visit, Bob Sweeney, president of the Boston Bruins Foundation, presented a sponsorship check for $50,000 to Shriners Children’s Boston in support of the 2023 Boston Haunted Walk. Four Bruins players – Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort – had an action-packed visit with patients, including pool, foosball, floor hockey, soccer, and arts and crafts.