Thanks to generous community philanthropists, children and teens now have beautiful pictures, furniture, and toys to comfort and inspire them as they receive outpatient care from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Division of Psychology.
“These spaces set the tone for the numerous therapies, exams, evaluations and conversations that take place each and every day,” said Dr. Sara Rivero-Conil,” Clinical Manager for the Division of Psychology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. “Our team recognized that the therapy rooms were in dire need of a new coat of paint, artwork, and furniture enhancements to support our therapeutic activities.”
That’s when the Miami Children’s Young Ambassadors (MCYA), a group of young community philanthropists who support the hospital’s fundraising arm, Miami Children’s Health Foundation, decided to make the transformation of these rooms their mission. The transformation was underwritten by MCYA while Melissa P. Fernandez, interior decorator with HIVE & Pattern, and Alexander Mijares, a South Florida based artist, donated their talents to collaborate in the creation of beautiful, emotionally-safe spaces for children and teens.
The project became a labor of love for all involved. The four treatment rooms, utilized for more than 6,000 pediatric outpatient psychology sessions per year, were completely redesigned with the families at the center of it all. The team met with the hospital psychologists to learn about the therapies that take place and the needs for each of the spaces.
And the pictures speak for themselves.
The beautiful and inviting rooms incorporate a mixture of vibrant colors, textures and unique artwork to tie in the room’s theme, each dedicated to one of the four seasons of the year.
Ricky Patel, former Co-Chair of MCYA and now Vice-Chairman of the Board of Miami Children’s Health Foundation, shared his reaction as he toured the spaces with the MCYA members. “It is truly inspirational to see this transformation and we are grateful to our members and volunteers for making this a reality for the patients and families. We look forward to providing more opportunities for enhancements that directly impact the care environment for all.”