Smiles from Sarah

The mission of Smiles From Sarah (SFS) is to support and advance the quality of child life programs that help children and their families during challenging and traumatic hospital admissions. With a focus on expanding the reach and impact of therapeutic play, SFS strives to bring smiles and healing to children during these difficult periods. Sarah was born with a rare form of congenital muscular dystrophy. At four she was able to receive a lifesaving heart transplant after spending 7 months in the hospital. Complications from the transplant and issues related to her muscular dystrophy required frequent hospital visits and long periods of time away from home. Throughout her life, Sarah was supported by a skilled and compassionate medical team. Yet, to a child, a hospital can be a strange and scary place and foster feelings of vulnerability and loneliness. Fortunately, Sarah’s team included Child Life Specialists who were able to transform this foreign world into a safe playground, helping her to smile when she needed it the most. Through therapeutic play, Sarah was able to bravely face her medical treatments and procedures. Coming to her room to stay and play made the difference between a good or bad day. Through these activities, Sarah developed age-appropriate skills to process her emotions, direct her care, share her voice and advocate for her needs. Through therapeutic play professional child life specialists give children the ability to better develop, cope and communicate when confronted with illness, injury, or disability. Therapeutic play serves a vital function in children’s medical care. It can be the bandage to bind a broken spirit or the pill to alleviate anxiety and pain. Sarah passed away in 2022, and it is in honor of her sassy, playful, and generous spirit that SFS was formed to bring purposeful play to children in hospitals.