Renovated pediatric ward bringing smiles to young patients

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This article was published 27/08/2022 (1300 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Children are being given a reason to smile the next time they have to go to the hospital with a ward renovated just for them.

Brandon Regional Health Centre unveiled their brand-new Smilezone withing the hospital’s Pediatric Unit on Friday with fanfare from patients, staff, families and donors. The new Smilezone features brightly-coloured Brandon-themed murals in the halls and rooms, a games room, child-sized furniture, TV, and other sensory-development features designed to keep young patients upbeat while they are receiving treatments and other care.

All of this is designed to make hospital visits less stressful for families and patients, as well as make it a happier workplace for staff, said Prairie Mountain health CEO Brian Schoonbaert.

“We believe smiles are always in fashion, and those within the Westman Dreams for Kids Pediatric Unit will now be greeted with beautiful outdoor-themed wall murals and kid-friendly options in the family room. We are exceptionally grateful to the donor families and both the Smilezone and BRHC Foundations for seeing this extra-special project come to fruition,” said Schoonbaert.

He praised nurses and physicians for all their hard work in caring for children on the pediatric ward, especially during the last two-and-a-half years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The added stress of shutdowns, delays and cancellations along with tight restrictions have made it challenging to deliver care with efficiency and compassion, but everyone at BRHC has done that ant this new Smilezone will make it more pleasant.

Even the patients that frequent the Pediatric Ward are pleased with the changed. Amari Stocks said she had to be at the ward for her own treatments and said the new look is a marked improvement to the previous institutional look of the ward.

It’s been amazing seeing the progress of the project, she said.

“It is absolutely adorable up there,” she said. “It’s so much fun up there and it totally brought a smile to my face. This ward is such an amazing place, full of the most amazing, kind people you will ever know. So having this branch for the ward is such an amazing thing. It’s going to make so may people happy.”

The Smilezone Foundation is thrilled to be a part of this exciting renovation at Brandon Regional Health Centre, said Scott Bachly, co-founder of Smilezone Foundation

Smilezone started seven years ago, when Bachly, who spent 40 years in construction and Adam Graves, NHL alumni and two-time Stanley Cup champion, were asked to donate to the hospital in Oakville, Ont.

After a few meetings, Bachly said he, his wife, Jackie and Graves to start a foundation to benefit children.

“Our vision has no boundaries,” Bachly said. “Our vision is to put a smile on children’s faces across Canada.”

From there, they decided they had to reach out to more communities, no matter the size.

This is the first Smilezone built in Manitoba and the 300 th overall. Smilezones have been built in Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia in hospitals, rehabilitation centres and other institutions dedicated to treating children.

These wards do make a difference in the mental health of children, he said. They do not offer medical services, but they do transform what was a relatively blank space into a colourful one. Each one is customized and designed to serve the children at each centre. They pre-plan with the institution’s staff to find out what the needs and wants are.

He recalled one Smilezone built in Sudbury, Ont., where he was told a girl needing chemotherapy were excited to go into the room because it had been decorated with a mermaid theme.

The hope of the foundation is to completely criss-cross Canada with these Smilezones, he said.

This ward wouldn’t be happening without the work and donations of the Grewal, Kuntz and Spencer families, whom had members fly in to be part of the dedication. The Grewal and Kuntz families all had members originate from Brandon, Man., and asked in 2017 if there could be a Smilezone built in their home city. The families all worked to help raise funds to get it built.

Jin Grewal, speaking on behalf of the families, said they are always happy to be giving back to Brandon and would be celebrating with friends and family later that night.

More information on the Smilezone Foundation can be found at https://www.smilezone.com/

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