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Hundreds of children who were born prematurely or with developmental challenges and received services at University Health celebrated Halloween together at Morgan’s Wonderland, a theme park designed to be accessible to people with a variety of mobility challenges and other limitations.
The health center’s annual Fall Fest gathered hundreds of costumed kids and their families to enjoy the rides and trick-or-treating. At Morgan's Wonderland, the ferris wheel, slides, carousels and even the WingZ of Wonder are all built for kids with special needs.
The small celebrants have all participated in one of three University Health programs that support premature infants and children with ongoing medical and developmental needs, including its PREMIEre program for premature babies; the NICU Graduate Program, which provides medical, developmental, and nutritional support for preemies during their first two years of life; and the Comprehensive Care Clinic, which offers broader support services for preemies during the first five years of their lives.
The event is not only fun for the families involved, according to University Health palliative pediatrician Dr. Glen Medellin, who has treated many of the children who attended the party. He said it’s rewarding to see how far his patients have progressed. “It’s beautiful to see these children out here, not sick and with their families,” he said. “It makes them feel normal.”
