January 3, 2020
By uclahealth 
“Where are Santa’s reindeer?” wonders eight-year-old Arturo Hernandez. Santa Claus and the Santa Monica Fire Department visited patients at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital in Santa Monica. Ignicia Varela, Arturo’s mother, reveals Santa’s answer, “They are on the roof. Santa arrives in a helicopter.” She continues, “We’ve been here for more than a year. Arturo has […]
Tags: cancer, featured, Santa Monica Fire Department, sarcoma, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“The hospital doesn’t feel like home, and I think when you get decorations, it makes you feel more comfortable,” reflects 15-year-old Mac Bailey. Mac decorated rooms through Once Upon A Room at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital in Santa Monica with his sister, 17-year-old Lily Bailey. Lily says, “I had surgery on my back when I […]
Tags: featured, Once Upon A Room, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“The United Airlines visit is one my favorites from the whole year,” gushes Tracy Serrano, a child life specialist at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Santa Monica. “Our community partners from United Airlines come to visit all our patients and provide them with Ben Flyin Adventure bears. They’ve been coming for 12 years, and it’s such […]
Tags: Ben Flyin, child life specialist, featured, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica, United Airlines
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“Being given a moment to take time out of our day to do this is really stress-relieving,” affirms Katherine Cohen, an administrative care partner and supply manager at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. Katherine participated in a holiday art workshop on the orthopedic floor. “I’m making a bottle for my boyfriend, Benji because you can […]
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“I was happy to see everybody in uniform. I saw the Chief from the Fire Department and got to talk to him,” grins 20-year-old Juan Jose Torres, a patient at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica who received some surprise visitors. “I had a tumor of 14 centimeters on my left shoulder, where my humerus had […]
Tags: chemotherapy, featured, osteosarcoma, Santa Monica Fire Department, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“We do this out of the kindness of our hearts and the desire to come out and show these kids that we care about them,” reveals James Altman, division chief in training for the Santa Monica Fire Department. “We come with Santa Claus to spread some cheer and give toys to the kids who are […]
Tags: featured, Santa Monica Fire Department, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“This is my Christmas. I’m not happy, and I don’t have the Christmas spirit until I do this,” affirms Roberto Calderon, a captain for United Airlines. Calderon has delivered Ben Flyin Adventure Bears to patients at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica for the past ten years. “UCLA Health says, ‘You’re coming to the hospital, but […]
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“Ortho can be stressful, especially when you have a lot of patients coming through after surgery,” reflects Gina Porras, a registered nurse in orthopedics at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. “Doing some arts and crafts is really good. It’s some relief from the normal work on the floor, and these extracurricular activities break up the […]
January 3, 2020
By uclahealth
“It was heartwarming, being able to come and deliver these bears and put a smile on the patients’ faces,” reveals Keith Quinones, a United Airlines flight attendant who delivered Ben Flying Adventure Bears to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital in Santa Monica. “Ben Flyin is the bears’ name, and he was created by United for young […]
Tags: Ben Flyin, featured, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica
December 30, 2019
By uclahealth
Kevin Luzande, an accomplished chef and friend of a nurse at the Mattel Children’s Unit at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, decided to brighten up the holiday season for families in need of some good cheer. Luzande, with donations from several prominent restaurants including Citizen Sprout, The Federal NoHo, Bourbon Steak, The Rose Venice, Point […]
Tags: featured, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica
