Cincinnati Children’s Hospital kicked off Patient and Family Experience Week with a hospital-wide “We Love Our Patients” event, designed to create a fun and engaging environment for patients and their families. The Center for Patient and Family Experience organized visits from costumed characters; children and families were greeted by princesses, superheroes, and stormtroopers, helping to make the hospital feel a little less intimidating and a bit more fun.
The Radiology Department hosted a Teddy Bear Clinic, where patients were given a new teddy bear and invited to learn about medical imaging through hands-on activities. Haley Luedeke, one of Radiology’s child life specialists, led the effort, using medical play to help children explore radiology in a supportive and approachable way.
Other activities included an “I Spy” game, “pose like a skeleton,” and “be a radiologist.” The “be-a-radiologist” game was especially popular. Children were shown real X-ray images of candy and asked to guess which treats were on the images. Olivia Cantazaro, Ali-Joy Hendricks, and Dr. Alex Towbin guided children through the activities and answered their questions.
Josiah, our facility dog, and Ozzy, the department’s skeleton model, made surprise appearances to greet patients and families.
Cara Trimble is focused on enhancing the patient and family experience at Cincinnati Children’s. With a passion for health care and a deep commitment to community, she assist families by answering questions, providing hospital policy information, and connecting them with essential resources. Originally from Gallipolis, Ohio, Cara brings small-town warmth and extensive experience to her work. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys family life in Monroe, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters, balancing home projects, photography, and live music with her love for helping others.
Meredith Towbin is a freelance copy editor and writer. She has copyedited the Department of Radiology’s blog since it launched. She also works as a copy editor for the home improvement website BobVila.com. Her writing has been featured on HuffPost as well as other writing sites.
