WHAT

Many children receiving care at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital are unable to trick or treat in their home neighborhoods this year. But never fear: OHSU Doernbecher’s Child Life Program is throwing an all-Doernbecher Halloween bash featuring a costume parade, trick-or-treating and a cupcake party for all of its patients and families to enjoy.

“Halloween is an important holiday for many children, and we want to be sure our Doernbecher patients can still enjoy the day, despite being hospitalized,” said child life specialist Cindy Barshay, M.A., C.C.L.S. “In order to bring normalcy and fun into the hospital environment, we organize festivities to help kids enjoy Halloween, including dressing up in costumes, going trick or treating and enjoying a party with other patients, afterward. Joy can still be a part of their day.”

Barshay is one of seven master’s-level child life specialists at OHSU Doernbecher with expertise in healthy development and coping through play, education and expressive activities for children and their families in health care settings.

She and the Child Life team will help the children put on their costumes and paint their faces, and will accompany them as they walk from station to station collecting treats from nurses, medical students and volunteers — some of whom will be decked out in Halloween attire.

The trick-or-treating and costume parade will culminate in a special cupcake party hosted by Lightning Cupcakes, a company established in honor of a former Doernbecher patient.

WHEN

Oct. 31, 2011, 1 p.m.

WHERE

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
700 S.W. Campus Drive, Portland, OR 97239

Editors: Please call 503-494-8231 if you plan to attend; crews should assemble in the first-floor lobby of OHSU Doernbecher.