Patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa Get a Prom of their Very Own

The annual event provides hospitalized kids with the opportunity to celebrate the important rite of passage that every teen should have, no matter how sick.

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St. Joseph's Children's Hospital

May 21, 2017, 10:13 ET

TAMPA, Fla., May 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, May 19, 2017, more than 100 patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital attended a Superhero-themed prom in the hospital's auditorium.

Each year, the hospital hosts prom for patients who were unable to attend their own dance due to hospitalization or who, due to chronic or life-threatening conditions, may never get the opportunity. Like all proms, the evening included refreshments, keepsake photos, music and dancing.

Patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa trade their hospital gowns for formal attire and prepare to dance the night away during a Superhero-themed prom held in the hospital's auditorium Friday, May 19, 2017. Photo by Kim Wallace

Patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa enjoy music, dancing and dinner during a prom held in their honor Friday, May 19, 2017. The hospital hosts the annual event for patients who were unable to attend their own school dance due to hospitalization or who, due to chronic or life-threatening conditions, may never have the opportunity. Photo by Kim Wallace

The special event is an all-day affair that includes selecting gowns and suits from a dress shop set up in the hospital, professional hair and wig styling, and pampering by makeup artists.

"Children with chronic or life-threatening conditions sometimes miss or have to delay traditional childhood rituals, such as playing a team sport, slumber parties, learning to drive and participating in high school dances," said Jazleen Vecchiarelli, manager of clinical services for St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. "Our extraordinary team of Child Life Specialists organize special events, like prom, to provide patients with experiences that they might not otherwise have due to treatment and hospitalization."

And because no child should have to miss prom because of an illness or injury, the event is not limited to just high school patients.

"For some seriously ill pediatric patients, this prom may be a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Vecchiarelli. "It's a night that every kid should have, no matter how sick, which is why we gave our patients a chance to go to prom now."

To see highlights from St. Joseph's Children's Hospital's prom, visit: Facebook.com/StJosephsChildrens.

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
As Tampa's only dedicated children's hospital, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is committed to providing everything needed for the health and well-being of children. Part of the BayCare Health System, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital provides more acute medical and surgical pediatric care than all other hospitals in Hillsborough County. From the tiniest baby to the high school quarterback, patients are cared for by doctors who specialize in treating children, in surroundings designed exclusively for kids.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 14 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.baycare.org.

SOURCE St. Joseph's Children's Hospital