Hasbro Children's Hospital Completes New Healing Garden and Playground

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hasbro Children's Hospital announced the completion of the Balise Healing Garden and reimagined playground. The space was made possible by donor support and generous gifts to the Every Child, Every Day campaign, and partners Starlight Children's Foundation, CVS Pharmacy, Colgate-Palmolive Company, and TerraCycle.

"We know there's a correlation between spending time outside and the healing journey for children – that a place for respite brings normalcy to a child's hospital stay," said Timothy J. Babineau, MD, President and CEO of Lifespan. "We are thankful to all of our incredible supporters whose generous philanthropy made this transformation a reality. Hasbro Children's has truly been built by our community, for our community."

Located outside the hospital's lower level, the Balise Healing Garden and conjoined playground are 29,000 sq. ft. and feature a raised bed teaching garden and re-worked Healing Arts Theatre with stadium-style benches and chimes and drums for patients to express themselves.

The playground, including swings and a climb-on structure with a wheelchair accessible slide, is located nearby. Built on a cushioned base, the equipment is constructed from recycled materials, including oral care products collected through a nationwide recycling initiative. For 3-months, consumers were asked to recycle their oral care products through CVS Pharmacy and TerraCycle to help their state win a playground for a Starlight partner pediatric facility. Rhode Island recycled more waste than any other state, and Hasbro Children's received the grand prize.

"We were able to help build this wonderful playground for families at Hasbro Children's while incentivizing recycling among our CVS Pharmacy customers," said Eileen Howard Boone, SVP of Corporate Social Responsibility & Philanthropy and Chief Sustainability Officer at CVS Health.  "It's a win-win for everyone, most importantly the countless children who will enjoy the playground for years to come."

The Balise Healing Garden and the playground were completed late September and follows current COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

Media Contact: Cristine Lovato, (626) 824-0325, [email protected]   

About Hasbro Children's Hospital
Hasbro Children's Hospital, part of the Lifespan health care system, is the premier pediatric facility for clinical care, research and education for Rhode Island and southeastern New England. A private, not-for-profit institution, it is the pediatric division of Rhode Island Hospital, a teaching hospital of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Hasbro Children's Hospital is designated as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons. 

SOURCE Starlight Children's Foundation