Rylee Sullivan, 5, leans her head on the side of the stage while watching the 2018 hematology and oncology holiday play at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Pediatric hematology and oncology patients of Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital gather in the Grand Rapids Public Museum for the annual holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Karrie Gumina, RN, plays the baby, Jack-Jack, from the movie "The Incredibles" during the annual holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
This year's production featured the Incredibles and other superhero kids coming together to save Santa. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Alona Johnson, 3, decorates a superhero mask. She attended the event with her aunt, Lillian White, who is being treated for sickle cell anemia. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
All the tables where families could gather and eat together also had the Incredibles logo on them. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Andy Kolb, 2, visits with Santa Claus. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Noah Kiel and his grandmother, Kim Josephson, watch people visit with Santa. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
David Dickens, MD, performs on stage during the annual holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Lilly Loding kisses her 2-year-old brother, Gary. Lilly received treatment for Langerhans cell histiocytosis. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Holly Workman, RN, sings before the play begins. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Sarah Smith, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital teacher and school liaison, plays a police officer during the annual holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Beth Kurt, MD, stands behind stage during the holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
There were three showings of the play and each one was filled to the brim with audience members. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Rhys Vandemark, Child Life specialist, plays Mr. Incredible during the holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
James Fahner, MD, makes his annual debut as a sugar plum fairy and throws confetti into the audience. "One of the most touching things we are seeing is families making this a holiday tradition," said Dr. Fahner, the division chief for hematology and oncology at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Julie Steinbrecher, RN, plays Santa's reindeer during the holiday play. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Richard Axtell, MD, plays the mayor, who is the Grinch in disguise. Dr. Axtell writes the script for the holiday play each year. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
The superhero kids saved Santa and the entire night was a success for all. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
“I am a champion, and you’re going to hear me roar … roar-rrr-rrrr-rrr!”
Hundreds of children bounced in their seats and belted out the Katy Perry tune as they watched their doctors, nurses and other caregivers defeat the Grinch.
The children and their families came together for three showings of the 27th annual Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital pediatric hematology and oncology holiday production.
Hosted at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the event is an opportunity for current and past patients and their families to celebrate the season together while watching their caregivers act, dance, sing, and generally be silly (cue James Fahner, MD, in his tutu).
“One of the most touching things we are seeing is families making this a holiday tradition,” said Dr. Fahner, the division chief for hematology and oncology at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, who is always a favorite among patients. “It’s great to see the joy of childhood come to their eyes.”
This year’s production featured the Incredibles and other superhero kids coming together to save Santa, who has been named an outlaw superhero by the mayor of a town. The mayor, who happens to be the Grinch in disguise, says Santa needs to be jailed because he is breaking into homes and leaving behind reindeer droppings on roofs.
The Incredible kids couldn’t let that happen. They text all the other super kids they know and, together, they put an end to Santa being locked up so he can continue to deliver gifts around the world.
Lilly Loding, who spent a lot of time in the hospital as a young child to combat Langerhans cell histiocytosis, couldn’t hide her excitement about the production, and about seeing her favorite doctor, David Dickens, MD, as he played the guitar.
“It’s about the Incredibles!” she exclaimed. “I’ve seen both (movies). I’m excited to see Santa tonight.”
Her mom shared that the event is almost like a family reunion for many families, as children who are in remission miss their caregivers.
Another family who visits the children’s hospital much less these days is that of Lilly Vanden Bosch, who spent months in the hospital in 2015 for a bone marrow transplant as part of her recovery from severe aplastic anemia.
“I’m so used to seeing everyone in scrubs,” Lilly said. “It’s great to see them on stage being more than just doctors and nurses.”
The view from onstage is even better. From the stage, I can see faces express joy; the same faces that we grow accustomed to expressing fear or pain. I see my coworkers express fun; the same hard working people that toil with diligence at saving children’s lives. This tradition is not simply a holiday tradition. It is an opportunity to share our common humanity, to show that there is more than just someone wearing scrubs taking care of these children. The HDVCH pediatric hematology/oncology/transplant staff are people willing to take time out of their busy lives to show how much they care. These are the people on that stage, the people who I’ve been proud to call my colleagues for 16 years, and the people who I will miss when I’m gone.
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The view from onstage is even better. From the stage, I can see faces express joy; the same faces that we grow accustomed to expressing fear or pain. I see my coworkers express fun; the same hard working people that toil with diligence at saving children’s lives. This tradition is not simply a holiday tradition. It is an opportunity to share our common humanity, to show that there is more than just someone wearing scrubs taking care of these children. The HDVCH pediatric hematology/oncology/transplant staff are people willing to take time out of their busy lives to show how much they care. These are the people on that stage, the people who I’ve been proud to call my colleagues for 16 years, and the people who I will miss when I’m gone.
Thank you for sharing this lovely sentiment, Dr. Dickens. You brought tears to this editor’s eyes with your description.