Girls in St. Mary’s Hospital for Children’s Pediatric Day Healthcare Program Honored with Girl Scout Sashes After Completing Program

The Girl Scouts of Greater New York Introduce 6 Week Program to Help Patients Meet Rehabilitative and Social Goals and Encourage Daily Life Skills

Girls in Grades K-8 in St. Mary’s Hospital for Children’s Pediatric Day Healthcare Program (PDHC) received their Girl Scout sashes during a special ceremony after completing a six week program introduced by the Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

Attended by staff, patient families and members of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, the culmination celebration featured St. Mary’s Kids showcasing what they learned and celebrating their accomplishments.

The educational workshop series included activities to help patients meet their full potential by recognizing their unique talents, promoting ways to discover new forms of communications by building friendships, teaching them the value system of learning what is important to each of them and making sound decisions according to their beliefs and encouraging basic life and survival skills.

Patients at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children are challenged with a wide array of disabilities ranging from serious illness, injuries and complications of premature birth. St. Mary’s PDHC program provides therapeutic and medical after-school, weekend, and summer camp programs for children and young adults who have cognitive and physical disabilities. The program encourages independence and teaches patients to build basic life skills and coordinate and participate in events.

The Girl Scouts workshop helped to promote these goals as well as help patients reach their rehabilitative, educational and social milestones.

The next stepping stone is already in the works as St. Mary’s staff is looking forward to the day the girls become an official troop and are able to participate in other Girl Scout activities. Plans are also in the works to introduce the program to the boys of St. Mary’s.