Laughter and smiles light up Kids Hospital

By  Margot Thomas

 A HOSPITAL  auditorium in a building long past its prime, is  one of the last places you’d  expect to be filled with laughter,  smiles and hullaballoo,  and when you realize that the biggest smiles come from children, many of them undergoing treatment for severe illnesses, or injuries, it’s  even more  of  a heart-warming surprise.

The scene was set last week in Hospital Del Nino for the annual celebration of Dental Week led by a dedicated  team under the direction of Dra Sol TorresThe hullaballoo in the packed auditorium came largely from the attending staff of nurses doctors and medical students who cheered and applauded their young patients  reacting  to the antics of  a clown, competing  for prizes in  speed drawing  and coloring competitions, dancing, or making  speeches as they  vied for the titles of king  and queen of the event. Others had worked in advance to produce elaborate display boards spelling out the importance of dental hygiene.

There were prizes a-plenty, but it was a win-win for all who were there to see so many happy faces before they returned to their beds for more treatment and TLC.

A tour of the hospital and its aging facilities underlines the need for the authorities to take their feet off the brake pedal and get the long promised construction of a new hospital on the site of the former U.S. embassy on Avenida Balboa underway. The staff and those under their care deserve action.