In health care, the doctors and nurses are often the first medical professionals we think of. But there are many other individuals working behind the scenes, and one such group is working to make sure children can deal with their illnesses in a positive way.

After a cancer diagnosis, appointments, treatments, and surgeries can quickly become the focus for a patient and their family.

So it's sometimes easy to forget that the kids at Sanford Children's are just that---kids.

“Sometimes we do crafts like paint like this and stuff and sometimes she gives me stuff to do,” 9-year-old Izzy Tyrell. It was a year ago that she was diagnosed with a form of leukemia.

“What do kids do? They play every day, and we want to make sure we're incorporating that into their hospital stay as well,” Carrie Kindopp, Sanford Child Life Manager said.

For Izzy and kids like her, child life specialists try to keep life normal---or at least as normal as possible. That's why the new hospital has two bright playrooms, complete with outlets so patients with IVs can continue to receive vital medication.

But more important is the role the team plays during what's a very scary time for many families.

"For Izzy everything was really new and child life was always---right away they send these people in, these child life people and they're dressed like in regular clothes, and they're happy and they just take some of the anxiety away, not only for Izzy, but for us,” Kim Tyrell, Izzy’s mom said.

Child life helps patients understand their illnesses, what's happening to their bodies, and the procedures they'll undergo.

“Every time she comes, she's accessed with a pin, and I remember the first time they did it, they showed her and it's through a teddy bear. It's just more relaxing you know to see it done,” Kim said.

That's helping kids....

“Research really does indicate and tell us that when you take the time to not only address kids' medical needs but you address their psychosocial and their emotional needs as well that kids actually physically heal faster,” Kindopp said.

…and helping families in a big way.

“At first you think they're medically trained because they do so much and they just know so much, they know what's next,” Kim said. She continued, “They provide a service that people underestimate.”

And changing the way patients and their families see their illnesses and their time spent in the hospital.

“I know this is really weird but Izzy actually looks forward to coming here, which is kind of a crazy thing having cancer, but she actually is---it’s not a real negative thing at all,” Kim said.

Now, Izzy's child life specialist, Wendy, has become more like family

“At first when you come to the hospital, you don't feel like you can leave, you don't feel really comfortable even going to get a cup of coffee. When they're here you can leave, it's about the only other people that you can have besides your husband that you know somebody's here,” Kim said.
Whenever possible, Sanford Children's tries to keep patients with the same child life specialist to ensure a consistency and comfort.