Creating healing sanctuaries: The M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital Adopt-A-Room Program
In healthcare, the environment can play a profound role in the healing process.
Recognizing this, the care team at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital, in partnership with a series of remarkable community donors, has transformed dozens of ordinary hospital rooms into extraordinary sanctuaries for their young patients. As part of our Adopt-A-Room program, 44 rooms have already been renovated with unique, patient-friendly features that redefine the standards of pediatric care, including nine new rooms completed earlier this summer.
All of the rooms at the 254-bed Masonic Children's Hospital already exceed national standards, offering smart-room technology, a colorful design with lots of natural light, a bedside console that allows patients to control nearly every aspect of their room, large-screen TVs, computers, and family-centered accommodations designed to accelerate the healing process while providing a sense of normalcy, comfort, and privacy.
Our Adopt-A-Rooms take those features one step further using family-centered design principles. One of the key features of these rooms is in-room video conferencing, enabling patients to stay connected with family, friends, and even their school. This not only reduces the feelings of isolation but also helps maintain a sense of continuity in a child's life during their hospital stay.
Each Adopt-A-Room also offers a range of other family-friendly features, including:
- A second in-room TV with WiFi connectivity that parents or family members can use. These TVs also connect to the hospital’s GetWell network and can even be used as a second monitor for remote work.
- Wireless phone charging built into a desk in the room
- An Xbox for patients with pre-loaded video games
- Added closet space in some rooms
“Often in healthcare, our patients feel a loss of control as they come to the hospital and must adapt to new and often difficult routines including blood draws, medication schedules, and other healthcare experiences and procedures,” said Aimee Nelson, director of patient and family support services. “We try our best to add back in that sense of control whenever possible, and these rooms are a wonderful example of simple ways we can do that.”
Many private, community, and corporate partners have joined hands with our children’s hospital over the years to support this initiative. One example is Proozy, a clothing company, which pledged $250,000 for the Adopt-A-Room program and went even further by introducing the Proozy Closet program, providing free name-brand clothing and footwear for families dealing with unexpected long or short-term hospital stays.
In July of 2023, donors Franck and Katina Gougeon showed incredible support by establishing the Gougeon Family Neighborhood: six state-of-the-art Adopt-A-Rooms on the sixth floor of our children’s hospital. The rooms were unveiled in 2023 during a heartwarming ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We were thrilled to establish the Gougeon Family Neighborhood at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital as Adopt-a-Rooms are significantly larger than average and equipped with smart TVs and soundbars, video conferencing equipment, and other technologies designed to aid in medical treatments and greatly improve quality-of-life for patients while keeping families connected,” said Franck and Katina Gougeon. “As a grateful family of the hospital, these rooms were very important to us as we navigated our daughter's hospital stay and we wanted other families to benefit from the same room features during what can be a challenging time.”
The M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital Adopt-A-Room program exemplifies the idea that healthcare extends beyond treatments and medications. It's about creating environments that uplift the spirit, promote healing, and offer solace during challenging times. With each room adoption, we can provide critically ill children and their families a sanctuary where they can find hope, healing, and a sense of normalcy.
These room features are made possible thanks to the generosity of individual donors and corporate partners who understand the significance of creating a nurturing environment for children in need. The impact of these Adopt-A-Rooms reverberates far beyond their walls, creating a ripple effect of healing and transformation in the lives of those who need it most.
Individuals, families, organizations, or groups can honor someone special in their lives by sponsoring their own Adopt-A-Room. When you contribute toward adopting a room at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, you play an integral part in helping the children and their families we serve. If you are interested in learning more about this program, contact the senior development officer Jen Foss at foss@umn.edu.
