Preschoolers and kindergarten students were each gifted a surprise teddy bear on Friday, Aug. 18, and then took their stuffed friend in to see a doctor for a checkup and make-believe vaccinations.
Along with the excitement of their new huggable toys, resident physicians with Dignity Health – California Hospital Medical Center gently showed the 3-5 year-olds why wellness checkups are important for everyone, even teddy bears.
The doctors were able to explain to the children in simple terms why preventative health actions, like vaccinations, are beneficial, and also why discovering a disease or a health problem in its early stage is a big deal even though you may be scared or worried.
The afternoon event was held at the Hope Street Margolis Family Center in downtown Los Angeles. The resource center, established in 1992, was a collaboration between the non-profit California Hospital Medical Center and the University of California. Hope Street, as it is referred to, helps families living at or below the poverty line.
“What the team at the Hope Street Margolis Family Center has accomplished in the last 30 years has been nothing short of remarkable,” says Alina Moran, CHMC president. “The lives of thousands of children and families have been positively shaped in that time span through the passion and dedication of the Hope Street staff, enabling the students to achieve so much more than they could have ever dreamed.”
Hope Street Family Center, 1500 S. Grand Ave. (inside Mercy Child Care Center), Los Angeles. www.hopestreetfamilycenter.org
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