Creating a Space for Teenagers at St. Joseph’s Children’s
Staying in the hospital for months, surrounded by the same four walls, can be boring and even a little scary. Patients miss their own beds, seeing friends, and all the comforts of home. That’s why Starlight Spaces provides patients with a relaxing place to play and socialize, away from all the medical noise.
At St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida, teenagers make up twenty percent of pediatric patients.They have different needs than young children andvalue their own space.
St. Joseph’s Children’s has a teen lounge, but it hadn’t been updated in years. They knew a few changes could make a huge difference, so we partnered with the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation to create a unique Space for their teenage patients.
The existing lounge had bare walls and was overflowing with donations, making it difficult for patients to get comfortable.
The refreshed lounge is colorful and spacious, complete with video games, multiple monitors, and murals.
This is the first Space featuring dazzling star ceiling tiles and an LED panel! Incorporating the latest technology and peaceful mood lighting, the lounge transformed into a place where teenagers actually want to hang out.
"We cannot thank Starlight enough for all your support and patience this year. It has been challenging to say the least, but we feel fortunate to have been here when our Tampa Bay community needed us most," said Nora Gunn, Vice President at St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation. "This space will make an incredible difference in the lives of our teens for many years to come."
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Starlight Spaces transforms indoor and outdoor environments by providing an update, partial renovation, or total overhaul to an existing space. By re-imagining these spaces, pediatric patients and their families can safely escape the hospital setting and relax together.
Since 2003, over 100 Spaces have transformed the hospital experience for 3.2 million children. Each Space provides patients with comfort, socialization, a sense of normalcy, and so much more.
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