To help kids, Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital uses powerful medicine. And powerful magic.
posted on 12.06.11
The Medical Perspective on Bedside Magic: An Interview with Lisa Boland, the Manager of Child Life Services at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital.
Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital Child Life Staff loves Open Heart Magic!
Q: I understand Hope Children’s Hospital doubled the Open Heart Magic programs in 2010. Can you tell me about that?
We started with one bedside magician, but we soon realized one magician was not enough for the volume of patients we have. The feedback was so wonderful on the magic, we knew we needed more.
Q: From a medical point of view, how do you think OHM helps with the care Hope Children’s Hospital is providing its pediatric patients?
Magic helps our young patients relax and engage. It helps them cope with being in a hospital. In the case of long-term patients, it helps them deal with the emotional impact of chronic hospitalization. You see these patients’ demeanor. It’s often flat, depressed. Then the Bedside Magician goes into the room and it’s really something positive. It relaxing. It’s entertaining. It makes the kids laugh, which we all know releases endorphins. It takes their minds off why they’re in a hospital. It helps them forget.
For the full interview with Lisa Boland, click here.
Who do you GoodSearch for?
posted on 09.19.11
This is going to be the easiest thing we’ve ever asked you to do!
We just signed up with GoodSearch.com and now every time you shop online or search the internet, a donation will be made to Open Heart Magic.
Get started by making GoodSearch.com your homepage. Click ‘choose your cause’, enter Open Heart Magic, and you’re ready to start using the Yahoo powered search engine which makes a donation to us each time you do a search.
Join the rest of our community in using this site to help us easily raise money for our mission. As always, thanks for supporting OHM!
Annual Friend-raiser and Miles for Magic after-party!
posted on 09.01.11
Come share in open bar, appetizers and magic and celebrate the success of the OHM Miles for Magic charity running team at the Friend-Raiser and Miles for Magic after-party!
Friday, October 14, 2011 6pm-9pm
Tickets are $30 online or $40 at the door.
Buy your tickets here! milesformagic.eventbrite.com
SPECIAL THANKS TO PINT FOR THEIR WONDERFUL SUPPORT OF THIS EVENT!
Welcome Central DuPage Hospital to our Team!
posted on 08.31.11
It’s been an exciting summer for Open Heart Magic! Because of your support and participation, this July we were able to roll out a brand new program for the kids at Central DuPage Hospital. Check out this great article and be sure to congratulate the new hospital magician team of Dave Barclay, John Kurth & Mike Stevens!
http://triblocal.com/winfield/community/stories/2011/08/magic-medicine/
The Open Heart Magic Difference!
posted on 05.17.11
Since I started volunteering with Open Heart Magic, many of those I’ve told about OHM have said what an incredible idea the organization is. Most people have heard about magicians, or god forbid clowns, working in hospitals, but there has never been anything quite like what our magicians do. In an article co-written by our very own Michael Walton and published in the Nursing Journal Magazine, some of the problems with traditional techniques are discussed. It also talks in detail about the origins of Open Heart Magic, what puts it head and shoulders (knees and toes) above the rest, and how it helps where other can’t.
The article is long, but an incredible read, and certainly worth reading. I’d recommend doing what I did, and printing it out. Maybe even print out an extra copy and leave it for the next person to find! You can find the full article right here – Magic as a Therapeutic Intervention To Promote Coping in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients
Miles for Magic Chicago Marathon Runner Loses Proudly
posted on 03.04.11
Brian Adkins lost an astonishing 60 lbs. while training to run the Chicago Marathon for the Miles for Magic team. “Losing 60 lbs. changed my life. I was settling and could do a lot more in life,” said Adkins. ”I didn’t feel good about myself. I’m 44 years old and I felt like, I’m middle-aged, it’s over. I didn’t know how I could still grow and improve.”
Adkins draws inspiration from Open Heart Magic’s mission. “They bring joy to kids. Caring. It’s hard enough to be a kid these days, let alone a sick kid in a hospital. Open Heart Magic comes in and makes kids’ lives better.”
Click here for the full interview including before and after pictures, what he did and why he ran for the team!
Hospital Magician Running for Miles for Magic Team Featured in Bank of America Chicago Marathon Promotional Campaign
posted on 09.17.10
You may have recognized one of the charity runners featured in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 10.10.10 campaign. Diego Gonzalez, one of the 43 amazing runners who are running for Open Heart Magic as part of the Miles for Magic team to bring magic to kids in hospitals, is one of the ten runners featured in this inspiring campaign. Diego volunteers as a Hospital Magician performing magic bedside at Children’s Memorial, as a Magic U Instructor and is the go-to guy for many special projects. “I love Open Heart Magic and thought this would be a great way for others to find out about this amazing organization.”
Chef Art Smith also joined the Miles for Magic team so along with all of the other runners, we’re very appreciative to have such an amazing first year with the Miles for Magic program. Thanks to the runners and to everyone for spreading the word.
For more information about running for the Miles for Magic team, check out:
www.milesformagic.org
