Starship's play specialists work with patients leading up to treatments or procedures, to prepare them and reduce anxiety. Photo / Supplied
Starship's play specialists work with patients leading up to treatments or procedures, to prepare them and reduce anxiety. Photo / Supplied
Starship Children's Hospital is on a fundraising mission to raise $235,000 so it can hire more play specialists to support young patients when they need it most.
The hospital's team of play specialists help children prepare for treatments and procedures, teaching them coping strategies and preparing them for what's ahead.
Reducing anxiety around treatment can reduce the need for anaesthetics for some procedures, and improve outcomes for patients.
Johanna Beattie's daughter Hollie was just 5 when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer midway through last year. Doctors found a neuroblastoma tumour in her abdomen, and the cancer had also spread to her bones and bone marrow.
The diagnosis turned the Auckland family's life upside down - Beattie watched as her daughter's confidence disappeared and she became increasingly anxious.
"For a 5-year-old she became very angry, really scared of what was going on," Beattie said.
"It didn't matter what it was - there was no sort of reasoning - she would get really scared and really upset about pretty much all procedures. District nurses would come to do things at home, and she'd be in the bedroom hiding in the cupboard, throwing toys.
Hollie with her brother William and her parents, Johanna and John Beattie outside their home in March this year. Photo / Supplied
Meeting play specialist Carolyn Dougal fairly early in her treatment was a turning point for Hollie. Beattie said the little girl suddenly had someone in the hospital she felt she could trust.
For Beattie and her husband John, it was helpful having someone who could advocate for Hollie and say, "Stop, hold on a minute", if she wasn't coping.
"As a parent you don't know whether you can say that or not, whereas they have a bit more knowledge about what's going on, and what you can and can't do."
Hollie, who's now 6, is currently undergoing a bone marrow transplant. She went into isolation about a week ago and will remain there for about another month.
After her latest round of therapy, Hollie will lose her hair, something Beattie said she'd dealt with "amazingly" the first time around.
Dougal takes Hollie for therapeutic sessions, doing things like playing with therapy dolls to help her understand what a treatment would entail.
Beattie said it was a huge help. Hollie would test out even simple procedures like putting a gas mask on the doll before she went into surgery herself.
Hollie can't have children to visit, due to the risk of her catching an infection - something Beattie said was hard for Hollie's 8-year-old brother William.
Before she had Carolyn to guide her through upcoming treatments and procedures, Beattie said Hollie would get incredibly scared and upset about what was to come. Photo / Supplied
"He can't keep coming in and out - he's got to be careful about what germs he's bringing in. Thank goodness for Facetime so they can talk to each other - because they're really close. "
The family hoped Hollie would soon be out of hospital for good.
Dougal said helping kids understand what's happening to them - and express their feelings about this - helped prevent them from becoming overwhelmed.
Encouraging play time also helps to normalise the hospital environment, she said.
"Play is familiar and comforting to children and can help them cope with this new environment, she said.
"I love it when a child says, 'I have that book at my kindy', or, 'I love to play with Lego at home', as it means the child is feeling like they are in a familiar environment."
Dougal said providing some familiarity was important, as kids will often be missing their siblings, friends, and regular day-to-day routine.
After seeing what Dougal had done for Hollie, Beattie is throwing her weight behind the hospital's fundraising drive.
The service isn't currently big enough to provide specialists to all of the wards in the hospital where children would benefit, such as the emergency department.
"Play specialists know how to explain it a bit better to children, about what's happening, and help them with any concerns," Beattie said.
"Even just to go around and play with children who are waiting on tests. It makes it a bit less scary.
Starship Hospital's play specialist service
• Starship's play specialists come from a range of backgrounds, many of which involve working with children in jobs like early childhood education.
• According to Starship, almost 100 children who would have needed a general anaesthetic for their MIR in the last nine months have avoided one with the support of a play specialist.
• If the hospital's funding goal is achieved, every patient that goes through Starship's emergency department will have access to a play specialist.
