Capitals Visit Children's National Medical Center
Players play video games with patients in the hospital's atrium
Tuesday, 02.17.2009 / 6:34 PM
/ Community
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Seven Washington Capitals players – Nicklas Backstrom, Matt Bradley, Eric Fehr, Brooks Laich, Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and David Steckel – visited Children’s National Medical Center on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and played video games with patients in the hospital’s atrium.
Some of the patients at the hospital were unable to leave their rooms so after playing video games the Capitals broke up into two groups and visited the rooms, passing out calculators, cups, tattoos and signed player cards and taking pictures with the patients, who ranged from seven days old to 18 years old. The Capitals visited the Heart and Kidney Unit, Hematology/Oncology Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
This was the second visit the Capitals made to Children’s National Medical Center this month, as several players’ wives made valentines with patients on Feb. 12. There were two X-Box 360s, two Playstations and two Nintendo Wiis for the players and patients to play on.
“This was such a good idea to play with the children instead of just meeting them,” said Capitals forward Brooks Laich. “We get to play and hopefully connect with them. It was heartwarming to see their faces light up; hopefully we brought them some joy today.”
Children’s National Medical Center is the only exclusive provider of pediatric care in the metropolitan Washington area and is the only freestanding children’s hospital between Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Norfolk and Atlanta. Serving the nation’s children for more than 130 years, Children’s National is a proven leader in the development and application of innovative new treatments for childhood illness and injury.
Some of the patients at the hospital were unable to leave their rooms so after playing video games the Capitals broke up into two groups and visited the rooms, passing out calculators, cups, tattoos and signed player cards and taking pictures with the patients, who ranged from seven days old to 18 years old. The Capitals visited the Heart and Kidney Unit, Hematology/Oncology Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
This was the second visit the Capitals made to Children’s National Medical Center this month, as several players’ wives made valentines with patients on Feb. 12. There were two X-Box 360s, two Playstations and two Nintendo Wiis for the players and patients to play on.
“This was such a good idea to play with the children instead of just meeting them,” said Capitals forward Brooks Laich. “We get to play and hopefully connect with them. It was heartwarming to see their faces light up; hopefully we brought them some joy today.”
Children’s National Medical Center is the only exclusive provider of pediatric care in the metropolitan Washington area and is the only freestanding children’s hospital between Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Norfolk and Atlanta. Serving the nation’s children for more than 130 years, Children’s National is a proven leader in the development and application of innovative new treatments for childhood illness and injury.
