Teddy Bear Hospital event at UCC a huge hit with kids

THE much-anticipated annual Teddy Bear Hospital event, hosted by UCC’s Medical Society, took place from Monday to Wednesday this week, and had an overwhelming response.

Welcoming more than 900 eager junior and senior infant pupils from schools across Cork, the event provided a unique opportunity for children to bring their sick and injured teddy bears for some care and attention.

From minor ailments like sore tummies to more serious injuries such as a monkey with a broken arm, who reportedly fell out of a tree on the main campus of UCC, the young patients presented a diverse array of cases for the dedicated medical student volunteers.

The annual event, a cornerstone of the UCC Medical Society’s community outreach efforts, is designed to familiarise children with healthcare professionals and aims to alleviate children’s fears of hospitals and doctors while teaching them about basic health practices in a fun and interactive manner.

The event featured three main stations, mirroring a real hospital experience: a waiting room, a treatment room, and an exercise area.

In the waiting room, children eagerly donned medical scrubs, familiarised themselves with stethoscopes, and engaged in a variety of entertaining activities, including anatomy puzzles and creating ‘Missing Teddy’ posters for poor Ben, a third-year medical student who misplaced his beloved bear within the hospital premises.

In the treatment room, the young patients and their teddy bears were greeted by enthusiastic medical student volunteers, adorned in white coats and stethoscopes, ready to embark on a journey of medical exploration.

Children watched in awe as medical students, equipped with supplies generously donated by the Bon Secours Hospital, assessed and tended to their teddy bear patients. Photocopies of X-rayed bear skeletons added an extra layer of excitement, allowing children to delve deeper into the medical world. Each child proudly completed a ‘Teddy Bear Health Certificate’, a tangible reminder of their role in monitoring their furry friend’s recovery post-event.

In the exercise area, children enjoyed dancing and learning exercise routines to aid their teddies’ recovery, while student volunteers used music and games to educate them on the importance of exercise, sleep, and nutrition.

Keeping with the theme of healthy eating, all kids left the event with a piece of fruit donated by UCC Student Centre. This certainly did not go to waste - looking after sick teddies is “hard work”, according to many of the infants.

Sama Abdel Rahman, medical student, said there were “a lot of teddies presenting with some very serious symptoms today”

A cat belonging to Beth Lyons, of Scoil Mhuire Junior School, seemed to have lost both of its arms. “We went for a walk and then they both fell off”. Meanwhile ,Yvie Long, also of Scoil Mhuire Junior School, brought Cookie Dough, who hurt his leg and had to get an injection. “I hope he feels better in the next couple of days” she said.

Medical student Sophie O’Doherty spent the day bandaging up teddy after teddy, with the main take home prescription of “lots and lots of cuddles”.

Teacher Aisling O’Dwyer, of Togher BNS, said: “From looking around, all the children seem to be really happy. 

They seem to have a more relaxed approach about going to the doctor and some of them are taking it very seriously. I would say there are a few budding doctors amongst us!

Kate O’Sullivan, of Shanbally NS, spoke of the seamless integration between the infant curriculum and the Teddy Bear Hospital, emphasising how it is a “great opportunity for infants to put what they’re learning into practice”. She said the children of Shanbally NS “look forward to it every year.”

Second-year medical student Heather McGowann said it was amazing how much children knew about medicine. “There were so many who were able to tell me what a stethoscope was used for and point to exactly where we should listen to the heart.”

All of us at UCC Medical Society are delighted with the success of the event. Not only is it extremely rewarding for the kids in familiarising them with healthcare settings, but for us too as medical students it gives us fantastic experience with kids that we will take forward with us in our future careers.

The event’s success would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of the UCC Medical Society committee and society members, who volunteered countless hours to organise and execute the festivities. From designing creative exhibits to orchestrating logistics, the student-led initiative showcased the transformative power of community engagement and education.

As the Teddy Bear Hospital event concluded, echoes of laughter and newfound knowledge reverberated through the halls of UCC, underscoring the event’s enduring impact on fostering healthcare awareness and community engagement. Beaming with pride, the young participants left with newfound knowledge, cherished memories, and a renewed sense of confidence in facing the unknowns of healthcare.

With plans already underway for next year’s event, UCC Medical Society is steadfast in its commitment to promoting health education and community empowerment, one fluffy patient at a time, promising another memorable experience for children and volunteers alike.