News and Events
Patients, families get way to share memories
Published June 21, 2006
BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA Staff Reporter
For nine years, Children's Memorial Hospital has been providing a "medical-free zone" to give young patients, siblings and parents a break from the daily routine of in-patient life.
On Tuesday, the hospital added a digital video camera, computer, printer and scrapbooking software program to its stock of movies, art supplies and video games so patients and their families can create digital memories of special times shared during recovery.
Lasting Impressions For Paper Inc., a Utah-based scrapbooking supply company, and Studio D, a Naperville technology store, donated the equipment in the hope that providing families with tools to create electronic scrapbooks will help speed healing.
Lane Hill, founder of Lasting Impressions, knows firsthand that even in the most serious medical situations, there are bright spots worth remembering.
"When my daughter was in recovery after surgery, there was one nurse who just made such a difference in all our lives," Hill said. "We would have liked to have captured those moments and want to enable others to."
The MemoryMixer software is designed to download video and still shots and easily create interactive scrapbooks featuring customized colors, banners, animation and voice messages.
Hill believes scrapbooking has the power to help people through difficult times, allowing them to look beyond the moment.
Documenting their journey
Lori Mackey, creative arts therapist at Children's, agrees. "For kids to be able to document their journey is powerful," Mackey said. "Not only for the child, but also to relate with siblings and other family members who can't physically be there for the experience."
As for the fun factor, the squeals of delight were unmistakable as Greta Neubauer, 4, added video of her rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to a scrapbook she and Caitlin Neubauer, 11, created just moments after mugging for the camera. They were making a video scrapbook for their sister Rachel, 10, who was receiving care for a gastrointestinal disorder.
"It's especially hard for families to be in the hospital in the summer," said mom Sherry Neubauer of Arlington Heights. "This makes it less overwhelming for the girls; it definitely makes for a positive rather than negative experience."
