Santa delivers joy to young Tidelands Health patients

Dec. 19, 2023
Contact: Dawn Bryant
Tidelands Health
(843) 652-1636
dbryant@tidelandshealth.org
 
News for Immediate Release:

Santa delivers joy to young Tidelands Health patients
Santa has already delivered a special gift for some young patients at Tidelands Health.
The big guy took time out of his busy holiday schedule to spend several hours at Tidelands Health Center for Pediatric Development locations in Myrtle Beach and Georgetown this month. There, he was able to visit with children living with medical conditions in a familiar, comfortable environment.
“That takes the pressure off. It’s much more accommodating to their needs this way,” said Luann Mezzatesta, senior speech/language pathologist at Tidelands Health Center for Pediatric Development at Georgetown. “All the typical things that could be problems for our patients, we are able to mitigate those circumstances. They trust us because they see us every week at their regular appointments. They know it is safe and secure and that we have each of their individual needs in our minds.”
Santa helps put the kids at ease, too, showing extra patience and spending additional time with the young Tidelands Health patients.
During one of Santa’s visits, Tidelands Health team members beamed as they watched their patients warm up to Santa and experience pure holiday joy talking with him. One patient, who is typically hesitant to interact with strangers, climbed up right beside Santa and started a precious game of peek-a-boo – surprising everyone.
“It gives us that moment to be proud of them outside of our usual sessions,” Mezzatesta said. “Honestly, seeing those smiles on our patients’ faces – it’s one of the best gifts of the season for our team, too. These kids deserve their time with Santa, and we are so happy to create a safe, trusted environment for them to make that lifelong memory.”
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About Tidelands Health
Tidelands Health is the region’s largest health care provider and MUSC Health affiliate, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 60 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.