Written by H&S; and Elizabeth Beman
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The Children's ER just got better.... Meet Howell

What do 5 Ipads, DS, 2 Wii Gaming System, 5 Portable DVD Players... all have in common?

Many people will answer this question with technology but at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, these electronics mean SO much more.... Just ask Howell Beman.
For a 5 year old little boy, 3 hours in the ER can feel like a week.
That is when a portable DVD player comes in to take his mind off the situation and on to Bob the Builder.

For a 3 year old little girl, 6 hours of chemotherapy in the PICU can feel like a lifetime.
That is when a portable gaming system comes in to take her mind off of the needles and pain but on to the New Easy Bake Cupcake game.

For new parents about to send their child off to surgery for the first time and they just can’t visualize how this procedure actually works, that is when the Ipad comes in to play. The Child Life Specialists can use this tool to help show them to ease their minds.

For an 8 year old boy, sitting still for days after heart surgery means torture to him. In his mind he asks "why I am being punished???"
That is when the wii gaming system comes into play and he can sit still and play for hours on end.

How does this relate to Heart and Sole .... You helped us raise the money to donate each one of these to our Children’s Hospital!
In 2011 & 2012, Heart and Sole donated all of the items above for a total of $ 6500.

And to this mommy, Elizabeth Beman, it means SO much more!

Meet Howell Beman.....

Children's Hospital of Georgia is important to our family for many reasons, but specifically because our five year old son, Howell, is a patient here. At the tender age of two, Howell was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder known as Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP). Since then, he has had 13 overnight hospital stays, two bone marrow biopsies, numerous pediatric ER visits, and continues to have routine appointments with his doctors at the Pediatric Hem/Onc clinic. Howell has been repeatedly poked and prodded for the past three years and the harsh reality is that he will continue to receive "ouchies" for the rest of his life.

Being the parent of a chronically ill child is tough, and ultimately heart wrenching. It's hard to watch your child go through things that he/she cannot understand. Fortunately, we know we can always rely on the Child Life Specialists at the hospital to help us cope. They are angels sent from heaven above to love our children, dry their tears, and shower them with gifts. This team strives to ensure the "ouchies" are quickly forgotten by providing entertainment, DVDs, games, TVs, art, toys, food, etc. They also schedule wonderful programs and camps where kids can have fun and forget about their illnesses. The Child Life Specialists are essential to Howell's treatment and care (they are also life savers to the Mama's and are quick to step in when we have a hard time being strong)

Now, you're probably reading this and wondering how our story fits in with Heart and Sole, Inc. Here's how...did you know that Heart and Sole gives some of its proceeds to The Children's Hospital Child Life Specialist program??? Last year, Heart and Sole provided portable DVD players for the Pediatric ER for all sick children to enjoy. I can assure you that at our next ER visit, Howell Beman will be watching one of those portable DVD players! What a relief that Howell will be entertained while we wait and what a great way to ease his anxiousness of knowing that one of those "ouchies" awaits him.

What an amazing gift Heart and Sole is giving ALL the sick children at Children's Hospital of Georgia by supporting the Child Life program!!! Even though my precious boy has a healthy heart, we have a long road ahead of us and its such a blessing knowing Howell's days at the Children's Hospital will be more enjoyable because of Heart and Sole.

That, my friends, warms this Mama's HEART!!!

Much Love,
Elizabeth Beman