A new Roswell Park program keeps families connected during inpatient care
Sharing a good book at bedtime is a common tradition for parents and their little ones. It’s a cozy, magical time that builds a strong family bond. When a cancer diagnosis and hospital stay interrupts the fun, Roswell Park can help bridge the distance. The new “Read to Me!” program offered by the Pastoral Care Department gives inpatients a chance to keep storytime alive. Here’s how it works:
Choose a Book
Thanks to generous community donations, The Pastoral Care team has a long list of titles with various themes to accommodate kids from pre-k to pre-teen. Using a special audio recorder provided by Pastoral Care, inpatients or parents of pediatric inpatients read the book aloud and record their voice on a CD.
Share a Book
The CD is then placed in a special jacket in the back of the book and sent, free of charge, to your little ones at home. Or, if your child is the inpatient, you can leave the book and CD with them at Roswell Park. The CD enables your child to follow along with the book as they listen to you read the story.
Stay Connected
When cancer treatment requires long-term hospitalization, it's sometimes difficult to see your loved ones as often as you'd like. Reading to your child, even from a distance, can create a home away from home. So, whether it’s you or your little one undergoing care at Roswell Park, "Read to Me!" is an opportunity to keep you connected. To sign up for the program or to learn more about it, call the Pastoral Care office at 716-845-8051 or pick up a brochure in the Roswell Park lobby.