(L-to-r): Lauryn Seaman, Lizzie Davis, Katherine Chamblin, and AbbieJayne Cristoforo. Photo by Chris Davis

Student Voices

Walking for Kids’ Well-Being

Four master’s students share what they’ve learned about the difference they can make for children and families as child life specialists

As students in the master’s in Child Life & Family-Centered Care program at BU Wheelock, we spend a lot of time learning about important topics such as child development theory, family-centered care, play, and psychosocial care to support children and families during potentially stressful and/or traumatic experiences.

We also have the opportunity to complete two internships that help us develop our professional skills and apply what we’ve learned. During the spring 2024 semester, we all completed our first internships at Boston Children’s Hospital—in the acute cardiac care unit and pre-op clinic (Lauryn); in the pre-op holding/post-anesthesia care unit and inpatient infant and toddler surgical unit (Lizzie); at the Martha Eliot Health Center (AbbieJayne); and its Waltham perioperative unit (Katherine).

Early in the spring, Lauryn began noticing signs throughout the hospital’s main campus for the Eversource Walk for Kids, a walk that raises money to support patient care, research, and support services for Boston Children’s Hospital. Inspired by this opportunity to support the hospital and all of the patients and families it serves, she brought us together as a team and chose the Every Child Fund to be the recipient of the money we raised.

According to the Boston Children’s Hospital Trust, the Every Child Fund “provides vital care, support services and research breakthroughs to sick children and their families.” It also supports opportunities and experiences for normalization and joy for children and families through therapy dog visits, creative arts, and celebrations of birthdays and holidays. As aspiring child life specialists, these services resonated deeply with us.

On June 9, we arrived on Boston’s Esplanade for the walk. Friendly volunteers greeted us with wristbands and T-shirts. We then joined the other participants, including families, past patients, and hospital employees, on the lawn in front of the Hatch Shell and listened as participants shared their reasons for walking that day. For some, Boston Children’s had provided lifesaving care to a friend or family member, and the walk was an opportunity to give back to the hospital. For others, the research being done at Boston Children’s gave them hope for a lifesaving cure.

The four of us were motivated to walk out of a profound sense of gratitude for the wonderful mentors and invaluable learning opportunities we had at Boston Children’s that helped us grow and develop our child life knowledge and skills. During our internships, we built strong connections with both the dedicated staff and the children and families we met. By fundraising and participating in the walk, we hoped to honor and support them even after our internship ended.

Despite a little rain, we walked a two-mile path along the Charles River, while others opted for the six-mile route before returning to enjoy family-friendly activities, entertainment, lunch, and ice cream. As a team, we ultimately raised over $1,400—and over $1.3 million was raised overall! Being a part of this walk gave us a greater understanding of Boston Children’s incalculable impact on its community and reaffirmed our commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of children and families.