Superheroes have been visiting young patients at Victoria General Hospital to brighten their days.
A partnership between Island Health and the Superheroes of Victoria Volunteer Society (SOVVS), whose members portray popular comic book and movie characters, has been surprising kids in the hospital at least once a month since January.
“The superheroes managed to perk her up in a way I haven’t seen in over a week, maybe even two,” Kim McCoy Coleman said of her child’s reaction to special visitors. “It’s as if, amidst the challenges of being in the hospital, she’s found a way to be herself again.”
Krista Molia, an Island Health child life specialist at VGH, said there’s a shift in the air when the heroes arrive.
“I hope these moments of adventure and laughter become the memories that our young patients take home with them, overshadowing any fear or pain that comes with being in the hospital,” Molia said in a news release.
When the superheroes walk in, it brightens the hospital atmosphere, said Jennifer Doyle, Island Health’s manager of volunteer resources and engagement.
“Whether it’s a patient they visit, a family member who catches a glimpse, or even our staff receiving a little boost in their day, the impact is amazing,” Doyle said in the release.
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