Project Teddy Bear Hospital: reception classes in the hospital for teddy bears

Teddy Bear Hospital is an annual project in which schools from the Maastricht area are invited to visit the fictitious hospital with their pupils. ‘For the kids who visit us, it’s a very special experience. We hear back from teachers and parents that they still talk about it in class and at the kitchen table long after the event is over,’ says FHML student Isabelle Bastiaens. She is one of the volunteers and committee member of student organisation IFMSA-Maastricht, initiator of the event. Teddy Bear Hospital takes place annually in different countries. The health faculty in Maastricht was the first in the Netherlands to open the doors of the fictitious hospital in 2001. Since then, yearly over 1,000 kids between the age of four and seven are eagerly waiting for a thorough check up of their favourite toy. ‘We have an operating room, lab, pharmacy, plaster room, waiting rooms and X-ray equipment. We apply band-aids, put on casts and make scans. The kids wear matching clothes and are given props to help, which really involves them in the activity. Afterwards, they get to take home the photos and receive a diploma.’

The Teddy Bear Hospital introduces children to healthcare in a playful way. ‘The hospital environment can be quite intimidating and a doctor’s appointment is sometimes very stressful. We hope that through a visit to the Teddy Bear Hospital, they develop a positive association with the hospital and healthcare in general. On the other hand, as future doctors, we learn to anticipate a child’s perceptions.’ The region Zuid-Limburg has a persistent health disadvantage compared to the rest of the Netherlands. For instance, the region scores significantly longer than nationally in areas such as life expectancy, healthy lifestyle and obesity.*

That’s why in this province in particular, the event is so valuable. ‘If a child’s first introduction with a hospital environment is positive, they will hopefully ask for professional help in time when they grow up’, Isabelle explains.

The IFMSA committee applied for funding from the CooSa committee. ‘We wanted to take the event to the next level this year. With the money from the Fund, we were able to purchase all kinds of new materials, including a toy cash register for the pharmacy and decoration of the venue. We also used the money for the necessary printing and design work.’

The event is now so successful, that there is a waiting list: after all, the current location can only accommodate 1,000 kids. There were even queues during the open walk-in afternoon on Wednesday, when employees could drop by with their children. It would be amazing if we can facilitate an extra edition in the coming years,’ Isabelle fantasizes out loud. ‘Or if we could work together with other hospitals and healthcare organisations in the area. To give children from other parts of the region the opportunity to learn about healthcare in a playful way. Like that, we can all work together to address the health problem in the region.’

* source: https://www.ggdzl.nl/professionals/advisering-gemeenten/trendbreuk/