Southcoast Health Gifted $280k Child-Life Specialists Grant from Friends of Jack

This week, we shined our Southcoast Health Community Spotlight on the Friends of Jack Foundation.

In full disclosure, I am a proud board member of Friends of Jack. The organization was founded by Jill Fearons of Mattapoisett after her son suffered a number of life-threatening health complications.

During these nightmarish scares with Jack, Jill was particularly moved by child life specialists in hospital pediatric departments. She witnessed firsthand how vital their role was in pediatric care. In simplest terms, child life specialists act as liaisons between the child, the child's family and the medical staff.

LISTEN:  Friends of Jack Founder Jill Fearons on the Fun Morning Show

When a child faces a potentially scary or painful procedure, child life specialists step in with an innate ability to distract them, allowing the medical team to do what is needed.

"They really act as a buffer and make the overall experience for the child a little bit easier," Fearons said.

Recently, the Friends of Jack Foundation awarded Southcoast Health a grant of $280,000, enabling the hospital group to have child-life specialists on hand during all hours the pediatric unit is open.

"Weekends, holidays, evenings—you will never go into St. Luke's pediatrics without a child-life specialist present," Fearons said. "What a huge impact. It’s what we do at Friends of Jack. We want to make sure that kids are comfortable and not afraid."

Many people may know the Friends of Jack Foundation for the endless supply of teddy bears they deliver to local hospitals, police, and fire stations.

"The teddy bears are everything," Fearons said. "Sometimes getting pulled over by the police is a scary experience for kids in the back seat. I don’t want that for them. I want them to know that police are there to protect and serve and keep them safe."

If you’d like to volunteer or arrange a financial donation, visit FriendsofJack.org.