painting at the Children's Hospital tomorrow ~ nervous!!

i have volunteered to FP for free at a Halloween party for a Children's Hospital tomorrow afternoon. I was contacted by a lady that had been searching for a face painter in the hospital area, over an hour's drive for me. Everyone she asked turned her down. I can understand where everyone is coming from... material costs, gas prices and a crappy economy...etc. The hospital is not putting on this party. It's a small Christain group of maybe 4 volunteers, other than myself, that wanted to throw this party for the kids. Saturday is supposed to be National "Make a Difference Day" or something like that, and they wanted to do something nice for the them.

I never FP for free. Not even at birthday parties of kids I know, but I know this is a really good cause. I am also trying to look at what this might lead to. This is at a very large hospital system, and it will give me a chance to make some contacts at the hospital itself. I know they have several large events they host each year...so, who knows, right?

There are 65 children in the hospital, and I've been told a majority of them will be too sick to leave their rooms. We will have a party for the children that are able, then go room-to-room for those that can't come join in. My mom and I will be doing Halloween-themed cheek art. I'm sure some children won't even be well enough for that, so I'm taking stickers and temp. tattoos as well.

I'm just sooo nervous!!! I don't know what to expect, and I'm afraid seeing some of the really sick children might make me cry.

Has anyone ever painted at anything like this? Any advice/tips to offer?

I face painted at the Childrens Hospital by my house and they paid me. Hospitals have a lot of money and if they can't afford a face painters wages, they shouldn't have one...

It was sad, and I had a favorite little guy that I could have stayed with all day... but for the most part it is okay...

the hospital is not putting on the party. it's a faith-based group that contacted the hospital about doing it for the kids. the group usually does things for underprivileged kids, and thought this would be a nice thing.

if it was the hospital was throwing the party, i wouldn't have offered unless they paid. BUT i know the hospital itself does throw a christmas party for the children. so maybe this will lead to those kinds of things.

ok that makes more sense!!

I can imagine you must be nervous - what a great thing to do - takes such courage - my hat is off to you. I cry five minutes into sad movies when nothing bad has happened yet! Just maybe try to stay in the moment? You are bringing a lot of happiness, and that's exactly what these kids need I'm sure - some laughing and not having to feel sick. To feel both ordinary and special at the same time. Don't let your thoughts dwell on their sickness but the smiles you are putting on their faces along with your paint!

Several SEVERAL years ago, when I was 12, My family celebrated christmas in bolivia. Everytime we go, we bring a bunch of toys (donated, used, or new) and go to the hospital and start at the burn unit and hand out the toys. I just mentally prepared myself and walked in with a huge Smile on my face and acted like I didnt see anything wrong with them (a la Hal from the movie Shallow Hal when he visits the kids in the same unit) and gave them their toy. Their faces where so happy with joy and If felt really good to do that for them. Afterwards, when we left, I had a good cry in my mother's arms, but I was thankful for all the blessings I had.

Although I have not painted at a hospital, I paint for a huge Make A Wish event every summer. Many of the children that attend are very ill, and I never make it through without crying at some point. I try to remember that even though it is hard on the heart strings, these are kids who need a littlle taste of normal now and then. And at the end, when you turn that mirror around, the smiles that you get are worth every tear.
Good luck, have fun, and I hope the hospital keeps you in mind for their events!!

Back in July I painted for one of the hospitals in my area for the Childrens oncology ward. It was for their end of the summer cookout at a venue on the beach. Lots of kids and lots of fun. It was easy to not focus so much on the illness itself because it was not done in the hospital and the kids were excited to be there and really wanted have fun and that made it fun for me.

Grr! I just wrote out a long reply & posted it to another thread of mine. Need more coffee!! lol

Thanks for the encouragement. Its just an uneasy feeling not knowing what to expect.

Back in the summer, I painted at "Dream Night" at the zoo near the hospital. I was pulled in by another painter to help, and the hospital paid us well. But she was their contact, not me. I'd like to get my name in the hat too. I thought "Dream Night" was a fundraiser. But after talking with parents, I found out it's an event for children that have had major illness/surgery in the past year or so.

I painted one little boy as tiger. His mother told me that he had just had open heart surgery 3 weeks prior and this was his first time out since. He still had bandages over his incision. Later, she sent me his picture with the tiger face and said that the FP was his favorite part of the night and thanked me for making her "miracle boy" happy that night.

I think it is wonderful. Try to follow the strictest sanitary methods you can and check if there are specific rules. I did make-up at a formal party at our nursing home yesterday. I was just there to volunteer to tell a story(I was a bit early because they told me the wrong time) but when one of the activity directors asked if anyone wanted to find out if any of the ladies wanted makeup and to apply it no one jumped at it so I did it. She had a little compact of blush, 1 tube of lipstick and some eyeshadow. I said I'd use the lipstick and eyeshadow, asked her for some q-tips, handsanitizer and wipes and went room to room. I don't think she even thought about the sanitary issues but was so happy I did. Looking into their eyes and helping them feel beautiful by gentle touches and kind words made the moments so very special and I received such a gift in the experience.

chickneek - thank you so much - I have a particular fondness for helping out at nursing homes and that was wisdom I'm glad you shared!

It is hard seeing a sick child but you have to remember that it is hard to bring a child joy if you don't look joyful. Just have to push through that sadness and take them away from that world of sadness just for a few minutes. Let them forget the hospital walls, IV's and pain just for a little bit because that happiness will last longer than the 5-10 minutes it takes you to paint them.

I think it's great you are doing it but I would call the hospital first and ask about there sanitary procedures concerning what you are going to do.
I know someone that paints for the Hospitals here and she has to have a separate kit just to do it.
She uses a different sponge and brush with each child and spray her paints with antibacterial spray between each kid. She has a trolly specially made to wheel from bed to bed.
She told me a story about painting a child and then the child needing to go for a CT scan and the doctors asking her if there was any metal traces in her glitter at all - she couldn't be 100% sure and they had to remove the paint just in case - she ran down to recovery and painted the child again before they came back to the room because they were so upset about it.
As I said I think it's sooo wonderful you are doing this - just make sure you have all your bases covered before you show up.
Good luck and good on you!

I've painted for Make a Wish, Dreams Come True, our churches Special Needs Easter Egg Hunt & in Zimbabwe, Africa. My biggest advice is to use 1 sponge per child & sanitize your brushes(Shannon Fennel style).

Zimbabwe was so fun because the kids there had never been face painted with real face paint before & never like what we paint. I had one little guy that would not give up the mirror. He was so happy!

This is so awesome to hear. Honestly, I cannot wait until I am good enough to do a charity painting for a hospital or an orphanage. I think it would be such privilege to make someone so happy with something you made.

I was also wondering about doing something like that in hospitals, I guess the rules are different for diff. hospitals and wards.

Anyway, I hope everything goes well!