Disney Cruise Line Delivers Joy to Children's Hospital New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS – Disney Cruise Line (DCL) and the nonprofit Starlight Children’s Foundation visited Children's Hospital New Orleans today to celebrate the arrival of a new mobile movie theater and distribute Disney-themed toys, games and Starlight Hospital Wear. Captain Minnie Mouse along with DCL cast and crew members added to the fun, including a special preview of Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto.
Broadcast-quality video package and photos available at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/281la5hzikaeopetzofb4/h?dl=0&rlkey=mgzvqi1z0pokbjnvub8edt8n9.
“Disney sets the gold standard for creating an extraordinary experience, and we could not be more excited to bring that same standard inside the walls of our hospital to deliver moments of joy and fun to our patients and their families while receiving care in the hospital,” said Lou Fragoso, President and CEO of Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “We are grateful for the generosity of the Disney Cruise Line and Starlight Children’s Foundation in making the mobile movie theater possible.”
Disney’s legacy was built on support for kids and families, and this donation is part of a global commitment to help reimagine the patient experience in children’s hospitals.
“A hospital stay can be stressful for children and their loved ones. That’s why Disney Cruise Line is proud to participate in this initiative to bring joy to children and families,” said Sharon Siskie, Senior Vice President & General Manager for Disney Cruise Line. “We love sailing from the Port of New Orleans and look forward to strengthening our connection to this community. We welcome the opportunity to spread the magic of Disney here, especially when that magic can brighten the day of a child going through a difficult time.”
The mobile movie theater offers patients and their families a place to create moments of joy and comfort while enjoying new releases and beloved classics through complimentary Disney+ access and Disney Movie Moments. The design of Disney’s mobile movie theaters is inspired by the cinema on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Resort in California.
Mobile theaters are proven to be versatile and straightforward to implement in a hospital setting. Easily moved throughout the hospital and compact enough to be stored away when not in use, the theaters help the hospital’s child life teams bring flexible entertainment and engagement opportunities to patients and their families.
In total, DCL is delivering five mobile movie theaters to children’s hospitals in port communities across the United States. In addition to Children’s Hospital New Orleans, DCL is delivering mobile theaters and more to children’s hospitals in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, Fla., Galveston, Tex., and San Diego, Calif. Disney has additional deliveries to children’s care centers planned across the world in the coming months.
The mobile movie theater initiative continues Disney’s collaboration with Starlight Children’s Foundation to bring the positive power of Disney stories to children’s hospitals, including Children’s Hospital New Orleans. Through this collaboration, children’s hospitals nationwide receive Disney-themed Starlight Hospital Wear, Disney care packages as well as toys and games. Used as engagement tools by child life specialists, these programs help young patients get through the stress of medical procedures and hospitalization.
“We’re honored and grateful to have a longstanding relationship with Disney in helping us achieve our mission of delivering happiness to seriously ill kids and their families,” said Adam Garone, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation. “Together for over 20 years, we’ve been transforming the hospital experience through programs like Disney-themed Hospital Wear and toy deliveries that comfort young patients coping with illnesses.”
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Children’s Hospital New Orleans: Children’s Hospital New Orleans is a 263-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, delivered just for children. With more than 600 pediatric providers, Children’s offers a comprehensive array of pediatric healthcare services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, the hospital operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, and Diamondhead, MS. Children’s offers primary care services at 12 convenient locations and remotely via its Virtual Care for Kids program. Children’s is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, East Jefferson General Hospital, Tulane Medical Center, Lakeview Regional Medical Center, and Tulane Lakeside Hospital. Learn more at chnola.org
Disney Cruise Line: Since its launch in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has established itself as a leader in the cruise industry, providing a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and children can experience all Disney has to offer. Today, Disney Cruise Line continues to expand its blueprint for family cruising with a fleet of five ships — the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish — and three more ships planned in 2024 and 2025. Guests can sail out of ports around the world on exciting itineraries to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska and Europe, among others. The homeport for Disney Cruise Line remains Port Canaveral, Florida, where it has its own specially designed terminal. Disney Cruise Line will be sailing from its new terminal at Port Everglades later this year.
Starlight Children’s Foundation: Starlight Children’s Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that delivers happiness to seriously ill or injured children and their families. Since 1982, Starlight’s ground-breaking and innovative programs, like Starlight Hospital Wear, Starlight Gaming, and Starlight Virtual Reality, have impacted 21 million kids at more than 800 children’s hospitals across the U.S. To learn more and to help Starlight deliver happiness to seriously ill kids, visit www.starlight.org and follow Starlight on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Contact: Rick Jardiolin, Director of Public Relations & Communications
424-245-3675 | rick.jardiolin@starlight.org