Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford opened their new facility in December of 2017 and I got to go on a tour this week. It’s right next door to the original hospital, and that one is now referred to as the West Building. The new one is unbelievably gorgeous. Each floor has its own theme and all of the native California animals portrayed on each floor were selected by a committee of children. Everyplace you look, there are animals; sculptures of them, paintings and mosaics. I felt like I was on an art-walk in a nature themed museum.
The elevator replicates the look of a giant redwood, right in the middle of the hospital. The reclaimed wood is old growth redwood that was salvaged from Moffett Hangar One. The trellises in the outdoor area are reclaimed redwood from an unknown winery. The hospital is designated as Platinum LEED certified building, of course, and the most technologically advanced children’s hospital in the country, for now at least.
The Story Corner is a peaceful place for kids and families to listen to the ocean, and watch the playful video wall. Sophie’s Place is where fun content is being filmed for Stanford’s own children channel, which is broadcast into all the patient rooms.
The Family Resource Center is a library, and much more, for families who want the internet, need to print something, or want the newspaper, books, magazines, whatever it takes to make their stay a bit more comfortable.
I really like that the new expansion allowed for space to create “Team Rooms” so medical staff has a private place to talk.
Speaking of privacy, the new patient rooms have all kinds of features that help families feel at ease, privacy curtains, couches with pullout beds, charging stations, and safes. The medical staff wears badges that automatically connect with the TV and a display will tell the family who the person is.
Each floor has a Child Life Room, a place where kids can be kids; no medicine, no doctors, no shots. The new cafeteria is 3 times the size of the old one. They have an annual prom there, and all ages are welcome.
The Dunlevie Garden is absolutely magical, with sculptures, quiet forts and cave-like places to get away from everything. Every place you look, you see exquisite details, baby bears climbing over a log, a wolf face made of river rock, and a giant banana slug, happy creatures that make this a special place to heal.
Lucile Packard Children’s Stanford believes in incorporating nature into the healing of children. The way-finding animals, window boxes of plants outside their windows, window boxes of animal art, mosaic nature designs on the floors, and artwork everyplace you look, all make this hospital a place that children (and adults) will never forget.
The West Building will not be demolished. It will stay and be converted into as many private family rooms as possible.
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford is a place where no one is ever turned away. And the most sought-after volunteer position in the entire hospital is that of a Cuddler in the neonatal unit. The wait list is 2 years long. Here’s a link to more info about all of their volunteer positions.
Thank you Diana Bautista, Government Relations Manager at the hospital for the inviting on the tour. Sometimes, when I get to go on tours awesome places in our area, I feel so grateful to be part of our community, and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital is one of those places.
