Athletes for Hope works with several fantastic organizations who work within hospitals to help bring smiles to those who need it most. Many of our athletes have questions about what to expect at a hospital visit. The following will help you prepare for your visit.
EVENT DETAILS
Athletes for Hope will provide you with parking and day-of instructions prior to your visit. Once you arrive, please locate the specified hospital member. From there, that individual will explain what’s in store and help guide you through your visit. Each hospital has its own unique set of resources and therefore the activities you do can vary from one visit to the next. Unless otherwise specified, the hospital will take care of arranging these activities. If possible, please wear some of your sports gear so patients can easily identify you. Last but not least, have fun!
TALKING POINTS
In general, try to avoid asking patients how they are feeling, about their specific diagnosis or wishing them to feel better – some patients, unfortunately, may not be in a recovery situation. Rather, try to engage, distract and get them to open up about things they enjoy doing or are comfortable talking about with you.
- Hi, my name is _____, and I heard you were in the hospital so I wanted to stop by and say hi.
- What’s your name, and how old are you?
- What’s your favorite video game/movie/book?
- Do you play any sports or musical instruments or have any hobbies?
- Have you ever played [INSERT NAME OF YOUR SPORT]?
- I was in the hospital once and I thought it was really cool that ______.
- What do you like most about being in the hospital?
SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT YOUR VISIT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Please like and follow Athletes for Hope on social media via Twitter (Ath4Hope), Facebook (AthletesForHope), Instagram (@AthletesForHope) or Snapchat (AthletesForHope). We would love to see how your visit went, so please tag us in your event photos and selfies! Please ensure you receive approval from the facility to post photos that you have taken while at your visit. There may be restrictions and it’s important that you abide by HIPAA and patient privacy standards.
As always, if you are still uncertain about scheduling a visit to a hospital, please feel free to get in touch with your point of contact at Athletes For Hope. We look forward to working with you!