Welcome To Hospital Heroes
Deeply rooted in the DNA of American sports, is a connection between athletes and kids struggling with medical conditions. One of the first recorded examples of this is when Babe Ruth promised to hit a home run during the 1962 World Series for a kid named Jonny Sylvester, who was seriously ill and hospitalized. It was widely reported afterward that Johnny Sylvester had a miraculous recovery. The power of sports gives athletes a unique position to be able to raise the spirits of the kids they visit, and most of the time the impact transcends far beyond impacting the kid, but the athlete as well. In essence, this is the spirit of the Hospital Heroes program.
Since 2007, Athletes for Hope has connected professional, Olympic, Paralympic, and collegiate athletes to children’s hospitals around the United States. In total, we’ve facilitated more than 800 in-person and virtual visits for Athlete for Hope Athletes to more than 70 hospitals.
Hospital Heroes will continue to consist of hospital visits, however, we have recently adapted our program to work directly with kids and families as well. There is no cost associated with joining this program, and participants can unsubscribe at any time. Benefits include:
- Invitations to virtual activities with athletes (games, guest speakers, holiday parties, etc.)
- Personalized video messages – view sample
- Handwritten well wishes cards
- And more!
The Hospital Heroes program is also proud to join community partners Dream on 3 and Camp Keesem in making dream days possible.
Sign up today to join our Hospital Heroes community!
Giving back to children’s hospitals is important to me because I value the time I get to spend with each and every kid I meet. I’m honored to have the chance and opportunity to make a difference in their day and to share a laugh or a smile with them.
Perris Benegas, USA Freestyle BMX
After we concluded the visit, one of the patients shared this with us: ‘That took my pain away.’”
Hospital Child Care Coordinator
Are you a caregiver, medical professional, hospital admin, or parent of a patient? Sign up today to join our Hospital Heroes Community below!
Are you an athlete wanting to join our Hospital Heroes program? If so, get in contact with us here.
Hospital Heroes Sign Up Form
By signing up you will be added to our distribution list and receive consistent emails from Athletes for Hope staff about virtual gatherings and opportunities for customized messages from Professional, Olympic, Paralympic, and Collegiate Student-Athletes. Please know that the shift to working directly with patients and families is relatively new. Over the past 16 years we have been working primarily with hospitals partners. Please be patient with us as we navigate this new direction in our program. There is no cost associated with this program for patients, and you can unsubscribe at any time. We are looking to start our consistent programs in the fall of 2023. Sign up today to join our Hospital Heroes Community! We look forward to serving you and your family! Athletes for Hope will keep your personal information private and only within our Hospital Heroes Program.