Geisinger Children’s Hospital Receives Party from Spirit Halloween.

Spirit Halloween held a Halloween-spirited event for pediatric patients and families at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital on Monday.

Spirit Halloween brought dozens of costumes to share with Geisinger pediatric patients and their families.

Patients and families were invited to pick from dozens of Halloween costumes and participated in spooky crafts and face painting. The party was held in celebration of Spirit’s 2023 fundraising efforts with the hospital.

Miranda Peruso, Geisinger’s director of annual giving, said Spirit Halloween hosts parties at healthcare facilities that reach a $50,000 fundraising goal during the previous year’s in-store campaign.

“This was the first party at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital,” Peruso said. “Our partnership with Spirit has raised nearly $300,000 for the Child Life department since 2019. We’re so grateful to everyone who supported Geisinger when shopping at Spirit Halloween.”

Pediatric patient Kevin O’Brien of Glen Lyon, PA, dressed as Marshmello from Fort Nite, poses for a photo with the Spirit Halloween volunteers.

Geisinger’s Child Life specialists make kids more comfortable at the hospital by explaining procedures using play, helping children cope with pain and supporting their efforts to stay up-to-date with their school work. Child Life has the motto of “making the hospital less scary for patients and families.

Nearly a dozen patients and their siblings attended the party. Leftover costumes were taken to Geisinger pediatric clinics to share with more patients.

“This is part of who we are,” said Jeremy Simpson, zone manager for Spirit Halloween, “It can be sombering to see kids in the hospital, but it is wonderful to see their faces light up for an event like this.”