Pajama Theme Day a Huge Success!

Story and Photos by Brenda Lentsch

If you happened to stop by Burr Intermediate School in Commack on December 12, you would have noticed the students and staff wearing unusual and extraordinary – pajamas!  Burr’s Pajama Theme Day raised awareness and accepted donations of new pajamas for a very special group, Stony Brook Hospital’s Child Life Services. The generosity of the Burr family is truly remarkable – over 600 sets of pajamas were collected!

The Child Life Services Department at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is an integral part of the hospital experience for children. Brook Rose, a Child Life Specialist, explained that the team members help children and their families become more comfortable during their visit. They explain the hospital experience in child-friendly ways, ‘normalizing’ the hospital experience, offering tours and other orientations activities, keeping play at the forefront and providing therapeutic, educational and recreational activities that meet the unique needs of each child. Children staying overnight receive a Child Life Welcome Kit which includes a new set of pajamas, books, toys, and sometimes even video games!

Ms. Rose came to Burr  and  was overwhelmed by the size of Burr’s donation and the generosity of the Commack Community. She was happy to report that 115 sets of pajamas would be given out immediately at the annual Cancer Clinic Holiday Party. In addition to creating the Welcome Kits, the pajamas  will be presented as Hanukah and Christmas Gifts.

Many thanks to our Student Council Representatives and Advisors (Mrs. Keri Cestaro, Mr. Thomas Hand, Mrs. Jeanette LaMountain and Mr. George Morrish) who raised awareness at Burr for this very worthy cause