Malachi Ostrander, 3, smiles while sporting his green Grinch shirt at the annual Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital party. Malachi was born with a condition called laryngeal cleft. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Elorah Sagash, 15 months, smiles as her mother, Jessica, takes a selfie with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Elorah has Down syndrome and is also a heart surgery survivor. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Samuel Webster, 4, peruses the toys at the holiday party. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
A band called the Happy Turtles filled the room with beautiful classic holiday tunes. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Angel Standishvalley, 14, also enjoyed getting out of her hospital room to join the festivities in the Balk Cafe. She has been in the hospital for treatment of seizures, said her grandmother, Bobbie Valley. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Julianna Quakkelaar, 3, uses her strong muscles to try and pick up a big bag of toys. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Grand Rapids Ballet Company Nutcracker dancers also made a stop at the holiday party. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Kian Flores, 4, high-fives Santa Claus. Kian is recovering from a recent surgery to correct internal bleeding. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Declan Ball, 8, smiles for a photo with his dad, Jason. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
At the party, kids played Santa's putt-putt mini golf game, decorated cookies, created ornaments and picked out toys and books. And they visited Santa. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Austin Coultes, 11, decorates a cookie with Child Life specialist Rhys VanDemark. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Julianna Quakkelaar, 3, smiles with her new PetVet toy. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Kian Flores, 4, looks for a toy he would like best. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Declan has been in the hospital for three weeks. "He really is enjoying the music," said his dad, Jason Ball. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
His mom, Sara Ostrander, figured after all the medical visits, it would be fun to visit the hospital just for a party.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect. It’s pretty legit.”
At the party, kids played Santa’s putt-putt mini golf game, decorated cookies, created ornaments and picked out toys and books. And they visited Santa.
“It’s nice,” Jason Ball said.
The event was a welcome break for his 8-year-old son, Declan, who has been in the hospital for more than three weeks.
“He really is enjoying the music,” Ball said.
Angel Standishvalley, 14, also enjoyed getting out of her hospital room to join the festivities in the Balk Café. She has been in the hospital since Tuesday receiving treatment for seizures, said her grandmother, Bobbie Valley.
Angel enjoyed decorating cookies and making an ornament.
“I think the best part is wrapping presents for your family,” she said.
Brianna Bentley, 20, wheeled into the party to enjoy the fun. She knows the hospital well—she has received 36 rounds of chemotherapy as she has dealt with Ewing sarcoma.
She arrived Monday for a new round of treatment.
“It’s nice to get out of the hospital room and to forget you’re in the hospital for a little while,” she said.