Zoo critters brighten days for kids at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Tune in for our latest installment of Wild Wednesdays. Read the full story and see all the fun photos.
Baldwin resident Jacquan Underwood, 9, smiles as he visits with a ferret named Alvin while sitting in his hospital bed with his mother, Merry. He is being treated for epilepsy at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. The seizure disorder has affected his speech. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Torch Lake resident Naomi Wilke, 7, pets Alvin the ferret, who sits in the lap of volunteer Sunny Sjaarda. Levi Cafferman, 2, overwhelmed with excitement, holds his face during the John Ball Zoo animal visit. Naomi and Levi are both undergoing treatment for leukemia. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
A screech owl from John Ball Zoo visits Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Benton Harbor resident Debra Kiser smiles as she meets a screech owl in her hospital room. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Sjaarda, 78, picks up a terrarium containing a female tarantula at John Ball Zoo to take her to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital to show the children how great these spiders can be. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Alvin, a ferret from John Ball Zoo receives love from children at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Sjaarda, 78, picks up a terrarium containing a female tarantula from the John Ball Zoo. Sjaarda owned a pet tarantula for 18 years. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
John Ball Zoo volunteer Betty Sobel holds a screech owl at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Pewamo resident Lillian Pawlanta, 4, blows her pinwheel for Alvin, a ferret from John Ball Zoo. Lillian is being treated for seizures at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
John Ball Zoo volunteer Sjaarda sits with Alvin as they wait for children to visit at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
John Ball Zoo volunteer Sobel, 75, left, and Julian Baker, 10, pose for a photo with a screech owl at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Julian is being tested for a seizure that occurred the night before. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Alvin waits patiently to visit with children at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Cedar Springs resident Emma Orr, 8, looks up at a screech owl at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Emma is being treated for neuroblastoma. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Sjaarda, 78, walks to her car with the cooler carrying the tarantula to put in her car before heading to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital to visit children. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
A screech owl from John Ball Zoo visits Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Fennville resident Xavier Clark, 14, pets Alvin during a visit at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Xavier is being treated for chronic kidney failure. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
A terrarium containing a female tarantula from John Ball Zoo gets ready to be taken to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital for a visit. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Newaygo resident Ethan Koning, 15, visits with Alvin. Ethan is being treated for epilepsy. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Sjaarda massages Alvin during a visit to Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Grand Rapids resident Pamela Crosslan, 15, visits with Alvin. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
John Ball Zoo volunteers Sobel, left, and Sjaarda take a break between visiting floors at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
“The owl is actually my favorite animal to bring here,” Sobel said.
“Obviously,” Sjaarda said. “I never get to do it.”
The tarantula is commonly the least viewed animal.
“Many children believe they have a fear of spiders or snakes because their parents do, or their parents think their children have a fear of them because they do,” explained Sjaarda. “Tarantulas are beautiful creatures and more than just a spider.”
Sjaarda owned a tarantula for 18 years.
The animals visited many patients that afternoon. Among them was Comstock Park, Michigan, resident Julian Baker, who is being treated for a seizure that occurred the night before.
“You’re just about the right age to have a ferret,” Sjaarda said.
“I’m 10,” Julian replied.
“Perfect!” she said. “They are so much fun.”
Before Sjaarda and Sobel can visit the hospital, they have to go to the red barn at John Ball Zoo and put the animals in their carriers to transport them to the hospital.
“This is Alvin,” Sjaarda said as she pulled him out of his crate. “He’s been with us quite a while and he’s had surgeries and he’s going to hang on with us as long as we’ll let him. And he stinks terribly.”
The two then carry the animals out to their car, place them in their truck and are on their merry way.