The visit was organized by actor Matthew Lillard (“Decendants”), who has played the voice of the iconic “Shaggy” since 2002.  Lillard and his family recently joined the hospital’s Ambassador Program and committed to supporting the CHLA mission through fundraising and awareness.

Lillard brought with him well-known voice actors:

• Frank Welker, voice of Scooby Doo and Curious George
• Grey DeLisle, the voice of Daphne as well as Wubbzy of Wow Wow Wubbzy and voice of Mandy in the Cartoon Network TV show The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

The group made bedside visits in the Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and the Medical/Surgical inpatient unit, eliciting smiles and laughter with recreations of humorous scenes from the movie, taking pictures, recording funny greetings and ringtones on patient’s phones and handing out Scooby Doo coloring and activity books.

Over in the Creative Oasis, Scooby Doo voice director Collette Sunderman and Tony Cervone, animator for Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes and other notable cartoon hits gave the patients a glimpse behind the scenes of his illustrations. Cervone put pencil to paper and personalized drawings of Scooby for each patient and offered a few animation tips for their own art creations.

The visit by the cast gave the patients a chance to interact with some of their favorite animated characters and learn coloring tricks from an expert animator. It was the energy and enthusiasm of the group that made it a memorable event for all ages.

Bailey and the L.A. Kings Ice Girls were on site to help encourage new platelet donors. And through Platelets for Playoffs, you helped us reach the following goals:  

• 46 platelet donors
• 38 donors gave double to triple units
• Over 90 children will be helped through these donations
• Gained over 2,200 new @ChildrensLA Twitter followers

Thank you all for the support in saving the lives of our patients!

Schedule Your Appointment

For more details about blood or platelet donation, visit CHLA.org/DonateBlood. You can also call 323- 361-2441 or send an email to request more information or schedule a donation appointment.

Even though there were a few negative comments, Hana enjoyed seeing the continuous chain of comments by those defending her. She said that she would “just like to hug the bullies because they are just hurting inside.”

“I really want to thank you for your words of love and standing up for me. You make my heart feel really happy,” says Hana.

With Hana’s video success, a rumor that she had passed away started an online chain of RIP messages and emotional comments, but Hana created her own video to put those rumors to rest. Hana and her family are still getting used to her new fame.

Fans who believed the rumor have spotted her at the mall when she was making her customized yellow cap. They were overjoyed that she was still alive and asked to take photos. Shortly after being spotted, one of her young fans posted a YouTube video defeating the rumors and showed the new photo of him and his sisters.

Hana says, “I’m thankful for all of you. I wish I could hug each and one of you in person and I love you guys so much and I’ll talk to you soon.”

Fox 11 News in Los Angeles followed Hana’s story and will be airing an update on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 10 p.m., right after American Idol (Hana will be in the audience).

Hana has since created her own website at www.HanaHwang.com to keep her new friends updated on her health and words of inspiration.

Chelsie Hightower of “Dancing With The Stars” traveled all the way from Utah to spend the day with the kids. Chelsie said while she is not particularly romantic herself, she would much prefer to spend the day giving back and making a difference in the lives of children. Chelsie was joined by friend and “Dancing With The Stars” champion, J.R. Martinez, who gave patients his undivided attention.  He was overheard sharing words of encouragement with the children and telling them how much they inspired him. 

View more photos on Flickr.

Also in attendance were Annika Marks (“The Surrogate”), Cory Almeida (host of “Pictureka!”), Meagan Tandy (“Jane By Design”), Neil Grayston (“Eureka”), Sufe Bradshaw (“Veep”) and Trevor Jackson (Disney’s “Let It Shine”), who spent time playing with the kids as they enjoyed frozen fruit treats from Yonanas, yummy turkey and veggie burgers from FatBurger’s FATMobile, Sabra’s grab n go hummus snack packs with pretzel crisps, refreshing sparkling juice by IZZE, and had their faces painted by Parties by Stacey. Patients and their mothers were also treated to glam makeovers by the beauty artists at Sue Devitt Beauty, who gifted all the ladies with a shimmery pink lip-gloss. Patients were also invited to pick out a pink or blue teddy bear from Build-A-Bear Workshop and CDs and DVDs filled with children’s music from Baby Genius. Additionally, EA games donated some of their most popular video games titles to the hospital’s Teen Lounge.

It was a family affair for two Hollywood families. “Royal Pains” star Mark Feuerstein attended with his wife Dana and their daughter Addie, while Nestor Serrano, whose new movie “Act of Valor” opens this month, attended with his wife Debbie and their daughter Lucy. The Feuersteins and the Serranos are big supporters of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as their daughters Addie and Amelia respectively, have both received incredible care at the hospital. Edwin Hodge, the newest addition to the hit ABC show “Cougar Town”, attended with his mom Yolette and were both having fun making Valentine’s with the kids. TV host Quddus Philippe stopped by to share love with the kids en route to the airport for his charity mission to Haiti. 

Corbin Bleu from the hit movie franchise “High School Musical”, made chocolate jewelry with patients courtesy of Grando Cioccolato. Guests loved Nancy Grando’s organic and gourmet Italian dark, milk and white chocolate “diamonds.”  Hollywood couple Rachael Leigh Cook (“Perception”) and her husband Daniel Gillies (“The Vampire Diaries”) spent time making custom Tiny Prints Valentines with the kids and their families. 

Guests were also serenaded by several amazing performances, kicking off with twelve-year-old Eileen Garrido, who sang a song she wrote for the hospital as thanks for the care she received. “American Idol” finalist and recording artist Elliott Yamin, who is a long time supporter of Children’s Hospital, also performed two songs from his new album due out in March. Austin Brown, rising star and nephew of the late Michael Jackson, closed out the music set with several acoustic sets from his album, which was released on Valentine’s Day.

Trueheart Events is a full service entertainment marketing firm specializing in special events, talent outreach, strategic marketing and public relations campaigns.

The event kicked off with a warm-up by music therapists, who helped the kids prep their vocal chords and rhythmic skills. Upon his arrival, Seal warmly greeted the crowd and introduced himself, taking the time to familiarize himself with each patient and telling everyone how honored he was to spend time with them. With several Music Therapists strumming alongside as backup, Seal kicked off the performance with “Secret,” a song he wrote for his daughter.

Afterward, Seal took a seat on the carpet in the middle of the lounge, connecting with each patient, learning their names and relating to them with his own life stories, including his own battle with Lupus that left him with irreversible facial scars. He reminded them that music is a way to work through difficult times and can be a positive outlet of expression and a way he expresses himself.

View more photos of Flickr.

It was an important message for the patients, many of whom are participating in or exploring Music Therapy as part of their treatment.

“The impact that these interactive musical performances have on our patients is amazing.  To have the opportunity to hear how music has positively impacted artists such as Seal and Bruno Mars’ life and helped them through difficult times gives so much hope and inspiration to each of them and their family members,” said Alexandra Field, Artists Program Lead. 

“The clinical vision of the Mark Taper – Johnny Mercer Artists Program here at CHLA is to assist patients and families in expressing and exploring their thoughts, feelings, and coping related to their illness and hospitalization through art, music, and dance/movement therapy.  It is such a wonderful complement to the work we do each and every day with patients and their families to participate in these fun, interactive musical performances.  To hear about how the power of music can help someone such as Seal hold on to his dreams and never give up, no matter what the circumstances may be, is incredibly powerful and meaningful to all that participate.”

Music Therapy is an important part of the healing process, and is just one of several experiences provided by the hospitals Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program.  Unlike the traditional art and recreation programs found in many hospitals, the Taper-Mercer Program is an innovative model that brings together local artists and performers with registered and certified Creative Arts Therapists to meet the diverse needs of our patient population. Our Creative Arts Therapists are trained to assist patients and families in building coping skills, exploring the thoughts and feelings related to hospitalization and illness, and utilizing the arts for exploration and self-expression. This multidisciplinary approach offers our patients something beyond diversionary arts and crafts projects.  Other arts offered include Dance Therapy, Theater Arts, Crafts and Jewelry Making.

Related Articles: Music Therapy More Than Just a Song

On Dec. 1, patients and families in treatment at the Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases were invited to a surprise performance and interactive music session with Grammy Award-winning artists Bruno Mars. 

The visit was a stop on the Get Well Soon Tour (GWST), which unites musicians to bring happiness and light to sick children through musical performances at hospitals around the world.

View more photos on Flickr.

GWST co-founder and musician Austin Bisnow kicked off the visit, welcoming patients and families to the Family Lounge, which had been transformed into a jam circle complete with guitars, a microphone, bongos, tambourines, and shakers.  Austin handed out instruments to patients and got the excited crowd warmed up while they waited for the surprise guest to arrive. With his guitar in hand and back up from the kids, he pounded out a few of their favorite cover songs, ranging from Justin Bieber to some Bruno favorites.  When Austin finally revealed the identity of the surprise guest, some patient’s and parents clapped while others sat in awe. 

Bruno kicked off the set with his hit, “The Lazy Song,” which was a favorite among the patients. It was his kid-like nature and passion for music that really meshed well with the patients; he made a special impression, calling them by name and encouraging them to play along.

There was definite talent in the room, but it wasn’t all coming from Bruno. The kids displayed their knack for music, singing along, rapping with Bruno and requesting songs old and new. Bruno explained the benefits of music and the effect it has on him.

“Music is a good outlet to express how you feel,” he said.

In all, it was the interactions that Bruno had with the patients that gave the visit a personal touch. His ability to communicate with the kids, sing for them and with them made the visit one that will be etched in the memories of each in attendance.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles encourages personal expression through Music Therapy and other forms of art, which is made available to patients through the Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program.  The innovative program model brings together local artists and performers with registered and certified Creative Arts Therapists to assist patients and families in building coping skills, exploring the thoughts and feelings related to hospitalization and illness, and utilizing the arts for exploration and self-expression.

I’m no beauty queen. I’m just beautiful me.
You got every right to a beautiful life.

These words inspire Hana and help distract her from the painful physical ailments associated with progeria, a rare fatal genetic syndrome. Like the main character in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” individuals living with progeria exhibit premature aging symptoms.

Children affected by the disease age eight to 10 times faster than the average person and there is no cure at this time.

Her tutor, Sara Kim, nominated Hana and her family as recipients for the KISSMAS Giving campaign on L.A.’s 102.7 radio station in Los Angeles. Sara requested a care package and a Kindle for Hana, an avid reader.

However, when Ryan Seacrest learned that the 13-year-old Children’s Hospital Los Angeles patient is a devoted Selena Gomez fan, he immediately reached out to the young star. On Dec. 13, Gomez took a break from recording her album to fulfill Hana’s lifelong dream by visiting her bedside.

During Selena’s visit at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Hana said she was determined not to cry in the presence of her idol because she “didn’t want to look like a baby.” Now, despite the physical pain, Hana is writing a letter to Gomez to tell her all the things she wished she’d said during the pop star’s surprise visit.

The life expectancy for an individual with progeria is 13 years. In September, Hana celebrated her thirteenth birthday and doctors at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are working hard to extend her life.  Despite her prognosis, she continues to read, listen to music and live a beautiful life—one moment at a time.

In honor of the care provided by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles during their child’s stay, the Cuñado family have provided all the decorations and lighting for the event for the past six years, held in The Joyce and Stanley Black and Family Healing and Meditation Garden.

With the opening of the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion this year, they have also added the lighting and decorations to The Jane Vruwink Palmer Healing and Play Garden, hosting the event every year specifically for patients.

“For us, it’s an opportunity to give back to an amazing organization where everyone is committed to the well-being of children,” says Mr. Cuñado. “We want to be a part of that.”

Check out more pictures from the event on Flickr.

More than 100 patients, families, hospital supporters and celebrities were in attendance.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson from “Modern Family” served as Master of Ceremonies. Cast members from Lythgoe Family Productions, “A Snow White Christmas” and “Cinderella Christmas,” read holiday stories and sang songs.

“Unstrumental” from Calabasas High School and the Nestle Choir both performed holiday music to open and close the event, while the Samurai Power Rangers greeted the crowd and posed for photos with children and families.
Also joining the festivities were Fred Willard (“Best in Show”), and David Burtka (E! News, “Gypsy”) , who read holiday stories; as well as Lindsay Pearce (The Glee Project) and Broadway stars Erich Bergen (“Jersey Boys”), Shoshana Bean (“Wicked”) and Veronica Dunne (“Wild Hearts”) who performed holiday songs.

The Cuñados own their own business: Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting. Based in Simi Valley, the company has more than 200 employees and is one of the leading manufacturers and innovators in the architectural and landscape lighting industry.

Maria Menounos returned to the hospital on Oct. 13 for her Annual Day of Beauty with several celebrity friends in tow, including stylists to the stars. Maria started the event seven years ago as a way to lift patients’ and parents’ spirits by pampering them with hair styling, makeup, manicures and gift bags for girls and boys.

Click here to see more photos!

Maria and crew transformed the Teen Lounge and 4 East playroom into beauty salons, which were quickly populated with eager patients, siblings and moms from different units ready for a little TLC. Patients also got a surprise visit from “High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale, who handed out signed copies of her Disney DVDs, Elizabeth Berkeley, who gave autographed copies of her new book written for teen girls, as well as Jessica Lowndes, Nikki DeLoach and Zach Abel, who entertained patients and even gave  manicures and makeup sessions.

The event was once again a huge success, with most patients staying the full three hours and everyone leaving with a huge smile on their face and a gift bag full of goodies, including Crocs, beauty products and cell phone covers.

Held Sunday, Sept. 18, thousands of supporters arrived early in the morning to cheer on athletes who took part in the Zuma Beach event.

Funds will go toward supporting the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Pediatric Cancer Research Program, which is dedicated to curing and preventing childhood cancers. The program provides advanced treatments and therapies for children with the most serious and life-threatening forms of cancer.

Click here to see more photos on Flickr.

“We want to thank everyone of you for your efforts,” said Rod Hanners, senior vice president and COO of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, to the event crowd. “You’re going to sleep well tonight because you made the best children’s hospital better today.”

Along with celebrities who competed in the race – including Ed Helms, Rainn Wilson, Mark Paul Gosselaar, Chris Harrison, Natalie Morales and Tiffani Thiessen – Grammy-award winning artist Sheena Easton was on hand to kick off the event by singing the Star Spangled Banner.

Comedian and “The Tonight Show” host Jay Leno presented race awards, while also donating $10,000 to the cause when he took the stage.

“I think if you didn’t participate you should be forced to donate 10 grand,” Leno said, laughing. “And that’s because I didn’t want to run or bike.”

Among those teams competing, Team CHLA raised $159,000 for the hospital. Chris Lee and his son, 14-year-old Taylor, did the race for the first time together.

The father swam and biked while son finished the race with the run.

“It’s a great race and it all goes to help the hospital,” Chris said. “And it helps to keep us in shape.”

Click here to see photos from the Team CHLA reception.

You can also view photos and read more about the 2010 Nautica Malibu Triathlon here.