Animated touch
Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/59673/
ROGERS — With Pirates of the Caribbean televisions, Tinkerbell furniture, princess bedspreads and comforters, and a stack of “ Peter Pan, ” “ 101 Dalmatians, ” “ George of the Jungle” and “ Hugo ” DVDs big enough to bring a smile to just about any young child’s face — Mercy Medical Center continues to prove itself to be anything but an ordinary, run-of-the-mill hospital.
The new hospital — scheduled to open in the Pinnacle Hills area along Interstate 540 in Rogers on Sunday — had already installed a massive interactive light wall, hundreds of pieces of artwork and more. On Wednesday, volunteers from the Disney office at Pinnacle Hills spent part of the afternoon turning the pediatric floor at the new facility into something special.
Disney donated the materials to outfit 12 rooms on the pediatric floor with everything Disney. From wall to wall, everything is plastered with the colorful animated characters that have been inspiring and entertaining children across the globe for decades.
“ It’s very rewarding being a part of this, ” said Jay D’Spain, Disney director of retail business for consumer products. “ This is an opportunity for us to get out from behind the desks and see how these characters impact children’s lives. There was no hesitation in making this happen. ”
According to D’Spain, Mercy Medical Center is the first hospital in northwest Arkansas to have its pediatric wing outfitted by Disney. The Disney Corp. has outfitted several medical facilities across the country and recently participated in an Extreme Makeover event at a hospital in Tucson, Ariz., D’Spain said.
“ The kids are going to love these rooms, ” D’Spain said. “ Hopefully what we’ve done here will bring smiles to their faces and put some enjoyment into the visits. ”