| Teddy Bear Clinic Celebrates a Decade of Injury Prevention
Who: Parkview Medical Center and numerous community sponsors and partners
What: Hosting 10th Annual “Teddy Bear Clinic”
Where: Pueblo Mall, 3429 Dillon Drive, Dillard’s Courtyard and parking lot
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, August 6, 2011
PUEBLO, Colo. (July 14, 2011)--- Bike helmet giveaways, injury prevention and safety lessons, healthy eating tips, emergency preparedness, and numerous bandaged teddy bears. Those are just a few of the lasting benefits that Parkview’s Teddy Bear Clinic has left on the youth of southern Colorado. This year marks the 10th Annual Teddy Bear Clinic, which will be held on Saturday, August 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pueblo Mall. Each year, the focus of the Teddy Bear Clinic is to create awareness about injury prevention and to help parents improve children’s health and safety. Over the last decade, the Teddy Bear Clinic has brought injury prevention to more than 3,000 children. Parkview together with this year’s sponsors: Kiwanis Club of Pueblo; Pueblo Crime Stoppers; McDonald’s; Comcast Spotlight; Pueblo Alliance for Healthy Teens; and Sam’s Club are proud to present southern Colorado’s largest free injury prevention and safety fair.
Injury is the number one cause of death and disability among children in the United States. According to the World Health Organization, every day around the world, more than 2,000 children die as a result of accidents that could have been prevented. Once a child reaches the age of five, unintentional injuries are the biggest threat to their survival.
“Parkview Medical Center created the Teddy Bear Clinic ten years ago as a proactive, yet entertaining way to educate children and their families on how to protect themselves against injury,” explained Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek, Parkview Health Initiatives Coordinator. “This event has been extremely successful.”
Children are encouraged to bring a teddy bear or other “injured” stuffed animal to the event. Then, the “patient” (stuffed animal) will undergo a triage evaluation by a team of emergency room professionals. Children will learn about the most commonly seen injuries and their treatment. Following the “discharge” of their animal from the “triage” area, kids will make their way through Dillard’s
Courtyard and hallway in the Pueblo Mall, visiting the health and safety-related exhibits. While visiting
the numerous community safety advocates in the mall, attendees will have a chance to meet Ronald McDonald. Ronald will also be hosting a special magic show at 12:30 pm.
Families are also encouraged to head outside to the Dillard’s parking lot for the bike rodeo. Children attending the Teddy Bear Clinic will receive a complementary bike helmet provided by funding from Kiwanis of Pueblo and Pueblo Crime Stoppers. Also located in the mall parking lot, Drive Smart Pueblo will have a drive-up car seat safety check-point.
“We invite everyone to attend the free, 10th Annual Teddy Bear Clinic and hope families will have a great day while learning to stay safe and healthy!” Ortiz-Misiaszek said.
For more information about Parkview’s Teddy Bear Clinic, please call Parkview Health Initiatives at (719) 584-4760.
Founded in 1923, Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo, Colorado, offers general acute healthcare and behavioral health specialty services. As a private, non-profit organization, Parkview is licensed for 350 beds and provides a full range of healthcare services including the region’s only certified and verified Level II Trauma Center as well as the region’s first certified Stroke Center. Parkview Medical Center is the leader in cardiac, women’s, emergency, and neurological services as well as behavioral health programs. As a vital healthcare source, Parkview’s service area includes Pueblo County and 14 surrounding counties, which together represent 350,000 total lives.
Parkview Medical Center is the largest non-government, nonprofit, private sector employer in Pueblo County with nearly 2,300 employees and provides a skilled medical staff of over 300 physicians. The impact of our workforce triggers a strong impact on the community as Parkview’s annual payroll contributes $84.5 million to the economy. |