December 12, 2013

Virtual Santa cheers pediatric patients

Urijah Serrano, 22 months young, makes a grab for Santa as elf Joyce Palmese assists him. Ms. Palmese works for child life services at Children's Hospital.

Santa needs to make his list and check it twice. But often children who are hospitalized during the holidays don’t have the opportunity to show Santa in person what good little boys and girls they’ve been.

Fortunately, Santa Claus found a way to visit patients at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital on December 10 without even leaving the North Pole, bringing the magic of the season to them via the latest mobile and video collaboration technologies. Cisco Systems’ “Santa Connection Program” made it possible.

Santa visited with children in the hospital’s playroom or their rooms. So much like kids who are able to sit on Santa’s lap, patients had the opportunity to pass along their wishes this holiday season in plenty of time for St. Nick to make his list and check it twice.

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