UTMB PA Students Create Superhero Hideout

Thirty PA students volunteered a total of 300 hours to be the change and bring hope to patients and families at the Ronald McDonald House in Galveston, Texas.

Be the Change grant recipient Wendy Carazo knew from her PA class’s regular outreach activities that the Ronald McDonald House had sustained repeated water damage from hurricanes and other storms. While the damage was repairable, doing so stripped the themed patient rooms and other decorations designed to energize and support families and patients. Recognizing this need, Carazo and her UTMB classmates took action to support their community.

“The children staying at the Ronald McDonald House have demonstrated how strong they are by persevering through their illness. It is our hope that having a special place to ‘hideout’ will help them be confident and brave during their journey to recovery,” said Carazo, UTMB PA Class of 2017.  “Plus, through our ongoing involvement with RMH, we are exemplifying our profession’s commitment to being community leaders and promoting the positive impact of PAs.”

This project is an extension of the RMH’s mission of providing a safe and supportive environment for families going through the hardship of caring for a sick child.

By decorating a room with symbols associated with courage, the UTMB students hope to empower the children to be confident and brave during their journey to recovery. The resiliency these children and their families display demonstrates that they are truly the superheroes in their own story. We hope the children who stay in the “Superhero Hideout” feel like superheroes and find the strength to overcome their illness.

This project was supported by the nccPA Health Foundation’s Be the CHANGE Grant.