The opening series of the Major League Baseball (MLB) season brings excitement and optimism for players and fans alike.  Nearly 47,000 fans packed Baltimore’s Camden Yards on opening day to watch the Orioles begin the season with a 9-6 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  For the Orioles, the game was a successful start to a 162-game season.

Photo/BLUE for Kids, Inc.

Marvin Hudson visits Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

BLUE REACH is a hospital-based program for professional baseball umpires to visit children coping with serious injury or illness.  During the visit to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Marvin met with patients in the Medical-Surgical School Age Unit.  Children there are 6-12 years of age and common diagnoses include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, orthopedic, and burn injuries.   

Annie Woods, Special Events/Child Life TV Coordinator for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, took great interest and consulted with BLUE for Kids for the event. Her day-to-day responsibilities focus on coordinating and producing activities to divert from the monotony or negativity of what can be a traumatic hospital experience.  She agreed that a small act of kindness, like a teddy bear, would have a wonderfully positive impact and lift the spirits of the entire family. 

Photo/BLUE for Kids, Inc.

Curly Teddy (left) sports his hat 'Old-School' while Playful Puppy prefers today's hip look.

With Annie as the guide, Marvin spent two hours distributing stuffed animals and offering words of support to children and parents.  To make the visit interactive, kids were presented their choice of a Build-A-Bear Workshop® ‘Cuddly Bear’ or a ‘Playful Puppy’ stuffed animal.  They selected one of three different t-shirts for their animal.  Blue jean shorts and a Baltimore Orioles hat rounded out each outfit.  

“I am so lucky to be on a team and in a position where I can help create feelings of hope and enjoyment in a situation where patients are not expecting to feel that way”, said Annie.  “BLUE for Kids was able to divert Gabby’s parents from dwelling on how different her birthday was than they had hoped for it to be, gave Nate and Jimmy a connection to the sport they love even though they can't play right now, and offered Hannah a chance for positive emotional release and social connection with hugs”.

While Annie introduced Marvin as a Major League Baseball umpire, most children viewed him as a Santa Claus of sorts.  A man with a huge smile on his face was giving away teddy bears and playful puppies while taking time to wish them well in their recovery.  This is exactly how Marvin likes it.

“BLUE REACH is not about baseball”, explains Marvin.  “It is about spending time, showing compassion, and sharing words of encouragement with kids who are coping with serious illness or injury.  It would not bother me one bit if every single child I met today was not interested in baseball.” 

Photo/BLUE for Kids, Inc.

Marvin signs an autographs for Jimmy Geleta.

Still, for a few kids who were sports enthusiasts and baseball players themselves, the visit was a bit more special. Jimmy Geleta spent time in the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Intensive Care Unit after a bicycle accident resulted in a ruptured spleen.  When Jimmy heard who Marvin was and that he was going to visit for a few minutes, his face lit up. "That was the first smile we saw from him since his accident," his father Michael Geleta said.   

The connection with baseball led Marvin to spend a few extra minutes for pictures and autographed photos for Jimmy and his brothers Michael and Patrick.  The entire family was invited to be Marvin’s guests upon his return to Baltimore’s Camden Yards in July when the Orioles take on the Mariners.   “It will be great to see you out of this bed and at the ball park so get strong and I’ll see you again in July”, Marvin told Jimmy.

During the event, it became clear why the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center consistently ranks as one of the top three children’s hospitals in the nation.  In addition to the incredibly talented doctors and nurses, the Child Life division at Johns Hopkins is staffed with experienced and caring people who provide relief for kids and parents from the unpleasant aspects of their hospital stay.  People like Marichi Capino, M.D., make all the difference.

Photo/BLUE for Kids, Inc.

(L-R) Mindi Lutwin, Marichi Capino, Marvin Hudson, and Annie Woods.

Marichi, a Child Life Specialist, has worked at the Medical-Surgical School Age Unit of Johns Hopkins for five years.  She is a pediatrician from the Philippines who had her own private clinic then opted to pursue a graduate degree in Psychology majoring in Child Development to better serve her patients.  Marichi’s main task is to provide kids with developmentally appropriate play opportunities to help allay their fears and anxieties of being in the hospital.  She also works with newly diagnosed kids (cancer or other debilitating illness) to help them cope in more "acceptable" terms.

“Thank you for choosing our unit to visit”, said Marichi. “The stuffed animals you brought and the sheer generosity of Marvin who gingerly dressed them up in play clothes was just as heartwarming to see as the kids' smiles.”