Mega Doctor News
Designed to provide the medical attention necessary to heal from illnesses, injuries or procedures, a hospital stay can be a nerve-racking experience for patients, particularly for children who can endure amplified feelings of anxiety and isolation.
The negative emotions can significantly impede medical care leading to less-than-ideal mental health outcomes. Additionally, they can affect overall development and well-being, hindering the ability to cope with the experience and potentially lead to long-term psychological consequences.
To create positive experiences for its pediatric patients while delivering care that goes beyond the medical, the South Texas Health System Children’s Child Life Department welcomed four Rio Grande Valley boxing champions to the facility for a special meet and greet with the patients in the hospital’s care on Thursday, April 24.
Eric “Drummer Boy” Molina, Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia, Raul “El Tigre” Casarez and Fabian “Unknown Warrior” Diaz have all competed as part of the World Boxing Council (WBC), an international professional boxing organization that oversees matches, world titles and makes the rules and guidelines for the sport.
The boxing champions interacted with patients and their parents, discussing their experiences in the ring and their passion for the sport. Beyond learning about their professional boxing careers, patients had the chance to hold the boxers’ championship belts.
After taking photos with the patients, the boxers donated each child a special boxing-themed gift bag with merchandise donated by the WBC, which included a t-shirt, beanie and a replica of the South Texas Junior Boxing Olympics gold medal awarded to the winning boxer in each division.
“These kids are the real champions; every day they’re fighting,” says Molina, a two-time world heavyweight title challenger who currently serves as the Assistant Director of the City of Edinburg Parks & Recreation Department. “Getting to see them light up during our visit and have some fun outside of their hospital rooms really made this visit extra special for everyone. Boxing is such a captivating sport, and to see the patients get excited about it was awesome!”
Held in partnership with the City of Edinburg and the South Texas Junior Boxing Olympics – an annual competition that features young boxing talent from across South Texas – the meet and greet allowed for several community organizations to come together with the same goal: to bring a welcome distraction and smiles to kids in the community who need it most.
“We were really excited for this partnership,” expresses Molina. “We operated and organized under the mission of bringing smiles to these fighters and we accomplished that today. To see everyone come together to make this special experience happen for the patients at STHS Children’s is amazing!”
The special visit took place ahead of the South Texas Junior Boxing Olympics – one of the largest regional boxing competitions in the United States – taking place Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27. Featuring the participation of 426 male and female boxers from across South Texas, the annual competition will be held at the Edinburg Parks & Recreation Center.
To learn more about the STHS Children’s Child Life Program and how it helps pediatric patients and their family members navigate the process of illness, injury, disability, trauma or hospitalization, visit southtexashealthsystemchildrens.com.
