Athens, Texas (August 1, 2024) — Gone are the days of being wheeled into surgery on a stretcher. Pediatric patients at UT Health Athens can now drive themselves in style, cruising the hospitals hallways in a red, electric toy car.
“Surgery can be a scary thought, no matter what the age of the patient, so this is a way to help keep our youngest patients focused on something fun and exciting before they undergo a surgical procedure,” said Heather Densmore, director of surgery. “We’ve really seen the positive benefits because the patients have been so excited about driving the car that they’re not worrying about their surgery. They’re more focused on having fun.”
Lucas Morgan’s furrowed brow melted away and a hearty laugh escaped his mouth when, after he was safely strapped into the toy red Mustang, the car horn honked, signaling it was time for his ride to commence. “Bye!” Lucas, age 4, called out to his mom before putting the pedal to metal and zipping off down the hospital corridor as nurses pointed the direction to turn to get to surgery since he’s still learning his right from his left.
Lucas and his pit crew of nurses pull right up to the red line of the sterile field so there is no contamination going into the surgical suite, where he was having his adenoids and tonsils removed. The sterile field protects against infection post-surgery, and the car is sanitized between rides. There also is a larger jeep available for older children, ages 7 to 10.
“Our purpose is to care for our patients, their families and each other, and this is just one small way we can do that, by making the surgical experience less scary for a child and his or her family,” said Buddy Daniels, UT Health Athens CEO. “As a father of young children myself, I know how such a small thing can make a big difference for that child undergoing a surgical procedure.”