A creative new addition to UTMB Health is helping pediatric patients move beyond the confines of their hospital rooms—both physically and imaginatively.
Victoria, a member of Troop 715 in League City, recently completed her Eagle Scout project, Lily Pads for Little Kids. The project features custom-designed platforms attached to the base of IV poles, allowing children to ride comfortably through the hospital while undergoing intravenous therapy.
“The Eagle project is about leadership and leading a team to a desired goal,” said Victoria, whose own hospital experience inspired this innovative idea. “So, I had to find people with different talents for wood cutting and painting and artistry to help that all come together.”
Each lily pad is uniquely painted, and children get to choose their own design—from animals like snakes and pandas to superheroes and sports themes. This element of personalization encourages self-expression.
But Regina Burdett, a senior child life specialist at UTMB, says the excitement of picking out a pad is just one of the benefits. “It also gets them [the patients] out of their bed, out of their room. Nobody lives in a 10-by-10, 14-by-14 room 24/7…This gives [them] a chance to sit and be chauffeured around.”
Victoria hopes her project will continue helping other children just like herself feel less constricted and more connected to the world around them. “Just sitting in your bed all day is not something you want to do…doing activities outside is a little more fun.”