Regina kids have fun and learn about health care at Teddy Bear Bash

A trip to the doctor’s office or hospital can be scary for children, but a group of health-care professionals are hoping to ease some of that fear.

On Saturday, a Teddy Bear Bash was hosted at Wascana Park.

The bash is a “hospital” where kids can bring their favourite stuffed animal, doll or creature to get looked at by a health-care worker.

Jenna Davis is a primary care paramedic with Regina EMS and president of Paramedics with Heart. She said the event brings a lot of joy to the kids.

“It’s an opportunity to get kids used to emergency services and the hospital and getting them more comfortable with us,” she said.

Jenna Davis said the turnout for Saturday’s Teddy Bear Bash was great. She said many families brought their kids out to learn. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

Kids met workers at different stations to learn about physical exams, casting, X-rays, physical therapy and getting stitches.

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Davis said the kids love the experience.

“The kids are pretty amazed,” she said. “The look on their faces when they step into the ambulance is a pretty cool reaction.”

And it’s not just paramedics on site, there are emergency department workers and NICU employees in attendance, too.

“It’s kind of cool that we can all just come here and be one big family,” Davis said.

The kids come to the Teddy Bear Bash with different stories about their stuffed animals, and the health-care workers are prepared for all their unique scenarios.

“We get lots of broken legs, lots of cuts that need sutures, lots of falls and hits to the head,” she said.

“We usually prescribe them lots of snuggles and kisses and send them to wherever they need to go to get their teddy bear help.”

Jenna Davis demonstrates giving fluids to a teddy bear patient. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

Kids having a blast

Well over 100 people packed Wascana Park on Saturday morning for the bash.

With their stuffed animals in tow, Kate Williams and Alissa Hungle both expressd hope their stuffed animals could get some help.

“This is Pride Bee, she got accidentally stabbed in the eye with a stick by a toddler and lost her eye,” Williams said.

“Maybe she’ll get an eye patch, or a new eye.”

Hungle brought her stuffed kitty Cupcake to the event.

“She had a gymnastics incident,” she said. “She sprained her wrist and also lost her voice from performing too much with her friend Pride Bee.”

“We hope that we can get a cast for Cupcake.”

The girls were looking forward to meeting the health-care workers and getting their stuffed animals back on the mend.

The kids list their stuffed animals’ symptoms to the paramedics, who prescribe either X-rays, stitches or hugs and kisses. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

Paramedics with Heart

Paramedics with Heart is a non-profit organization that started in 2006 and is made up of 19 local paramedics.

According to its website, the group’s mission is, “To enhance paramedics’ quality of life through professional and community collaboration.”

Davis said one of the main priorities for the group is education.

“We feel like not everybody understands what we do as paramedics, so we find that we need to kind of get out there and educate the public a little bit more,” she said.

Davis said more people want to volunteer with the group.

“It’s been a huge success in that part and we’re just here to support not only our paramedics, but any other EMS service around us as well,” she said.

The organization continue to fundraise for the Saskatchewan chapter of Make-A-Wish and their new Local Heroes campaign.