Annual campaign raises funds to enhance pediatric patients’ experience during hospital stays

Feb. 11, 2026 — Spirit Halloween recently presented a $52,143 check to support Child Life services at Golisano Children’s Hospital, made possible through the annual Spirit of Children campaign held last October. Additionally, Spirit Halloween gifted costumes, decorations, and crafts for a Halloween-themed party at the hospital.

Each year, Spirit Halloween stores offer discount purchases both in stores and online, while donating proceeds to Child Life programs at neighboring children’s hospitals. Since 2007, the Spirit of Children campaign has raised more than $529,000 for Golisano Children’s Hospital, ensuring children receive comfort, preparation, and emotional support throughout their healing journey.

Hospitalizations can be overwhelming for children and their families due to new environments and unfamiliar medical equipment, leading to heightened feelings of fear and anxiety. Child Life Specialists work in tandem with the medical team to help ease that stress using play, education, and creativity to explain procedures, normalize experiences, and offer reassurance. These moments of compassion make a meaningful difference for children during their hospital stay by helping them develop coping skills, express emotions, and feel a sense of control, leading to better emotional adjustment that can positively influence physical recovery.

The Child Life program at Golisano Children’s Hospital is fully donor-funded, relying on philanthropy to support services that focus on the emotional and developmental needs of pediatric patients. Contributions from the Spirit of Children campaign and participating vendor partners help fund:

• Certified Child Life Specialists who provide bedside education and emotional support
• Sensory tools, adaptive toys, and medical teaching dolls that help children understand procedures
• Therapeutic programs such as art, music, education, and canine-assisted therapy

“We feel a deep sense of pride and privilege in our ability to support the critical work of child life specialists at over 160 partner hospitals across North America through Spirit of Children,” said Rick Tereo, director of the Spirit of Children Foundation. “Our efforts help these teams provide therapeutic healing, emotional support and developmentally appropriate education that equips young patients with the coping skills they need, while doctors and nurses focus on medical treatment.”

To learn more about the Child Life program at Golisano Children’s Hospital and how donor support brings compassion to care every day, visit GiveGolisano.org.

About Spirit of Children
At the heart of Spirit Halloween is Spirit of Children, a program which focuses on making hospitals less scary for kids and their families. Since fundraising began in 2007, Spirit of Children has raised over $145 million for the Child Life department at hospitals across the United States and Canada. Donations to Spirit of Children stay within local communities, with 100% of funds going toward support for Child Life. For the 2025 Halloween season, Spirit of Children will be supporting 162 pediatric hospitals across North America, with a goal to raise $18 million. Spirit Halloween encourages customers to help make a difference in a child’s life this Halloween season by donating at their local Spirit Halloween. For more information, please visit: SpiritofChildren.com.

About Golisano Children’s Hospital

Golisano Children’s Hospital, founded in 1994, is Southwest Florida’s only children’s hospital and is nationally recognized for its pediatric care. Ranked as a six-time Top Children’s Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, Golisano is the first hospital in Florida and second in the nation to be designated a Certified Autism Center™ by IBCCES and is recognized as a Center of Excellence in Pediatric Sedation by the Society for Pediatric Sedation. Golisano Children’s Hospital serves 45,000+ patients every year in relation to 30+ specialty pediatric services such as cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, orthopedics and more. Lee Health opened the current hospital building in May 2017 which offers 135-beds and includes comprehensive pediatric services such as a 24-hour pediatric emergency department, hematology-oncology unit, Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center, and Level II and Level III NICU with 70 private rooms. For more information, visit GoGolisano.org.