We received letters this morning from two Child Life Specialists from Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston who both shared different stories about the difference that Chill & Spill made for their patients.

Hollie wrote to say that she ordered Chill & Spill because of the great referrals she had gotten from other Child Life Specialists and because she saw that her long-term patients really needed to be able to have a way to express their emotions and release them. She wrote that she likes the journals because they give her teen patients the ability to be able to do that privately and on their own time, but that the direct result of that is that it then helps them open up to others. She writes,

“I had a 14 year old patient who would not open up and communicate with either staff or even her mom. Once provided with Chill & Spill, this patient was able to appropriately express her emotions and immediately became more open with her mom, Child Life Specialists and nursing staff!”

Hollie’s co-worker, Shay, also wrote to tell us that all the patients that she gave the journal to were grateful to receive them and enjoyed filling them out. She writes about her 17 year old patient,

“Even though no one had told her, she knew she was dying. She filled the journal with day to day activities, visitors, pictures, magazine cut outs and even had staff sign it. She completely filled it up (and then some). She even [was inspired to] research dream interpretations. I think that, after the patient died, it was helpful to her mother. I know it was helpful for my patient.”