Surprise Visit from Santa Spreads Joy at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein

Some extra holiday magic swept through Children's Hospital at Montefiore Einstein (CHAM) when Santa paid a surprise visit to patients earlier this month. Santa spent time on each floor to greet children with jolly merriment in their hospital rooms. Each child had a special moment with Santa, who, of course, had a sackful of presents to distribute to everyone.

Accompanying Santa to help distribute toys and balloons to the children was CHAM’s own Michael D. Cabana, MD, MPH, Physician-in-Chief, Michael I. Cohen, MD, University Chair and Professor, Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

“Making kids healthy and keeping kids healthy is more than just giving kids the right medicine,” said Dr. Cabana. “It’s also creating the right environment, and there is no better environment around this time of the year than to have a special visitor from the North Pole!”

Children were delighted as Santa made his way to visit each child spreading cheer to patients, their families and the healthcare workers who care for these children every day.

“We had a patient who saw Santa this morning and was so excited that he started jumping up and down saying,  ‘Santa, Santa, Merry Christmas Santa, I love you.’” said Rosaleen Holmes, RN, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein.

Mrs. Claus and some of Santa’s friends, including elves, a reindeer and a snowman, were on hand all day in the lobby, where they danced and took photos with children, families and guests, and Montefiore Einstein associates. 

The Marketing Department and CHAM’s Phoebe H. Stein Child Life Program collaborated to make this special day happen.