Skip to main content

Unexpected gift

When 2-year-old Elliott Parks started running a fever the morning of Christmas Eve 2018, her parents, Emily and Trey, knew their family would be spending the holiday at Niswonger Children’s Hospital. Elliott had multiple endocrine-related health problems including panhypopituitarism, growth hormone deficiency, adrenal insufficiency and hypothyroidism. She spent many nights in the hospital since she was diagnosed at 7 months old. Because she had central line, which medical professionals use to administer medications,Elliott she needed to be hospitalized in case the fever was a sign of infection.

Elliott’s parents knew their older children, Axel (then 6) and Karly (then 5), would be devastated. At least they could be together as a family in Elliott’s hospital room.

But when the Parks arrived at Niswonger Children’s Hospital, they received an unexpected gift. “Everybody was all ‘Holly Jolly Christmas,’” Emily recalls. “There was a Christmas tree in our room and all the nurses were wearing Santa hats and elf ears. It really picked up everyone’s mood.”

Later that night, while Axel, Karly and Elliott slept, Santa Claus came by and delivered gifts for all the children. “It was amazing,” Emily says. “Trey and I were talking about running out and buying presents so that the kids would have something to open in the morning. But the Child Life Specialists were like, ‘No, we’ve got you covered.’ And they really did.”

The Parks had been to Niswonger Children’s Hospital so many times since Elliott was born, the staff was like family. They knew that Axel loved trucks and Karly enjoyed coloring. It made a stressful Christmas joyful for the entire family. “I’m super thankful that we live in a small area so we can get to know the doctors and nurses on a personal level,” Emily says. “We couldn’t ask for better nurses or doctors.”