24 July 2017
The difference we make: Jack's Story
Only four years old, Jack was in hospital for his second open heart surgery when he met Dr Teapot. His
mum Laura kindly agreed to share Jack’s Giggle Doctor visit and how it helped Jack feel like a normal
child again.
“My son Jack, who is four years old, was in the hospital to have his second open heart surgery
for a sub aortic membrane. It was in July that he met Dr Teapot for the first time.
Jack had just had drains and cannulas removed plus bloods taken and scans carried out. He
was also not eating or drinking, so he was exceptionally lethargic and upset.
Dr Teapot helped to distract him from the environment he had been living in for over a week.
They helped him to feel like a ‘normal child’ again.
Jack’s favourite part of the visit was when the Dr Teapot was pretending to pull fluff balls from
his favourite blanket and then finding them behind Jack’s ears. This made Jack laugh more than
I had heard him laugh in weeks.
Play in hospital is crucial to help children remain children. Being in a hospital environment can
really affect a child’s self-esteem and psychological well-being. The visit has helped Jack to realise
that not everything that happens during a hospital stay has to be negative. Jack is looking at more open
heart surgery in the future and it helps to remember the fun times of Dr Teapot’s visit.”