The new Dollywood Family Lounge has opened at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital to make families more comfortable during their stay.
(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) SMOKIES.LIVE – For families visiting Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital for an extended time, their stay just got a little more comfortable.
Dollywood stepped in with their creative team to reimagine space for families to relax, refresh and recharge in what some cases can be months.
How is this an extension of Dolly Parton and the Dollywood story?
“She cares so much about children and families. She knew that Children’s Hospital would be a place where people from all over the country come to be cared for. So, for us it was a natural connection to share our love down in Knoxville,” said Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company. “Think about how we’ve used the song lyrics within the space to create the respite, and the owl character in the sleeping quarters where kids can take a rest. It’s connecting to the great smoky mountains connection that dolly so loves.”
On Tuesday, The Arnold family returned to children’s hospital for the opening of the new lounge. Two years ago, they spent four weeks here after three-year-old Hallace wound up in the pool.
“Don’t pull punches and just tell us the truth. And in the kindest spirit he did every time, and they all did,” said Kalya Arnold.
Today, they return to celebrate the new Dollywood Family Lounge, a space they wish they had while spending weeks in Knoxville and far away from home and family in Johnson City.
According to Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, this space served as a lounge before for the Pediatric Intensive Care United, but needed some TLC to make families more comfortable.
“Not just world-class care, delivering great medical and surgical care to bring about healing. Today, represents wrapping families with love.And creating an environment for them to heal,” Matt Schaefer, President & CEO Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.
Dollywood stepped in to do what they do best: use dolly’s songs of butterflies, the Smoky Mountains, kindness, love and wildlife, combined with bright colors, to create a more relaxing space.
“We’ve all been through a medical issued, but to see it happen to children, that’s really tough. So, for us to be able to take a little of that away from children it’s a good opportunity for us to give back to the community where we live and work,” Naughton added.
Families can now get s a fresh shower, a fresh load of laundry or a place to sleep. The facility offers private areas for families to have alone time, and a kitchenette with snack and drinks provided.
“Having a spot to relax is really helpful. The space before was a blessing, but the brightness in here and the change in here is homier and more different, it was darker in here before, so it’s definitely beautiful,” said the Arnold family.
Last year the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) treated more than 800 patients.
No responses yet