NORFOLK, Va. — A new television adventure channel, San Diego Zoo Kids TV, is coming to the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Norfolk.
Young patients and their families will be able to meet all kinds of animals on the closed-circuit channel. At the facilities, patients will be able to connect with wildlife through family-friendly, animal-oriented programming that is both entertaining and educational without even leaving their room!
“We know that children in the hospital benefit tremendously when they turn their attention from their injury or illness and focus instead on something that engages the mind and stimulates the imagination,” said Jim Dahling, CEO and president of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia. “This adventure with the San Diego Zoo provides exactly that opportunity to virtually transport them outside of their hospital experience. We are grateful to the San Diego Zoo for collaborating with our own Virginia Zoo and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Norfolk on this project.”
The channel also features animal stories from the Virginia Zoo and more than a dozen accredited zoos and aquariums in North America.
"When you have a sick child, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy is important to families,” said Elyse Brown, executive director, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Norfolk. “Having access to the San Diego Zoo channel provides a fun, entertaining and educational option for families to sit and unwind after a hard day at the hospital. We appreciate the partnership!"
A generous grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services has made the channel available on TV monitors at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Norfolk.
“We continue to be humbled by the healing properties of San Diego Zoo Kids,” said Debra Erickson, director of communications, San Diego Zoo Global. “Parents and caregivers share that the channel, which has no commercials or inappropriate content, not only calms children but makes them happy.”