Mary Bridge Children's Hospital

12/18/2025

The first death in our family is a reality we all must face, some younger than others. Grieving kids are inevitably asked to resume classes while they’re carrying heavy emotions that younger children don’t quite have the words for yet.

Despite how common childhood grief is, it often remains unseen and unspoken.

“Grief can be incredibly isolating for kids,” says Lisa Duke, program coordinator at Bridges Center for Grieving Children at Mary Bridge Children’s. “Acknowledging their pain and creating safe spaces for them to share is one of the most powerful things we can do.”

Children's Grief Awareness Day, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, shines a light on loss and reminds kids they aren't alone.

12/17/2025

Holiday gift and toy shopping season is here. While we all want to bring joy and fun to our families, even the best toy isn’t worth a detour to the emergency department.

Before you head to the mall, a thrift store or your computer, our child safety experts have suggestions to keep in mind.

Check your (holiday shopping) list twice — for age limits and toy safety.

12/17/2025

Many clinic locations are currently experiencing a power outage due to inclement weather and will be closed today. Hospitals are operating normally. Please call ahead or check your patient portal before coming to your appointment. Phones may be down.

12/15/2025

Snow sports — including sledding — are fun, but also increase your child’s chance of suffering from a traumatic head injury. Preparation and education are key for a fun and safe experience.

Whether your family only participates in an occasional neighborhood snowball fight or gears up to shred the mountains, it's important to know how to stay safe in the snow and cold weather.

12/12/2025

On our final day of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge, we extend heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported Mary Bridge Children's during this year’s Festival Of Trees. Your generosity through Tinsel on the Town and Gala raised a historic $3 million — and counting — for the new Mary Bridge Children's Hospital campus.

Designed with compassion and family-centered care at its core, our new state-of-the-art facility will meet the Pacific Northwest's evolving pediatric needs — in a warm, welcoming environment tailored for neonates, children, young adults and their families. Every detail reflects our hospital’s commitment to delivering exceptional care and comfort, hope and healing for kids.

Thank you for your help in transforming pediatric care in our region for generations to come.

12/11/2025

Our people are the magic behind everything that happens at Mary Bridge Children's. On day eleven of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge, you'll meet some of the staff who keep Mary Bridge running, day in and day out. Thank you for your incredible skills, strengths, and talents you bring to help kids get back to being kids.

Please join us in celebrating our hardworking support services team by sharing your appreciation in the comments, or in person if you happen to be at one of our clinics.

12/10/2025

On day ten of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge, we would like to spotlight the hardworking team behind the Mary Bridge Children’s summer lunch program. Since 2019, the Mary Bridge Children’s summer lunch program has served over 60,000 free meals to kids through the USDA Summer Food Service Program. With proceeds from this year’s Sound to Narrows, the team distributed 2,412 lunches to children in our communities.

Led by Erica Lewis, RD, health promotion program manager, meals are prepared in the kitchen at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital. Each day, they provide two options, prepared in clear packaging. “Kids eat first with their eyes,” she says. “If they don’t like how it looks, they’ll be less interested in even trying the food.”

Erica and her team believe in giving children appropriate choices about what and how they eat. This approach fosters autonomy and helps build healthy relationships with food for the future.

Thank you for your commitment to providing accessible nutrition for our communities. 💜

Learn more about the program: https://multica.re/4pWi79s

12/09/2025

The nineth day of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge we would like to celebrate our incredible therapy services teams—more than 125 specialists dedicated to helping kids thrive.

These experts focus on building mobility, communication, and life skills in a family-centered environment. Much of their work happens through personalized play-based therapy, making care both effective and engaging for young patients. Their commitment goes beyond treatment, offering education and support for parents, siblings, and other professionals. https://multica.re/44NR2gt

Thank you for helping shape brighter futures for children in our communities. 💜

12/08/2025

On the eighth day of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge, we celebrate John Whitt, MD, who was presented the Physician Hero Award at the annual Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation Bridge Builders Luncheon.

Dr. Whitt is known for his unwavering dedication to Mary Bridge Children’s. Whether on or off the pediatric intensive care unit, he’s often the go-to person for procedural improvements — always listening closely to staff feedback and championing thoughtful, patient-centered change.

Dr. Whitt brings a calming, reassuring presence to every room, and treats each child in his care with the same tenderness and attention he would give his own. His nominator shared, “He’s always there for a reassuring hug or some positive words to help push you through a hard shift. I enjoy every shift I get to work with him and respect him as a physician, co-worker and friend.”

12/07/2025

Today is the seventh day of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge! Last night attendees at the Mary Bridge Children’s Festival of Trees event met 12-year-old Iris and heard her story of bravery.

Despite facing acute lymphoid leukemia far from her Bainbridge Island home, she found joy and connection during her long stays and follow-up visits at Mary Bridge Children’s. From making slime with Child Life Services to crafting a Beads of Courage rainbow necklace, donor generosity through the Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation (MultiCare Foundations) helped turned treatment into something “awesome.”

“We had this community experience with our care team and that almost matters to me as much as knowing how to fight cancer … I think it’s kind of magical that the whole package works together so that kids don’t walk away from these hugely awful experiences with as much trauma as they might otherwise,” said Iris’ mom Melissa.

Thank you to everyone who helps support life-changing care for patients like Iris and helps expand access to child-centered care for kids across our state.

12/06/2025

We’re halfway through our 12 Days of Mary Bridge celebration! Attendees at last night’s Mary Bridge Children’s Festival of Trees Tinsel on the Town heard from Brandi and her family.

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital has been there for her children Asher, Brooke and Eli — from emergency treatment to ongoing specialty support. Now, as a project assistant for Abbott Construction and Layton Construction, Brandi is helping build the very hospital that helped her kids heal.

“What excites me most is building a place where families know they’ll be cared for by the most capable hands, with every service they need and the latest technologies supporting them,” she says.

Thank you to our project partners, construction crews and generous MultiCare Foundations donors for creating brighter tomorrows for infants, children and young adults in our community.

12/06/2025

Today is the fifth day of the 12 Days of Mary Bridge, and we would like to celebrate our wonderful group of Patient Ambassadors.

The Mary Bridge Children’s Patient Ambassadors share their personal health journeys to inspire others and advocate for the transformative care provided at Mary Bridge Children's. By sharing their stories, these kids and young adults are also sharing the broader story of Mary Bridge — from our dedication to holistic family-centered care, to easy access to multidisciplinary health care teams.

Thank you to each of these patients and their families for bravely sharing their stories.

From left: Leo, Claire, Jack, James and Aile standing in front of the tree they helped design for Mary Bridge Children’s Festival of Trees.