Devils Celebrate, Uplift at Hospital Visits | FEATURE

The sound of a ringing bell met with cheers echoed the hallways of The Valerie Fund Children’s Center in Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. The bell marks the end of cancer treatment for patients and is a way to celebrate this massive accomplishment. Mere weeks before her favorite holiday, Christmas, Paola rang the bell. After four years of fighting, she was ready to take the next steps in her journey with her family by her side.

“Today’s a really good day for me,” Paola reflected. “To see my mom, my grandma, my grandpa, my brother, it’s nice.”

The celebrations were a complete surprise for the 9-year-old.

“Mom told me to go back inside the room because there was going to be a surprise,” Paola explained about the experience. “When I came out there was a bunch of people, there was a lot of confetti and glitter. I got to ring the bell a lot.”

In addition to her family, Paola’s care team - filled with nurses, doctors and staff - lined the halls. With them, members of the New Jersey Devils. Players Brenden Dillon, Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, Team President Jake Reynolds, and other members of the organization joined the celebrations as part of the Devils annual hospital visits.

“You can only imagine what they’re going through, what their families are going through,” Dillon said. “To see Paola today after four years of chemotherapy, what a day. I don’t know if there’s going to be a better Christmas for her and her family than this year.”

“It was really exciting,” Paola said about meeting the Devils players. “It was fun. They were really nice, I liked them. I liked to give them some hugs.”

In addition to hugs, Dillon and the Hughes brothers were engaged with Paola, discussing her favorite subjects, talking about their favorite Christmas movies, and comparing soccer teams with her younger brother. Although the visit was only one part of their day, it was an impactful experience.

“It’s pretty special,” Luke Hughes shared. “For her to allow us to be there for her special day was really cool. Just to see that and how much of a fighter she is, we’re really happy for her.”

These moments are why the Devils go to various RWJBarnabas Health hospitals every December. As ambassadors to the community, Devils players, NJ Devil, alumni, and staff know the significance of spending time in the hospitals to support and uplift. This year, the entire team visited 13 hospitals throughout the state of New Jersey on Dec. 5.

“(It’s amazing) to see these players get out in the community, to be able to serve, roll up their sleeves, to make a difference, to make an impact,” Reynolds explained. “Especially around this time of year with the holidays. If they can lift the spirits of the patients coming into RWJBarnabas hospitals, it’s incredibly impactful. Being able to see the smiles on these kids faces as these players walk in, this is what it’s all about.”

Reynolds was part of the Devils contingent at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center as was Mark E. Manigan, CEO and President of RWJBarnabas Health. For Manigan, every year he is impressed by the visits.

“The way the players connect not only with our staff, but the patients, it’s incredible,” Manigan shared. “It’s a testament to the culture of the Devils organization. The way they come into our hospitals, interact with our employees, and our patients, it’s really special.”

Whether it’s celebrating Paola, playing air hockey with a patient, or thanking the hospital staff for their hard work, these visits are an opportunity for Devils players to support the same community that cheers them on day in and day out.