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Giant Donates to Child Life Services at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital

MAHONING TOWNSHIP, Pa. — No one wants to be stuck in the hospital, and when you’re a kid, it can be even worse. That’s why the staff at Janet ...

MAHONING TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- No one wants to be stuck in the hospital, and when you're a kid, it can be even worse. That's why the staff at Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Montour County tries to make the hospital a fun place to be.

Some patients spend a few hours at Janet Weis Children's Hospital while others are there a lot longer.

Victoria Iveson of Susquehanna is there a lot for cancer treatments.

"It does become fun and there's activities up in the rooms that I typically do. They have a game room and I always participate in activities and stuff."

Employees from Giant Food Stores helped out with one of those activities. Volunteers helped patients make snack bags and delivered bags to patients who could not leave their rooms.

"Getting to socialize and bringing the sense of having normal snacks and doing these crafts like you would do at school or at home," explained Emily Breitling of child life services.

This wasn't only about decorating snack bags. Geisinger also announced a $75,000 donation to child life services.

"When they come into the hospital, it's really very intimidating. But the child life program really puts children at ease," said Giant spokesperson Chris Brand.

Child life specialists at Janet Weis Children's Hospital focus on making children's hospital stays easier. The Iveson family knows this firsthand.

"It becomes very lonely in the hospital and they just try to make it as cheery as they can. It's very good for that," Bill Iveson said.

"It can really make it easier for the parents and also for the kids. We're really happy to give that donation today to the hospital so the child life program can continue to grow and thrive," Brand said.

The money will be used to buy supplies to help the children while they are patients at Janet Weis Children's Hospital.

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