Cook Children's patients and families experienced holiday cheer this week with our annual “Christmas in July” festivities.

On Wednesday, Santa visited Cook Children's Medical Center – Prosper, where he delivered toys, shared smiles and surprised patients with news of being on the nice list!

On Friday, Santa and the Grinch stopped by Cook Children's Medical Center – Fort Worth. Patients picked out toys and created crafts, like Christmas cards and ornaments. 

At Cook Children's, we are grateful for the generosity of the community! Currently, we receive 70% of our annual in-kind donations in December. However, because of this, we have gaps in our needs that often need fulfilling throughout the year. Our gaps include needs for specific age groups or high-demand items that go quickly.

Our Child Life teams utilize in-kind donations every day, all day. From adding toys to playrooms, celebrating birthdays, offering comfort, providing distraction, and meeting basic needs, donations are the backbone of serving patients and families.

If you would like to assist, you can view the Christmas in July wish list here on Amazon.

Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients in multiple departments at the Fort Worth Medical Center to spread some holiday cheer. Everyone was so excited to greet the team, especially after their Thanksgiving Day win against the New York Giants!

Each child receives a stocking loaded with goodies from the Dallas Cowboys and a special toy provided by the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation.

Under the guidance of Mrs. Gene Jones, the entire Cowboys team has conducted annual holiday visits to local children’s hospitals for the past 35 years – a very special tradition that we are all grateful to experience.

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