New care center offers three age-appropriate playrooms for patients and their families to use and enjoy.
Published: October 31, 2024
Children’s of Alabama just announced the opening of their new Panda Cares® Center of Hope (PCCOH), founded in partnership with Panda Restaurant Group. This is one of many PCCOH projects by Panda Express® since their commitment to invest $25 million into Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals. The care center offers three age-appropriate playrooms for patients and their families to use and enjoy. “We are so thankful to Panda Express for their support, and we’re looking forward to many years of partnering together to meet the emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical needs of our patients,” Beth Rocker, Associate Vice President, Customer Service, expresses. The hope behind this project is to offer kids a safe space to escape the mental stress of their medical treatment(s) through participating in wellness programs that range from creating art and playing with pets to reading books and receiving musical therapy. Dr. Peggy Cherng, co-founder and co-CEO of Panda Restaurant Group, shares her heart behind the partnership, “Children are our future, and through this partnership and curriculum designed to give children the strength to thrive, we will bring smiles and hope to communities nationwide.” The Panda Cares® initiative also strives to care for children’s physical well-being through physical, occupational, and recreational therapies. Yet the Children’s of Alabama’s new Panda Cares® Center of Hope does not only care for the body, but the soul as well: the center provides patients a space for spiritual support that includes pastoral care, meditation, and counseling services. To check out more about Panda Cares®, visit pandacares.org.