Naperville teen hosts annual 'Band-Aid Bash' to support pediatric patients

Posted December 20, 2020 10:00 pm

Submitted by Northwestern Medicine

If there's one thing 15-year-old Naperville resident Rachel Boudeman knows, it's the power of a cute and colorful bandage.

When Rachel was just two years old, she underwent surgery on Christmas Eve to remove a large tumor from her abdomen and pelvis. There is one thing she remembers vividly from that scary time: the Band-Aid Binder.

It's a big scrapbook that young patients can flip through to choose their own Band-Aid after a procedure such as a blood draw, insulin shot or removal of an IV.

Popular cartoon characters and fun color options abound, and they're just enough of a distraction to brighten up a child's hospital visit.

"Kids don't get to make a lot of choices while in the hospital," said Dora Castro-Ahillen, child life services program manager at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. "Allowing children to pick out a Band-Aid featuring their favorite character or design gives them some control during what can be a scary situation."

For the past six years, Rachel and her family have been hosting a yearly holiday "Band-Aid Bash" party.

Rachel Boudeman, second from right, of Naperville, delivers boxes of Band-Aids, toys and gift cards to the child life team at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. She hosts a "Band-Aid Bash" event every December to collect donations. Courtesy of Northwestern Medicine

Invitees are encouraged to bring boxes of fun Band-Aids and a toy to donate to the hospital. It's Rachel's way of giving back - and this year, not even COVID-19 could stop the tradition.

"I started Band-Aids with Heart seven years ago because my wish was always to give back the happiness I felt when I was in the hospital over Christmas years ago," Rachel said. "When I was at the hospital, I hated getting IV's, and the only thing that made me happy was picking out a cool Band-Aid and getting presents from the hospital Santa."

Rachel and her mom, Adri, held a socially distanced event on their driveway for friends and family to drop off their donations and collected the most Band-Aids they ever have, along with toys and over $500 worth of gift cards.

All the donations were delivered to the child life service team and will be shared with pediatric patients.

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit www.news.nm.org/about-northwestern-medicine.html.

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