03/27/2026
March is Child Life Month. Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital gives a shout out to Charlotte Beales, certified child life specialist, who made a meaningful connection with a patient, Lily.
Charlotte shares, “A few years ago, Lily was scheduled for a procedure, her mom and I talked on the phone where she expressed concern of Lily’s anxiety in hospitals. During the conversation, I discovered Lily has a love of animals. On the day of the procedure, I met the family outside the hospital with our facility dog, Reina. Lily was so excited to meet Reina, her anxiety was eased and she helped me walk Reina into the hospital. Her dental procedure went well and her family was thankful.”
Recently, Lily’s mom reached out to share that since that visit, every time Lily passes a sign for Yale New Haven Health, she yells, “I love Yale New Haven! That’s where Charlotte works!” The three arranged to meet for lunch so that Lily would have the opportunity to have a “fun” visit without having to do any hard jobs.
Thank you to Charlotte and the whole Child Life team who make a big difference in our patients’ lives and experiences in the health care setting.
To learn more about our Child Life services, visit http://ynh.care/1ep.