March 23, 2001

Boston in March may lack the sparkling sunshine and tropical climate of Orlando, Fla. — but thanks to the compassion and dedication of an MGH nurse, her young daughter and a special team of visitors from SeaWorld, sunshine made its way to MassGeneral Hospital for Children March 16.

The festivities began when a fleet of SeaWorld Shamu cruisers — Volkswagen Beetles sporting built-in killer whale fins and tails — began its grand procession to the hospital. As bystanders gaped, 12-year-old Caitlin Phelan (pictured below left) disembarked from the first car. In her arms, and piled in the backseat of each cruiser, were pods of stuffed Shamu toys, all earmarked for hand delivery to MGH pediatric patients.

Caitlin's journey to deliver toys to children actually began in 1996, when she and and her mother, Robin, a nurse on the MGH Central Resource Team, turned on the television and were confronted with a sight that would continue to haunt them — news footage of homeless children. They then vowed to do something for kids in need. Caitlin, then 8 years old, suggested the services of the item she herself held nearest and dearest: her teddy bear. With that, the Teddy Bear Foundation Inc. — which today distributes thousands of new teddy bears to children in schools, hospitals and shelters across the country — was born.

"We had no idea how much attention the foundation would get," says Robin. Last month, People magazine published a story about the Teddy Bear Foundation — catching the attention of SeaWorld Orlando's Shamu Across America program, which takes the Shamu cruisers on educational tours throughout North America. SeaWorld contacted the Phelans and offered to donate stuffed Shamus to the organization of their choice, which was MassGeneral Hospital for Children. "I thought the MGH was perfect," says Robin. "I was excited to see our own patients benefiting from such a wonderful event, and I really commend SeaWorld. They had no focus on themselves. They did this entirely to make the children happy."

In addition to carloads of stuffed Shamus, SeaWorld also brought along some familiar faces from its Orlando Adventure Park — a costumed Shamu character, who delighted kids with snuggles and hugs, and two live Magellanic penguins named Pete and Penny. Waddling into the Ellison 18 playroom, Pete and Penny enthralled MGH employees, members of the media and the gathered crowd of pediatric patients, who greeted them with an enthusiastic chorus of oohs and aahs. Caitlin then was presented with a surprise "Whale of a Hero" award from the SeaWorld staff.

The event also marked the first time that Robin and Caitlin were able to observe firsthand the fruits of their work. Typically, they give donated teddy bears to social workers and shelter staff, who then distribute the toys at their own discretion. "We are strict in our belief that the children should be protected and treated with dignity. We don't want them to feel like they're charity cases," explains Robin. "But we thought it would be OK to hand them out ourselves this time. It was so important that the kids had something to look forward to — something to make them smile and to break the medical routine they have to face every day."

For more information about the Teddy Bear Foundation, visit http://www.teddybeardrive.org.