Rams.com: Rookies Visit Patients at Cedars-Sinai
Recently, all 29 of the Rams Rookies visited Cedars-Sinai – the team's official health partner – bringing joy and hope to patients, their families and staff members by signing autographs, posing for photographs and giving out rally towels. The room-by-room experience, including an interview with Courtnay Caufield, DNP, RN, MSN, executive director of Pediatric Services, was featured in a story on the Rams website.
“The smiles said it all," Caufield told the team. "When the Rams show up, it’s always a breath of fresh air for the parents and children to be distracted and visited by the players who take them out of the hospital environment and into a world of sports and fun.”
Rams Rookie offensive lineman Chandler Brewer felt a unique connection to the patients. In 2018, during his senior year in college, Brewer was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Because of his own experience, Brewer specifically requested to visit cancer patients during his trip to the medical center.
“It’s been a ride and I’m going into remission now,” Brewer said. “I didn’t have it has hard as a lot of other people, but I’ve been in their shoes. I know what they’re going through. It’s just great to be here and be able use our platform to let them know that we’re here, we care and we support them.”
The support was certainly felt throughout Cedars-Sinai.
“The staff was so impressed by the kind and gentle nature of the players who came,” said Caufield, who's also interim executive director of Inpatient Women’s Services Departments. “They had no mission or agenda. They came to just chat and share love and smiles and some hugs. It was not only a great surprise for the children and their families, but the staff was so impressed and grateful as well. A little bit of Hollywood and superstars in their own rooms, what a great treat! Everyone is asking when they can come back and if we can make sure the Rams games are on TV in the patient rooms.”
Click here to read the story on TheRams.com.
Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Cedars-Sinai and the LA Rams: Partners in Health