RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Patients at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) got a chance to step outside their hospital rooms and into the Halloween spirit on Tuesday. As Halloween approaches, children receiving treatment at the hospital can still enjoy the fun of the spooky season. Ki ds chose from a variety of costumes and crafts during the annual Halloween party. “I picked out a webbed spider; it’s like a witch costume,” said patient Trinity. The event is hosted by Spirit of Children, the charitable foundation of Spirit Halloween. The foundation supports the child life program at CHoR, helping provide young patients with comfort, care and a sense of normalcy during treatment. Over the last six years, Spirit of Children has donated $1.4 million to CHoR. For children who spend much of their time in the hospital, the event offers a break from their daily routines. “If you think about kids who are here day in and day out, every day starts seeming the same and this becomes something different,” said Bethany Fisackerly Burns, manager of the hospital’s Child Life Program. “This becomes something fun. This is a day they remember.” For Trinity, the opportunity to participate in a fun activity was especially meaningful. “It brightens up my week because I was sick and I was out of school and I was actually able to do something fun,” Trinity said. Hospital staff say events like the Halloween party are possible through community support. “We’re really able to grow our program thanks to the generosity of our community through partners like Spirit of Halloween and individual donors, [who] provide the funds so that we can offer these services to children throughout the hospital,” Burns said. ...read more read less