The Friendship Foundation

Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland

Founded in 1912 Children’s Hospital Oakland (CHO) is one of only 45 freestanding children’s hospitals in the nation, and the only independent children’s hospital in Northern California. It is the oldest pediatric medical center between Los Angeles and Seattle.

Today, with 191 beds, CHO medical center offers specialized staff and facilities able to treat rare illnesses and health problems, and also supports nationally recognized pediatric teaching and research.

Friendship Foundation visits to Children’s Hospital begin in the hospital’s reception area where teams are met by a member of the Child Life Department staff. On Wednesdays we are escorted to the 5th floor playroom for our visits with young patients and their families; the Monday evening visits take place in the 4th floor teen room. If there is a patient who could benefit from the opportunity to meet one of our wonderful animals but is unable to leave his bed or Child Life supervisor accompanies the team on a special room visit.

One goal of the Child Life Department is to help alleviate the stress of hospitalization for their young patients. Our animal-assisted activity visits here have been a very important addition to their program for almost 20 years. The unconditional love offered by our dogs and cats never fails to brighten the day of the patients, their families and the CHO staff. Animal visitors at this acute care hospital must be calm, quiet and collected in an environment that may include youngsters in wheelchairs with I.V. poles and other medical equipment and their boisterous, active siblings.