Delta Dental of Tennessee (Delta Dental) today launched its 10th annual holiday campaign, pledging a collective $70,000 in donations to seven children’s hospitals across the state. The funding will be partially directed based on public input, and Tennesseans are invited to select the children’s hospital closest to their home or heart to receive additional funds from Delta Dental online and via social media through December 25.
This year’s card features a smiling gingerbread girl created by 12-year-old Jurnee Scantling. In 2014, when Jurnee was two years old, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer.
At Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Jurnee underwent multiple CT scans, several procedures, chemotherapy, and a clinical trial. Jurnee and her mother, Erika, stayed in the hospital for 37 days following her diagnosis.
During their stay at Monroe Carell, Jurnee and Erika were assigned a child life specialist. Through play and education, child life specialists provide friendly, age-appropriate support to children and their families with questions or concerns about an upcoming procedure, test, or appointment. Child life specialists at each of the seven children’s hospitals across the state utilize art therapy as one of the ways to make kids feel more at home when they have to be away from home for an extended period.
“The artwork and the things that they create are so healing because it’s just a normal place and a normal thing for them to do,” said Nicole Tetzlaff, Child Life Specialist at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga. “That really just helps our kids escape the everyday challenges of the hospital and treatments.”
“These families get to see their kid being a kid again, and that’s huge because they may not have seen their kid smile in days,” said Taylor Brown, Music Therapist at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
“When they’re in the hospital setting, patients lose a lot of control. They have to have an IV, a medical device, or a procedure,” added Rodney Rhodes, Child Life Specialist at Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City. “What art really does is it helps them express themselves and gives them one element of control during their time in the hospital.”
Jurnee, who would reach for the crayons every time her child life specialist visited her room, has been in remission for seven years. While she and her mother spend far less time at Monroe Carell today, her love of art continues.
“Things that you can’t express in real life, you can express on paper. That’s why I love drawing,” Jurnee said.
This is the 10th year that Delta Dental’s holiday campaign has supported children’s hospitals across Tennessee. To make your selection in the campaign, visit DeltaDentalTN.com/holiday by December 25 and follow Delta Dental on social media @DeltaDentalTN. Likes, comments, and shares on Delta Dental’s posts spotlighting each of the state’s seven children’s hospitals will be counted as part of their respective public input totals.
“We are grateful to Jurnee for sharing her story and artistic talents with us this holiday season,” said Jeff Ballard, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. “Art therapy can be very healing, and child life specialists play an incredibly important role in supporting young patients and their families in the hospital. We are honored to support children’s hospitals through our holiday card campaign—and hope you’ll vote for the one closest to your home or your heart to receive additional funds.”
For more information about Delta Dental of Tennessee, please visit DeltaDentalTN.com.
About Delta Dental of Tennessee
Delta Dental of Tennessee is the state’s largest independent dental benefits carrier, covering 1.5 million lives. As part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, Delta Dental of Tennessee members have access to the largest dental network in the nation, with more than 200,985 providers serving over 538,819 locations. With the simple mission of ensuring healthy smiles, Delta Dental of Tennessee works hard to help members of the communities it serves. Along with its corporate foundation, Smile180, Delta Dental of Tennessee donated more than $4.0 million in funding and in-kind services to over 100 organizations in 2023.
