December 16, 2013
Kent Bazemore Visits Children At Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center Tuesday, December 10
Warriors Guard Kent Bazemore surprised patients staying in the pediatric wing of the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center Tuesday, December 10 to make bedside visits, hand out Warriors holiday gift bags and wish the young patients a speedy recovery and happy holidays.
“During the holiday season, it’s important for me and my teammates to give back to the community and to show people that we appreciate the love and support they give us every day,” said Bazemore.
Bazemore came to the pediatric floor with a wheelbarrow of Warriors gift bags and a Warriors santa hat, excited to spread some holiday cheer throughout the hospital.
“For our pediatric patients, being in a hospital during the holidays is not a fun, exciting place, and it can be scary,” said Pediatric Child Life Specialist Carla Delemos. “To have a recognizable Warriors player brighten their day and put a smile on everyone’s face is fun and amazing.”
One adolescent patient gave Bazemore a big hug when he walked into her hospital room, telling him that he made her day. Her mother was particularly thrilled that Kent could create a special moment during her daughter’s hospital stay.
“She didn’t want any visitors in the room, but at the last minute when she heard he was coming, she got all excited. Look at how happy she is now!”
Ella Bell, the mother of a three-year-old boy who is suffering from infections due to complications from chemotherapy, lit up when Bazemore came into the room with a smile on his face from ear to ear.
“That was the first time I saw him smile all day,” the mother commented. “He has all of the pictures in his room and I know that he recognized him from the pictures on the wall from the way he looked at him.”
Bazemore sought to bring some holiday cheer to every person at the hospital, meeting the Kaiser Permanente doctors and nurses, and even donning a mask, gloves and scrubs to visit some of the patients with more critical conditions.
“I love to make people smile and see the joy that a small act of kindness can bring to these kids and parents,” said Bazemore.
This event is part of the Plays for the Holidays community outreach campaign and the NBA Cares Season of Giving, where the Warriors organization and every Warriors player is participating in events this holiday season to help brighten the lives of local families and youth in the Bay Area.