Hospital Outreach
Because childhood doesn’t pause for cancer treatment.
About Hospital Outreach
A cancer diagnosis often means long stretches in hospital rooms, treatment chairs, and waiting areas. In these spaces where the everyday joy of childhood can feel impossibly far away, Special Love's Hospital Outreach program exists to bring some of that joy back.
Special Love works with hospital teams across the region to ensure children with cancer and their families have access to joy, connection, and community throughout their care journey. We partner with hospitals across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region to connect with patients, families, and staff to share meals, craft activities, and information about the Special Love community of programs.
Program At a Glance
Hospital Outreach serves:
- Families navigating treatment — meet Special Love in person, hear about programs your child or family might qualify for, and connect with someone who can answer questions
- Pediatric oncology patients — enjoy a craft activity, a meal, or simply a friendly face during what can be a long day
- Clinical and psychosocial staff — learn what Special Love offers so you can refer the families in your care to programs that fit their needs
Special Love programs serve children treated at hospitals throughout the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) regions. (Looking for camps and pediatric cancer outreach somewhere else in the US? Find your region’s resources at the Children’s Oncology Camping Association.)
Who
Pediatric oncology patients, their families and clinical staff
Format
In-person hospital visits, including meals, craft activities and program information
Location
Hospitals and treatment centers across the DC, Maryland and Virginia region
When
Visits coordinated regularly with partner hospitals
Cost
Free for participating families and hospitals
What to Expect
Hospital Outreach looks a little different at every hospital we visit, depending on each facility's policies and what the families and staff need most, but no matter the facility, this outreach helps connect more families and medical teams with Special Love programs that support children with cancer and their families.
At some hospitals, our outreach lead spends time directly with families, going room to room with a child life specialist to introduce Special Love, share information about programs, and answer questions in person. At others, we deliver meals to oncology families in coordination with partner charities or set up in a hospital lobby or family room with craft supplies for kids to enjoy while they wait for appointments.
We also host lunch-and-learn sessions for hospital staff, bringing lunch to psychosocial rounds or staff meetings and sharing a brief overview of Special Love so they can help families access our programs and resources.
Where We Go:
Hospital Outreach currently serves families and staff at hospitals across the DMV, including:
- INOVA Fairfax
- VCU Medical Center in Richmond
- UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville
- Children's National in DC, and
- King's Daughters in Norfolk,
with periodic visits to other partner hospitals across the region.
Safety & Care
All Special Love staff and volunteers conducting hospital outreach are registered as hospital volunteers at each facility where they serve. Volunteers must meet that hospital's training, background check, and badging requirements. Visits are coordinated with each hospital's child life, social work, or psychosocial team to ensure outreach happens in ways that respect both clinical operations and patient privacy.
How to Connect
For families currently in treatment
If you're a patient family interested in learning more about Special Love programs, contact us directly. There is no hospital referral required.
For hospital staff, social workers, or child life specialists
If you'd like Special Love to visit your hospital for a family event, a meal delivery, a craft activity in a waiting room, or a staff lunch-and-learn, we'd love to talk. We're always looking to expand our hospital partnerships across the DMV.
Contact Dave Smith (dsmith@specialove.org) to learn more.
Volunteer with Hospital Outreach
Hospital Outreach grows when our community of trained volunteers grows. If you're interested in becoming a registered hospital outreach volunteer, which involves completing training and registration with the partner hospital, we'd love to talk.
We also bring outreach to community events outside of hospitals and family events hosted by hospital systems.