"It makes me just happy to know that she will have good memories of this and that it won't be memories of the pain and crying."
Law enforcement and first responders spent Thursday with pediatric patients at St. Marys as part of the "Hero for a Day" event.
June 29, 2017 08:23 PM
(ABC 6 News) -- Local law enforcement and firefighters took time out of their busy schedules on Thursday to help make the day of a few pediatric patients at St Marys.
From the games, to the limitless smiles, to getting a chance to meet a peace officer, it was easy to see the "Hero for a Day" event at the hospital was a success.
But things at the hospital aren't always so colorful for the patients.
"She had surgery early Monday morning and it was a bladder reconstruction surgery," said Christy Ites, a mother of a young patient.
photo credit: Roxanne Elias - ABC 6 News KAAL TV
Christy says her six-year-old daughter gets to go home after an almost week-long stay at the hospital.
"She was born with her bladder on the outside of her body. And so then when she was first born we were here and they put the bladder back inside her body but she doesn't have control of her bladder and so this surgery was to kinda rearrange things," said Christy.
It sounds like a painful and daunting experience for anyone.
But Thursday's event was a chance to leave the bad out of the picture.
"Being with the kids and seeing them smile and just giving them a chance, like I said to just be a regular kid and not worry about anything," said Mandee Marx with the Rochester Fire Department.
Although Christy and her daughter will have to return to the hospital for more treatments, there's a sense of relief for the time being.
"It makes me just happy to know that she will have good memories of this and that it won't be memories of the pain and crying," added Christy.
"Hero for a Day" was held by For a Day Foundation.
The Rochester Fire Department, Police Department and Olmsted County Sheriff's Office all took part.