Teddies for Loving Care
A hospital visit can be a frightening experience for a young child, especially in an emergency situation. Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) is a way of providing much-needed comfort to children in A&E departments, helping to reduce the shock and distress of their experience. Every child that receives a teddy gets to take it home.
The medical staff can give a bear to a child that is suffering particularly from trauma, injury or illness. They use the bears to befriend the children, to reward them for being brave and in some cases to demonstrate what they are going to do.
Supported by Freemasons
TLC is locally managed by Freemasons who also volunteer their time to run the scheme. Since its inception in 2001, over 30,000 teddies have been given away in New Zealand.
One A&E nurse said: "It’s not just a teddy, it’s so much more."