Tantrum Merch and Starlight Deliver Holiday Cheer to Kids Hospitalized at UTMB Galveston

Houston-based company Tantrum Merch partnered with the nonprofit Starlight Children's Foundation to bring joy to pediatric patients at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) Thursday morning. The visit was part of Starlight's nationwide Give Happiness campaign, an effort to reach 80,000 hospitalized children this holiday season.

During the event, representatives from Tantrum Merch and Starlight distributed toys to young patients and their families, creating moments of comfort and happiness amid their stay at John Sealy Hospital. Tantrum Merch, a company that connects content creators with their communities, supported the effort by donating toys and encouraging contributions through its website.

"It is a good distraction from everything going on," said Kayla Scott, as she played with a freshly gifted bakery Play-Doh set alongside her 6-year-old niece, Nova. "It really pulls her focus into the toys instead of what's going around in the environment and makes her feel special."

Starlight Children's Foundation provides toy deliveries, customized hospital gowns, and gaming free of charge to hospitals across the country. These initiatives are designed to harness the power of play to help children cope with medical procedures and treatments. Research has shown that play can improve emotional well-being and even aid recovery-something Jimena Pacheco finds undeniable with her 5-year-old son Abel.

"Taking children out of their normal routine is pretty hard on them, so playing gives them some kind of normalcy," she said. "To have activities to do here, a play area, and foundations like Starlight coming to give toys, it's nice. I know it is how he [her son] gets a lot of his expression out."

The holiday season can be especially challenging for hospitalized children, who are often away from family traditions and familiar comforts. Through this collaboration, Starlight and Tantrum Merch worked to bring a little holiday magic to UTMB Health patients, reinforcing the foundation's mission to deliver happiness when it's needed most.

"Seeing the smiles on our patients' faces was the highlight of the day," said UTMB Health Pediatrics Child Life Coordinator Lizette Perez. "Moments like this remind us how powerful these simple acts of kindness can be in creating a sense of normalcy and joy for children during their hospital stay."