NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln Unveils Newly Renovated Inpatient Pediatric Playroom

NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln Unveils Newly Renovated Inpatient Pediatric Playroom

Renovations were made possible by a donation in honor of Dr. Maria A.L. Jocson, who was a pediatric resident at the hospital in the '90s

Jan 15, 2026

NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln unveiled their newly redesigned and renovated pediatric playroom today, a project that was made possible by a generous donation from John Poon, in honor of his late wife, Dr. Maria A.L. Jocson, a Medical Resident at the hospital from 1990 to 1993.

The new playroom offers pediatric patients a vibrant, cheery, and therapeutic area to help promote socialization and decrease feelings of isolation. It includes the addition of child-friendly furniture, new toys, computers and wall gaming systems, artwork, and cosmetic upgrades emphasizing bright colors and natural light. The renovations create a therapeutic and joyful patient environment, promoting greater healing, social interaction, and overall well-being, while providing children with a sense of normalcy in an otherwise scary hospital environment. The newly renovated pediatric playroom will impact the more than 1,600 patients served in Lincoln's inpatient pediatric units each year.

"Hospitalization is an especially difficult experience for children, so we are very grateful to John Poon for his generosity in helping us to ensure that our hospital is a place of healing, with an environment that helps our pediatric patients to gain a greater sense of well-being," said Cristina Contreras, LMSW, MPA, FABC, DHL, Chief Executive Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln.

"It's important for children who are in the hospital to have a chance to just be kids," said Shefali Khanna, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. "We are very thankful for this generous donation to renovate our playroom, which provide our patients with a break from being focused on medical treatments, helping them to heal more quickly and have a better prognosis."

"Philanthropic support like this allows us to create spaces that promote healing, comfort, and joy for our youngest patients," said Deborah Brown, Senior Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. "This beautifully redesigned pediatric playroom is a meaningful tribute to Dr. Jocson's legacy of care and service at Lincoln Hospital. We are deeply grateful to Mr. Poon for his generosity and for honoring his late wife in a way that will positively impact children and families for years to come."

"Maria loved life and she loved children," said donor John Poon, husband of Dr. Maria Jocson. "Her exemplary career of service was made possible because New York City, and Lincoln Hospital in particular, welcomed her in. This was her happy home for three years."

Dr. Maria A.L. Jocson (1957-2024) completed her residency in pediatrics at Lincoln Hospital from 1990 to 1993 after arriving to the United States from the Philippines. During her forty-one year career in pediatrics, she was instrumental in establishing the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the then-named Four Rivers Medical Center (presently the Vaughn Regional Medical Center) in Selma, Alabama; spent several years as a neonatologist for the Pediatrix Medical Group in Houston, Texas; and worked for 18 years for the California Department of Public Health. She received her medical degree from the University of the Philippines, completed residencies in pediatrics at the Philippine General Hospital and at Lincoln Hospital, completed a fellowship in Neonatology at the Baylor School of Medicine, and received a Master's in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Jocson's untimely passing in March 2024 was due to Stage 4 cancer, which was diagnosed only two months earlier.

The hospital offers a full continuum of services to address the health and support care needs of its pediatric population ranging from birth to age 21. This includes a Children's Health Center which provides comprehensive primary and specialty care services in a modern and child-friendly environment, a pediatric emergency room available 24-hours daily for emergency care and a pediatric mental health services program providing outpatient behavioral health services to children ages 5 to 18 years and their families. Lincoln Hospital also provides comprehensive health services to adolescents ages 12 to 21 through its nationally recognized Teen Center, which provides an array of services including routine immunizations and preventative care, specialized services, and social supportive services to promote the health and well-being of adolescents. NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln is a New York State-approved, Joint Commission-certified Level III Perinatal Center, offering specialized services to address the complex health needs of high-risk newborns requiring immediate medical care.

To make a donation to NYC Health + Hospitals, visit the website or contact [email protected]. A charitable contribution can be directed to patients' and staff members' most urgent needs and leave a lasting legacy that strengthens an array of comprehensive health services available to all New Yorkers.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Natasha Burke, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, 929-837-9166;

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, located in the South Bronx, is a 362-bed, Acute Care Level 1 Trauma Center and sees more than 168,000 emergency room visits and more than 600,000 outpatient visits annually. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Breast Imaging; Designated Stroke Center, Diabetes Center and HIV/AIDS Center. Lincoln Hospital was the first Baby-Friendly designated hospital in the Bronx, providing clinical services and consultations for over 1,500 deliveries per year. The hospital emphasizes primary care and specialty medicine, using the latest advances in medical science. Lincoln is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the nation. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/lincoln or follow us on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/LincolnHospBX and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LincolnHosp.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth plan-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.