Medically-fragile kiddos have the opportunity to get the Halloween of a lifetime this year, courtesy of MedStar Ambulance Service.
For nine years, MedStar has taken out a couple of special kids trick-or-treating. These are kids who need around-the-clock medical support. Basically, without ambulance crews, they wouldn't get to go trick-or-treating at all.
"This is a special event," said MedStar spokesperson Matt Zavadksy. "We want to give the family and the kiddo that traditional Halloween experience."
The child chooses a theme and ambulance crews go all out dressing up and decorating their ambulances.
Medstar
"The child and their family will be escorted through a specially selected neighborhood on one of our stretchers until their goody bag is full," Zavadsky said.
Because full medical support is so expensive, only one or two kids will be selected to go. The deadline to nominate is Oct. 18. In order to qualify, the child must:
Live, or temporarily reside, in the MedStar service area (children in a hospital, or other medical facility are eligible), be between 5 and 15 years old, be willing to sign a media release.
Zavadksy said every year crews hear from past participants reaching out to thank them for the one-of-a-kind experience. For some parents, it's the only trick-or-treating experience they would ever get with their children.
"Because they're super sick, some of these kids that we've taken out trick-or-treating have subsequently passed away," Zavadsky said. "It's one of the most heartwarming and gut wrenching things that we do."
To nominate a child, contact Matt Zavadsky at MZavadsky@medstar911.org or by phone at 817-991-4487.
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