Patients at Children's Hospital of Phila. Prepare For Tonight's 'Prom'
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With the arrival of prom season, some kids at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were getting ready for a special prom celebration tonight.
The "CHOP Prom" -- now in its eighth year -- began as a party for prom-aged kids, but organizer Jeff Kahan of the Joshua Kahan Fund, named in honor of his late son, says they expanded it to include children of all ages.
"There was no way I was telling a little kid he couldn't come to a party," Kahan says with a smile. "And it is just a blast because they really, when they walk into this room, forget that they're in a hospital."
We ran into 11-year-old Emily Calabro (top photo) getting ready for the big event.
"It's crazy in here," she said. "There's a bunch of dresses, all different sizes, there's people doing all makeup and stuff!"
Her mother, Cathy, explained that the prom is a welcome distraction for Emily as she recovers from brain surgery.
"It's very important because the kids are mostly around doctors and serious situations. They don't really get to do any kind of 'kid' things, and this is just such a self-esteem booster," she tells KYW Newsradio.
