DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., July 30, 2019 – In partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation, AdventHealth Daytona Beach opened a children’s playroom.
“We are honored and incredibly proud to bring a Timmy’s Playroom with Tim Tebow to the Daytona Beach community,” said Ed Noseworthy, AdventHealth Daytona Beach CEO. “With our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, and Tim’s mission to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need – you couldn’t ask for a better pairing of two organizations driven by perfectly aligned missions.”
Located on the Daytona Beach hospital’s fourth floor – the same floor for women’s health services, pediatric care, birth care, and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) – Timmy’s Playroom serves as an oasis for children who are either patients or are visiting others in the hospital.
“Between children receiving care in our inpatient unit, and children visiting mom with a new baby in our NICU and BirthCare Center, as well as our pediatrician offices here on the fourth floor, we do have a lot of kids coming to the hospital,” said Noseworthy. “We know that, to kids, a hospital can be a scary or intimidating place, but with all of the interactive games and activities in this playroom, we hope this will be a place filled with laughter and can help children feel better – regardless of whether they are visiting someone in the hospital or are a patient themselves.”
Timmy’s Playroom encourages children to play. The fun, football décor is reminiscent of Tebow’s days as a star football player at the University of Florida and in the National Football League. It has customized turf floors, wall wraps, custom lockers and more. A verse from the Bible (Philippians 4:13) reminds children, their families and visitors of what is possible: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Within the system of nearly 50 hospitals in almost a dozen states, this is the first and only AdventHealth hospital to open a Timmy’s Playroom.
Timmy’s Playrooms have opened at hospitals in Tampa, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana and the Philippines, but this one at AdventHealth Daytona Beach is the most technologically advanced playroom yet, featuring interactive play that’s gender-neutral and accommodates children with special needs.
"We are thrilled to open our newest Timmy’s Playroom at AdventHealth Daytona Beach to be able to share faith, hope and love with pediatric patients and their families," said Steve Biondo, president of the Tim Tebow Foundation. "It is an honor to partner with the AdventHealth Daytona Beach Foundation to bring this room to life so that children receiving treatment and children visiting patients can have a place of respite to find strength, encouragement and community... and a chance to just be kids for a while."
The vision for Timmy’s Playroom began when Tebow was a student and football quarterback at the University of Florida and visited hospitalized children at UF Health Shands Hospital. That is what led him to create Timmy’s Playrooms, one of several outreach programs of the Tim Tebow Foundation, which he formed to serve the needs of children who cannot fight for themselves.
The cost of designing, building and maintaining Timmy’s Playroom is funded through generous donations to the AdventHealth Daytona Beach Foundation and by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Donor support is critical in funding necessary wheelchairs, wagons and in-room gaming systems for the children.
Gale Lemerand, an early contributor to the project, is excited to see the new children's area and the families whose burdens will be lifted for a time while in the hospital.
"We are hoping many will join our team by contributing to kids’ health here in the Daytona Beach area, and so proud to have the Tim Tebow Foundation as a partner too!" Lemerand said.
To support this initiative, call
Call386-231-5102 or visit https://donation.adventhealth.com/Daytona-beach.
About AdventHealth Daytona Beach
AdventHealth Daytona Beach has 359-beds and is one of the six hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the AdventHealth Central Florida Division - North Region. Formerly known as Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, the organization’s parent company changed the name of all wholly-owned entities to AdventHealth on Jan. 2, 2019. Based in Altamonte Springs, AdventHealth is a connected system of care. With more than 80,000 team members, AdventHealth is one of the nation’s largest faith-based health care systems with nearly 50 hospitals and hundreds of care sites in nearly a dozen states. With the mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth Daytona Beach provides whole person care to heal the body, mind and spirit. For more information about AdventHealth Daytona Beach, visit AdventHealthDaytonaBeach.com.
About the Tim Tebow Foundation
The Tim Tebow Foundation exists to bring faith hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. It serves children and shares God’s love by fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. The Foundation works with 537 churches and serves people in 16 countries through its dedicated staff and more than 175,000 volunteers. Information about its programs and services can be found at timtebowfoundation.org.
