In mid-June the Brandon Clinic unveiled their two newly designed Smilezone spaces in the main floor Pediatric Station. And now one month later, Smilezone advocate Rhonda Pardy is very pleased with how the community has taken to the new decor, all in the effort to help children and their families visiting the clinic find it not so intimidating or downright frightening.
The Tim Hortons of Westman locations have been raising funds for the new Smilezone through their Smile Cookie Campaign where funds raised from the purchase of every smile cookie during Smile Cookie Week went directly to this initiative. The 2024 Christmas Smile Cookie Campaign and half of this spring's Cookie campaign went towards the Smilezone.
"We used our Smile Cookie money this year and split it between the Brandon Area Community Foundation and Smilezone and we just had amazing results financially with all of the support we had through the Smile Cookie program," shares Tim Hortons Westman franchise owner, Rhonda Pardy.
"So, we came out with a fantastic Smilezone at the Brandon Clinic and we're so excited about it," she adds. "We're still doing a few little touch ups on it, but the impact it's having is phenomenal and getting a lot of feedback from our community, from the people visiting the Brandon Clinic, but also the people that are working there! They have told us that it's made a big difference in their workspace, how their patients are being affected. You know, these kids are now excited and happy when they're going there instead of sad and scared. So that's a huge win!"
Located in the main lobby and pediatric concourse at the Brandon Clinic, the new Smilezones feature vibrant murals, calming colours, upgraded seating, and interactive technology all designed to enhance comfort and provide a more engaging experience for patients and their loved ones. The artwork and themes throughout the spaces reflect nature, local landmarks, and playful Tim Hortons elements, creating a warm, community-rooted atmosphere that supports connection and care.
How big is the Smilezone phenomenon?
"The Smilezone is a Foundation out of Ontario," explains Pardy. "They have Smilezones, almost 500 of them. In fact, the 500th Smilezone is going to open in October. They're right across every province in the country now. It's for kids - that's really the focus and changing spaces for children. Whether it's mental health facilities, hospitals, clinics, this kind of thing anywhere kids are and in need, and they will go in and usually take a space that's you know typical hospital beige and just fill it up with bright colors, sensory equipment, the gamification (playing interactive games using technology), anything that will transform that space. They usually go in, and over a long weekend will totally transform a space with bright colors. It will changes the whole atmosphere."
When children are needing medical care at the Brandon Clinic it's when they're not in their best place, feeling ill with the flu or ear infections, needing an x-ray, anticipating a vaccine shot, getting blood work done, or meeting a doctor for the first time, emotions run high and parents are feeling the anxieties as much or more than their child.
"I've been at the Brandon Clinic quite a few times since the Smilezone has been put in place, and it's just a much happier, welcoming space full of bright colors," notes Pardy. "There are games there, so there are children playing. And it's touchless. It comes from the ceiling, so they're hopping on the game as its changing on the floors. They're having fun. It's a real attention getter for everybody who's sitting and waiting. So that passes the time a lot more quickly and just making a much more welcoming atmosphere for anybody who's having to visit the clinic."
"I hope people will take some time and pop in and give it a visit and see that, see the transformation because it is pretty incredible," she adds.
Pardy says this kind of upgrade to the Brandon Clinic would run around $100,000 but through the Smile Cookie Campaign and the Smilezone Foundation it cost $80,000.
How did the Smilezone initiative begin in the Westman Region?
"Pardy learned about this initiative in August of 2022 from a fellow Tim Horton's executive who was also sitting on the Smilezone Board and was visiting the Brandon Hospital with the Smilezone team for a current project. He invited Rhonda to join him at the hospital to learn more about this initiative.
Upon seeing the transformation at the hospital, Pardy says she was blown away by the whole concept and soon after became a Board member herself. She was so taken with the idea that she instigated a Smilezone for a hospital in Newfoundland in memory of her late husband, Clair Pardy. Over a single weekend in June 2023, the team transformed seven new Smilezones in different areas at Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation center in St Johns, NL.
The Dauphin Regional Health Centre was the next site for Pardy to focus her attention on through the Smile Cookie campaign and in June of 2024 patients, families, visitors and staff at the Dauphin hospital saw four new Smilezones open to the public, all to help families through some of those tougher days when kids are not feeling their best, tests need to be done, and the waiting rooms can be both stressful and boring.
When asked about future projects that might be on the Smilezone horizon in Westman - as well as the next Smile Cookie campaign coming up in about 5 months, Pardy says she's hoping another Smilezone is somewhere in the future for the City of Brandon.
"I'm just so excited about the changes that it made and the impact that it's having. So, we would love to do another Smilezone down the road in Brandon. As far as the next Smile Cookie campaign, we haven't gotten that far but we're already starting to think about our next campaigns."
"You know, there's huge needs and we really believe in our community and what we can do together through our Smile Cookie Campaigns, but we're putting it on again this winter, and seeing where the next impact will be for sure. So excited about it!" she adds.