On May 13, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital atrium was a room full of brightly colored gowns and lights dancing across the floor. Twinkling lights wrapped around poles while Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” blasted throughout the room. Dancers’ cheers echoed from higher stories, and the St. Louis Blues mascot, Louie, suddenly made a grand entrance.
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“Prom is a rite of passage,” says former patient Anna Trojahn. She’s also a member of Teen Life Council, a group of volunteers at the hospital that organizes events to improve events to make the hospital more enjoyable for teens. “It’s just an experience everyone deserves to have.” Not every patient gets to attend their school prom, so for some, Teen Prom offers a chance to have a night they would otherwise miss.
Patients aged 12 and up, along with a guest of their choice, were invited to this year’s carnival-themed Come One, Come All Teen Prom. One patient brought Louie as her date. Teen Life Council put on the event with help from donations to the hospital.
“Prom was kind of one of the things we wanted to make happen,” says Courtney Coffman, a child life specialist and Teen Council advisor. The event was smaller four proms ago when it began, but with the support of the hospital and Louie’s visit, the event is growing.
Local hair and makeup teams helped the girls get ready prior to the dance; boys were given the opportunity to wear suit T-shirts. Local residents donated dresses, and past patients returned to volunteer their time to put on the festivities—including the night’s disc jockey.
Coffman hopes that this event will continue to gain more community support.
“We’d like to get people to donate suits for the guys,” Coffman says. “Right now all we have are the shirts.” She also would like to see more patients attend the annual event.
Prom King and Queen were announced halfway through the event followed by pictures. Chauntel Tucker Jr. and Jadyn Williams, both current patients, were crowed Prom King and Queen, respectively. Neither one had any idea they’d be given the honor, and both felt “good” about it.
Louie spent the later part of the evening visiting those in isolation and giving them goodie bags.
To Trojahn, who’s attended all four proms, this year’s was the “best one ever.”
