DAYTONA 500 Champion Visits Children in Hospital, Helps Dedicate Inpatient Pediatric Playroom

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., June 29, 2017 On June 29, Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet SS, visited Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center for a special dedication ceremony for the hospital's new inpatient pediatric playroom.

We consider this playroom a gift to the community, which would not be possible without the Chip Ganassi Racing team, said Darlinda Copeland, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center chief operating officer. We are so proud to have Jamie with us today, as he generously donated in support our new playroom. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to show him how those funds will help the kids of our community.

As a parent, I've experienced having to come back to the hospital with your child, McMurray said. I think it is amazing to have a room like this for kids who are patients or even their brother or sister to come and play and take their minds off everything they are going through while they are here in the hospital.

Opened in May, the 10-bed inpatient pediatric unit is brightly colored and inspired by the spirit of Daytona Beach, featuring designs of ocean waves, palm trees, and dolphins, as well as cars racing on a track, chairs in the shape of tires and tool chests, and blimps.

Before we opened this unit, there was a huge need in our community to care for pediatric patients, said Copeland. Throughout Volusia and Flagler counties, we had more than 700 children visit one of our five ERs in the area, but then needed to be transferred out to another hospital. With this new unit, we can answer that big need and keep kids close to home for their care; that's what is best for our patients and what's best for families.

After the dedication ceremony for the playroom, McMurray toured the unit and met some of the children who have benefited from the playroom.

When planning and designing this new unit, we wanted to create a fun and vibrant healing environment that would help put children at ease when receiving medical care, Copeland said. This new unit perfectly reflects our community, incorporating the beach Volusia County is famous for, as well as our rich history of racing. Florida Hospital is the official healthcare partner of Daytona International Speedway, and this theme of racing plays out throughout our new unit and into the playroom, which is essential to kids healing.

About Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center

Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 45 hospital campuses and 8,200 licensed beds in nine states, serving more than 5 million patients annually. With a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center includes the 327-bed facility in Daytona Beach, as well as Florida Hospital Oceanside with 80 beds in Ormond Beach. Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center and Florida Hospital Oceanside are two of the seven Florida Hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region has 1,226 beds and more than 7,800 employees. For more information about Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, visit www.floridahospitalmemorial.org.