FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 • KIDS & EDUCATION • THE QUEENS COURIER 37
kids & education
Patients at Bayside children’s hospital
enjoy performance at The Met
BY JOSH TOWNER
from St. Mary’s, the Met Opera and the
Day Healthcare program at St. Mary’s.
Th e group waited patiently outside
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van service gathered to help unload the
Some of the kids and young adults were
the doors of the theater. Th ey giggled
wheelchairs and patients.
nervous, but the general mood was full of
as a group photo was taken by a large
Twenty-one daycare and in-house
Some of the children and young adults
excitement. As the group entered the Met
painting. Once the doors opened, ushers
patients from St. Mary’s Hospital for
wore their Sunday best and were greeted
Opera, several stopped and gazed in wonder
escorted the patients to their seats.
Children took a fi eld trip to Manhattan
with “oohs” and “ahs” from onlookers.
at the velvet carpets and sweeping staircases.
Jovani, a 22-year-old patient, was
on Sept. 21 for the dress rehearsal of the
“It’s a fancy day today,” said a St. Mary’s
“Th is place is humongous,” said one patient.
ecstatic about the fi eld trip. “It’s a lot of
Metropolitan Opera’s production of “La
employee.
St. Mary’s has a strong music therapy
fun, the whole day. We get to see something
Boheme.”
“Th e kids don’t get to do this independently
program, making a trip to the opera extra
new,” Jovani said.
Patients arrived at the venue in fi ve
because of fi nancial and physical
special for the group. “Even if they don’t
Cindy Johnson, co-chair of St. Mary’s
vans that had picked them up from their
diffi culties, so today is very exciting,” said
get the opera they will really enjoy it,” said
board of directors used connections at the
homes across New York. Staff members
Allison McGeough, director of the Medical
McGeough.
Met Opera to arrange the event.
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