Sarah’s Place, a playroom named after Sarah Chapin, was dedicated last Friday at Evergreen Hospital Medical Center’s pediatric department.

The play area is available for children when they’re patients in the hospital. (Siblings of an ailing child have a play area in the lobby outside the pediatric department.)

The patient play area is named for Sarah Chapin, a four-year-old who died in 2001. Chapin spent most of her life in the hospital and considered the Evergreen staff her family. She was born nine weeks premature and in her short life battled high fevers, unstable blood sugars and a brain tumor. The hospital staff became Chapin’s extended family, celebrating birthdays, teaching her colors, numbers and playing with her during quiet moments. Her mother commented that even when she was not a patient, Chapin felt Evergreen was her other home. Nurses who cared for her described CHapin as a curly-haired cherub with rosy cheeks, a button nose and a big beautiful smile.

When Chapin was well enough to play, her family or staff members would take her to a quiet area with a library and games. It gave Sarah, said Nurse Kari Stahl, a time to be something other than sick. After Chapin died, Stahl began the campaign to build and name a pediatric play area “Sarah’s Place.”

A colorful mural featuring underwater sea life covers the main wall in Room Blue 5-115. Large toys are available as well as a library of new books presented by the Redmond Firefighter’s Benevolent Fund. When a sick child ‘checks out’ a book, it becomes theirs permanently. Unlike the play equipment, books don’t hold up well in the sanitizing process.