For many families, Christmas is a time of traditions: waking up to presents beneath the tree, gathering around the dinner table, and watching a child’s face light up when Santa arrives. For families staying at The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, those moments can feel especially meaningful—and in July, they bring a little bit of Christmas magic to an otherwise uncertain time.
The Children’s Inn is celebrating “Christmas in July,” giving children and families receiving specialized medical care the opportunity to pause, celebrate, and experience the simple joys of the holiday season in the middle of summer. With presents, Santa Claus, and the support of the Montgomery County community, the event offers families a moment of happiness while they navigate the challenges of serious and rare illnesses. “Every day, the doctors and researchers here are discovering groundbreaking new treatments and cures for rare diseases that most of us have never even heard of,” Sam Angell, Communications and Media Relations Manager at The Children’s Inn at NIH said.
The families staying at The Children’s Inn are not only receiving care; they are also contributing to scientific research that could help advance treatments and cures for conditions including HIV, sickle cell disease, aplastic anemia, neurofibromatosis type 1, and childhood cancers.
But for families spending time at the NIH, life is about more than medical treatment. The Children’s Inn provides housing, care, and a sense of comfort for families who may have traveled far from home to seek specialized medical attention. “Our goal is for them to feel relieved of all the burdens of home life [such as] preparing meals, finding activities to keep children (and siblings) entertained and happy, staying in touch with loved ones, and finding a comfortable place to sleep at the end of the day,” Angell said.
Through its “Place Like Home” initiative, The Children’s Inn also works to create a community where families can find connection and understanding during an experience that can often feel isolating. “They find friends here. Friends who may not share their same diagnosis, but at least they understand the challenges that face each of them in ways that other kids back at home may not,” Angell said.
That sense of community is especially visible during Christmas in July. With support from David McBain, Montgomery County Police Assistant Chief and Special Operations Bureau, families at The Children’s Inn can trade the uncertainty of hospital visits for an afternoon of presents, Santa Claus, and Christmas cheer. “They get to know our families and ensure that they have a wonderful day experiencing some of that Christmas spirit in the middle of the summer,” Angell said.
Christmas is often remembered for the presents beneath the tree. At The Children’s Inn, its greatest gift may be something simpler: a moment when families can set aside the uncertainty of tomorrow and experience the joy of today.