Staff at Boston Children’s Hospital are always looking for unique ways to make patients feel special, and 8-year-old Emerson Bayse was no exception. While living at the hospital to prepare for a heart transplant, Emerson had strong cravings for her favorite food— pickles. Nurses started decorating her PICC line with pickle stickers, but the hospital chef, Sarah Bryce, wanted to do more to keep Emerson’s spirits high. Bryce started paying Emerson visits to teach her how to make her own pickles, including garlic, onion, dill, and more. After perfecting seven different pickle recipes, Bayse and Emerson hosted a pickle party in her hospital room where hospital staff came by to taste her creations. She made pickle juice ice cubes to serve with lemonade and a special watermelon pickle, and every single pickle was eaten by the end of the event. Bayse was once a patient at Boston Children’s Hospital herself, and says it’s a dream to use her passion for cooking as a way to connect with kids like Emerson who are going through a difficult time. Pickling has given Emerson something other than her transplant to focus on, which has kept her motivated to stay healthy and happy.
Image via TODAY
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