Nicole Fenstad and her business, Princess Party Pals, have been brightening lives at University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital since 2014. Nicole began a monthly commitment to performing a character story time at our hospital that year, and continues to do so today. Her wide range of princesses and storybook characters delights our patients and their family members. We are so lucky to have someone with her level of talent, professionalism, and heart give so much time to our hospital.”
Laurie Frattallone, Masonic Children’s Hospital Family Resource Center Coordinator
Throughout the course of our 13 years in business, every so often a client will contact us to see if we could brighten a sick child’s day at one of the children’s hospitals.
Upon request, we started making sporadic visits to a few of the hospitals in Minneapolis, MN. This ultimately led to a partnership with The University of MN, Masonic Children’s Hospital.
In 2014, we developed a monthly program which included a Princess Story Time with music and dance in the family resource center. We are thrilled to be starting our 5th year with this program.
Our Story Times are intended for the children in the hospital as well as the siblings and family members who are visiting their loved ones as well. We bring music, song and theatrical play to our program. If a child is physically unable or too sick to attend the story time, we also make bedside visits to bring a little sunshine and sparkle to their day.
To see a child smile while going through chemotherapy, to see the joy on a parent’s face because they haven’t seen their child smile since they’ve been in the hospital can be a game changer for children and parents.
Aside from being entertainers and smile makers, we are undoubtedly healers at the crux of it. We are humbled and touched to be living out our vocation of healing, educating and enchanting through the use of our talents and gifts from God.
“Our kids endure and go through so much in all the medical procedures and hospital stays that normal parts of life are often just not possible. However, one unique group, Princess Party Pals goes above and beyond to help those in the local hospitals and community. They come visit and celebrate with the children in the hospital, the Ronald McDonald House and many other locations, as their favorite super heroes and princesses. I remember that I would often pass the library in the hospital and see all the kids happy, with smiles and eyes wide open in amazement, it was a time I am sure the kids and parents alike cherished. To see the kids actually forget the time away from home and smile, even if it is just for one visit with their favorite princess or super hero is so incredibly priceless.”
Misty Dippoloto, Mom to Grace (Grace has MIOP, brain damage, legally blind & wheelchair bound)