New ESPN/Mickey & Friends hospital gowns and pants debuted at Connecticut Children’s during a Halloween celebration for patients and families, organized with Starlight Children’s Foundation, ESPN and The Walt Disney Company.

The celebration transformed the hospital into a Halloween experience where children could pick costumes and a Mickey Mouse plush, join activities and spend time with Mickey Mouse himself. The new gowns were unveiled as part of the celebration. Kevin Negandhi, ESPN’s SportsCenter anchor and College Football Studio host, said: “At ESPN, sports have always been about bringing people together and creating moments of joy, and that’s especially meaningful when we can do that for kids going through something difficult. A hospital stay shouldn’t take away a child’s chance to have fun, express who they are or simply be a kid. ESPN and Disney are incredibly proud to team up with Starlight and Connecticut Children’s to bring some ESPN sports spirit, some Disney magic and, hopefully, a lot of smiles to children and families here in Connecticut.”

On Thursday, patients could choose something entirely their own: how they wanted to show up for the day, including through the new gowns.

“Something as simple as choosing a hospital gown featuring familiar characters or brands can help a child feel more comfortable and regain a sense of control during hospitalization. These familiar designs can also make conversations with healthcare teams easier, helping build trust so kids feel more confident and engaged in their care,” said Matt Barnhart, senior manager of partnerships at Starlight Children’s Foundation, “We’re grateful to ESPN, Disney and Connecticut Children’s for helping us create moments of happiness and connection that support kids and families throughout their healthcare journey.”

About 100 inpatient and outpatient children took part in the celebration, which was designed to create moments of play, joy and normalcy for children navigating illness and hospitalization. Mickey Mouse also made in-room visits to patients who could not leave their hospital rooms.

Dr. Rachel Stanley, physician-in-chief at Connecticut Children’s, said: “For children in the hospital, so much can suddenly feel outside of their control. Their illness, their treatment and their daily routine can all be determined by circumstances they didn’t choose. Giving a child the ability to choose something as simple as the gown they want to wear may seem small, but it gives them a voice and a sense of ownership at a time when that can mean a great deal. Play, choice and joy aren’t separate from caring for children. They are an important part of the healing journey.”

Connecticut Children’s described the event as reflecting its commitment to caring for the whole child, and said play and opportunities for self-expression can help preserve an important part of childhood during medical care.

“Children don’t stop being children when they become patients,” said Kelly Foy, certified child life specialist at Connecticut Children’s, “We’re grateful to ESPN, Disney and Starlight for understanding that and for helping us create experiences that bring joy into the hospital and give our patients opportunities to just be kids.”

Through the Pediatric Cancer Initiative, ESPN, The Walt Disney Company and ABC are raising $10 million for pediatric cancer research through the V Foundation in the lead-up to Super Bowl LXI on ESPN, ABC and Disney+.