Contact: Caroline Cornish
caroline.cornish@mainehealth.org
Portland, Maine – Patients, their families and care team members at the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (MHBBCH) received a dose of celebrity well-wishes from actor and Lewiston native Patrick Dempsey on Wednesday.
Dempsey, best known for his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd on the ABC series Grey’s Anatomy, visited several patient rooms at MHBBCH and stopped by nurses’ stations both at the children’s hospital and on a neurology unit at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland to thank care team members for their work. Dempsey spent several minutes with each patient’s family, taking pictures and learning about the world-class inpatient care provided by MHBBCH. The children’s hospital, located within MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland, includes a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and provides services in pediatric emergency care, cancer treatment, cardiology and numerous other pediatric specialties.
“We are incredibly grateful to Patrick Dempsey for taking the time to get to know our families and care team here at the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital,” said Dr. Mary Ottolini, The George W. Hallett, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at MaineHealth. “While Patrick may have only played a doctor on TV, his visit has certainly been healing for those in the hospital today.”
Dempsey is in town for the Drive Fore Kids celebrity golf tournament, which takes place through June 23 at the Falmouth Country Club and benefits both MHBBCH and the Dempsey Center, which offers cancer support services to cancer patients and their loved ones at no cost in their Lewiston and South Portland locations, and worldwide via their virtual center.
“During a visit to the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, I was reminded of the immense strength of these young patients and the incredible dedication of the doctors, nurses, staff and families,” Dempsey said. “Their unwavering commitment to healing truly inspires.”
You can learn more about the Drive Fore Kids tournament and purchase tickets on their website: driveforekids.com.
Reporters and editors: Access high-quality photos and video of Dempsey’s visit Courtesy: MaineHealth
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About MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital
MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital (MHBBCH) is committed to enhancing the lives of children through excellence in patient care, research and education. MHBBCH is Maine’s premier pediatric referral hospital with 51 Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit beds and eight Pediatric Intensive Care Unit beds. The children’s hospital, located within MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland, has almost 13,000 pediatric Emergency Department visits a year and provides services in cancer treatment, cardiology, neonatal care and numerous other pediatric specialties. MHBBCH is designed with children in mind with state-of-the-art hospital equipment, specialty programs and spacious play areas. MHBBCH offers comprehensive family-centered care from an exceptional team of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. MHBBCH is a gold certified National Sleep Safe Hospital, and the nursing team has received ANCC Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence four consecutive times. For more information, visit www.bbch.org.