Stars in the Sand

Stars in the Sand is a collection of brilliant and warm stories reflecting the divine presence of God in a children's hospital. Written by a Child Life Specialist whose focus is to minimixe the stress and fears which accompany hospitalization and illness, Stars in the Sand addresses the complexities involved with working with hospitalized children and reveals intimate situations between patients, families, and the expert medical team who compassionately cares for them.

Hospitals are a world unto themselves; a community which never sleeps. Working at a children's hospital is a challenge and an opportunity to help others as they encounter stressful life events due to illness or injury. Caring for the sick, hurt, and suffering is important and difficult work. It requires strength, perseverance, and hope, even on days when it feels like there is nothing left to give. As medical professionals, we rely on one another, our colleagues, as we work in concert towards a common goal: the physical and emotional well-being of a child. Many contrasts exist within the walls of a pediatric hospital. It is a world full of joy and pain; smiles and tears; hope and disappointment; healing and loss. It is a place where love, strength, courage, and compassion can be seen again and again. It is where inspiration is found through patients, families, and through the people who care for them. Stars in the Sand examines the dynamic relationships and events that occur within a children's hospital through the experiences of a Child Life Specialist. The stories will remain with you long after the last page is read.

The author is a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) with many years experience working with hospitalized children of all ages at a large and prestigious children's hospital. Leigh Snyder has chosen to write under an alternate name to further protect the privacy of patient, families, and staff. Leigh and her husband, Cade, have a daughter, Annie.