MONASH TEDDY BEAR HOSPITAL
Aiming to reduce white coat anxiety in children
About Us
WHO ARE WE?
The Monash Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to alleviate ‘white coat anxiety’ – the fear of going to the doctor or hospital that many young children may have. Coordinated by Monash medical students, we run incursions that target primary school students from Prep to Year 2.
During these incursions, stations are set up in the classroom that simulate real-life hospital or GP experiences that the young children may encounter, providing them an opportunity to engage with our enthusiastic Teddy Bear doctors (student volunteers) in a fun and educational way. Some examples include asthma, X-ray, allergy, emergency and many more interactive stations.
To make the experience even more memorable for our children, the Teddy Bear Hospital incorporates a resident “Big Ted” - a volunteer dressed in a teddy bear costume tasked with the role of handing out high fives and getting down to boogie with all the children involved.
We sincerely hope through these fun and interactive means that Teddy Bear Hospital visits can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for all primary school students and student volunteers involved, while we continue to pursue our mission of reducing white-coat anxiety!
Through our visits, we aim to help young children learn and foster healthy habits at a young age such as healthy eating, hygiene and more. Due to the fun and engaging manner in which we carry out these activities with our team of passionate student volunteers, it is our hope that the children will be able to appreciate these benefits outside of our incursion and begin implementing them in their daily lives.
Moreover, we hope that by simulating a stress-free and light-hearted environment, the children are able to associate this with visiting the doctors and thus will feel more comfortable and less fearful during future doctor visits.
Our Team
ERIC WANG
CHAIR
Hi! Direct your email to me if you have an urgent enquiry.
Samantha Ye
SEcretary
Hi! Direct your email to me if you have a general enquiry or general feedback.
Isabel Tolentino
Treasurer
Hi! I mainly organise the internal financial logistics of our Teddy Bear Hospital.
Lavina rao
promo and It
Hi! I mainly organise the internal promotions and IT logistics of our Teddy Bear Hospital.
Emily Field
Sponsorship & Fundraising
Hi! Direct your email to me and my co-sponsorship/fundraising officer if you are interested in sponsoring or have a fundraising-related opportunity for the Teddy Bear Hospital.
Meg Roff
Sponsorship & Fundraising
Hi! Direct your email to me and my co-sponsorship/fundraising officer if you are interested in sponsoring or have a fundraising-related opportunity for the Teddy Bear Hospital.
Hilary Zhu
Community Liaison
Hi! Direct your email to me and my co-community liaison officer if you would like Teddy Bear Hospital to be involved in your community/local council event.
Yash Patwardhan
Community Liaison
Hi! Direct your email to me and my co-community liaison officer if you would like Teddy Bear Hospital to be involved in your community/local council event.
Savannah Vote
Central Events Coordinator
Hi! If you are a metropolitan primary school, and would like Teddy Bear Hospital to visit your primary school, please direct your email to me and my co-central events coordinator.
Lizze Hoye
Central Events Coordinator
Hi! If you are a metropolitan primary school, and would like Teddy Bear Hospital to visit your primary school, please direct your email to me and my co-central events coordinator.
Rural Events Coordinator (Mildura)
Hi! If you are a primary school located in the Mildura region, and would like Teddy Bear Hospital to visit your primary school, please direct your email to me.
Shravani Choudhary
Rural Events Coordinator (Gippsland)
Hi! If you are a primary school located in the Gippsland region, and would like Teddy Bear Hospital to visit your primary school, please direct your email to me.
Natania D’Sa
Rural Events Coordinator (Bendigo)
Hi! If you are a primary school located in the Bendigo region, and would like Teddy Bear Hospital to visit your primary school, please direct your email to me.
Maham Ahmed
Maria Marques Vaz-Serra
Year A Representative (Rural Events Coordinator)
Hi! If you are a primary school located in the Gippsland region, and would like Teddy Bear Hospital to visit your primary school, please direct your email to me.
Year 1 Representative (Central Events Team Member)
Hi! Along with the central events coordinators, I work 1-on-1 with the primary schools to organise their incursions.
Hugo Vu
Lourdez Yohanes
Central Events Team Member
Hi! Along with the central events coordinators, I work 1-on-1 with the primary schools to organise their incursions.
Amber Anees
Central Events Team Member
Hi! Along with the central events coordinators, I work 1-on-1 with the primary schools to organise their incursions.
Central Events Team Member
Hi! Along with the central events coordinators, I work 1-on-1 with the primary schools to organise their incursions.
Alexandra Atcheson
Central Events Team Member
Hi! Along with the central events coordinators, I work 1-on-1 with the primary schools to organise their incursions.
Jess Ng Le
Sharnali Barua
Central Events Team Member
Hi! Along with the central events coordinators, I work 1-on-1 with the primary schools to organise their incursions.
Metropolitan Events
How do I involve my primary school with Teddy Bear Hospital?
- Thank you so much for showing your interest in having Teddy Bear Hospital at your primary school. We would be honoured to have Big Ted visit, and have a bear-y good time with your students!
- For the most up-to-date information, always email monashteddybearhospital@gmail.com, and direct your email to the current central events coordinators.
What year levels do we visit?
We primarily visit prep, grade 1 and grade 2 students. Please provide the number of prep, grade 1 and grade 2 students at your school in your introductory email.
Find out more in our FAQ section about the logistics of our program.
- In late-February to early-March of each year, the Central Events Coordinators will create a list of schools to visit for the year.
- It is highly recommended that you email during this time to increase your chances of securing a Teddy Bear Hospital incursion. By April, our school spots for the year are generally filled.
- The Monash University Teddy Bear Hospital, with aims of improving health literacy prioritises visiting schools that are
- Located in a low SES area
- Able to demonstrate a continued commitment to having Teddy Bear Hospital visit bi-annually (every 2 years)
- Able to demonstrate responsive communication to emails and calls from Teddy Bear Hospital event organisers.
- Are in a close proximity to Monash University Clayton.
None of these are absolute criteria to the Teddy Bear Hospital selecting your school to visit. Please email to monashteddybearhospital@gmail.com to express your interest regardless.
How does the Teddy Bear Hospital School Selection Process work?
2023 ConfIRED SCHOOLS | |
SEMESTER 1 SCHOOLS | SEMESTER 2 SCHOOLS |
Brandon Park Primary School Clayton North Primary School Dandenong South Primary School Essex Heights Primary School Park Ridge Primary School | Brandon Park Primary School Clayton North Primary School Dandenong South Primary School Essex Heights Primary School Park Ridge Primary School |
