Latvia Men’s National Basketball Team visits the Children’s Hospital

Today, the entire Latvia Men’s National Basketball Team visited the Children's Hospital — including Kristaps Porzinģis, brothers Dāvis and Dairis Bertāni, Jānis Timma and Jānis Blūms, to meet the Hospital's little patients! The encouragement and support during recovery is very important, and the chance to meet the great athletes for children was a special occasion. This was the first visit to the Children's Hospital of the Latvia Men's National Basketball Team, after which basketball players got several children-made encouragement posters to take them on the championship, while the children will remember this day for a long time as they now have a lot of common photos and selfies. In any case, the Children's Hospital had celebration today, and the positive and warm emotions prevailed over the painful procedures and the feeling that some time should be spent at the hospital.

"The Children's Hospital Foundation daily helps children improve their health, by providing various types of diagnostics, opportunities for treatment outside Latvia, by arranging medicines, auxiliaries and other things necessary for a child to recover successfully. But even the joy and positive emotions help recover, so we are constantly striving to bring pleasant surprises to the little patients. Meeting with Kristaps Porziņģis, together with other basketball players from the Latvian National Team, is almost a miracle in the Children's Hospital, and it was probably the best adventure in summer for some patients. It was a happy day in the hospital today for everyone who met our basketball players — not only for children, but also for their parents and hospital staff. I am very grateful to the guys and team management for their responsiveness, and I hope that the good emotions of this day and the children's made posters will give players an uplifting motivation and support in the championship, while for children, the wishes of basketball players will help recover more quickly!" — expressed the gratitude Liene Dambiņa, Head of Children's Hospital Foundation.

The National Team players today visited the Sunny Days library, where during the introduction quiz they were trying to answer different questions related to the Children's Hospital, such as — how many tons of potatoes were eaten by Children's Hospital patients last year. When all the correct answers were found and the patients answered the questions asked by the athletes about basketball, the patients presented to the players their self-made posters with encouraging words and best wishes. Following a common photo and many selfies and pictures of national team players, basketball players went to the Oncology and Traumatology Departments where they visited the children whose health prevented them from leaving the room. For each child in the Department, athletes devoted their time, gave souvenirs and wished good health. In the Departments, nurses were so excited about the athletes’ visit, as well as the patients and hospital staff in the corridor. At the Traumatology Department, where there is currently the largest number of patients, the athletes shared their childhood stories about their injuries. Dāvis Bertāns told that he had been forced to miss the games for a long time to treat cruciate ligament injury, but he always was determined to reach the highest goals and play in NBA. We really hope that today's patients met today will be able to go home and achieve their goals very soon!