Flushing Hospital Parties with a Purpose

In an effort to bridge the gap between health and literacy, Flushing Hospital recently hosted a fun-filled, yet educational, pajama party for families within its surrounding communities.

Children’s author and former Flushing Hospital physician assistant, Tolya Thompson, delighted approximately 60 children, dressed in pajamas, with an engaging reading of her recently published book “Busy Body Bonita,” a story about a young girl with ADHD. She used the reading to bring listeners, including Assemblywoman Ellen Young and Councilman John Liu, into Miss Bonita’s busy, chaotic, and troublesome world.

Afterwards, Dr. Kanchana Roychoudhury, a Flushing Hospital pediatrician, spoke to parents on the topic of ADHD, a medical condition often diagnosed in children that affects how well they can sit still, focus, and pay attention.

“ADHD is one of the topics I’ve chosen to incorporate into my books because there’s still a need to address the condition,” stated Thompson. “In addition to that, there’s a strong relationship between health and literacy, one worth addressing as well.”

Studies have shown that most individuals with poor health conditions also have poor literacy skills. Thompson writes medically-themed picture books to address various child-related health topics and uses her "Smarties Book Series" to educate children and parents on the featured illness. She’s previously written children's books on laryngitis, influenza, and stress.

Every child at the pajama party received an autographed copy of “Busy Body Bonita.” The NYC Fire Department was there to distribute information on fire safety and members of the Queens Masonic Child Identification Program helped children make identification kits. Also, NHP, who cosponsored the event, provided parents with information on free and affordable health insurance.