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Published on December 20, 2024

Young Tidelands Health patients get a special visit from Santa 

Santa has checked his list twice and found that every child at Tidelands Health Center for Pediatric Development locations in Myrtle Beach and Georgetown deserved a special visit from him.  

The big guy brought joy and the holiday spirit this month as he met with the young patients living with medical conditions in a place that is familiar and comfortable to them. 

A young boy sits on Santa's lap and touches his white beard.“Having Santa come here provides a safe, sensory-friendly and comfortable avenue for the children and their families,” said Jennifer Lewis, senior physical therapist at Tidelands Health Center for Pediatric Development at Myrtle Beach. “If you go to another Santa experience, the kids might not get to interact with Santa, but they come here, and families for the first time will see their children interact with Santa. Your heart just gets warm.” 

The visit with Santa has become a holiday tradition for Jen Sugg and her daughter Angelina, who receives ongoing therapy at the center. 

“We’re grateful for Tidelands Health, and so thankful to visit with Santa every year,” Sugg said. “Santa loves Angelina whole-heartedly. He is very special to us, and visiting with him every year means so much to us.” 

Tidelands Health Center for Pediatric Development specializes in helping children living with medical conditions gain strength, coordination and everyday life skills through therapies tailored to their unique needs. The services include occupational, physical and speech therapy.  

The team of therapists also invests in the children’s overall wellbeing through annual visits with Santa, outings to catch a Myrtle Beach Pelicans baseball game, visits from local firefighters and other special events. 

During the drop-in visits with Santa, patients and their families also enjoyed making ornaments and “reindeer” food and spending leisure time with their therapists, who all beamed with joy as they watched their young patients take in the holiday spirit. 

“It kind of doesn’t feel like the holiday season until Santa visits,” Lewis said. “Half the time I’m over there in the corner crying because of how special this event is, but this type of work is what we love. That’s the Christmas spirit—doing life with these families and children.” 

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Tidelands Health, in collaboration with MUSC Health, is the region’s largest health care provider, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 70 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.