Media Alert: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Santa Visits Children’s Hospitals Across the Americas via Cisco Video Technology

SAN JOSE Calif., December 2, 2013 – As we enter the month of December, Santa Claus is putting the final touches on his list and checking it twice. For the seventh year, Cisco is teaming up with hospitals across the Americas to provide children who are hospitalized during the holidays the opportunity to show Santa what good little boys and girls they’ve been (and let him know what tops their wish list). From Canada, down to the United States and Latin America, Santa will virtually visit hospitals from his post at the North Pole, making cyber-stops by way of the magic of the latest mobile and collaboration technologies.

These hospitals, with the help of Cisco and our partners, are bringing a live feed of the North Pole to their patients – using either an iPad, or a video monitor and web-enabled camera. Santa will visit with children in the hospital’s playroom, and for those who don’t feel well enough to leave their room, a mobile cart or iPad enabled with Cisco Jabber® software will help Santa travel for a bedside visit.

Much like children who are able to sit on Santa’s lap, patients will have the opportunity to pass along their wishes this holiday season in plenty of time for St. Nick to make his list and check it twice!

What:  Santa Claus Conducts Video Calls With Young Patients

When:  December 2013

Where:

Albany, NY – Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center

Atlanta, GA – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Aurora, CO – Children’s Hospital Colorado

Baltimore, MD – Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

Bogotá, Colombia – Fundación Cardioinfantil        

Boston, MA – Boston Children’s Hospital

Burlington, VT – Fletcher Allen Health Care

Chicago, IL – University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital

Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center 

Columbus, OH – Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Detroit, MI – DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Inc.

Fort Myers, FL – Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida

Fort Worth, TX – Cook Children’s

Grand Rapids, MI – Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital of Spectrum Health

Hershey, PA – Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital

Hollywood, FL – Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

Houston, TX – Texas Children’s Hospital

Indianapolis, IN – Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health

Jackson, MS – Batson Children’s Hospital

Johnson City, TN – Niswonger Children’s Hospital

Loma Linda, CA – Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital

Madison, WI – American Family Children’s Hospital

Miami, FL – Holtz Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center

Minneapolis, MN – University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital

Montevideo, Uruguay – Fundación Peluffo Giguens

New Hyde Park, NY – Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York

New Orleans, LA – Ochsner Hospital

New York, NY – New York-Presbyterian / Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital

Norfolk, VA – Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters

Philadelphia, PA – Shriners Hospitals for Children

Pittsburgh, PA – Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

Sacramento, CA – UC Davis Children’s Hospital

Springfield, MO – Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield

St. Louis, MO – Mercy Children’s Hospital St. Louis

Tacoma, WA – MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center

Temple, TX – McLane Children’s Hospital, Scott & White

Toledo, OH – ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital

Washington, DC – Children’s National Health System

Wilmington, DE – Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children

How:  Cisco® Santa Connection enables hospitalized children to remotely connect and communicate with Santa using Cisco’s video collaboration technologies, including TelePresence® and Jabber.

About Cisco Santa Connection

During the 2013 holiday season, approximately 50 hospitals throughout North America will participate in the Cisco Santa Connection Program. This interactive experience enables hospitalized children to remotely connect and communicate with Santa using Cisco’s video collaboration technologies. Through the magic of the Internet, the children are connected over video directly to Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, where they can share their wish lists directly with Old St. Nick. After a personal conversation with Santa, children can join their families and enjoy a holiday party complete with gifts at the hospital. Santa Connection was developed seven years ago to provide children and their families a bit of holiday cheer and happiness during their hospital stay.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com.

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