PITTSBURGH — Children receiving inpatient treatment at UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Hospital got a special Easter surprise Saturday.
The Steel City Vulcan Riders, a motorcycle group with an anti-bully mission, gave stuffed bunnies to patients during the annual Bunny Run.
“The idea is to let children know throughout the hospitals in the city that even though they’re stuck in a hospital on a holiday, someone’s still thinking about them, somebody still cares. It’s just a good way for us to be able to let them know,” said Lew Thomas, president of Steel City Vulcan Riders.
The event started with the Pennsylvania Bunny Run, which delivers stuffed bunnies to children in the central part of the state. Eventually, it expanded to Pittsburgh and this was the third year the motorcycle group and Western Psych teamed up for the event.
“It’s hugely important and exciting anytime the community gets involved to help our behavioral health patients. It’s extremely important,” said Jeremy Wanless, director of nursing. “They are an anti-bullying motorcycle group, which is just an amazing message to send and important for mental health patients to be a part of anti-bullying. And our staff greatly appreciates it, as well, because it gives them something to give to the patients.”
And this year, the riders battled cold weather and rain chances to deliver the bunnies. Still, Thomas says a cold trek is worth it to see the children smile and cheer.
Wanless says he hopes to see this event get a little bigger each year.
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