New Jersey Pediatrician Goes the Extra Mile to Lift Children’s Spirits during Pandemic
Katherine Doyle, MD, FAAP
Knowing how much joy the arrival of Santa on a fire truck brings to my community every December, I figured that having the Easter Bunny parade through town on a fire truck would offer a much-needed treat.
Turns out it takes a lot of manpower to operate a fire truck. And our small volunteer department couldn't risk bringing so many people together for a non-emergency operation.
I was disappointed. But I was inspired to come up with an alternative plan — and a COVID-safe way — to bring the Easter Bunny to town.
It required the cooperation of the mayor and the local police department, and they were eager to help me carry out my plan.
With a police escort leading the way, sirens sounding and lights swirling, I stood in the back of a Jeep decorated with pastel balloons and flags. Music blared as I danced and waved to everyone I saw.
It took two hours to ride through every street in the borough. Seeing the little kids burst through their front doors in their pajamas exploding with excitement as they waved and danced along with me was an incredible experience.
It is my privilege to provide medical care to children, and it is my passion to provide them with joy.
Send in your COVID-19 pandemic story to our Story Bank and we may share it here and on our social media channels.
*The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
About the Author
Katherine Doyle, MD, FAAP
Katherine Doyle, MD, FAAP, is a primary care pediatrician at Princeton Nassau Pediatrics in Pennington, New Jersey. She graduated from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2016 and completed her pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 2019.