Magical Moments at the Berrie Center

The day after Halloween is the most magical day of the year at the Berrie Center. For more than twenty years, the Berrie Center Halloween Party & Candy Exchange has provided a special opportunity for children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to donate their sugary sweets and select a brand-new toy. This signature event is a chance for children and families to bond with one another and with the Berrie Center staff.

Having diabetes on Halloween is no easy feat, but time and again patients find comfort in uniting at the Berrie Center on November 1 to turn in their candy for a toy, play games and meet new friends.

“These events are the heart of the Berrie Center,” said Natasha Leibel, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Program at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. “I couldn’t be prouder of the hard work our team put in to make this happen.”

The theme of this year’s party was “The Haunted House”. Staff members dressed as witches and wizards while Pushkin the therapy dog came as a spooky spider.  Art therapist Cara Lampron and pediatric coordinator Kindra Matthews created a magical atmosphere full of tricks and artistic treats. Upon entering the festivities, guests “fed” the Berrie Center tree monster with their Halloween candy. “I am the tree monster. I eat candy and grant wishes!” Read the sign. “Feed me your candy and you will be granted a toy!”

A long table filled with toys including dolls, Legos, puzzles and stuffed animals was a joyful sight for all candy traders. Activities included: pin the insulin pump on the ghost, puppet making, potion making, face painting, a haunted playhouse, a Halloween scavenger hunt, guess what’s in the cauldron, and candy corn bowling.

The Berrie Center research team set up a “science lab” and offered on-site TrialNet screenings for eligible family members of patients with T1D. In addition, Dr. Ileana Vargas set up a demonstration table to teach kids about making smart food choices. Her “Rethink Your Drink” table showed some truly scary facts about the amount of sugar in many popular soft drinks.

“An event like this really speaks to who we are,” said Robin Goland, MD, Co-Director, Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center and J. Merrill Eastman Professor of Clinical Diabetes at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “The children and their families were so happy and joyful. I am grateful to everyone for all their work to make it the success it was.”

The Berrie Center Halloween Candy Exchange Party is made possible through the generosity of our donors. Special thanks to teen volunteers Andrew Apisa, Maddie Fishbach, Alejandro Halpern, Julia Ingrasselino, Vivian Littlefield, Annie Marcus and Aianna Smith. To contribute to events like this, and other programs at the Berrie Center, please visit https://www.columbiadoctors.org/about-us/make-gift.