PALO ALTO, Calif-- The World Wide Web is getting wider.
 
Thanks to the high-tech team at Cisco Systems, Santa Claus and his helpers at the North Pole are now set up with a high-speed, Internet connection and a two-way video phone. They’ve even thrown in a few training tips for the notoriously low-tech and jolly bearded one. Now, Santa is putting the Web to its best use ever, and we’re not talking online shopping. He’s using his video phone to go bedside to visit kids next Monday, Dec. 10, at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.
 
“Our kids and families are so looking forward to visiting Santa this way,” said Colette Case, the hospital’s director of child and family life services. “For a child who can’t make it out to see Santa in person, this is magic.” The hospital and Cisco are planning two different Santa experiences. First up, from 1p-3p, the video phone will be brought bedside to kids. By pressing a speed dial button, kids will be magically connected with Santa at the North Pole for some quality one-on-one time with Saint Nick. Elves from Cisco and Packard Children’s will assist the kids as they see and talk with Santa and discuss their Christmas wish lists with him. Then, from 3p-5p, the technology moves to a hospital playroom where even more kids and families can share wishes with Santa. Through it all, Santa tells kids about life at the North Pole and answers important questions (“Where’s Rudolph?”) while the elves hand out toys.
 
“When you see the faces on these kids light up, you know you’re doing the right thing,” said Rob Lopez, senior communications manager at Cisco and creator of the Santa Connection. “This event brings a dose of hope and happiness to children who are ill and may not have the chance to see Santa any other way.” Lopez noted that Packard Children’s was one of only six hospitals in the nation chosen for the Santa Connection in 2007, and this is its first and only appearance in the Bay Area. The program has grown into a holiday tradition at Cisco, spreading to 20 hospitals around the world since its creation in 2004.
 
“When Santa pops up on the screen, you can see the amazement on the kids' faces,” said Lopez. “Then Santa starts telling his stories and connecting with the children in personal ways that Santa is so good at. There have been times that we’ve seen parents crying because of the kind words Santa is delivering to their child. It's truly a wonderful program, and we’re happy that it means so much to everyone.”
 
For the media
‘Santa Connection’ Monday (10)
Packard Children’s Hospital
725 Welch, Palo Alto, CA
1p-3p (bedside Santa Connection)
3p-5p (playroom Santa Connection)
Media RSVP via contact below

About Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Ranked as one of the nation's top 10 pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford is a 264-bed hospital devoted to the care of children and expectant mothers. Providing pediatric and obstetric medical and surgical services and associated with the Stanford University School of Medicine, Packard Children's offers patients locally, regionally and nationally the full range of health care programs and services - from preventive and routine care to the diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury. For more information, visit http://www.lpch.org.