By Darla Shelden, Metropolis Sentinel Reporter —
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Metropolis resident Jazmin Medina graduated from Putnam Metropolis West Excessive College in Oklahoma Metropolis on Saturday, Could 22. Nonetheless, whereas present process leukemia remedies, she was unable to attend the ceremony and stroll along with her classmates that day.
To assist resolve this case, the Baby Life Crew at Oklahoma Youngsters’s Hospital OU Well being stepped in to discover a technique to make the occasion memorable for Jazmin, her household and pals.
The Baby Life group supplied a robotic that ‘walked’ to symbolize Jazmin. The robotic crossed the stage in the course of the ceremony held on the Putnam Metropolis West Excessive College stadium in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Through the occasion, the robotic was guided by Jazmin remotely as she watched on her telephone and a big video display. Jazmin and her household and pals have been collectively to watch from a particular space of the Youngsters’s Hospital.
OU Well being Media Crew representatives have been on website on the hospital filming Jazmin and her household watching the occasion. The group additionally performed interviews with the graduate, her household and the Youngsters’s Hospital workers.
A advertising and marketing consultant was on website to seize photographs and video of the 4’8” robotic that was designed and manufactured at OhmniLabs in Silicon Valley, California.
“As we speak, glory to God, as a result of he made a manner for me to really feel part of the commencement, though I wasn’t in a position to be there in particular person,” Jazmin mentioned. “However I used to be there…and it was in a reasonably cool manner.
“In October, I acquired identified with leukemia,” she added. “At first, he [the doctor] known as me and mentioned I had leukemia, and I had no clue what that was. After which he informed me it was most cancers,” she continued.
“So, the journey started. There are days I forgot I even had most cancers.”
Jazmin says her newly discovered relationship with God made coping with the sickness simpler. “He gave me lots of energy to get by means of it,” she mentioned.
The robotic waited patiently alongside the opposite graduating college students on the sphere earlier than occurring stage throughout roll name. Video exhibits the robotic being positioned on the ramp resulting in the stage, and ready in line to obtain Jazmin’s diploma.
“I used to be there graduating,” Jazmin acknowledged. “I used to be in a position to get that diploma, I used to be in a position to see every little thing occurring.”
Jazmin’s mom Amy mentioned she was indignant at God in regards to the prognosis at first. “I didn’t need to see her like this,” she mentioned. As time glided by her anger eased. She mentioned they have been handled like household at OU Youngsters’s Hospital.
Sheri Guthery, a Baby Life Specialist mentioned, “Jazmin is one in every of our sufferers on the Jimmy Everest Heart. We needed to make it attainable for her to attend her commencement, regardless of her remedy. We coordinated with our tech specialists and we introduced in a robotic to stroll throughout the stage for her.
“Alternatives for youths and teenagers like this to really feel regular and to have interaction in issues that their friends are doing make hospital stays a lot simpler for them. Jazmin is an excellent laid again teen – she’s superior,” Guthery mentioned.
“After we talked to her in regards to the concept Jazmin mentioned, ‘How did I not find out about this robotic earlier than.’ “I’d say she was fairly in from the start,” she added.
Guthery then approached Misty Jordan,a Gaming & Digital Know-how Specialist at Youngsters’s Hospital, to see if she may assist embrace Jazmin within the commencement occasion just about.
“This was an ideal alternative for us to have her there with our robots,” Jordan mentioned.
Jordan mentioned the expertise for Jazmin was like being on a Facetime name. “She was on the telephone with the robotic – the one controlling the robotic – utterly strolling it – and I used to be there to make sure it stayed on track on the stage to get her that diploma and assist her rejoice this milestone,” Jordan mentioned.
Though this isn’t new know-how, Jordan mentioned she’s by no means heard of a robotic being utilized in a graduate ceremony in Oklahoma. “I’m very excited for us to have supplied such a assist for Jazmin,” Jordan mentioned.
Donna Lewis, College Applications Coordinator at Oklahoma Youngsters’s Hospital mentioned, “We’ve a beautiful partnership with Putnam Metropolis Colleges, they exit of their technique to see that our college students are nonetheless concerned and brought care of whereas they’re receiving remedy.
“They have been on board and we’ve made it work with them,” Lewis mentioned. “We’re all very excited to have the ability to give Jazmin that a part of her senior expertise.”
For extra data, go to ouhealth.com/oklahoma-childrens-hospital or name 405-271-4700.
To observe a video of the robotic standing in for Jazmin and receiving her diploma in the course of the Putnam Metropolis West 2023 Excessive College commencement ceremony, click on right here.
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