Kayla’s Dream Playground Comes to Life at George Mark
For 10-year-old Kayla Thomas and her sister Londyn, a playground has not always been a place where they could play together.
Kayla, a George Mark Children’s House respite care patient, has cerebral palsy and seizure disorder and uses a G tube. Since first coming to George Mark in October 2024, she has become part of the life of the House, enjoying pet therapy, spa treatments, music, and time with the nurses, staff, and volunteers who have come to know her well.
But for Kayla and 12-year-old Londyn, one wish stood out.
They wanted a place they could share.
This spring, that wish came true with the opening of George Mark’s new all abilities playground, a long hoped for space designed so children with serious medical conditions can play alongside their siblings, parents, caregivers, nurses, and friends.
On one bright day in the new play space, Kayla was there with Londyn and their mom, Monifa, joined by other George Mark patients, nurses, staff, and volunteers. Some children moved through the playground in wheelchairs, explored the installations, or simply took in the moment from where they were. The merry go round became a favorite almost immediately. The accessible swing gave Kayla a chance to swing alongside her sister and mom.
Around them, the usual rhythms of George Mark care continued, but now with something new in the middle of it all: a place designed so children with serious medical conditions could be part of the play, not just near it.
“It feels amazing,” Londyn said. “With her disability, it is hard to play on a normal playground. It feels really nice to see her play.”
For Monifa, watching her daughters share that moment was emotional.
“It makes me emotional,” she said. “Londyn is a really good big sister. Kayla loves it here.”
For years, a traditional play structure sat just outside the House. It was beautiful and familiar, but it was not built for children who use wheelchairs, medical equipment, or need a more accessible environment. For many patients, it was a place they could see, but not fully use.
That is what George Mark Child Life Coordinator Kyle Amsler hoped to change.
“We began to dream of a space where every child and every family could come to George Mark and play together,” Kyle said.
As the project’s primary champion, Kyle helped guide the vision for a play space that would go beyond standard accessibility. The playground includes equipment designed for children who use wheelchairs or walkers, children who cannot leave their hospital beds, and children who run, climb, and explore on their own two feet.
The We Go Swing allows a child in a wheelchair to roll right onto the swing, while a sibling, parent, or friend can sit nearby and swing with them. The We Go Round, a wheelchair accessible merry go round, gives children the chance to spin, laugh, and take in the outdoors together.
Future features will make the space even more complete, including additional shade, raised planter beds, a wheelchair accessible amphitheater, and a magical laser harp that will allow children to create music using their hands, wheelchairs, or hospital beds.
For Shekinah Eliassen, George Mark CEO, the playground reflects the heart of George Mark’s mission.
“A lot of these kids sit on the sidelines, whether they are in their wheelchairs or they are in their hospital beds,” Shekinah said. “Our goal at George Mark is to make sure that kids have really fulfilling, heartfelt, joyful experiences.”
The playground, she added, is “the embodiment of that, bringing joy and fun and play and inclusivity to kids who deserve it.”
The new play space is already doing what it was designed to do. It is bringing children outside. It is giving siblings a way to play together. It is giving parents a chance to watch their children experience something that once felt out of reach. It is giving nurses, staff, and volunteers another way to support whole child and whole family care.
Still, the playground is not finished.
George Mark has opened the second phase of the project, but additional support is needed to complete the full vision. Remaining elements include shade, which is especially important for children with serious illnesses and heat sensitivity, as well as more landscaping, raised planter beds, the laser harp, and the amphitheater.
For families like Kayla and Londyn’s, this playground is not a nice extra. It is the difference between watching from the sidelines and finally being able to play together.
Kayla’s dream helped bring this story to life. Now, with your support, we can complete a playground where every child can play, every sibling can join in, and every family can share moments that once felt out of reach.
Help complete the All-Abilities playground!
