After spending nearly a month in the hospital, 10-year-old Zoe Whipple's spirits were down.
But Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA staff urged her to get out of bed last Tuesday. Someone special was coming to visit.
So Whipple put on her purple Justin Bieber shirt, grabbed her Justin Bieber blanket and headed to the lounge.
"And in walks Justin Bieber," said her mother, Jessie Springstead. "She was like, 'Oh my god, It's Justin Bieber.'"
Teen pop star Bieber pulled up a chair next to Whipple and the two casually chatted about their ages and favorite songs. When Whipple asked him to sing for her, he crooned "Baby," as she sat mesmerized, twirling her hair to the beat.
"It was cool that he sang to me," Whipple recalled Wednesday from UCLA. "I like him a lot."
Bakersfield resident Whipple has been struggling with kidney failure, and, more recently, complications such as a small bowel obstruction. She was prominently featured in The Californian in September when local motorcyclists rode in a fundraising event and barbecue to help support her family's frequent trips to UCLA.
Bieber's visit helped brighten an otherwise tough month with numerous medical procedures, said mom Springstead.
"Just watching your child when one of her favorite people sings to her meant a lot," she said. "It's something she'll never forget."
Grandmother Rebecca Rhoten said she didn't realize at first just how big of a deal Bieber's visit really was.
"They had to explain to me that this is the kids' heartthrob," she said, laughing.
But Rhoten could tell that Whipple "thought it was the best thing ever."
After all, her hospital room is adorned with Bieber memorabilia, including posters, magazine cutouts, a calendar, a blanket and even action figures.
Following the visit, Whipple was visibly energized, playing, walking around and leaving her room.
That's the goal of the Chase Child Life Program, which brought Bieber to the hospital, said director Amy Bullock.
Child Life tries to help kids be kids and forget about the fact that they're often separated from family and friends, she said.
Along with helping children cope with their pain and emotional distress, the program brings in athletes, community members and celebrities to connect the young patients with the outside world.
Bieber's offer was an unexpected surprise that came via a phone call several hours prior to his visit. It was the second time in six months that the teen pop star had visited the hospital.
While all the 15 children were thrilled, Whipple's reaction was a standout, Bullock said.
"Zoe smiled for the first time in weeks," she said. "For her to feel well enough to sing with him was remarkable."
Helping sick children focus on the things that bring them joy -- instead of painful medical procedures -- is exactly the point, Bullock said.
"The fact that she listens to his music when she's going to a procedure speaks to how happy and joyful his music makes her," she said.
But while lifted spirits are important, mother Springstead is hoping for recovery.
"It's been very hard on her," she said. "Right now, I just want Zoe to feel good, get better and come home."
source: bakersfield
