Children's Nebraska CEO Visits Patients as Belle
Chanda Chacón dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast to bring Halloween cheer to young patients at Children's Nebraska.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Special Needs
Children's Nebraska president and CEO Chanda Chacón dressed as Belle to visit pediatric patients for Halloween. Amanda Adams, senior patient relations manager, dressed as the Beast and joined the visits.
Why it matters
The visits were made to bring Halloween joy to young patients receiving care at the hospital in Omaha. The effort highlights the hospital's focus on patient morale during treatment.
Chacón held a single red rose during the visits, which walked through the Criss Heart Center's Cardiac Care Unit and around the main hospital campus. The exact count of patients and families reached was not disclosed.
The players
Chanda Chacón
Chacón is president and CEO of Children's Nebraska, leading the pediatric hospital system since joining in 2020.
Amanda Adams
Adams is senior patient relations manager at Children's Nebraska, responsible for coordinating patient and family experience.
The details
Chacón and Adams walked through the Criss Heart Center's Cardiac Care Unit and around the main hospital campus to surprise children and families. Chacón visited the bedsides of several young patients and posed for photos.
Timeline
Halloween, October 31, 2026: costume visits to pediatric patients took place.
2020: Chacón joined Children's Nebraska as president and CEO.
2021: The Hubbard Center for Children opened, doubling the size of the hospital campus.
Culture Shift
The costume visit draws on Beauty and the Beast, whose original Disney animated film debuted on November 22, 1991, and is marking its 35th anniversary in 2026. Hospitals increasingly use familiar pop-culture characters to ease the stress of pediatric treatment.
Families with children receiving care at Children's Nebraska in Omaha may see holiday-themed visits from hospital leadership. Such visits are intended to lift spirits during extended stays and treatment.
The takeaway
Small acts of holiday cheer can make a hospital stay feel less frightening for children. Families facing long treatments may find comfort in the personal engagement of hospital staff and leaders.
Further reading
Explore more family resources in the Special Needs section for Omaha families.
Source note: This article includes information reported by People.
