Wedding professionals bring smiles to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta patients on Family Portrait Day

Smiles and laughs were seen and heard at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital earlier this week.

On Wednesday, a group of local wedding professionals and photographers joined the patients for Family Portrait Day, a special event designed to bring some light to what can be a difficult time.

"We're here today to make the lives a little brighter for the families of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta," said Shelly Danz, the president of the Wedding Industry Professionals Association. "A little hair and makeup, some family portraits, frames for the pictures to go in, some flowers, and some treats."

For several hours, patients and their families were pampered to help alleviate any stress related to treatment or their current situations.

"It's a bunch of wedding industry professionals who have come together from florists to linens, to photographers to create an experience for the children and their families here," said Maggie Karanja, the association's community engagement director. "My brother actually grew up in and out of the hospital, so by the time he was 16 years old, he had over 19 different surgeries, so I'm very familiar with this type of life. I remember my mom always saying she wished she had a family portrait day for my brother and all of us. It's such a special day to be able to do this."

Peggy Gothard was at the event with her 13-year-old daughter Avery Gothard, who has been at Children's for more than a month following a major surgery. They traveled from Mobile, Alabama, for specialized treatment.

"I feel like the staff works very hard to give the kids some entertainment and distraction from the reality of getting well, if they're able to," Peggy Gothard said. "They moved her [Avery] kidney and attached her renal artery to another part of her aorta, but she had a little complication with it. Avery has neurofibromatosis, which is a genetic condition, so she's had a lot of challenges medically. She's a real champ and has a great attitude."

Photographer Todd Graham helped capture lifelong memories for dozens of families during the event.

"These kids are so resilient, and they go through a lot," Graham said. "This is just a small thing that we can do to show them we appreciate them, love them, and to put a smile on their face."

One of the makeup artists who helped to make the families feel like their best was Skylar Webb. She volunteered her time during the event, but there was a point in time when she had to be at Children's for a surgery to remove a brain tumor.

"I was actually a patient for many years up until 2015," Webb said. "Just seeing all of these children and all of the love brought into this hospital is just giving me a lot of warmth in my heart. It's not just the children that are battling this illness that they're going through. It's the family. It's the mom, the parents, their siblings. It's not just one person that's affected by it. It's the whole flock."