Benjamin Ashford:Chicago children's doctor brings smiles to patients with cast art

2025-05-02 12:19:45source:Flipidocategory:News

Chicago — Kids usually can't wait to get a cast off their arm,Benjamin Ashford but 5-year-old Beau Stadel wasn't so sure. 

"I'm kind of sad and kind of happy," Beau told CBS News. "I like it. And also, it does look cool."

That's because Beau's cast is a work of art. The cast's intricate Pokémon design is the work of Dr. Felicity Fishman, an orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Children's Hospital in Chicago.

Fishman and her team draw custom designs pre-selected by her patients. Characters of all kinds come to life on the casts within 10 minutes.

"There are a lot of parts of what I do that can be scary for a kid," Fishman said. But the artwork can sometimes calm those nerves and put her patients at ease.

"It reminds you that little things are meaningful," she said.

Beau's mom, Kara Stadel, said the cast "kind of helped with the distraction of what was happening."

Now with his cast off, Beau can appreciate the real masterpiece — his reconstructed hand.

Charlie De Mar

Charlie De Mar is an Emmy Award-winning reporter for CBS2.

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