See photos of the Cardinal Kids Cancer Center.

The Cardinals-themed center is designed with a look and feel reminiscent of the new Busch Stadium. The unique child-centered environment and Cardinals theme disguises therapy as play and adds an element of fun to a difficult day of treatment for young patients and their families.

One patient's reaction to the new center, as told by the Cardinal Kids Cancer Center staff:
A young cancer patient was recently transferred to us. He has been difficult to engage – preferring to spend his time here in an exam room, curled up in fetal position. On November 4 construction laborers finished in the Bull Pen at about 3:10 in the afternoon. (The Bull Pen is a room designed for physical reconditioning and enhancement of motor skills.  It includes an arcade game, Dance Dance Revolution and light weights).  By 3:12 p.m. that same afternoon, this patient was peaking around the corner, checking out the room. The next day, instead of remaining in an exam room for treatment, he went straight to the Bull Pen and started "playing." Did he care that the games selected would improve his hand-eye coordination? No, but he will in the future. It was the first time that many of us saw him smile, and was the first time any of us heard him laugh. When he did finally return to an exam room it was to take a nap. As he was going back to the room, he told his Dad "…the games made me forget I was sick…"

The renovation includes the addition of four distinct therapy rooms.

The Box Office: a reception area that sets the stage for a healing environment.

The Bullpen: a room for physical reconditioning of motor skills and sensory awareness.

Mudville: a room for self exploration and expression through textural and tactile interactions.

Fredbird's Roost: a room for large organized motor activities and group interaction.

Cardinals Cottage: a room for curiosity building activities, identity and culture exploration, and "cause and effect" play.

These therapy rooms turn the environment of receiving chemotherapy, radiation, blood products and other cancer treatments into a place of excitement for children stricken with life-threatening cancer and blood disorders. Complementing these therapy rooms is the Gunn Family Room, where comforting "pods" are available as a place for children and their families to gather, relax, play games or simply be together.

Cleverly designed as a play area, the Cardinals Care Kids Center has a distinct clinical purpose designed to encourage activity (therapy) that improves the patient's quality of life. We invite the community to join us in creating this unique environment.

Childhood is about laughter, giggles and play - cancer takes all that away from a child and replaces it with needles, medicine and fear.  Cardinals Kids Cancer Center helps give a patient their childhood back and gives families hope.