I’ve been taken to the hospital in an ambulance. I’m an adult, and it was scary. I was afraid. If it hadn’t been for the staff, it may have been terrifying. Now imagine what an ambulance ride must be like for a child. My first impression of the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital ambulance wrap was — “that’s fun!” It took me a minute to realize its function. And then I understood – fun was the point.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Ambulance Wrap

The wrap includes bright colored childlike shapes on a solid blue background. Why blue? Blue creates a feeling of trust, thus being a reliable source of help during traumatic times.

You will not find the word, “ambulance,” anywhere on the vehicle. It’s a transport, not an ambulance. The design of this transport wrap put a smile on my face — let’s hope it does the same for children in need.

The Helen Devos Children’s Hospital of Grand Rapids, Michigan, came into being in 1993 as a critical care hospital for children. U.S. News and World Report selected Helen DeVos Hospital as one of the top 50 pediatric specialty facilities in America for 2012-13.