ACH Patients Knew Winter the Dolphin Before She Was a Movie Star!
Prosthetics are nothing new at All Children's Hospital. Artificial limbs are part of life for some young patients. But it's not everyday the patients get to check out a prosthetic dolphin tail.
That's what made a visit several years ago from representatives of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium such a special treat. Patients well enough to leave their rooms gathered in All Children's second floor playroom to watch a video about the Aquarium's star inhabitant, Winter the dolphin, who lost her tail due to damage from fishing line. She was rescued off the Florida coast and taken in by the Florida Marine Aquarium. Their efforts to fit Winter with an artificial tail garnered national media attention and may lead to innovations in prosthetic design for humans as well. It also led to a movie script.
During the visit, our young patients had a chance to hold one of the prosthetic tails that Winter has already outgrown. They all agreed it felt kind of funny, almost like gummy bears. Winter's story is now a movie called Dolphin Tale. It was filmed right here in the Tampa Bay area and at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. It opens today in theaters throughout the country!
