Caitlin Clark launches heartfelt hospital program for pediatric patients originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Caitlin Clark has built her basketball career by creating opportunities for teammates. Her newest assist will deliver books, activities and moments of happiness to children facing much more difficult circumstances than anything encountered on a basketball court.
The Caitlin Clark Foundation announced the launch of “Turning Pages, Healing Hearts,” a new program designed to support pediatric patients and their families at children’s hospitals in Indiana and Iowa. Created in partnership with Scholastic, the initiative provides participating hospitals with book vending machines and tokens that allow young patients to select books based on their own interests. The program also includes arts and crafts activities and a welcome “joy finder.”
“We are honored to be bringing our new program, Turning Pages, Healing Hearts, to local hospitals!” the foundation announced on Instagram.
Clark shared the post on her Instagram Story and added an emotional response.
“So excited about our newest program,” Clark wrote alongside yellow and gray heart emojis and a teary-eyed emoji.
The program has already reached Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. It arrived Monday at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City and will expand to UnityPoint Health in Des Moines later in August.
Caitlin Clark’s foundation delivers more than books
Turning Pages, Healing Hearts is intended to give pediatric patients a sense of choice during an experience in which much of their daily lives may feel outside their control. Children can use tokens to select a book from the vending machine rather than simply receiving one chosen by someone else. That small detail allows each patient to find a story matching his or her own interests.
The program also is designed to create connections between patients, siblings, parents and hospital employees. Reading and creative activities can offer families an escape from medical routines while creating shared experiences inside the hospital. Clark founded her organization in October 2023 and established its headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, where she grew up. The foundation focuses on improving the lives of young people through education, nutrition and sports.
The new initiative directly connects two of those priorities. Books provide an educational component, while the program’s focus on happiness and relationships addresses the emotional well-being of children and their families.
Clark also is connecting the two places most closely associated with her public life. Iowa watched her become a national star with the Hawkeyes, while Indiana has embraced her as the face of the Fever. Turning Pages, Healing Hearts will serve hospitals in both states.
MORE: Slo-mo Angel Reese-Sophie Cunningham replay sparks outrage after Fever-Dream thriller
Clark’s impact keeps growing away from basketball
Clark’s foundation already has used her enormous platform to reach young people through multiple community programs. The newest project arrives while she remains in the middle of another outstanding WNBA season. The Fever improved to 23-12 with Sunday’s dramatic 95-91 overtime victory over Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream. Indiana erased an 18-point deficit to earn its fourth consecutive win and strengthen its playoff position.
Clark is averaging 22.0 points, 8.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Her play has helped transform Indiana into a contender and made her one of the most recognizable athletes in American sports. That visibility gives Clark the ability to bring significant attention to causes away from basketball.
The Fever will return to the court Tuesday against Marina Mabrey and the Toronto Tempo at 7 p.m. ET. Indiana then will travel to face the Dallas Wings on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Those games will bring more scoring numbers, assist totals and highlight clips.
Clark’s newest assist will not appear in a box score. It will be found in hospital rooms, where children can open a book, choose their own adventure and temporarily escape into a different world.
That impact could last far longer than any winning streak.