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Children's Hospital Moves To New Home

Hospital Moved To New 270 Bed Facility

POSTED: 11:12 am MDT September 29, 2007

After years of planning, Children's Hospital is finally making its move, transporting more than 123 patients from downtown Denver to its new facility at Interstate 225 and East Colfax Avenue.

Hospital administrators call the new 1.44 million-square-foot facility "high-tech, high-touch and family-friendly," with an Xbox in every room, Internet, and everything they could think of to make things easier for patients who deserve it the most.

Marlee Burkett is one of the patients moving to the new facility.

Diagnosed with a rare liver disorder when she was 7 weeks old, she's been in and out of The Children's Hospital most of her life.

"They call us frequent flyers," her father Lance Burkett said with a laugh.

So, it's only fitting Marlee is one of dozens of patients here to say goodbye to what has been a home away from home for so many.

"I said, 'You stayed in this room once and that room, and that's where you had your surgery,'" said her mother, Holly Burkett. "Lots of memories and friends ... it's very sentimental."

The walls in the old buildings have been covered with written farewells.

"What one of the nurses said was is it felt like the building was grieving," said Dr. Joan Bothner, Children's Hospital chief medical officer.

"You go through the hospital and see messages that nurses have left on the walls. Patients left messages, medical staff. There's a lot of attachment," said Jim Schmerling, president and chief executive officer.

However, as Children's turns off the lights at their downtown facility Saturday, a new chapter begins.

"There are places to store food, the waiting rooms have amazing views, there’s so much more for parents here," said Holly Burkett.

There is more for kids, too.

Marlee Burkett said she has big plans.

"I want to be a doctor and work at the new Children's Hospital," she said.

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