Children’s hospital throws surprise prom for hospitalized Ottawa teen

Nathalie Mercer, 17, had been anticipating prom for months.

Everything changed, however, when a June 5 MRI scan revealed that her frequent, unrelenting headaches were due to a hemorrhagic pineal cyst, a rare and potentially deadly cyst on her brain.

She was immediately hospitalized for monitoring. She would miss prom.

Two days later, staff at Children's Hospital Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa threw the teen a surprise prom in the hospital's activity room.

CHEO child life specialist Janet Corkery headed up the surprise. She told the Ottawa Citizen that in her 29 years at the hospital, Mercer's prom was the first of its kind.

"It was community event and we all kind of pulled together," she said. "We had a lot of fun with it."

Mercer wore her already selected prom dress. She had her hair and makeup done. Her boyfriend, Ryan Welch, showed up in suit and tie. The "Mamma Mia" soundtrack provided the dance music.

"I was just speechless the whole time," Mercer told the Ottawa Citizen. "I couldn’t believe how nice and willing they were to do this for me because I was missing my prom."

CHEO photographer and videographer Lucia Figueredo captured the event on camera, leaving Mercer with beautiful mementos of her special day.

After a second MRI — her pain level has lowered and doctors are mediating the pressure in her brain with medications — Mercer was discharged from the hospital. She will be able to graduate with her class this week.

This isn't the first story we've told of a hospital going above and beyond for its patients.

This February, an Ohio high school held a last-minute graduation ceremony in a student's mother's hospital room, complete with "Pomp and Circumstance."

Last month, a World War II vet and his long-time sweetheart wed in a Los Angeles veterans hospital.

And in Florida, a hospitalized high school senior recently attended graduation thanks to a nonprofit organization and the power of technology.