From patient to advocate: ASU grad turns personal challenges into child life advocacy
Megan Larsen, who spent much of her childhood in hospitals, learned how much child life specialists make a difference in patient care. Motivated by her experiences, she is graduating with a degree in family and human development to work in child life herself. Photo courtesy of Megan Larsen
Sometimes, it’s the kindness of others that changes the course of your life. For Megan Larsen, that kindness came from child life specialists during some of her most challenging stays at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
During one particularly difficult hospitalization after hip surgery, a child life specialist brought in an animal-assisted therapy volunteer to help with her first post-surgery steps.
“I was so scared about the possibility of pain and my surgery being unsuccessful,” she recalls. “The child life specialists at the hospital I was at knew that I loved dogs, so one of them went and found one of the animal-assisted therapy volunteers and brought them to my room as an incentive to walk to them.”
This moment left a lasting impression.
“I saw how supportive and helpful child life specialists were to me, and I knew that I wanted to help people in similar situations,” Larsen says.
Her commitment to child life advocacy became even more personal in 2020 when she lost her best friend, Ansley, whom she had met through their shared hospital experiences. Witnessing the struggles Ansley faced deepened Larsen’s resolve to make a difference for children in medical settings.
“Throughout Ansley’s health struggles, there were many times when she unfortunately was not taken care of in the way she should have been,” Larsen says. “I could see all the times that Ansley struggled when child life could have been a huge help to her.”
Motivated by these experiences, Larsen pursued a degree in family and human development at Arizona State University. During her degree, she embraced every opportunity to prepare for her career, including a practicum in Cape Town, South Africa. Though not directly affiliated with ASU, the practicum was recommended by one of her professors and became a defining point for her. She spent four weeks working full time in public hospitals and introducing child life practices in a setting where such programs don’t yet exist.
Now, as Larsen graduates, she is preparing to apply for competitive child life internships to start her career. We caught up with her to learn more about her time at ASU, the experiences that shaped her and her plans for the future.
Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
Answer: During my time at ASU, I had the opportunity to participate in a child life practicum in Cape Town, South Africa. On one of the days at the hospital, we were on the orthopedic floor, which is the floor where I spent most of my hospitalizations in the U.S. A child on this floor in Africa had external fixators on both legs, and they needed to be cleaned daily. This cleaning doesn’t really hurt, but it can sting and be scary. I was able to talk with the child about what this procedure was like for him and how he felt about having to do it every day. The day before this, he was very upset during the cleaning and did not want my preceptor there. On this day, however, he wanted us there and wanted to talk and play with us. He did not cry or squirm during the cleaning, and he was even smiling throughout it.
This experience in South Africa and with this sweet little boy changed my perspective on human connection and showed me how healing it can be. Most of the children that I met in Africa were in the hospital for days and weeks at a time without their families ever coming to visit. All that boy needed was someone to sit with him in his scary moments and tell him that he was going to be OK and that it would be over soon.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: Dr. Stacie Foster taught me so much, in and out of the classroom. I was lucky enough to be able to take three classes taught by her, each one teaching me new and important things. The most important thing I’ve learned from Dr. Foster is that it’s OK to ask for help! Whether that help is academic, emotional, etc. I know that ASU is a huge school, and it can sometimes feel like professors don’t care about you as an individual and would be unwilling to help you. I learned that this isn’t the case, and your professors truly do want you to succeed and thrive and they will do what they can to help you with that.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: Keep going! There have been so many times I’ve thought that I wasn’t good enough or smart enough to graduate or have a career in my chosen field. I’m so glad that I stuck it out and that I am able to graduate.
Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?
A: My favorite spot on the Tempe campus is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion on McAllister. I love the $15 parking, but I also love that whenever I’m there, I know I’ll be met with smiling faces, free snacks and comfy chairs to study in. There are multiple areas of the institute, including a quiet study room, a common area to socialize with friends, and classrooms with different classes happening throughout the day. I have really enjoyed getting to meet students in all different majors and walks of life that I wouldn’t have ever met in my regular ASU classes.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: Universal health care! I’d obviously need a lot more money to get it fully situated, but it would be a start. I believe that everyone deserves access to medical care without worrying about if their insurance will cover it or if they can afford to have a life-saving surgery.
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