It was a night to remember Friday at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, where patients got all dressed up and danced the night away at the hospital’s annual prom for patients.

  • Prom organized by hospital's Child Life team
  • Theme for this year's prom: "super heroes"

The prom is organized by the hospital’s Child Life team, who makes it a priority to make the hospital feel a little more like home.

"This is a time to celebrate them," said Child Life Specialist Elizabeth Walters. "They are champions -- they go through so much more than any of us could ever imagine, so we want to give back to them. Let them have a time to forget all those things they've been through."

The theme of this year's prom for patients was all about super heroes. Before the big night, however, patients got to be pampered with the works: Dresses, suits, hair, makeup, and accessories.

It all leads up to the extravagant evening, where they got to trade in their hospital gowns for ball gowns.

"We see them on a day to day basis when they're in their beds, in their rooms, maybe can't even come out of their rooms not feeling well," Walters said. "Prom lights them up. They're dancing, they're out there moving and grooving."

Noni Gurley, 16, a longtime patient at St. Joseph's Children's, told us the annual event makes her and her friends feel special, and forget about their every day struggles.

"I love that type of atmosphere, because it makes you feel alive, makes you feel like you want to do more," Gurley said. "I get to see them have the most important day of their lives to have fun and not be so sad that they're in the hospital."