BATON ROUGE – LSU women’s basketball head coach Nikki Caldwell and the Lady Tigers continue to make an impact in the community as the team lifted the spirits of several children at the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital this week with a surprise visit.
The staff and players spent over an hour walking from room to room, greeting patients, signing autographs, passing out Lady Tiger t-shirts and taking photos with patients. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital has been Baton Rouge’s leading pediatric care since opening its doors in 1945.
LaSondra Barrett, a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award candidate, said the experience was a rewarding and uplifting one for the team.
“Visiting with children and making their day is always one of the most heartfelt things we do,” said Barrett. “Our hearts go out to children who aren’t able to experience a childhood that a lot of people do. It makes you appreciate a lot of things, and we want to be there for them to help in any way possible.”
Theresa Plaisance and the rest of the team took several lessons from the hospital visit, but none more important than seeing how impactful a team can be to make a child’s day.
“Visiting the Children’s Hospital is a humbling experience,” said Plaisance. “Seeing how excited the kids are when we are present makes you open your eyes and realize what an impact we have and how much they look up to us. It’s a great feeling and really inspiring to be a part of.”
Caldwell and the Lady Tigers have been of constant service in the city of Baton Rouge since the summer. During the Christmas holiday, the squad teamed up with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank for a holiday food drive. The Lady Tigers spent over an hour boxing and packaging a month’s supply of food for needy children in the area.