Bethesda, MD – The Children’s Inn at NIH announced today that NASA astronaut Kjell N Lindgren, MD will visit The Inn and the NIH Clinical Center on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. This will be the second NASA astronaut that has visited children and their families since The Inn established a partnership with NASA Headquarters in 2014.
Dr. Lindgren is a member of the 20th NASA astronaut class. He launched into space with crewmates cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and astronaut Kimiya Yui on July 23, 2015, and docked at the International Space Station after four orbits. During the expedition, the crew performed over a hundred different scientific experiments, including research in Earth and space science and technology development. Dr. Lindgren conducted two spacewalks before the crew landed its spacecraft in Kazakhstan on December 11, 2015.
Dr. Lindgren is expected to speak about his spaceflight experience at 4:00 p.m. at The Inn and allow the children to ask questions and take photos. He will later meet with the families at the NIH Clinical Center.
Established in 1990, The Children’s Inn at NIH is a private, nonprofit residence for children and their families participating in pediatric research at the Clinical Center of the world-renowned National Institutes of Health. Children are hoping for a cure while being treated for conditions including heart, lung, blood, bone and growth disorders, cancer, mental health issues and undiagnosed diseases.
“We always look forward to having special visitors,” says Cristen Cravath, Family Program & Community Outreach Coordinator. “NASA scientists have come for many activities. They helped us create beautiful star lights to hang in the trees on our playground for the holiday season, taught the children about the planets, and have done several different craft projects with the families.”
ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S INN AT NIH:
The Children’s Inn at NIH is a nonprofit “Place Like Home” where families stay while their children are participating in medical research at the NIH. The Inn reduces the burden of illness through therapeutic, educational and recreational programming – all at no cost to the families. Since opening in 1990, more than 12,000 families from across the world have considered The Inn their home. As a partner in discovery and care with the NIH, The Inn strives for the day when no family endures the heartbreak of a seriously ill child.
