Health

Photo Gallery: Beloved stuffies get a check-up from mock health clinic

From Yertle the Turtle to the Snuggle bear, students at Longfellow Elementary in north Fargo brought in their favorite stuffed toys for a check-up with a goal to make doctor visits less mysterious.

FARGO — Going to the doctor can be an overwhelming experience. To help young people become more comfortable with doctor visits, members of the North High School HOSA-Future Health Professionals set up a "Teddy Bear Clinic" at Longfellow Elementary School on Friday, April 25. First graders brought their beloved stuffed animals, from Yertle the Turtle, made famous by Dr.

Seuss, to a vintage Snuggles bear, to Donkey to Bamboo, a plush panda. Each stuffed animal received a medical checkup from members of the North High School HOSA-Future Health Professionals, who acted as health care providers. The organization encourages North Dakota high schoolers to "develop skills, commit to learning, and become thriving healthcare leaders," according to the organization's website .

The goal of the clinic is to educate the young students about health care and healthy habits and to reduce their anxiety around their own medical visits, according to the organization..