Meet the ‘Joy Ambassador’ Spreading Smiles with Silly Costumes at a Dallas Children’s Hospital

Malia Litman, maneuvered her red scooter through the halls of Children’s Medical Center Dallas and turned into the radiology waiting area. Wearing an ice cream–patterned dress, pink tights and a colorful wig, she stopped by a woman and her two children. 

“Did you know it’s National Ice Cream Day?” Malia asked, reaching into her toy-filled basket. She handed a plastic ice-cream cone to the girl and another to the boy. Then, suddenly, a yellow foam “ice cream” scoop flew out of the cone through the air—it was connected to a 

string! The children giggled, forgetting for a few minutes about the stress of their hospital visit.

The power of silly

Malia, a retired attorney, is no stranger to hospitals, having put herself through law school by working as a nurse in the ICU. The 66-year-old also understands the fear that comes with a frightening medical diagnosis, remembering what it was like when she heard the words “multiple
sclerosis” 25 years ago. 

When her condition worsened eight years ago, Malia took action and found a stem cell study. Happily, she was approved to participate and experienced significant improvement. Grateful, she wanted to give back to the medical community and decided to volunteer at the children’s hospital.

After completing the training program, she was assigned to the library. On her first day, Malia slipped on her standard-issue volunteer jacket and distributed books. But the kids didn’t feel well, and they didn’t feel like reading. She hated seeing the kids so sad.

The following month, as St. Patrick’s Day neared, Malia tried a different approach. She showed up in a curly green wig, and the kids loved it. They burst out laughing whenever she entered a room.

The simple act of wearing a silly wig snowballed into full costumes, face paint, fake eyelashes and jewelry to match. Instead of handing out books, Malia gifted the patients small toys. By transforming her look each Thursday from a cookie-cutter uniform to fun characters-—Cat in the Hat, Snow White and Super Mario to name a few—she found a way to entertain, engage and connect with pediatric patients.

Malia’s collection of over 50 costumes now fills two closets in her home. “I love my mermaid one,” says Malia. “People think I ride my scooter because I can’t walk in my fishtails.” Her unicorn outfit is another favorite. She also coordinates outfits with holidays, dressing as a Ghostbuster for Halloween and a turkey for Thanksgiving.

And the fun starts the minute she leaves her house. Stepping out her front door, she is greeted by a chalk drawing her husband leaves on the driveway with a saying related to that day’s costume.

The joy ambassador

One day, while dressed as Princess Leia from Star Wars, Malia met a woman and her 2-year-old daughter in the chemotherapy unit. The girl was sick, and the mother was sad. Malia gave the little girl a toy and received a wide smile in return. Afterward, the mother asked if she could take a picture of her daughter with Malia. 

“As a mother, I love having pictures of my kids. They’re all over my house. With their kids being so sick, these parents don’t tend to take photos of their kids. But this mom had a picture of her daughter smiling, knowing she was happy that day.” 

Not only do the patients and their families enjoy seeing Malia’s costumes, but so do the hospital team members. Throughout her shift, Malia takes pictures with staff and then posts them on Instagram with encouraging messages. 

“Malia has filled a void we didn’t know was there,” says Julie Powell, Director of Auxiliary Services at Children’s Health.

“I like to call her the ‘joy ambassador.’”

“When I started volunteering, I thought I was doing it for the kids and the staff, and now I feel like I do it for me just as much,” says Malia. “The hugs and the smiles I get…there’s nothing that can match that. I have the best job!”