6 December 2021

Santa makes a special stop at Shriners Children’s locations with the help of NTT and Cisco’s telehealth technology

Shriners Children’s Patients get a special virtual visit from Kris Kringle this year, live from the North Pole.

New York –  6 December 2021 – As Santa finishes making his list and checking it twice, NTT Ltd., a world-leading global technology services provider, in partnership with Cisco, a leading global technology manufacturer, partner with Shriners Children’s to help him come to town…virtually. Together, the organizations have arranged to link the North Pole and select Shriners Children’s locations so children have the opportunity to pass along their wishes directly to Santa, and of course ask for their hearts’ desire.

Santa’s elves have once again advised him to limit his travel by reindeer and sleigh, and to continue taking extra precautions this holiday season. As such, Mr. Claus and his workshop will be transported to each hospital location via the same telehealth technology used to connect medical professionals with patients that live far away or are unable to visit in person, which have proven to be invaluable during these pressing pandemic times.

A leader in hybrid workplace transformation, these companies are no stranger to remote work and have collaborated with Shriners facilities and the Big Man himself to utilize state-of-the-art technology to connect patients and Santa virtually, long before the pandemic. In fact, 2021 marks the ninth consecutive year NTT, Cisco and Shriners Children’s have worked together to facilitate these virtual visits, leveraging technology that is increasingly relevant with doctors, patients, employees, and elves, wanting the flexibility to decide where they work and how they communicate - whether that be from home, in the office or a hybrid of the two.

“The COVID 19 pandemic has changed the world we all live in. Safety is the top priority for Shriners Children’s, and as such visitation restrictions have changed. These changes apply to everybody, even Santa Claus, who will not let a pandemic get in the way of visiting children who may be more susceptible to illness and infection. We are happy to leverage our technology and capabilities to team up with good old Saint Nick to deliver these virtual touchpoints and memorable moments for these children,” said Peter Cutts, SVP, Digital Advisory and Innovation at NTT Ltd.

Children will have the opportunity to virtually visit with Santa in real-time thanks to web-enabled cameras, microphones and displays in Santa’s Village-inspired locations that will have been prepared in advance by the North Pole’s own Gingerbread Decorating Committee. And for the many patients, this experience helps make their time at Shriners Children’s more special around the holiday season. Santa’s helper elves will help them speak with Santa on a laptop or tablet. Following their chat with old Saint Nick, each child will receive a special gift to commemorate the time they spoke with Santa live from his office in the North Pole.

This year, the Cyber Santa event will be held on December 7 in St. Louis, MO and Spokane, WA, and December 8 in Philadelphia, PA and Chicago, IL. The schedule is as follows:

• December 7: St. Louis – 9:00 am to 12:00 pm ET
• December 7: Spokane – 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET (10:00 am to 1:00 pm PT)
• December 8: Philadelphia – 9:00 am to 12:00 pm ET
• December 8: Chicago – 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET

-ENDS-

About NTT Ltd.

NTT Ltd. is a leading, global technology services company. To help our clients achieve their digital transformation goals, we use our global capabilities, expertise, and full-stack technology services delivered through our integrated services platform. As their long-term strategic partner, we help them enhance customer and employee experience, transform their cloud strategy, modernize their networks and strengthen their cybersecurity. And across their transformation priorities, we automate their business processes and IT, drawing insights and analytics from their core business data. As a global ICT provider, we employ more than 50,000 people across 57 countries, trading in 73 countries and delivering services in over 200 countries and regions. Together we enable the connected future.

Visit us at hello.global.ntt

About  Shriners Children’s

Shriners Children’s is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. Our health care system provides advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. All care and services are provided regardless of the families' ability to pay. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. For more information, please visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

Media enquiries:

Evan Jordan
NTT Ltd.
T: +1-704-943-9345
E: evan.jordan@global.ntt

Stephanie Byrwa
Shriners Children’s
T: +1-215-983-0401
E: sbyrwa@shrinenet.org