UCLA Players Entertain Children at Hospital

Five UCLA Bruins football team members were among volunteers who held a “Smoothie Fest” for patients at the UCLA Children’s Hospital this week.

Bruin quarterback Cade McNown and his teammates helped hospital officials and the staff of the Maui Beach Cafe mix fruit smoothies Tuesday for about 30 children, said Jeff Knight, who organized the event and owns the restaurant.

Knight, whose son received treatment at a children’s hospital as an infant, said he has been sponsoring events at UCLA Children’s Hospital for three months.

“The football players were terrific with the kids,” said Dr. Edward McCabe, the hospital’s physician-in-chief. Most of the older patients knew who the players were, McCabe said, and “the younger ones were just impressed by these huge guys.”