Making Spirits Bright brings holiday joy to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital

SPOKANE, Wash. — The KXLY Extreme Team prepares to unveil its 10th annual Making Spirits Bright display, transforming Spokane’s Cowley Park into a winter wonderland of holiday lights designed to bring joy to young patients at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.

Among those eagerly awaiting the reveal is 11-year-old Kaia Miller, who has been battling leukemia since her diagnosis in August. The inspiring young girl has spent time at Sacred Heart undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Seeing the setup process of Making Spirits Bright has given her a sense of comfort during a difficult time.

“I think it just reminds me of home,” Kaia said.

For Kaia, who describes Christmas as “definitely my favorite holiday,” the lights provide a connection to home and family traditions. “Me and my mom love to decorate the house a lot,” Kaia explained.

Her mother, Mikal Miller, acknowledges the difficulty of being away from home during the holidays while her daughter receives treatment. “She’s a great kid,” Mikal said. “This whole process has been very hard on us.”

The Making Spirits Bright display has provided extra joy during their hospital stay. “It’s nice to be able to, to at least get a little bit of that Christmas magic,” Mikal said.

The Making Spirits Bright event involves the KXLY Extreme Team decorating multiple trees with thousands of lights, creating an elaborate display visible from the hospital. The project generates excitement not only among patients but also among hospital staff who have witnessed its impact over the years.

“It brightens up the area and it just makes it a little more cheerful,” said Ellie Yoshioka, a child life specialist at Sacred Heart. She notes that the display becomes a daily source of joy for children staying at the hospital during the holiday season.

“We have kids every day going to the balcony to look at them and looking out their windows, and it kind of just makes it feel more like a homey, normal environment for them during the holidays,” Yoshioka said.

For Kaia, this will be her first time seeing the lights.

“Seeing them for the first time will make it very exciting, for sure,” Kaia said. “I think I will sit by the window and stare at them for a little bit.”