USA players and coaches spent their day off from training for this weekend's Summer Series game against Scotland by visiting kids in treatment at the Texas Children's Hospital Cancer and Hematology Center in Houston.
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Players Marcel Brache, John Quill, Dylan Fawsitt, Paul Mullen, and Hanco Germishys were all there, along with head coach Gary Gold and assistant coach Greg McWilliams.
Also visiting were Houston SaberCats players Alex Elkins, Zach Pangelinan, and Cecil Garber. The players and coaches sat down with the kids to do crafts (mostly making cardboard soccer jerseys as the FIFA World Cup was kicking off).
In addition, some of the players tried their hand at decorating tiles that are used in turn to decorate the hospital's end-of-treatment bell, which kids ring when they get the good news that they don't have to come back.
Players and coaches met other patients in treatment or sat with them in the various open areas.
"It's nothing but a pleasure to be here," Gold said. "I am so glad we were able to do this."
"It's a very humbling experience," added Brache, fresh of being chased around the open area by one young patient. "Just really puts things in perspective."
On young patient made quite an impression. His illness has affected his eyesight and thus he interacts more tactilely with people. He was quick with a hug for the players.
"That's the cutest thing I have ever seen," Germishys said.
Added Fawsitt: "It just melts your heart right there."
Fawsitt, for his part, bought a craft one of the patients had made. The cost was $4, but somehow the patients talked him up to $8.
Texas Children's is part of the massive Texas Medical Center complex, which employs and treats about 100,000 people every day.
The Texas Children's Hospital Cancer and Hematology Center is an out-patient facility. Kids come in for treatment but are able to go home to spend the rest of the time with their families. All of the children in these photos had their pictures taken with the permission of their parents or guardians.