Research Medical Center
February 09, 2023

Kansas City, MO — While the Kansas City Chiefs were landing in Phoenix, Arizona, preparing for Super Bowl LVII, staff at Research Medical Center was busy planning and decorating their respective care units in Kansas City Chiefs décor. And, like the mother of Super Bowl-bound Kelce brothers, there were fans for both teams in the Research Medical Center Spirit Week SUPERbowl décor contest.

Brooke Beck was also a Chiefs cheerleader from 2016-2019, an enthusiastic ambassador for an NFL team on the cusp of stardom. As a seven-year dietitian at Research Medical Center, Beck cheered on a different kind of contest: A Chiefs Kingdom SUPERBowl décor battle that pitted the Research Medical Center PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) and Operating Room (OR) vs. FNS (Food & Nutrition Services) for top billing in the hospital-wide competition.

It was all part of the fun for hospital employees and patients during Research Medical Center's Spirit Week. In addition to the two units creatively decorated in red and gold, another element of fun was an Eagles fan trying her best to outdo colleagues dressed in Chiefs gear. PACU manager and member of Team PACU & OR, Mandy Cross admits she will “always root for the Chiefs except when they play the Eagles!”

Beck of Team FNS loved seeing patients enjoy all of the hospital unit's decorations and the spirited fun in PACU and OR compete again for the best decorated unit contest.

The contest winner was decided via public likes on Research Medical Center's Facebook page, with the winning unit earning a pizza party and local media getting in on the spirit, capturing the final moments when winner PACU & OR was announced. PACU & OR earned 30% of the more than 2500 “fans” voting during the contest.

“It was so much fun decorating the department and watching the creativity of our team,” Cross says. “Plus, it was thrilling to see efforts of other colleagues decorating their units and cheering on people to vote.” Beck continued, “The biggest impact for us was to see and hear how much our patients and their families appreciated the spirit and decorations. No one wants to be in the hospital —especially during the excitement leading up to and during the Super Bowl. But this added some joy to their stay, making it all worth it.”