MOBILE - No driver’s license?  No problem…at least, for some young patients at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital!

Thanks to a gift from Joe Bullard Hummer in Mobile, children at Children’s & Women’s can take the wheel of a child-size version of the Hummer sport utility vehicle and drive down the hallways to their next medical procedure.

“Children love to have fun, even when they’re in the hospital; in fact, especially when they’re in the hospital,” Dr. Becky DeVillier, USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital administrator, said.  “This toy Hummer from Joe Bullard is a real treat and a fun distraction for children on their way to surgery or receiving treatments.”

"Joe Bullard Hummer is pleased to provide these mini-Hummers to USA Children's & Women’s Hospital for the benefit of its young patients,” said Joe Bullard, owner of Joe Bullard Hummer. "We're grateful for the wonderful service Children's & Women’s provides so many families, and we're proud to help in any way we can.”

The battery-powered Hummer has a top speed of about five miles per hour.  Most drivers will be between the ages of 3 to 8.

"We call this ‘diversion therapy,’” said Brenda White, certified Child Life specialist at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital.  “This gift will help our young patients take their minds off their illness or injuries, and that aids them in the recovery process.  Plus, the vehicles are just plain fun.”