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Anna Taylor/Playmate

For Anna, work is all fun and games. Being silly, goofy and zany are part of her job description as a Child Life Specialist at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. “I make children’s lives less stressful and distract them,” Anna explains. “They need to be kids when they’re here and continue to develop naturally through play.” Like 7-year-old Sydney, whose mom “wrote” “Hit the Road Cancer” (sung, of course, to the tune of “Hit the Road Jack”). “We sing and dance all the time,” says Anna. “She’s a ham.” Miss Anna, as she’s frequently called, is usually bedside while kids get IV’s or stitches. “They request me a lot and won’t allow anything to happen until I arrive. That means I’m doing my job,” she smiles. Believe it or not, kids pitch a fit when it’s time to go home. “That’s our goal. They have to be here, so we want them to look forward to it.”