Dancers from Fox Valley Ballet, who performed in “The Nutcracker” at Batavia Fine Arts Centre, visited children in the hospital to brighten their day, according to a news release.

The Snow Queen, Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy visited five children at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield on Dec. 18.

Alina Fertal, 14, was Clara, Abigail Tallman, 18, was the Sugar Plum Fairy – both from Naperville – and Kathryn O’Brochta, 15, of Lemont was the Snow Queen, according to the release.

Ballet director Ashlie Andersen of Montgomery chose to have the ballerinas come to the hospital because 11 years ago, she spent five weeks there on bed rest following the birth of her twins.

As a member of the hospital’s Perinatal and Pediatric Family Advisory Council, Andersen helped inform them that children in the hospital are still children.

“They like visits from superheroes and Santa,” Northwestern Medicine spokeswoman Aneta Crisp said. “The council also gets donations for games, toys and activities to help make sure children are treated as children, even though they are in the hospital.”