St. Joseph’s Physicians And Staff Show Off Their Surgical Skills on Halloween Pumpkins And Offer Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips

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PHOENIX, Ariz. (Oct. 31, 2025) – Halloween is here and physicians, clinical staff, and hospital leaders from Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center carved out some time to use their surgical skills on helpless Halloween pumpkins at the hospital’s annual Doc-O-Lantern Pumpkin Carving Contest. Participants had just 30 minutes to etch Jack O’ Lantern designs into their pumpkins. Some even used sophisticated surgical equipment to make their “gourd-geous” creations. Special guests this year included Arizona Diamondbacks players Alek Thomas and Brandyn Garcia, and Arizona Cardinals alumni J.J. Nelson and Justin Bethel. This year’s winning squash was carved by surgeons at St. Joseph’s Norton Thoracic Institute.

While the contest showcased the surgeon’s creative abilities, the participating doctors also remind Valley residents about the importance of Halloween safety.

“Hospitals all over the country are haunted by Halloween-related injuries every year,” said Doug Ross, MD, President and CEO at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s. “We want to make sure Valley residents have a safe celebration, and we are prepared in case their Halloween isn’t all sweet.”

Pumpkin carving tips include:

Cut Away From Your Body: Don’t carve towards yourself. Slice the other way in small, controlled strokes.
Smarter, Not Sharper: A sharp knife can become lodged in the thicker parts of the pumpkin and cause serious injury if your hand is in the wrong place when it dislodges. Local stores sell special carving kits that include small serrated saws, which are less likely to get stuck in the pumpkin and are not sharp enough to cause a deep injury.
Location. Location. Location: Set up your carving station in a clean, dry, and well-lit area. Wash and thoroughly dry the cutting area, your hands, and all tools that you will use to carve your pumpkin. Moisture can cause slipping which can lead to injuries.
A Sharp Little Rule: Little hands and sharp tools do not mix. While children can draw the design on the pumpkin and clean out the inside, an adult should do the actual carving.
Big People Needed: It only takes a second for an injury to occur, so supervise closely. Do not leave children or adolescents alone with carving tools.

Trick-or-treating tips include:

Street Smarts: Carrying glow sticks or flashlights and equipping costumes with reflective tape are all ways to make trick-or-treaters more visible for drivers. When roaming streets in search of the best candy, remember the importance of safety in numbers and looking both ways before crossing the street.
Beware of Stranger Danger: Children should always be supervised and instructed to never enter a stranger’s home.
Shorter Spooks: Costume selection is fun and exciting for all ages, but the best way to ward off trips and falls is to make sure that costumes are not too long and that high heels are not too tall.
Boo the Sweet Tooth: Along with checking candy for tampering before eating, try to keep kids from eating too much candy while collecting. Make sure they have a good meal before leaving home.