An impromptu visit from Captain Jack Sparrow was a surprise treasure for some young cancer patients.

Actor Johnny Depp, who was in Spain for the San Sebastian Film Festival, dressed as the famous character from the popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series and dropped into the Osakidetza Donostia University Hospital.

Depp visited the pediatric and oncology wards, where he interacted with the delighted children and their families.

CHILDREN ONCE HELD HOSTAGE STILL WORKING THROUGH TRAUMA: ‘ARE THEY COMING FOR US AGAIN?’

A spokesperson from the hospital described the actor’s visit as “exciting, endearing and unforgettable.”

“Both the children admitted to the hospital and their families and professionals who were working at that time welcomed him with great enthusiasm and affection,” the spokesperson said. 

“In a situation of illness, anyone, but especially children, greatly appreciates a distraction of this magnitude. It was a breath of fresh air, a magical moment in which they forgot about their illness and were transported to the magical world of pirates.”

A spokesperson from the hospital described the actor’s visit as “exciting, endearing and unforgettable.” (Osakidetza Donostia University Hospital /TMX)

The entire hospital team, the admitted children and their families are all “enormously grateful” for Depp’s visit, the spokesperson said. 

“It has been a pleasure and an honor to have Jack Sparrow with us, a great pirate.”

‘Meaningful impact’

Harpreet Pall, MD, chair of pediatrics at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, confirmed that a celebrity role model visiting a children’s hospital can have a “meaningful impact” on the patients’ emotional health.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Some of the psychological benefits include improved self-esteem and confidence, distraction from illness, improved optimism and a morale boost,” Pall told Fox News Digital. 

Actor Johnny Depp arrives for the world premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” in Shanghai on May 11, 2017. (Getty Images)

“A celebrity visit can create excitement and decrease some of the stress of being in the hospital.”

The visit can also increase children’s engagement with their health care team, the doctor said, leading to better adherence to the treatment plan. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Pall added, “In addition, having a positive outlook and social interaction promotes healing for hospitalized children.”

Gardening could help aging adults stay sharp later in life, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that tending to gardens at an older age is associated with “small but detectable cognitive benefits.”

The long-term study tracked participants who shared details of their lifestyles and completed “frequent assessments” of their thinking skills up to age 90.

ELLEN DEGENERES HAS OSTEOPOROSIS: HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PAINFUL BONE CONDITION

The “Lothian Birth Cohort 1921” study followed people who were born in the Edinburgh area, starting at age 11. The participants regularly took an intelligence test known as the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932. 

Hundreds of participants sat for the same exam at age 79.

Out of 467 participants, 31% had never gardened, while 43% gardened regularly.

The results revealed that the 280 who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “greater lifetime improvement in cognitive ability compared with those who never gardened or rarely did so.”

OZEMPIC PUSH FOR SENIORS? SOME DOCTORS SAY MORE PEOPLE AGE 65 AND OVER SHOULD BE ON IT

Between the ages of 79 and 90, the participants’ cognitive ability — including memory, problem-solving and word fluency — declined in general, but the researchers found that the “earlier advantage of gardeners endured.”

The results revealed that the 280 who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “greater lifetime improvement in cognitive ability compared with those who never gardened or rarely did so.” (iStock)

Study co-author Dr. Janie Corley wrote in a press release how identifying behaviors that “facilitate healthy cognitive aging are of major public interest for the prevention of cognitive decline and dementia.”

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health

“Gardening is a key leisure activity in late adulthood,” she said. “Engaging in gardening projects, learning about plants and general garden upkeep involve complex cognitive processes, such as memory and executive function.” 

She continued, “Consistent with the ‘use it or lose it’ framework of cognitive function, more engagement in gardening may be directly associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Dr. Azza Halim, MD, an anti-aging specialist, noted that gardening has been studied as an anti-aging activity for seniors, providing physical, mental and emotional benefits, including for longevity and cognition.

“It is important to engage in physical and social activities to maintain youthfulness,” an expert said. (iStock)

Gardening also counts as “low-impact exercise” that is beneficial for cardiac health and circulation, the physician added.

“It provides mental stimulation to reduce cognitive decline, as well as fostering mental and emotional well-being, relaxation and decreased anxiety,” she said. 

“At any age, it is important to engage in physical and social activities to maintain youthfulness — and more so in later years to stave off high blood pressure, depression, weight gain and cognitive decline.”

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.

Use escape to exit the menu.