Spring donations are always fun to give to patients and parents. It's a beautiful time of year, so an even more difficult time to be stuck in the hospital. This month Rowan helped me pick out arts and crafts sets, Easter baskets, stuffed animals, window clings and filled eggs for patients who would be spending Easter in the hospital this year (like he has multiple times).
We also wanted to bless parents of the longer term patients who were in intensive care or on the oncology/transplant floor, so we purchased them large fluffy towels and rags, refillable water bottles and chocolates for them.
Ian and Rowan helped me label and load everything into the car, and Rowan and I delivered these items to Child Life at Methodist Children's Hospital a couple weeks ago. They were so happy to receive them.
After delivering the Easter goodies, we talked to staff members from Child Life, the surgical floor and art therapy, and asked them what some of their immediate needs or wish list items were. Then, we were able to fulfill those as well.
The staff on the surgical floor mentioned that they could use more onesies for some of the littlest patients who are sometimes in the hospital alone, so that the nurses can change them into fresh clothes when they need to. We supplied them with 75 onesies this time.
Child Life asked us for more of the newborn infant care kits that we have done in the past. Those are always so much fun to put together, and they tell us that the parents really appreciate them.
Child Life also requested more of the parent kits that we make up for parents of hem/onc/transplant patients who are newly diagnosed with Cancer, or who are suddenly and unexpectedly admitted for long stays. They include the items that I always find myself needing when I am in the hospital with Rowan for lengthy stays. The feedback on these kits has been overwhelmingly positive.
Laundry is another hurdle when you are in the hem/onc/transplant wing of the hospital for weeks at a time with your child. They do have a washer and dryer available for parent use on this floor though, so we try to donate laundry detergent and fabric softener supplies several times a year. This time, we gave them enough for 100 loads of parent/patient laundry. This will help them wash their own personal blankets and clothes, during transplant stays or while their child is undergoing chemo for weeks at a time.
The hospital staff has told us in the past how much infant mobiles and crib soothers help young ones in the hospital, so we always try to include some of those, as well as infant mirrors.
Finally, the Art therapist gave us a wish list of items to refill the art cart that we donated this past year, as well as supplies for other art therapy projects she has planned. This stuff was fun to shop for, and I can't wait to see the projects they are able to create with it. Art is Rowan's favorite thing to do in the hospital, so I know how much these kids will enjoy these items.
canvases, paints and paint brushes...
wood projects to paint and decorate...
t-shirts to tie dye...
construction paper, tissue paper, paper mache boxes, sticky boards...
sharpies, markers, glitter and glitter glue...
stickers, pipe cleaners, feathers and pompoms...
alpha beads and beads and charms for teens...
Between the Easter donations and parent gifts, and all of the other items pictured above, these two deliveries will help 50+ parents and up to 400 patients. We couldn't be happier that we are able to do that.
Here are some photos of Rowan delivering some of the donations earlier this week. He took boxes to the Art therapist at the infusion clinic...
and then three deliveries next door to the hospital: to the pediatric surgical nurses on the 3rd floor...
to the hematology/oncology/transplant staff on the 4th floor...
as well as to the hospital's Child Life staff...
If anyone would ever like to donate or be involved in one of these giving projects, or knows of any companies that may like to, please do not hesitate to contact me. Giving to patients and their parents, who spend many of their days in the hospital, is a very rewarding experience...and the reason we started Rowan's foundation many years ago. We know what it's like ourselves, but it really helps to take the focus off of ourselves, and place it onto others in need.
