Real-life Santas- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Real-life Santas- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
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December 10, 1999
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In This Issue:
Real-life Santas
A legacy of caring
BWH is Y2K ready
Partners in Excellence Awards
Sharing holiday traditions
PIKE NOTES
Needle Safety Week
Manson honored by Women's Health Leadership Forum
This Christmas, Santa Claus will arrive at the homes of several area families-families who cannot afford a holiday meal or toys for their children. Though they may not be wearing red suits, it is members of the BWH staff who took the reins to spread some holiday cheer to those who need it most. One such effort brings Graduate Medical Education (GME), Burn Trauma, Dermatology, Care Coordination, Biomedical Engineering, and Physician Services together to help Idene of Dorchester and her nine foster children, ages one to 13 years, celebrate the holidays. For the second year in a row, a giving tree was adorned with ornaments bearing each child's name and age with a dollar amount. Staff members take the ornaments and buy toys and clothes for the family, while some donate money to purchase a holiday meal, and others bake deserts. Three days before Christmas, this group will borrow a truck to deliver food, decorations, and gifts to Idene and her family. Similar efforts are happening all around the hospital. Nurses on the IV team have for years collected money to donate to various charities, and for the second straight year, they have decided to play Santa to a Brighton family in need. Members of Nursing Administration, rather than exchanging gifts with one another, decided to give gifts to a homeless family in Roxbury whose children attend the Maurice J. Tobin School. They were so successful that they collected enough presents for three families. Individuals have contributed clothes to Care Coordination for patients who are homeless or don't have clothes to wear home. One physician gave two TV/VCR units to the hospital to be used for patient education videos. And hundreds of cans of food have been collected in the Cafeteria and will be delivered to Action for Boston Community Development. Shawn Vanner, GME, summed up the feelings of many, "Whether we contributed toys or food or wrapped gifts or gave money, each of us felt the magic of the holidays and shared it with someone less fortunate than ourselves."