DANBURY, Conn.,
Aug. 19, 2013
/Christian Newswire/ -- Emergency Department professionals
at Broward Health North (BHN) in Deerfield Beach, Fla. see more than
7,500 pediatric patients every year for all types of medical problems
and injuries. Earlier this year, the hospital introduced Comfort Kits to
help soothe anxious children who are being treated. "I knew as soon as I
had seen these kits that Broward Health North's Emergency Department
needed them immediately," said Kathy Zizzo, Emergency Department patient
representative. "We've had great response from kids and their parents."
An equal delight for the professionals came when the
hospital was informed that a board-certified emergency room physician
recently helped Guideposts achieve a major milestone. "We were very
excited to find out we provided the 100,000th Guideposts for Kids
Comfort Kit to one of our pediatric patients," said Pauline Grant, CEO
of BHN. "We strive to provide a five-star experience to all of our
patients, and these kits more than support our goals, they give children
a boost during a difficult time."
Since the program was launched seven years ago through a
collaboration with Chaplain Anna Gentile from the Maria Fareri
Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, N.Y.,
Comfort Kits have made their way to 48 states where they are distributed
free of charge to medical facilities for children who are sick or
injured. The "small box with the big impact" contains a cuddly yellow
stuffed star named Sparkle, a child-friendly journal that enables them
to express their feelings and find inner strength, an "I'm Special"
bracelet, and much more. These kits are specially designed to help
youngsters cope with the uncertainty, discomfort and stress of being
hospitalized or undergoing treatment.
"We are delighted that Comfort Kits have been distributed
to 100,000 children nationwide and thrilled that the program continues
to grow," said Rhonda R. Neal, Manager of Guideposts Outreach Services.
"It is an achievement of which we could only dream when we began this
program in 2006. The Comfort Kits program is just one way in which
Guideposts continues to uplift people of all ages in their time of
greatest need."
In
the words of one parent ..."when my daughter was just out of surgery,
she really enjoyed hugging the star. After that she filled out the
journal and put stickers on some of the pages that she liked. She also
liked the ball. My daughter is 6 years old and got her tonsils taken
out. Thank you and your donors so much. This expression of love from
strangers to our little girl meant so much to our family." Sara
Please visit us at comfortkits.org or like us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/ComfortKits.
About Guideposts: Guideposts (guideposts.org),
a nonprofit organization, touches millions of lives every day through
products and services that inspire, encourage, and uplift. Its
magazines, books, websites, prayer network, and outreach programs help
people connect their faith-filled values to their daily lives. Its
flagship title, Guideposts, reaches six million readers. The Guideposts
family also includes, Summerside Press, Candy Cane Press, Ideals, and
Williamson imprints.
Christian
Newswire
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