A group of volunteers is working to make the patients of the Stollery Children’s Hospital a little more comfortable in the emergency room.
The Stollery Women’s Network began fundraising for its giving comfort campaign in April 2017 and to date, has raised over $267,000 to purchase items like blankets, T-shirts, colouring books and toiletry kits.
“It’s all those little things they never thought to bring, but make a massive difference in how they feel,” chair Carrie Doll said.
The group had a soft launch in December, but on Tuesday, volunteers spent several hours in the ER handing out items to patients for an official launch.
“When they wheel out the cart with all of the items on it, it’s like Christmas in the emergency department,” Doll said. “Parents are so grateful because, of course, any parent carries guilt when they bring their child here to the emergency department, that they weren’t thinking to bring these things.
“But who ever thinks to bring those extra comforts of home when you’re rushing to get to the emergency department?”
Since the December soft launch, the group has handed out over 1,700 items to patients.
“The smiles are overwhelming and they reassure us, they reassure the Stollery Women’s Network that we’re heading in the right direction that these are things they really need,” Doll said. “These are things that make such a massive difference in their day.”