UF Health Goes the Extra Mile to Keep Spirits Up During Holiday Season
The holidays are a joyous time of family and friends.
The last place anyone wants to spend the holidays is the hospital.
No one understands that more than University of Florida Health. While holidays in the hospital cannot be prevented in many cases, UF Health staff do their best to make sure patients feel special during the holiday season. Whether it is through hospital-run programs, corporate giving events or the Greater Gainesville community, patients benefit from the spirit of holiday giving.
Oncology Provides Thanksgiving Food to Needy Patients
To kick off the holiday season, UF Health Medical Oncology Clinic provides Thanksgiving bags of food for patients who are homeless or struggling to make ends meet.
Nina Powell, Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Social Worker, said the program has been going on for many years. The food is provided entirely by the staff and doctors of the clinic. Each bag will have primarily non-perishable items that are easy to prepare, such as green beans, pasta, stuffing mix and cranberry sauce.
“This year in particular, everything is so expensive, and food stamps only go so far,” Powell said. “We just want to do what we can for our patients.”
Corporations Give Hope Through Donation Drives
UF Health also helps patients during the holiday and year-round through their Giving program. Two corporate events are happening throughout the holidays to benefit UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital.
The Ace Hardware Holiday Round-Up Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 allows customers to round up their Ace Hardware purchase. Many stores are participating in the event, including the Ace Hardware located at 5200 N.W. 43rd St., Gainesville.
7-Eleven is also getting into the holiday spirit by providing donations with the 7-Eleven Round Up and Register Campaign, from Nov. 2 to Jan. 11. The donations from these programs provide pediatric equipment, help fund research and provide for other important programs.
Community Donations Bring Joy and Essential Funding for Patients
GG can also give to patients this holiday season by sending donations through an online giving fund. UF Health has more than 20 different patient care funds to choose from.
These programs support patients in a variety of ways, from providing patient care to financial assistance. Donations can also be made to Program Funds, such as Brianna’s Hope Fund, which supports the Arts in Medicine program, and Educational Funds, which provides scholarships and fund ongoing education for medical professionals.
Community members who would rather donate items can do so by contacting UF Health Volunteer Services. The UF Heath Giving website suggests ideas for adult patients such as puzzle books, playing cards, books on tape and reading materials. People who want to donate items to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital can do so by providing brand new toys.
The holidays can be hard when spending it in the hospital. With joint support from UF Health and the Gainesville community, however, the holiday spirit is alive and well within the hospital halls.
By Michelle Stephens.