Patient · Community · Each Other
Since 2016, the UMC Medical ICU (MICU) has raised funds to purchase Christmas gifts for patients on the unit on Christmas Day, to allow patients to still feel some Christmas spirit despite being in the hospital.
It all began with Ashley Martin, nurse in MICU, making badge clips for herself and wearing them. She began to receive many compliments and fellow staff who wanted to buy some. As a result, Ashley decided to start taking orders with plans to use the money to purchase gifts for patients around the holidays.
Over the years this small fundraiser has grown more and more. The first year, they used the funds raised to buy special blankets for patients and delivered gifts to one nursing home. The following year they made “cut-and-tie” blankets and bought hygiene items for patients and delivered gifts to two nursing homes. This year, MICU raised over $6000 and bought supplies to make cut-and-tie blankets and hygiene items for patients and bought and delivered gifts to 257 residents at three nursing facilities… wow!
The project has also grown to be a huge group effort; MICU nurses are helping with the badge clips, blankets, and purchasing and delivering gifts, and the whole hospital is buying the badge clips.
“It’s so much fun to see the whole hospital playing a role in this,” Ashley said. “From purchasing the badge reels to helping make and deliver the gifts, this is a hospital-wide affair. It’s something our whole unit is really proud of.”
It’s something we are proud of, too!
Do you have an Ambassador story? We want to feature it in Progress Notes! Submit your UMC Ambassador stories to Danielle.Hathcoat@umchealthsystem.com.