A Series of Spring Miracles
Spring is among the busiest times for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) and UMC Foundation fundraising for the hospital, culminating in this year’s “Spring Miracles,” a series of events to benefit the UMC Children’s Hospital. It’d be hard to miss one of the several fundraising events hosted this spring: The CMN Bunco Brunch, the 23rd Annual Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon at Texas Roadhouse, Little Heroes, Miracle Pennies, Klays for Kids, and others each contributing to the vital healing mission of UMC Children’s Hospital, saving and changing the lives of our region’s children. At a baseline, these events sustain important and innovative technologies that allow West Texas and Eastern New Mexico families to seek comprehensive healthcare here at home, but on another level, these events create a space for Team UMC members to come together, transcending the sometimes-strict lines of our medical professions and fields to make a difference as a part of a broader culture.
Spirit and Passion to Make Things Happen
An important component of CMN and UMC Foundation’s success is the UMC Spirit Team. This team is comprised of volunteer members across the entire hospital system, handling everything from planning to carrying out the logistical challenges of events poised to raise tens of thousands of dollars for our Children’s Hospital. Their work may include running stands, sharing relevant information, helping with food service, driving golf carts, operating check services, or, most importantly, representing UMC’s Service is Our Passion and Passion in Action culture out in the community. Being in front of people, helping them, and showing them the UMC difference, helps to build trust and commitment to our mission, which in turn helps to produce a healthier and more vibrant shared community. Brittany Campbell, Philanthropy Officer for UMC Health System, said, “Sometimes just being a smiling face is what makes all the difference.” The attendees at these events, after all, are part of a cohort of selfless donors contributing their time and money to helping our joint mission.
Tangible Changes Due to Selfless Contribution
Being a volunteer with the Spirit Team means your actions create tangible results. For example, the Pedi Flip, and significant renovation designed to create a more conducive healthcare environment for our child patients and their families, is a direct result of the efforts of volunteers and donors through CMN and UMC Foundation’s events. Self-assuring technologies like Angel Eyes, which allows parents to check in on their NICU babies while they might not otherwise be allowed in the unit, came from funds established through donations at these various events. Other technologies afforded by CMN efforts and those contributing to those efforts include the state-of-the-art NICU Ambulance and the loving work of our region’s first facility dog, Sable, who brings smiles to the faces of our young patients every single day. But there’s even more than that—working as volunteers, then, as a network of coworkers, colleagues, and friends, sharing in that success together, seeing the differences that are being made, and developing bonds that pay in dividends in our lives through the establishment of our own communities, are so incredibly important to creating the environment that enlivens and motivates our team.
More Miracles to Come
There will always be more opportunities for Team UMC members to join the Spirit Team and help make our CMN events as successful as possible. For more information about upcoming events, or to volunteer to become a member of the Spirit Team (which is an excellent way to contribute toward your Career Ladder), reach out to brittany.campbell@umchealthsystem.com or directly to the UMC Foundation office.
When asked about the importance and impact of UMC Foundation and CMN’s contribution to our shared mission, Brittany said, “It’s hard to put into words what a difference the UMC Foundation & CMN make not only our hospital but for so many local families. The funds raised stay 100% local and help provide state-of-the-art equipment—technology creating personalized comprehensive treatment options within our health system.
“For CMN, the UMC Spirit Team is such an impactful committee that helps elevate emerging leaders, develop philanthropists, and build relationships with Sponsors & Miracle Families. If I had one thing to say to them it would be, ‘Thank You for the difference you make! Miracles really do happen!’”
Enter to Win a $50 Gift Card by Sharing Your Thoughts!
We’d love to hear from you. Progress Notes, after all, is about telling your story. If you’d like to enter to win a $50 gift card, join the conversation by sharing your thoughts. You have FOUR opportunities each month to send in your answers to each article, meaning FOUR entries into the monthly drawing! Simply answer the following question(s) to be entered to win:
- Are you a part of the UMC Spirit Team? If so, tell us a bit about your experience with the volunteer group. If not, would you ever consider being a part of the UMC Spirit Team? Briefly explain why or why not.
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Send your answer in an email to ProgressNotes@umchealthsystem.com.