A Bag of "Just Smile"
As most everyone knows, a hospital gown is an overnight requirement that no one enjoys. The gowns are plain, not very flattering and the topic of many great jokes and/or memories. No one wants to wear these gowns, but they do make the doctors and nurses’ jobs a little easier. In order to get well, they are just something everyone endorses.
When you are a parent of a sick infant, anything that will make you smile, make you feel just a little better, brighten your day or give you hope is a true blessing. It also helps make the long hours of waiting, watching and praying go by a little faster. Our family knows firsthand how the little things can help. Two great friends of our family and original members of Team Luke, Donna Howard, an outstanding seamstress, and her daughter Laura who is an infant critical care nurse, and now a member of our organization, came up with the idea of providing cheerful, colorful and medically functional gowns to the parents that have children in critical care. Donna and many other wonderful and caring volunteers in the community donate their time and make these beautiful gowns. In addition to the gowns, we provide caps, socks and a stuffed elephant and put them in a bag we call “Just Smile”. The nurses love these gowns because they are medically functional and because it makes the parents smile. Everyone seems to enjoy receiving the “Just Smile” bag because it seems to always brighten a family’s day.
To all those families going through difficult times, we say:
“Just Smile” because it really does help.
When you are a parent of a sick infant, anything that will make you smile, make you feel just a little better, brighten your day or give you hope is a true blessing. It also helps make the long hours of waiting, watching and praying go by a little faster. Our family knows firsthand how the little things can help. Two great friends of our family and original members of Team Luke, Donna Howard, an outstanding seamstress, and her daughter Laura who is an infant critical care nurse, and now a member of our organization, came up with the idea of providing cheerful, colorful and medically functional gowns to the parents that have children in critical care. Donna and many other wonderful and caring volunteers in the community donate their time and make these beautiful gowns. In addition to the gowns, we provide caps, socks and a stuffed elephant and put them in a bag we call “Just Smile”. The nurses love these gowns because they are medically functional and because it makes the parents smile. Everyone seems to enjoy receiving the “Just Smile” bag because it seems to always brighten a family’s day.
To all those families going through difficult times, we say:
“Just Smile” because it really does help.
