Many patients at the Nebraska Medical Center face serious health issues, which often evolve into financial issues, too. But thanks to the generosity of many colleagues at Nebraska Medicine and UNMC, those families in need enjoyed gifts under the tree this holiday.
UNMC department provides another highlight
Another highlight involved one of our patients adopted by UNMC’s Division of General Surgery. A 15-year-old boy got on his mother’s phone to email medical social worker Mandy Pflaster.
“This family hadn’t had a Christmas in forever,” Christyn Niroomand-Rad said. “He emailed Mandy to let her know how much it meant that his family was adopted and to make sure his younger siblings were taken care of and to not worry about him.”
But there was one thing the teen was excited about. A new pair of shoes.
“I have teenage boys. I know the only thing that matters is what’s on your feet,” Niroomand-Rad said. “Mandy and I looked at each other and said. ‘He’s getting those shoes!'”
They weren’t cheap. The two social workers shared the boy’s email and his $142 wish with the department.
“Our department really had a strong reaction to that letter,” said Kim Songster, administrator, UNMC Division of General Surgery. “I had barely posted the information and right away I had one surgeon go online and purchase the shoes. Then before I could notify everyone the shoes had been bought, another surgeon came in my office and told me he had ordered them as well!”
Others also inquired about purchasing the shoes, all within an hour. The department was able to provide gift cards for the selfless brother, as well as make sure the entire family had gifts, too.
“This was a great year and we were happy to give this family a great Christmas,” Songster said.
“Everyone who needed help received it,” said medical social worker Christyn Niroomand-Rad, who coordinates the Adopt-a-family program each year.
“This year, we had more families in need of help and the families were larger,” she said. “Every year, I think there’s no way to outperform the year before. But we always do.”
This year, 71 departments from both Nebraska Medicine and UNMC adopted 67 families.
One of those departments was Patient Access Services. On their application, they indicated they could spend about $200 on a family. Social Work uses that dollar amount to match departments with appropriate-sized families.
As Niroomand-Rad was matching families with departments, she thought of one patient, who experienced a challenging upbringing with little support, and is approaching his 19th birthday, which means he’ll be on his own.
“I thought I would assign him to a small department so they could get him started for what he’ll need,” she said.
That $200 department turned into a $900 one.
“At least 20 more people came on board when they heard about our patient,” said Victoria Shaw, administrative assistant, Patient Access Services.
Shaw offered to do most of the shopping, so with all the cash donations in hand, she was able to purchase everything on his list and more. Some of the cool items include a large tote on wheels that locks and an air mattress with sheet set.
“This department thought of everything he may need,” Niroomand-Rad said.
Shaw was offered the opportunity to hand deliver the presents, along with two of her coworkers.
“He sat up in his bed and you could tell he’d never seen anything like it,” as Shaw wheeled in three carts filled with gifts, Niroomand-Rad said.
“He was like a 7-year-old kid,” she said. “He said he couldn’t remember the last time he opened a gift. I cried in the corner through most of it. Out of all my years of coordinating this, it may be my favorite memory.”
“I think the gifts left him excited for what’s next,” Shaw said. “With his new interview clothes, he talked about getting a job. He felt hope. That was the best part of all of it.”