DANBURY, Conn., Aug. 19, 2013 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Emergency Department professionals at Broward Health North (BHN) in Deerfield Beach, Fla. see more than 7,500 pediatric patients every year for all types of medical problems and injuries. Earlier this year, the hospital introduced Comfort Kits to help soothe anxious children who are being treated. "I knew as soon as I had seen these kits that Broward Health North's Emergency Department needed them immediately," said Kathy Zizzo, Emergency Department patient representative. "We've had great response from kids and their parents."
An equal delight for the professionals came when the hospital was informed that a board-certified emergency room physician recently helped Guideposts achieve a major milestone. "We were very excited to find out we provided the 100,000th Guideposts for Kids Comfort Kit to one of our pediatric patients," said Pauline Grant, CEO of BHN. "We strive to provide a five-star experience to all of our patients, and these kits more than support our goals, they give children a boost during a difficult time."
Since the program was launched seven years ago through a collaboration with Chaplain Anna Gentile from the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, N.Y., Comfort Kits have made their way to 48 states where they are distributed free of charge to medical facilities for children who are sick or injured. The "small box with the big impact" contains a cuddly yellow stuffed star named Sparkle, a child-friendly journal that enables them to express their feelings and find inner strength, an "I'm Special" bracelet, and much more. These kits are specially designed to help youngsters cope with the uncertainty, discomfort and stress of being hospitalized or undergoing treatment.
"We are delighted that Comfort Kits have been distributed to 100,000 children nationwide and thrilled that the program continues to grow," said Rhonda R. Neal, Manager of Guideposts Outreach Services. "It is an achievement of which we could only dream when we began this program in 2006. The Comfort Kits program is just one way in which Guideposts continues to uplift people of all ages in their time of greatest need."
In the words of one parent ..."when my daughter was just out of surgery, she really enjoyed hugging the star. After that she filled out the journal and put stickers on some of the pages that she liked. She also liked the ball. My daughter is 6 years old and got her tonsils taken out. Thank you and your donors so much. This expression of love from strangers to our little girl meant so much to our family." Sara
About Guideposts: Guideposts (guideposts.org), a nonprofit organization, touches millions of lives every day through products and services that inspire, encourage, and uplift. Its magazines, books, websites, prayer network, and outreach programs help people connect their faith-filled values to their daily lives. Its flagship title, Guideposts, reaches six million readers. The Guideposts family also includes, Summerside Press, Candy Cane Press, Ideals, and Williamson imprints.
