As COVID-19 continues, our hospitals and clinics continue to gratefully accept donations to our COVID-19 Response and Relief Fund. And the gratitude doesn’t end there. Inside hospital walls, the staff at Westfields Hospital & Clinic recently spent a month expressing gratitude, for one another and their community.
Coinciding with World Day of Gratitude, the hospital displayed signage expressing gratitude, sent messages of gratitude and encouragement, and asked colleagues to think about performing random acts of kindness. And so they did:
Monica Doolan, a Health Unit Coordinator at Westfields, noticed her co-worker was tearful. She decided to ask how she was doing. The colleague shared that it was the first anniversary of her mother’s death. Immediately, this feeling hit home with Doolan, who has lost both of her parents. By the end of the day, Doolan had assembled and given her colleague a card, a bouquet of flowers and needlework project she had just finished that week. “Later I received a very thankful text message from my co-worker,” said Doolan. “It made my day just to make her day just a little brighter.”
Other colleagues shared small gifts of food and drink. One Westfields staffer delivered donuts to colleagues she was thankful for. Off campus, there were reports of several employees randomly paying for meals and groceries of strangers at local businesses.
DeAnne Duval, massage therapist, enjoyed going to the café with a $20 bill and paying for meals until it was gone. “We don’t know what’s going on in people’s lives, so a little ‘Hey, I got you’ moment can really brighten someone’s day, and makes you feel really good,” she said.
The gratitude initiative was the brainchild of the foundation team at Westfields. Last year the foundation hosted a photography contest and event to celebrate World Day of Gratitude. “This year, with COVID, we were unable to have an event. But we recognize the importance of sharing and receiving gratitude and we find ways to promote it throughout our hospital, clinic and community,” said Jo Wrich, foundation director.
Thank you, Westfields team. We are grateful for you!
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