We are happy to share that we have been able to expand our resources to more families whose children are admitted to MGH. In addition to helping families in the Pediatric Support and Palliative Care Unit, we are helping families in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. None of this would be possible without your generosity.
This year alone, approximately 25 families received support through Palliative Care, while many other families benefited from our collaboration with social workers in the PICU.
Here are a few of our recent updates:
Patient M. had a prolonged admission. Mom identified some significant financial stress with not being able to work because she needed to be at the bedside to be with her child. With the support of the No Empty Bedsides Program, the social worker gave parent several Eat Street gift cards so that she could sustain herself at the hospital and stay at bedside.
Patient L. was admitted for well over a month. Mom had no family support system and also did not have a stable living situation. Mom was chronically unemployed and had no savings. In order support Mom and allow her to stay at the bedside to support her child, the social worker supplied Mom with gift cards to Eat Street.
Additionally, the Palliative care team used funds to support having the grandparent of a child, aged 15 travel with an emergency visa to be with his grandson in the final weeks of his life. This was the child’s dying wish.
Here are a few more of our stories:
A newborn with an unexpected malignancy from out of state was transferred to MGH from several hundred miles away. The prognosis was poor and the baby had multiple siblings who had never met her. NEB was able to provide lodging and offset hotel costs so that her siblings could make the trip and meet their youngest sister before she died.
A newborn with a genetic condition was gravely ill and in the intensive care unit for many weeks. The mother was on her own, had limited means, and no transportation. NEB was able to provide her with transportation support so that she could remain at her child’s bedside as much as possible.
A young woman who had been struggling with multiple life limiting medical issues since infancy ultimately succumbed to an overwhelming disease after exhausting all efforts in intensive care. In the final days of her life, NEB was able to provide funds to offset travel and parking costs for her parents who stayed around the clock during her final days of life.
An infant with life threatening lung disease from another state was transferred to MGH. His mother lived at his bedside and had limited means and no transportation. The father came to join the mother during a period of extreme critical illness but had nowhere to stay due to visitor restrictions during Covid. NEB was able to provide the family with accommodations at a nearby hotel for several nights so that both parents could be present and involved in their son’s care during a particularly difficult period.
Comfort at the Bedside is another new initiative we started last year thanks to your help. We now provide special care packages to optimize comfort for patients and their caregivers who remain inpatient for extended periods of time. These include adult coloring books, aromatherapy, nail polish, fuzzy socks, stress balls, toothbrushes and toiletries, sachets of tea and cookies, journals and pens, yoga mats, children’s books and soft lovies (blankets) for infants. All of our parents are so grateful for these small gifts tailored to them and their children.
Patient M. had a prolonged admission. Mom identified some significant financial stress with not being able to work because she needed to be at the bedside to be with her child. With the support of the No Empty Bedsides Program, the social worker gave parent several Eat Street gift cards so that she could sustain herself at the hospital and stay at bedside.
Patient L. was admitted for well over a month. Mom had no family support system and also did not have a stable living situation. Mom was chronically unemployed and had no savings. In order support Mom and allow her to stay at the bedside to support her child, the social worker supplied Mom with gift cards to Eat Street.
Additionally, the Palliative care team used funds to support having the grandparent of a child, aged 15 travel with an emergency visa to be with his grandson in the final weeks of his life. This was the child’s dying wish.
Here are a few more of our stories:
A newborn with an unexpected malignancy from out of state was transferred to MGH from several hundred miles away. The prognosis was poor and the baby had multiple siblings who had never met her. NEB was able to provide lodging and offset hotel costs so that her siblings could make the trip and meet their youngest sister before she died.
A newborn with a genetic condition was gravely ill and in the intensive care unit for many weeks. The mother was on her own, had limited means, and no transportation. NEB was able to provide her with transportation support so that she could remain at her child’s bedside as much as possible.
A young woman who had been struggling with multiple life limiting medical issues since infancy ultimately succumbed to an overwhelming disease after exhausting all efforts in intensive care. In the final days of her life, NEB was able to provide funds to offset travel and parking costs for her parents who stayed around the clock during her final days of life.
An infant with life threatening lung disease from another state was transferred to MGH. His mother lived at his bedside and had limited means and no transportation. The father came to join the mother during a period of extreme critical illness but had nowhere to stay due to visitor restrictions during Covid. NEB was able to provide the family with accommodations at a nearby hotel for several nights so that both parents could be present and involved in their son’s care during a particularly difficult period.
Comfort at the Bedside is another new initiative we started last year thanks to your help. We now provide special care packages to optimize comfort for patients and their caregivers who remain inpatient for extended periods of time. These include adult coloring books, aromatherapy, nail polish, fuzzy socks, stress balls, toothbrushes and toiletries, sachets of tea and cookies, journals and pens, yoga mats, children’s books and soft lovies (blankets) for infants. All of our parents are so grateful for these small gifts tailored to them and their children.
|