Donor support for the HSC Patient Comforts Fund brings essential recreational items and clothing to hospitalized patients
Taylor Hurley, Clinical Service Leader for Therapeutic Recreation, works with adult in-patients at HSC’s Psych Health Centre.
HSC Foundation donors have profoundly improved the comfort, dignity, and sense of normalcy for patients at HSC.
“Being in hospital is often not a positive experience, but being able to provide small items to comfort and engage patients can really make a difference,” says Taylor Hurley, Clinical Service Leader for Therapeutic Recreation at HSC.
On Giving Tuesday 2023, the annual global day of giving that is held on the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, HSC Foundation donors generously supported the Foundation’s Patient Comforts Fund. The fund enables HSC staff to purchase essential recreational items—such as books, magazines, cards, board games, and colouring materials—tailored to enhance the patient experience.
“While these items may seem small to someone who has never been hospitalized, I can say with great certainty that the smallest items tend to have the biggest impact,” says Hurley, adding that engagement through recreational items not only fosters a sense of normalcy but also provides opportunities for therapeutic conversations in a less intimidating environment.
“Spending time playing cards or colouring with someone often allows them to open up and is a less threatening way to assess someone’s well-being,” she says.
The Patient Comforts Fund also supports HSC’s Clothing Depot, which accepts donations of new and used clothing for patients. Monetary donations fill gaps, enabling staff to purchase necessary items that have not been donated.
By providing clothing to patients at no cost, the hospital alleviates a significant burden, allowing patients to focus on their recovery rather than their circumstances.
“The relief patients feel when they don’t have to pay for a new item is palpable—a lot of our patients are from lower socioeconomic classes and would likely not have the funds available to purchase shoes or jackets needed for discharge,” Hurley explains. “Essentially, the 2023 Giving Tuesday donations have allowed our patients to be provided with dignity and respect in their care.”
Thank you to the generous donors who have supported the HSC Foundation’s Patient Comforts Fund. To continue making a positive impact on the thousands of patients who rely on HSC annually, please consider donating to the HSC Foundation.
To make a gift now, please click here, or call us at 204-515-5612 or toll-free at 1-800-679-8493, or text HSCF to 20222 to donate $25 now (tax receipts will be issued via Mobile Giving Foundation). From now until January 31, 2025, all texted-in gifts will be matched up to $5,000 by Manitoba pork producers!
