When I was 9 years old I was diagnosed with Scoliosis (curvature of the Spine). At 10 I was put in a Boston Brace which I wore over 20 hours a day. At first the brace worked (it kept my curves from progressing) but then after wearing the brace for almost 4 years, it stopped working. My curves progressed to the point that I needed a spinal fusion. The surgery is pretty intense so my parents did a lot of research looking for a top surgeon. We visited doctors in NYC and Philadelphia. We discovered some of the best doctors with some of the most advanced treatments at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia. The hospital is one of the top hospitals for scoliosis and spinal cord injuries. The most amazing part of all of this is that Shriners is a totally free hospital! They have never billed a patient. They treat children from all over the world.
I had my spinal fusion at Shriners in 2006. I was there for almost a week. While I was a patient there I shared my room with a 2 year old amputee. At that time there was only one TV in every two patient room. I naturally watched shows that were appropriate for my 2 year old roommate.I thought it would be nice to donate a TV so every child would have their own TV. When I spoke with a nurse, she told me how another TV in the room would really help with other patients as well, especially when 2 children share a room and both speak a different language. While I was recovering from my surgery at home, my mom got in touch with Terry Diamond, director of development at Shriners Hospital of Philadelphia. She spoke with Terry about my idea to raise funds so that every child could have a TV to watch while they were a patient at Shriners. Terry loved the idea. We learned that a flat screen TV that meets all the hospital regulations would be about $1000 per TV. They needed 34 TVs. Therefore I would need to raise $34,000. I also discovered some research that showed that TV watching helped ease children’s pain. This motivated me even more.
I contacted a family friend and jewelry designer, Pam Berkowitz who designed the first bracelet. She then taught me how to make bracelets and helped me order supplies. Over a year later here I am. I now design as well as create each bracelet. I’ve raised over $40,000 so far for Shriners with incredible help from family, friends and total strangers. I am using the extra money to help Shriners with their huge cable TV bill and plan to help with other needs of the hospital.
I have visited patients watching the new flat screen TV’s and have gotten letters from patients telling me that having a TV has made their hospital stay more enjoyable.
Won’t you help me help the children who are patients at Shriners Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have a more pleasant hospital stay by purchasing a bracelet or ankle bracelet?
|
