Inside Giving

A little “intern”al perspective

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Elise Mercer

Donors got a special tour of the USC School of Medicine Greenville on May 16, 2013.

I came to GHS this summer as an intern for the Office of Philanthropy and Partnership. Although I was hoping I would get to take part in the “fun stuff,” I was fully expecting my responsibilities to be grunt work at the beginning. I was pleasantly surprised and excited to learn that in my first week on the job I was going to get to attend the BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament. I’m not exactly a golf fanatic, but hey, a chance to get out of the office and meet some of our wonderful donors, I’m there.

We started the day with a tour of the new University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (which I didn’t even know had officially opened). All I can say is, “Wow.”

Not only is the building cool from an architectural and design point of view, but also has some pretty incredible technology. From the machines used for simulations, to the network that allows students to find an open room to study in, I was impressed.

Even though the equipment and technology was mind-blowing, the practice clinicals the students participate in was easily my favorite part. The school hires local actors and actresses to feign symptoms, and let the students practice talking to patients. Afterwards, they can tell the student what they did well, what to never do again, etc. There’s nothing quite like real experience with patients that can cry on command.

After we wrapped up the tour we headed over to the Chanticleer Golf Course to watch the tournament. GHS had a skybox on the 18th hole for donors and guests. What a nice way to say thank you to our friends and supporters!

While we were there, I got the opportunity to chat with our donors and guests. I was introduced to the advisors for Furman University Dance Marathon. I’m on staff for Auburn University Dance Marathon, so I quickly befriended these ladies and chatted the afternoon away.

Auburn just had our second Dance Marathon, and Furman is having their first in September. I was able to share my experiences and open myself up to any questions my new Furman friends had, and they did the same for me! I love that I was able to learn so much and walk away with dozens of new ideas, even though Auburn and Furman are such different schools. The best part is, as different as Dance Marathons are from school to school, they all share one common purpose, improving healthcare for children locally. We like to call it being FTK (for the kids!).

That ultimate motive reminded me of everything that our VIP’s for the day have done for GHS. Whether they support Children’s Hospital, the Cancer Institute, Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital, or any other area of GHS, these donors are all dedicated to improving the lives of people in our community. That’s a pretty spectacular group of people to be surrounded by.

Before I knew it, they were watering the green and sweeping the sand. I may not know much about golf, but I knew that meant it was time to go home. What a great day learning about the amazing resource we have in the USC School of Medicine Greenville and spending time with those who support GHS!

What about you? Have you seen the USC School of Medicine Greenville?  If you’d like to take a tour, contact Gina Blohm, director of philanthropy and partnership for corporate and foundation giving, at gblohm@ghs.org.

Posted in Cancer, Children's Hospital, Community, Giving, Greenville Hospital System, USC School of Medicine Greenville | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Springing into action

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Jenn Parker

We've been celebrating up a storm here in the GHS Office of Philanthropy & Partnership this spring!

Whew! Is it just me or has this been an action-packed, fabulously busy spring?

Because so many wonderful things have been going on here in the Office of Philanthropy & Partnership, I thought I’d share quick glimpses of all of them with you:

Rescued by Love
What a bittersweet way to kick off the spring – this year marked Tiffiney Photography’s last Rescued by Love fundraising contest for the Bryan Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Now, obviously, I don’t have favorites when it comes to our donors; I’m pretty much in awe of all of them. But, you know what it feels like when you meet a kindred spirit and that person makes you even more passionate about the things you love? That’s what it’s been like to meet, brainstorm and dream with Tiffiney. She’s been such a joy to work with over the past three years, and I’m so grateful for her infectious compassion!

Dance Marathon
For the first time this year, I worked with area college students on raising funds for Children’s Hospital (via Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals) through Dance Marathon. What does that mean? It means I spent three weekends this spring with Erskine College, Clemson University and Western Carolina University students, dancing up a storm, hugging the patient families that came out to share their stories and celebrating their fundraising success.

No matter where I was – Due West all the way to Cullowhee – I kept thinking the same thing every weekend: “This. Is. Amazing. Look at how excited these students are to support pediatric patients! Look at how willing they are to give up a Saturday to make a huge difference! Look at what happens when students latch on to the idea of philanthropy and don’t let go!”

Our next Dance Marathon is Sept. 21 at Furman University, and I can’t wait to be amazed all over again.

Dragon Boat Upstate Festival
This was my fourth Dragon Boat Upstate Festival, and I gotta tell you: This one felt even more special to me (and trust me, every year is awesomely special).

For a couple of years, my husband and a couple of friends have volunteered at Dragon Boat, mostly because they heard me talk about it all the time and just had to see it for themselves. Before I knew it, I wasn’t the only one talking about how great Dragon Boat is – my husband and our friends started talking about it at their jobs, with other friends, at church.

This year? Ten of my friends volunteered. Ten, y’all. Ten of the people I love most got up crazy early on a Saturday, drove to Portman Marina at Lake Hartwell and spent the day handing out paddles and life jackets, loading paddlers into boats and taking photos. When we celebrated with milkshakes at the end of the day, they couldn’t wait to talk all about Dragon Boat: They shared sweet stories of meeting cancer patients, they grilled me on exactly where the $305,000 (and counting!) we raised goes (cancer research and survivorship programs) and they already started talking about volunteering again in 2014.

What about you? How have you spent your spring? How have you seen your passions influencing the community around you?

Posted in Cancer, Children's Hospital, Community, Giving | Leave a comment

Making the new year bright

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Jenn Parker

When our donors give, they brighten up a child's day. And we love hearing about what inspired them to give!

Happy New Year!

Let’s kick off 2013 with some inspiring and touching stories, shall we?

Throughout the holidays, when folks give to Virtual Toy Drive (over $62,000 this year!), I often ask them a simple question in my thank-you emails: What sparked your desire to give to Children’s Hospital?

Here are just a few of the stories our donors shared (thank you to everyone who sent in your stories!):

“I just wanted to help make it a little easier for a child going through a tough time.” – William

“My wife and I just adopted a newborn and while she was in the NICU, we saw so many unfortunate families as well as know how much a benefit donations can be to the hospital.  Our daughter during her stay was able to benefit from donated swings and vibration chairs and I just wanted to help.” – Ross

“This year, as I grieved the loss of 28 lives in Newtown, CT, I couldn’t figure out how to concretely reach out in memory of these children and adults.  Then, at 1 a.m., I woke with a start.  It was the Virtual Toy Drive for children.  That’s how I could make a difference.  I can’t help heal those families in CT except through my prayers, but I knew through this gift, I could offer healing to other children.” – Anita

“Last year my husband spent time in GHS on two different occasions, leaving the last time just before the holidays for hospice at home.  When I thought about how hard that was for us as adults, I realized how much harder it would be for children who wouldn’t understand what was happening to them and for their parents who would be feeling nearly powerless.” – Elizabeth

“My daughter was born premature and was in the Bryan NICU at Greenville Memorial Hospital. The care that me and my daughter received was enough to make me give back to a child in need every chance I can.  I live by “It takes a village to raise our kids” and “Help thy neighbors” because you never know when you or someone dear to you will be on the other end.” – Kimberlin

“My family and I are doing “25 Days of Giving” to prepare our hearts for Christmas Day. We have been completing an act of kindness for each day in December. After seeing a commercial about the Virtual Toy Drive on WYFF 4, I knew this was something we needed to do for one of our days.” – Kate

“I couldn’t really give enough to the Children’s Hospital to compensate for what the Department of Pediactric Neurology has done for my son. Carey has Lenox-Gastaut Syndrome which is a rare form of epilepsy.  Carey suffers a great deal with his seizures and Dr. Morales and his staff have been nothing short of wonderful in their efforts to treat Carey. They are there when we need them. Especially Dr. Morales. He’s a wonderful human being and truly loves the children he cares for and treats. We have taken Carey all over to different facilities – MUSC, Scottish Rite and, most recently, Johns Hopkins Hospital-  to be treated.  We have had better care here at GHS  which has exceeded any care by these other facilities by far.” – Lisa

What about you? Who or what is your reason for giving? Share in the comments below or e-mail your story to me at jparker4@ghs.org.

Posted in Children's Hospital, Giving, Virtual Toy Drive | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mama Linda’s Legacy

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Jenn Parker

Our last family photo, taken in June at my nephew's high school graduation. Mama Linda is, of course, the gorgeous woman in blue.

Forgive me for the lengthy delay between blog posts, friends. I’ve been a little distracted.

My mother – the sweetest, strongest, funniest, most faithful woman I know – died Oct. 1, two days after her 64th birthday.

She died 15 hours after I hugged her goodbye, ripped out of our lives unexpectedly by a massive heart attack, smiling and joking through the pain with my brother and sister-in-law up until her last breath.

Through the blur of our drive home to North Carolina, through the blur of the week she died, through the blur of the weeks afterward, I just keep thinking: What happens now? What do we do next? How do we deal with this every day?

And then I started thinking about the families I work with every day.

I started thinking about families like the Winns, who took their grief over losing their Uncle Karl to cancer and turned it into a fire that fueled a tissue bank to benefit GHS Cancer Center patients and families like theirs.

I started thinking about the mother who, after losing her premature baby, devoted herself to volunteering in the Bryan Neonatal Intensive Care Unit because, as she told me, those sweet babies were like her children now.

So, after I started thinking, I decided to do something.

My mom loved, loved, loved children – and children loved her. She worked at our old elementary school, and upon her passing, our family got waves of handmade cards, carefully printed letters, colorful drawings from the kids there.

My mom loved kids, and I want to keep that love alive. I’ve started a toy drive on Virtualtoydrive.org in her memory – the Mama Linda Toy Drive – with a goal of $1,000 for GHS Children’s Hospital patients. Because I won’t get to buy her that new coffee pot she wanted or surprise her with a special photobook for Christmas, I’m using the money set aside for her Christmas gifts to help make sure pediatric patients have the items they need most.

You can help me celebrate Mama Linda here, or you can support other toy drives on Virtualtoydrive.org here.

What about you? How will you remember or celebrate a loved one this holiday season?

Posted in Children's Hospital, Giving, Virtual Toy Drive | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Inside Radiothon

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Jenn Parker

There’s nothing quite like celebrating the final tally at Children’s Hospital Radiothon!

You know what? Picking just one story to share from the 2012 Children’s Hospital Radiothon  - which raised over $317,000 this year, our biggest year ever – is a tough job.

It’s just too hard – which is why I’m sharing a few of the many, many brights spots from the Radiothon, held Sept. 13-14 at Greenville Memorial Hospital and Mac’s Speed Shop.

Here are some of my favorite stories:

Love this - Children's Hospital patients who gave also got to meet folks like Hawk and Tom from B93.7!

Kids Helping Kids

Yup, I mentioned this last year, but it absolutely is worth repeating: The amount of sweet kids who trekked out to Greenville Memorial Hospital with their parents, just to give their piggy bank money to Children’s Hospital Radiothon, was simply amazing. All of them had listened to patient stories and live family interviews on one of the five Entercom Upstate radio stations (B93.7, Magic 98.9, New Rock 93.3, WROQ 101.1 and WORD 106.3). When those kids heard that kids their own age needed help, they made an immediate decision: “I want to give!”

Kids even got creative: 10-year-old Maddy asked for her friends to buy toys for Children’s Hospital patients instead of gifts for her at her last birthday party, and she and her grandma dropped off those gift bags – full of stuffed animals, books and games – during Radiothon.

And this may be my favorite kids-giving-back story: I saw multiple – multiple! – Children’s Hospital patients coming downstairs, right in the middle of treatment, to drop their dollars and change into the donation boxes. Amazing.

The Rise Guys got, um, creative during their Radiothon broadcast at Mac's Speed Shop.

Boys will be boys

This year, Radiothon expanded its broadcast to a second location at Mac’s Speed Shop in downtown Greenville, which made for some fun new additions.

Like, for instance, the bacon-eating contest that The Rise Guys competed in one morning – and yes, everyone at Mac’s was gathered around the broadcast table to get a front row seat for that one.

That just made me smile and appreciate the Entercom folks even more. I loved seeing that each of the radio stations shared so many special patient stories while still entertaining and engaging their individual audiences in their own ways.

Stacie Bartro and Lee Alexander announce the 2012 Children's Hospital Radiothon final tally, as the lobby crowd cheers.

The final tally

Watching the action at Radiothon is interesting: multiple radio stations are broadcasting at once, families flow in and out for their live interviews and team members update our needs/goal boards every couple of minutes.

Even with all that happening, it feels pretty quiet sometimes in the lobby, because so much of the action is happening on your radio dial or in our donation call center.

However.

The last hour of Radiothon is a BLAST. The lobby is humming with the sounds of excited patients, families, sponsors, supporters and employees, just waiting for those magic numbers to light up at 6 p.m.

It is truly awesome to hear the roar in the lobby when we all find out – together – how much our wonderfully generous community has helped us raise for Children’s Hospital patients and families.

Now it’s your turn! Did you have a favorite story or experience from Radiothon? If you haven’t seen our Radiothon photos yet, check ‘em out here.

Posted in Children's Hospital, Community, Giving | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment