Gratitude is contagious. I’ve seen it firsthand.

Take Tiffiney Addis, for example. Her family’s life changed in July 2009, when her daughter, Sadie Mae, was born prematurely. Little Sadie, weighing in at about a pound and a half, spent the first few months of her life in the Bryan Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital of Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS).

Every day, Tiffiney and her husband, Scott, walked past the NICU’s Wall of Hope, a longtime fixture featuring past NICU patients who grew up to lead active lives. Tiffiney told me later that she had the same thought each time she poured over the portraits:

“Okay, if they can make it, maybe we can make it. Maybe we’ll be okay.”

After Sadie came home from the hospital, Tiffiney wasn’t quite done with the NICU yet. This time, though, Tiffiney wanted to support the NICU staff and families like hers. That’s when the Rescued by Love photo contest was born and when the first seed of gratitude was planted.

Tiffiney took her outstanding talents – she’s the owner of Tiffiney Photography in Westminster – and used them to help the NICU.  She snapped children’s portraits, posted them on her website, Tiffineyphotography.com, and asked folks to “vote” for their favorite by providing a donation to the Bryan NICU. She shared her family’s story, spread her passion for giving back and explained just how much these gifts would mean. In 2011, donors raised over $8,000 for patients and families. The contest was such a great success, Tiffiney began planning to repeat it in 2012

And that’s when the story gets even more awesome.

When Dania and I met with NICU staff to talk about the 2012 Rescued by Love contest and their biggest needs, they told us about one of their dreams: Updating the Wall of Hope by having new portraits made and extending those into new areas of the NICU. And just where would we find a photographer with intimate knowledge of the NICU who would also be willing to donate time and talent for this new project?

Tiffiney, a NICU mom, has spent the past couple of weeks getting in touch with NICU families, sharing stories, and photographing a whole new wave of NICU patients to add to the Wall of Hope, the same wall that lifted her spirits and gave her strength when she needed it most.

You can help bring hope to the halls of the NICU in two simple ways – you can support the 2012 Rescued by Love photo contest by voting for your favorite portrait March 1-10, or you can give now to the Bryan NICU. Click here to make a difference!

Camp Courage donor Madison Turrentine

Sometimes, I just look at our youngest donors and I think: “Wow.”

Take Madison Turrentine, for instance. What did she decide to do for her senior thesis at Christ Church Episcopal School?

She started her own toy drive through the GHS Children’s Hospital Virtual Toy Drive, with the sole purpose of sending pediatric cancer patients to Camp Courage.

“I thought it would be a good way to help out,” she told me recently. “It was a good choice, I think.”

When Madison and I talked, I loved chatting with her about what it was like experiencing Camp Courage for the first time and seeing her light up as she described it.

“I was able to look around and talk to some of the kids and take pictures,” she said. “It was awesome. I didn’t really expect it to be like that – it was so open, and you would never know any of the kids had any problems. They love going, they have so much fun and they say they never want to leave.”

Here’s my favorite part of Madison’s story: not only did she start this drive, not only did she get to meet the patients she’d be helping, but she spread her enthusiasm and passion for it like wildfire!

What started out as a $1,100 goal, which would provide enough donations to send two kids to Camp Courage during one of the week-long summer sessions, rapidly got raised again and again as donors graciously gave to her toy drive.

“I’m overwhelmed by the support that I’ve gotten!” Madison said. “I’m so excited, just knowing that all the kids there say that it’s the time of their lives. Knowing that I can help five more kids go, it’s a good feeling to know that.”

Want to be part of the fun? Madison’s goal is currently at $2,750. You can help her provide scholarships to Camp Courage here.

You know what’s fun about milestones? They come with plenty of stories.

This week, GHS celebrated its 100th year with a special ceremony on Jan. 10, the very day that we began as a city hospital way back in 1912 (to brush up on more of our history, visit the centennial site here).

It was humbling and fun to see how many folks  flocked to Greenville Memorial Hospital to celebrate with us, and it was truly special to hear GHS and community leaders remember C. Dan Joyner, a vital supporter of not only GHS, but our community as well. It was also wonderful to hear so many tales as my co-workers and I welcomed folks into the ceremony.

One of my favorite parts of the day was meeting Heide Davis, MD, who was honored during the celebration for his years of service. As we walked together to his seat, Dr. Davis and I chatted about his collection of bow-ties (“They’re all I own! I don’t have ties anymore.”) and his history with GHS.

“It’s just incredible how much it’s grown,” he said.

Now, compared to his 50-something years of dedication, I’m definitely a newbie to GHS (2 years so far) – which means it was a treat to hear him talk about his work as Chief of Staff, it was an honor to learn the past of GHS through his eyes and it was a delight to laugh with him. When he asked for a reminder about what we were gathering for that day, I reminded Dr. Davis (who is in his 80s) that we were 100 years old.

“Oh – for a second there, I thought you were talking about me,” he said, with an impish grin.

“No, Dr. Davis!” I laughed. “You’re not that old.”

““I just act like it sometimes,” he said and winked.

Shortly after Dr. Davis sat down, a man made a beeline directly for him – a man, as it turned out, that remembered being treated by Dr. Davis as a child. How cool is that?

Likewise, it was great to meet a lot of clinical and support staff that have seen GHS transform over the years. One gentleman (I unfortunately didn’t catch his name) proudly showed me his keychains commemorating previous milestones: the opening of the new Greenville Memorial Hospital in 1972 (left) and the demolition of Greenville General Hospital in 1998.

What about you? What’s your GHS story? I’d love to hear it, so be sure to share it in the comments below.

Happy belated New Year!

While we’re all still basking in the afterglow of the holidays, I wanted to share an inside peek at one of my favorite parts of the year: Virtual Toy Drive donor stories.

Don’t get me wrong, I also love getting to shout our record-breaking donations from the rooftops (over $43,000 this year!), but it’s hearing what sparked all those gifts that really leaves me standing in awe.

When folks give to Virtual Toy Drive, I send them a thank you e-mail, which usually includes a simple request at the end: “If you have time, I’d love to hear more about what sparked your desire to give to Children’s Hospital.”

Here’s what some of our donors said inspired them to give back in 2011:

“It’s the holiday season and for me it’s all about giving.  Nothing is more innocent and deserving than a child, especially a child who is ill.  This tugs at my heart and I know finances can help in some way.” – Stephen

“I have a daughter who spent 4 weeks in the hospital in 1983 (in traction). I understand how important it is to keep the children active, allowing them as much of a normal routine as possible during their stay. These supplies are such small things for me to give back. I hope they are used to make a child smile.” – Rhonda

“We were done shopping for my family and friends and felt now we needed to do something for the less fortunate. That’s what this time of year is all about.” – Chris and Miranda

“I wanted to honor my mother and her 50-plus years of dedication of serving and helping others while she worked in the medical field and felt that this was a great way to do so and also wanted to help the hospital in providing the tools they need to serve and help the people who need it the most. She really loved working in the OR and Obstetrics as well as working with children in the Pediatric office, so I thought that giving to the children in particular, was very important.” - Kathryn

“We are fairly new to Greenville and have a 3-month-old.  I wanted to give to a worthy cause for Christmas, but needed something that I could do from home.  After I saw a commercial on TV, this toy drive made sense to me because I knew I could trust the money went to a good cause.  We are grateful to have a healthy little boy, but there are so many families with children who aren’t.  Glad to help and hope this makes a child’s visit to Children’s less scary.” – Jennifer

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.

Happy holidays!

You know, sometimes I think Christmas miracles may get a little brighter at GHS Children’s Hospital.

I got a front row seat to some of that memorable holiday fun, and I couldn’t resist sharing the stories with you.

Yesterday, I spent part of my afternoon following the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who around Children’s Hospital as they went door-to-door, giving out gifts and chatting with kids. (Sidenote: I love my job.)

Their visit transformed the quiet halls into a whirl of smiles, excitement and laughter – even staff couldn’t resist getting their photos taken with the Dr. Seuss characters.

Little 4-year-old Mo’Nasha (pictured above) was a little wary of the duo as they pranced into her room, but she lit up when she saw the purple fairy princess outfit they brought her. In no time, she had whipped out her wand and was waving it from her hospital bed, much to the delight of her mom, Angela.

“It’s amazing!” she said. “I think this is good for the kids. They’ve got the Christmas feeling, even though they’re here [in the hospital].”

Down on the 5th floor, I chatted with Leanne and her 9-month-old, Walker (pictured below). His hospital room looks like Christmas headquarters, thanks to the diligent efforts of his mom, grandma and big sister. Ornaments dangle from the ceiling, lights twinkle from above the bed, and pretty soon, a Christmas tree will be peeking out from the corner.

“The longer we’re here, the more decorated it gets,” said Leanne, laughing.

It’s not just feeling like Christmas in Walker’s room, though; Leanne and a friend have been making “baby’s first Christmas” ornaments for families in the NICU for about 4 years now.

I am genuinely amazed at the creativity and the generosity of our community – how awesome is it that folks gave up their day to dress up as funny characters (complete with an adult onesie) or create an entire wave of ornaments, just to make patients, families and staff smile and feel special?

If you’d like to join in on the fun, it’s not too late. You can help us give Children’s Hospital patients and families the items they need most this holiday season by clicking here.

Here’s what I’ve learned about philanthropy: It’s all about relationships.

For me, one of my most important relationships is with Child Life Supervisor Emily Durham. She’s my life line to learning about needs at GHS Children’s Hospital, so that we can make sure those needs, stories and triumphs are being shared with donors, especially on Virtualtoydrive.org.

Of course, any good relationship involves a healthy amount of teasing, which means Emily and I have a long-running joke about her constantly being on camera. She’s a total pro at explaining why Virtual Toy Drive is so crucial, how it benefits patients and how it helps staff transform health care, so naturally I love volunteering her for those interviews.

This week, I got a taste of my own medicine: Emily and I both were interviewed by WYFF 4‘s Carol Goldsmith about Virtual Toy Drive. We had a great time filming, and you can see the finished product above.

If you want to help pediatric patients like the ones featured in the video, you can click here to give patients and families the top 10 needed items on VirtualToyDrive.org.

I’m pretty sure Andy Williams has it right when he sings, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”.

Of course, in our world, there are other phrases for it: it’s the time when our donors knock our socks off, it’s the time when incredible needs meet incredible compassion, it’s the time when our community rallies around the folks who need that support the most.

The holidays are nothing short of magical around here in the Office of Philanthropy & Partnership.

Take our Virtual Toy Drive holiday campaign, for instance: our partner WYFF4 recently filmed a promotional advertisement for the Children’s Hospital online giving program, and they’ll run it throughout December to spread the word about how to help pediatric patients. Our Children’s Hospital Development Council is in the throes of a good-natured (but heated!) competition to raise over $20,000 for patients and families through Virtual Toy Drive.

Today, we launched our 6-week Virtual Toy Drive eNewsletter campaign, which will focus on the top 10 needed items throughout Children’s Hospital. Just to give you an idea of how important the campaign is for patients, donors raised over $33,000 for Children’s Hospital through Virtual Toy Drive during the holiday season last year – talk about spreading good cheer!

I can’t wait to see how the most wonderful time of the year turns out for our pediatric patients and families this year.

Want to help? You can take a peek at today’s Virtual Toy Drive eNewsletter and give here, and you can also learn more about how the Mini Operating Room listed in it will help patients by watching a video of a similar item below.

I use the phrase “That’s amazing!” a lot in my job.

I say it often because I mean it – our donors are amazing – but sometimes, I feel like it doesn’t quite get to the heart of the story, to the depth of what’s really going on.

Take yesterday, for instance:

I stopped by the Bryan NICU to meet with Stephanie Farrow and her family. Yesterday, Nov. 21, wasn’t just any day to Stephanie – it was the day her daughter, Callie, would have turned 1.

After losing Callie, Stephanie and her family decided they wanted to do something special to remember her and to support the NICU staff. With the help of her family and her church, Belvue Baptist Church in Travelers Rest,Stephanie raised over $2,200 for the NICU through the Spare Change to Make Change fundraiser earlier this month.

While the family chatted with NICU staff, I heard Byran Ohning, M.D. talking to Stephanie about the event and how it was a thoughtful way to keep Callie’s memory alive.

“Oh, yeah,” said Stephanie. “I’ll never forget her.”

As I hugged Stephanie and her family and caught up with them, I probably said “That’s amazing!” more times than I can count – because it was the shortest way to say what I really meant:

“I’ve never had or lost a child, but I know that grief can stop you in your tracks, rob you of joy, rock your life. What you’ve done – leaning on each other for support, giving back to the folks who helped you, raising funds for something you believe in – is incredible, and I’m blown away by it.”

So, Stephanie, Josh, family and Belvue Baptist Church: That’s amazing.

You know, it’s not every day that two teenagers decide to donate to GHS Children’s Hospital using proceeds from their haunted house.

Yup. A haunted house.

Cousins Nicholas Pasternak, 15, and Amanda Fryar, 16, took their love of theatre production and filmmaking and turned it into a unique way to support GHS Children’s Hospital: they created their own haunted house, Suburban Nightmare, and, in lieu of a fee, asked participants to give a donation for pediatric patients.

“It was going to be a free haunted house, but then we thought, ‘Well, we could take donations up for a local charity,’” said Nicholas. “The first thing we thought of was GHS Children’s Hospital.”

Their 3-day Halloween celebration in Greer raised nearly $350 for GHS Children’s Hospital patients and families.

“Nicholas and Amanda both have very giving hearts,” said Ken Fryar, Amanda’s dad. “Both of them love children.”

The Eastside High School students, who also offered a marshmallow roast and screening of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for younger kids, are already gearing up for 2012.

“We’re looking forward to next year!” said Amanda.

Isn’t this story cool? Two teens took what they’re passionate about – theatre and film production – and turned it into a way to benefit pediatric patients and families in our community.

What are you passionate about, and how can you transform that into an opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life this holiday season? We’d love to hear your ideas!

I recently toured the GHS Cancer Center and the Institute for Translational Oncology Research (ITOR), and I have to say I’m quite impressed by everything that we have to offer cancer patients in Greenville. There was one thing that stood out more than all the technology and research – the physician leadership of the Cancer Center.

Physician leaders don’t just treat patients. They choose to be involved in much more. Activities such as administration, philanthropy, and advocacy are no strangers to them. Three of our most involved physicians in the Cancer Center, Larry Gluck, Joe Stevenson, and Jeff Edenfield, achieved a great milestone in philanthropy recently. Each of them received their first stone in the GHS philanthropy center to mark $25,000 in lifetime giving.

It speaks volumes when a physician gives back to advance their community. The fact that each chose their area of GHS is evidence they are truly committed to the work they do and the patients they treat.

If you’d like to get a glimpse of the great work being done to combat cancer at GHS, shoot me an email (zprice@ghs.org) or stay tuned for future posts about ITOR.