Care For PA

Since America's first inpatient hospital began in Philadelphia in 1775, Pennsylvania hospital employees and volunteers have embodied a true "spirit of caring.�? Today, there are hundreds of thousands of employees and volunteers at more than 250 hospitals and health systems across Pennsylvania who are making a difference in their communities and around the world.

Nurse Leena Varghese, R.N., has been providing care to medical-surgical patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for seven years. In September, she and her husband left the United States for a year-long trip to Karnataka, India. "This is something I have been praying about for a long time and felt called to do,�? Varghese said. She will be providing care to men, women, and orphaned children who are dying of HIV/AIDS, as well as educating the medical team at the hospice center about new therapies and care procedures. For many, leaving the familiarity and comforts of home would be too much to bear, but for Varghese it's a small price to pay. "I knew I had to step out of my comfort zone to confront this disease and its horror in order to care for those who are sick and dying around the world.�? When asked why, she simply replied, "It's in my heart.�?

During the same time period, but in another part of India, Lehigh Valley Hospital physician Najma Khananiaa, M.D., spent 11 days volunteering her knowledge and skills in a medical clinic in the Kutch region. "I hope the care that I provide empowers the people with knowledge and fuels them to strive to improve their lives,�? she said. Dr. Khananiaa has done this before and always finds it rewarding. "This is actually the best part of having become a physician. I love each and every interaction I have with the patients,�? she said.

Pennsylvania's hospital employees' spirit of caring not only extends to providing care for the sick, but for healing and helping people's spirits as well.

Paoli Hospital patient transporter Glenn Thompson loves people. Whether it's transporting hospital patients to and from tests and procedures, to working with children at his church, Thompson's love for people is evident. It's that spirit that led him to spend two weeks in Cambodia last August where he spent time with children in an orphanage. "These orphans don't have much, but they were so happy to see us,�? said Thompson. "We brought them 10 suitcases full of clothing, children's Tylenol, band aids, coloring books, and beanie babies.�? Thompson said he feels compelled to help those who are less fortunate, noting, "We all need to share the love that's in our hearts, even with those that are 10,000 miles away.�?

Closer to home, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Staff Nurse Donald Keckler, R.N., works nights caring for patients as they come out of anesthesia, including infants from the neonatal intensive care unit. His daughter Jenny Keckler, R.N., works in Jefferson's stroke unit. But last November, the two provided care of another kind as they, along with Donald's wife and members of their church, traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The trip was Donald's second one to the region, this time to put up insulation and drywall in several homes. "Sending money to a charity is great, but for this I felt like I needed to be there, to actually help them rebuild their lives,�? said Donald.

These stories are only a few of the countless examples of compassion and generosity provided by Pennsylvania's hospital employees. Whether they're providing comfort and care to people in their own communities, volunteering in response to a natural disaster, or anything in-between, their spirit of caring should be an inspiration to us all.

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