UMSON students and faculty created comfort bags for families of seriously ill children in support of Eliana’s Light and in honor of Mother’s and Father’s Day.
As part of a service event held April 28 at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, students and faculty joined together to help Eliana’s Light, a nonprofit organization that supports the whole health, well-being, and quality of life of Maryland, D.C., and Virginia families with children who have complex medical conditions.
Led by Kim Mooney-Doyle, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC, associate professor, the project was timed in recognition of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, honoring caregivers who often spend these holidays at their child’s bedside. Student volunteers decorated and assembled more than 75 comfort bags filled with items such as journals, herbal teas, lotions, and other comfort items — small tokens of care meant to provide peace and support during incredibly challenging times.
The following people participated in the service project: students Donald Amenah, Eunji Lee, Lydia Fassett, Elisha Oduro, Erika Ventura Castellon, and Moses Akwobugi; and Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FPCN, associate professor.
Mooney-Doyle and Carpenter support students and early career faculty in research and scholarship among families living serious illness through monthly meetings and mentorship.
For more information about Eliana’s Light and ways to support their mission, visit www.elianaslight.org.