Cardiac Medical 1 Team
July 2020
Cardiac
Hospital
Cardiac/Medical
St. Anthony's Hospital
St. Petersburg
,
FL
United States
Maria Arabella Abduhalim RN,
Andrew Ashmead RN,
Colleen Baker RN,
Kathryn Beasley RN,
Teresa Bongiorno RN,
Jocelyn Bough RN,
Natyeli Callum RN,
Kayla Copeland RN,
Jason Cue RN,
Maria Veronica De Ubago RN,
Denise Dejarnette RN,
Julianne Dwight RN,
Scott Fears RN,
Tammy Gyorkos RN,
James G. Harris RN,
Carol Henrich RN,
Richard Higgins RN,
Kim Hoang RN,
Meredith Huber RN,
Agibu Jalloh RN,
Katie Johansen RN,
Xhensila Kycyku RN,
Thany Louvon RN,
Jezu Mapula RN,
April McKittrick RN,
Gilberto Mendoza RN,
Bernice Morrison RN,
Jeannean O'Connell RN,
Kelly Owens RN,
William Pennamacoor RN,
Liza Redmond RN,
Cheryl Roska RN,
Sandra Achaberg RN,
Aya Shinohara RN,
Megan Waugh RN,
Olivia Gaeta RN,
Craig Irvin RN,
Kristen Smith RN,
Laurie Duchamp RN,
Alisa Asif RN,
Cirly Aleyas RN,
Katherine Haynes RN,
Makisha Allard PCT,
Albert Bajarias PCT,
Keeyawna Barnes PCT,
Jackie Elam PCT,
Joyce Hurst PCT,
Christopher Mallilo PCT,
Samantha Menapace PCT,
Azurlee Moore PCT,
Kylee Navarre PCT,
Dayle Pinto PCT,
Nadishalyn Roble PCT,
Ashley Stevens PCT,
Cathy Zak PCT
Andrew Ashmead RN,
Colleen Baker RN,
Kathryn Beasley RN,
Teresa Bongiorno RN,
Jocelyn Bough RN,
Natyeli Callum RN,
Kayla Copeland RN,
Jason Cue RN,
Maria Veronica De Ubago RN,
Denise Dejarnette RN,
Julianne Dwight RN,
Scott Fears RN,
Tammy Gyorkos RN,
James G. Harris RN,
Carol Henrich RN,
Richard Higgins RN,
Kim Hoang RN,
Meredith Huber RN,
Agibu Jalloh RN,
Katie Johansen RN,
Xhensila Kycyku RN,
Thany Louvon RN,
Jezu Mapula RN,
April McKittrick RN,
Gilberto Mendoza RN,
Bernice Morrison RN,
Jeannean O'Connell RN,
Kelly Owens RN,
William Pennamacoor RN,
Liza Redmond RN,
Cheryl Roska RN,
Sandra Achaberg RN,
Aya Shinohara RN,
Megan Waugh RN,
Olivia Gaeta RN,
Craig Irvin RN,
Kristen Smith RN,
Laurie Duchamp RN,
Alisa Asif RN,
Cirly Aleyas RN,
Katherine Haynes RN,
Makisha Allard PCT,
Albert Bajarias PCT,
Keeyawna Barnes PCT,
Jackie Elam PCT,
Joyce Hurst PCT,
Christopher Mallilo PCT,
Samantha Menapace PCT,
Azurlee Moore PCT,
Kylee Navarre PCT,
Dayle Pinto PCT,
Nadishalyn Roble PCT,
Ashley Stevens PCT,
Cathy Zak PCT
In late 2018, the team met a sweet 7-year-old girl who would skip through the hospital hallways with her mother in tow. She was silly, energetic, inquisitive, and outgoing. It was truly impossible not to take notice of the girl, C, as she radiated such a positive, innocent energy and quickly befriended many of the staff members here. She spent a lot of time helping us by picking up and turning in any paperclips she found lying around the hospital. She warmly acknowledged everyone she passed and truly did not know a stranger. She loved coloring, unicorns, kittens, and anything with bright colors... yet her life was still far from any other typical 7-year-old girl.
The team learned that C was here at St. Anthony's visiting her father who had been hospitalized after developing chest pain and blacking out at a laundry mat. Upon building a rapport with her parents, the team learned the truly heartbreaking reality behind the family's story. The truth was, that the family lived in their mini-van. The van had been experiencing mechanical issues and needed to be taken to the shop for repair, forcing the family to sleep at a laundry mat. One evening, while C's mother was out buying food for her family, C and her father remained at the laundry mat where C's father began developing chest pain and lost consciousness. C, again only 7 years old, had to get help for her father. Thankfully, she was able to call 911, and an ambulance arrived a short time later. From there, the ambulance brought C's father to St. Anthony's Hospital.
When the team learned of the family's circumstances our hearts truly broke for this young girl and her parents. We knew that her father was doing better at that time, and discharge from the hospital would be approaching soon. The other unfortunate circumstance in this story is that this was all taking place two days before C's 8th birthday, and three days before Christmas. Our team took the initiative to call the mechanic shop working on the family's car. Thankfully, the repairs to the family's van were covered under warranty, so the cost for the repairs was not an issue. However, due to the holidays, the parts the mechanic needed to repair the family's van would not be in until after Christmas. We called every single homeless shelter and family shelter in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties and learned that they were all at maximum capacity and could not take in another family. The weather was chilly outside, and we knew we could not discharge this family to the street. So, we decided to act. Almost immediately, money began to pour in from our team members. Without hesitation and in the blink of an eye we had over $300 from our team to try to get a place for this family to stay through Christmas. From there, Kristen and Laurie (who also did not hesitate to donate their own money to the cause) assisted the team with further resources, getting us in touch with Courtney Burt from Missions Services. Courtney then helped us get in touch with Catholic Charities, and we were overwhelmingly surprised when we learned from Courtney that they would pay for five nights for the family to stay in a local hotel so that they could be warm and safe for C's birthday and for Christmas. Our entire team was moved to tears. From there, we bought C a few birthday and Christmas gifts and we gave those to the family at the same time that we shared with them that they had a hotel room and extra cash on the side. The parents sobbed with gratitude. It was truly one of the most amazing memories in all of our careers. To see so many team members come together, chip in, and work so hard to do something so wonderful for this family was definitely a shining moment in all of our hearts.
In follow up, the family continued to stay in touch with the team on PT3 throughout the holidays. The team called C on her 8th birthday and sang Happy Birthday to her. They loved their time in the hotel, and their van was fixed shortly after Christmas as promised. (The team continued to call the mechanic to ensure of this.) The family was so appreciative of the outstanding care and the extraordinary humanity they were shown from this team. They even come back to PT3 still today, to give us a hug, update us on how they're doing, and say hello. At last update, the family had also been working with Catholic Charities on securing a permanent place to live.
The team learned that C was here at St. Anthony's visiting her father who had been hospitalized after developing chest pain and blacking out at a laundry mat. Upon building a rapport with her parents, the team learned the truly heartbreaking reality behind the family's story. The truth was, that the family lived in their mini-van. The van had been experiencing mechanical issues and needed to be taken to the shop for repair, forcing the family to sleep at a laundry mat. One evening, while C's mother was out buying food for her family, C and her father remained at the laundry mat where C's father began developing chest pain and lost consciousness. C, again only 7 years old, had to get help for her father. Thankfully, she was able to call 911, and an ambulance arrived a short time later. From there, the ambulance brought C's father to St. Anthony's Hospital.
When the team learned of the family's circumstances our hearts truly broke for this young girl and her parents. We knew that her father was doing better at that time, and discharge from the hospital would be approaching soon. The other unfortunate circumstance in this story is that this was all taking place two days before C's 8th birthday, and three days before Christmas. Our team took the initiative to call the mechanic shop working on the family's car. Thankfully, the repairs to the family's van were covered under warranty, so the cost for the repairs was not an issue. However, due to the holidays, the parts the mechanic needed to repair the family's van would not be in until after Christmas. We called every single homeless shelter and family shelter in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties and learned that they were all at maximum capacity and could not take in another family. The weather was chilly outside, and we knew we could not discharge this family to the street. So, we decided to act. Almost immediately, money began to pour in from our team members. Without hesitation and in the blink of an eye we had over $300 from our team to try to get a place for this family to stay through Christmas. From there, Kristen and Laurie (who also did not hesitate to donate their own money to the cause) assisted the team with further resources, getting us in touch with Courtney Burt from Missions Services. Courtney then helped us get in touch with Catholic Charities, and we were overwhelmingly surprised when we learned from Courtney that they would pay for five nights for the family to stay in a local hotel so that they could be warm and safe for C's birthday and for Christmas. Our entire team was moved to tears. From there, we bought C a few birthday and Christmas gifts and we gave those to the family at the same time that we shared with them that they had a hotel room and extra cash on the side. The parents sobbed with gratitude. It was truly one of the most amazing memories in all of our careers. To see so many team members come together, chip in, and work so hard to do something so wonderful for this family was definitely a shining moment in all of our hearts.
In follow up, the family continued to stay in touch with the team on PT3 throughout the holidays. The team called C on her 8th birthday and sang Happy Birthday to her. They loved their time in the hotel, and their van was fixed shortly after Christmas as promised. (The team continued to call the mechanic to ensure of this.) The family was so appreciative of the outstanding care and the extraordinary humanity they were shown from this team. They even come back to PT3 still today, to give us a hug, update us on how they're doing, and say hello. At last update, the family had also been working with Catholic Charities on securing a permanent place to live.