HUPdate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Throughout the year, our employees volunteer their time to help members of local communities but the outreach intensifies over the holidays, making the season more joyful for those less fortunate.

Holly Days always brings out the best in everyone and this year was no different. In total, 37 families — moms

and kids — were ‘adopted.’ According to Phyllis Murray of Administration, who once again took the lead for this outreach

activity, “we had more departments wanting to adopt than we had families.” Donations included a mini basketball court, double stroller,

game systems, and iPods. “The departments tried to give the kids everything on their wish lists… and more.” In addition, over $3,000 in gift cards went to Covenant House.

The Nursing Network Center ran its traditional toy drive for the People’s Emergency Center, which provides housing and comprehensive on-site services to homeless families. Brenda Bradford said they filled her truck and another vehicle with all the collected toys! “We had over $200 in gift cards as well!”

Flannel pajamas feel good on cold winter nights and, thanks to staff on Ravdin 9, more than 30 moms at St. Barnabas Mission, which provides shelter and services for homeless women and their children, will be a little warmer in their beds. “We wanted to focus on giving the mothers a gift, since there are often more resources directed towards children during the holidays,” said Julie Colanero. Janelle Harris took the lead.

Last month Penn Medicine once again partnered with the South of South Neighborhood Association for the 6th annual Turkey Toss. They distributed more than 500 turkeys to families living south of Penn Medicine at Rittenhouse.

Food Glorious Food

The 8th floor of 1500 Market, home of Corporate Finance, Managed Care, and CPUP Financial Operations, held a food drive competition. The goal for each of the floor’s five teams was to collect 500 items. If they reached that goal, the entire floor could wear jeans

Congrats to the 2012 Holiday Tree Winners ..........2-4

INSIDE

Volume 23 Number 26 December 28, 2012

Look for more holiday photos at

http://news.pennmedicine.org/

inside/hupdate

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L to r: Sitha Dy, Lulu Williams, Janelle Harris, Melissa Kavanagh, and Bernell Lewis with some of the 30+ pairs of pajamas donated to women at St. Barnabas Mission.

OUTREACH EFFORTS LEAD TO

Happier Holidays

Congrats

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When Oscar Abrahamsohn started a tradition of decorating

HUP’s hospital ward in the late 19th century, he clearly couldn’t

imagine the heights to which staff in patient units would bring

this ritual. The Abrahamsohn Christmas & Easter Committee

— which faithfully continues the custom — announced the

five winners of the 2012 Tree Decorating Competition. As one

member noted, “It gets harder every year to choose!”

The Rhoads 7 staff all put their creative talents to work for It’s a Small World.

Happy TailsWhen most people think about spreading holiday cheer, animals aren’t typically among the recipients. That’s not the case in Ravdin 9, which chose Santa Paws: Toys & Treats for Tails as its theme for this year’s competition as well as a community outreach project for the Delaware County SPCA. “The SPCA receives no government funding. It relies on private donations,” said Sitha Dy, who worked with Maria Nicolas to pull together this year’s winning theme. “And yet, it helps so many animals, and also provides low cost spaying and neutering, as well as vaccinations at cost.”

Hoping to help increase adoptions, Dy and Nicolas created animal ornaments, each of which contains a photo of, and information about, a cat or dog currently waiting at this SPCA for its “forever” home. They used the ornaments to decorate both an ‘adoption’ tree and a bulletin board , hoping those who visited the family waiting room might consider adopting a new pet. Their strategy has worked! “We put up photos of 103 animals and so far nearly 50 have been adopted,” Dy said.

The duo encouraged coworkers to donate food, toys, and treats so the animals at the SPCA would have a merrier holiday as well. They brought the goodies to the shelter last week, along with the $150 the unit won in the tree decorating competition.

It Really is a Small WorldPatients from around the world come to HUP for high-quality care and some of the staff who treat them have come from foreign lands as well. To celebrate this diversity, Rhoads 7 put together a trip around the world… all within the confines of the unit.

The tree — decorated with flags from many counties, cut-out figures of doctors, nurses, CNAs, and patients, and a globe on top — is the first thing people see as they step off the elevator. In the unit itself, each patient room window is decorated with a holiday scene from a different country. On one, Santa delivers toys in shorts and a T-shirt to Australian boys and girls. On another, Scotland’s Santa wears a kilt and plays a bagpipe… while the loch ness monster surfaces to hear the music. In the Marshall Islands, Santa rises out of the ocean, carrying a tree!

The windows of the unit’s family waiting room are painted with a forest of evergreens, dedicated to a patient who sold Christmas trees in the city. Even some of the patients got into the spirit, helping to paint the evergreen scene.

“It was a great group project,” said Stephanie Lynch. To continue the holiday spirit, the unit did caroling on Christmas Eve.

Sitha Dy (l.) and Maria Nicolas with some of the many donations for the Delaware County SPCA.

2012 HOLIDAY TREE WINNERSTO THE

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A Boost for Camp AchieveThe staff on Silverstein 9 cares for many patients with seizures stemming from epilepsy, injury or other causes. So when it came time to pick a theme for the tree decorating competition, the unit council decided to follow the lead of Bethany Frasch and Kristin McCabe, two unit nurses who volunteer for Camp Achieve. This overnight summer camp is for children and teens with a primary diagnosis of epilepsy or a seizure disorder. For one week, campers have the opportunity to do all the typical camp activities kids love, in a safe and friendly environment.

The staff went all out. Tree decorations included dream catchers, pipecleaner figures and glittery pine cones, plus letters from camp! To make the scene more ‘rural,’ the walls of the family waiting room — where the tree and decorations are located — were covered with brown paper decorated to look like logs.

Pat Huggins created the Campfire Diva — complete with jewelry, make-up and fancy clothes — who is standing in a canoe atop the tree. Jen Kraus made a very realistic camp fire using decorated cardboard rolls from paper towels and topped it with a camp favorite: marshmallows toasting on the open ‘fire.’ Phyllis Dubendorf and her daughter took the lead on creating three gingerbread houses.

The unit plans to donate its $150 winnings from the competition to Camp Achieve. It will also donate all money raised from selling the tree’s ornaments and gingerbread houses. To purchase, please contact Jackie Dunayevich at 215.662.3808.

L. to r: Theresa Smedley, Kirsten Quinlan, Julie Jablanski (who developed HUP’s Pups with Donna Griffith, director of Volunteer Services), and Sebastian Ramagnano.

Santa Paws: A Tribute to PetsRhoads 5 is known for its winning entries. Indeed, the unit has been among the winners in this very competitive event in 15 out of the last 18 years. Kirstin Quinlan and Jin Jun knew this when they agreed to take the lead in decorating for this year’s competition. “We had very big shoes to fill!” Quinlan said.

But they came through with flying colors. Santa Paws is a winner! Quinlan said the theme was inspired by the hospital’s own therapy program, HUP’s Pups. “The wreath on the tree contains photos of all of HUP’s Pups,” she said. Originally, in keeping with the theme, staff with dogs were invited to create an ornament with a photo of their pet for the tree, but “by popular demand, it spread to include photos of pet cats as well.” They also allowed a photo of a pet fish, dropping the paws requirement for this one. On the top of the tree is a kitty angel.

Even the room’s windows carried the theme — with brightly decorated dog houses on the ‘snow’ covered sill and origami dogs hanging in the window.

L to r: Phyllis Dubendorf, Aparna Kumar, Jen Kraus, Diane Leichter, Jackie Dunayevich, Julia Hodge, Tina Palmer, and Nahree Anderson. Also a special thanks to Siobhan Rock, Robin Acker, Maureen Hauger, Mackenzie Mapes, Marissa Mcaneny, Sarah Stein, Steffi Caniglia, Kelechi Ekejiuba, Ashley Hicks, Sarah Fritze, and Amber Oberholzer.

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every day for the week of December 24. And the team that collected the most food got a pizza lunch.

They outdid themselves. “The entire floor collected 1,276 food items, and the winning team — Disbursements and Payroll — collected 741!” said Kathryn Van Veen. All of the food was donated to Philabundance.

And humans weren’t the only ones to get special holiday treats. Heather Matthews of Emergency Medicine worked with the Pennsylvania SPCA to fill its wish list for animals in their care. “Animals can get forgotten during the holidays and they provide so much comfort to our patients and to us.” It’s her fifth year raising money for the PSPCA, which this year led to treats and toys for dogs and cats, as well as blankets and towels. “The staff and I had a great time delivering the goodies, and the SPCA was so thankful for us being there.”

Read more about our outreach efforts in the next HUPdate!

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Restore the Shore The devastation Hurricane Sandy brought to parts of the Jersey Shore not only affected those who lived or owned houses in these areas but also the many people for whom the shore holds wonderful memories.

Founders 10 literally brought part of the shore to its unit as part of its winning theme: Restore the Shore for Santa. With the help of two inpatients, unit secretary Jessica Edinger took the lead, pulling the entire scene together over the course of a weekend. The tree, decorated with star fish, seashells, and holiday ornaments, sits among a typical shore scene: beach chair, cooler, sand toys and beach bag. “The sand came from an actual sandbag one of our nurses used at her beach house during the storm,” Edinger said. The scene also featured photos of the devastation brought on by Sandy.

The two patients – Mary Ellen Otto* and Stephen Fitchett – said they were thrilled to help! Each has been on the unit since late October waiting for a heart and liver transplant. “It was great to have something to do,” Otto said.

The group will use its $150 prize money towards ‘adopting’ a family from Lavallette, NJ for the holidays. About half that town sustained substantial flood damage during Hurricane Sandy.

*Otto got an early holiday present. She received her new heart and liver last week!

Unit secretary Jessica Edinger with the two patients who helped her decorate, Mary Ellen Otto and Stephen Fitchett.

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EDITORIAL STAFF Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer

Lisa Paxson Designer

ADMINISTRATION Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs

CONTACT HUPDATE AT: 3535 Market Street, Mezzanine Philadelphia, PA 19104

phone: 215.662.4488 fax: 215.349.8312 email: sally.sapega@uphs.upenn.edu

HUPdate is published biweekly for HUP employees. Access HUPdate online at http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/hupdate.

HUPdate

Katie Delach (l.) and Jessica Mikulski of Communications with the gifts for their department’s Holly Days adopted family.

OUTREACH EFFORTS LEAD TO Happier Holidays