Mission
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| A view of the tornado as it approaches Sentara Obici Hospital on April 2, 2008. |
Sentara HOPE Fund to Aid Team Obici
When a devastating tornado cut a path through Suffolk on April 28, 2008, at least 12
Sentara Obici Hospital employees sustained either major damage or total loss of their homes. Several sustained minor injuries, and many had their vehicles damaged or destroyed. Sentara employees across the system were invited to contribute to the Sentara HOPE Fund (Helping Overcome Personal Emergency), established five years ago after Hurricane Isabel to assist Sentara family members who suffered losses in that storm. And respond they did! More than 40 individuals, including board members, employees and associated businesses contributed more than $12,000 to assist Sentara families affected by the tornado. Even the American Hospital Association contributed $5,500 to help. These funds will help provide temporary shelter, clothing, food, home and car repairs and so much more.
Sentara team members may still donate to the HOPE Fund. A "Special One-Time Donation" election has been set up on the RxFlex Benefit site. It will allow employees to make a one-time lump sum donation directly from their paycheck and to choose one of three pay dates in which to make the contribution. Team members can make this donation between May 22 - July 2. Employees may visit
WaveNet and go to the benefits page and click on the RxFlex button to go to your personalized benefits.
Sentara Teams up with CaringBridge Patients experiencing a serious illness need the daily support of family and friends. That’s why Sentara is working with CaringBridge, an organization offering free, personalized Web sites that support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery. The Web site allows the patient to upload photos, write messages, and create a daily journal and guestbook for friends and family members to sign. Visit the
CaringBridge page.
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| Children and staff participate in team building activities at Camp Lighthouse. |
Camp Lighthouse Shines Again
The third annual Camp Lighthouse, a two-day camp for grieving children sponsored by
Sentara Home Care Services’ Hospice program, was held April 19 and 20 at Triple-R Ranch in Chesapeake. Approximately 40 children between the ages of 5 and 16 attended and were cared for by 33 Sentara volunteers from hospice, home care and the hospitals. All of the children were connected by having experienced the death of a parent, friend or family member. The campers were divided into four age groups for a fun weekend of team building, games, crafts, making memory boxes, grief education, music therapy, archery and horse back riding. The camp ended with a beautiful memorial service to honor their loved ones.
Physicians Honored for Doctor's Day
Area physicians were honored in March in recognition of National Doctor’s Day, celebrated each year on March 30. Numerous patients in the community who wanted to show their gratitude for the outstanding care they have received made a monetary gift to Sentara Health Foundation in honor of their physicians. Gifts will be used to assist underinsured and uninsured patients with medically necessary expenses when they are released from the hospital. Very often, these individuals have specific needs that go unmet such as medications, transportation, home care services, and personal medical necessities. See a
tribute to the Hampton Roads physicians who were honored.
Sentara CarePlex Awarded Komen GrantFor the second year in a row,
Sentara CarePlex Hospital was awarded a $15,000 grant from Susan G. Komen For the Cure for Financial Assistance for Low Income Women in Breast Cancer Treatment. Last year, the grant helped 24 area women pay rent, utilities, health insurance or buy groceries. According to Patient Navigator Belinda Risher, “Women undergoing cancer treatment may experience missed income or need to be out of work for medical reasons. The grant money allows these women to focus on fighting the disease rather than worrying about how they’re going to pay their bills.” The grant money comes from fundraisers such as the Komen Race for the Cure, held here in Hampton Roads. “The Komen Foundation wants to make sure some of the money raised here in our community, stays here,” added Risher.
Advance Directive Awareness Week a Success
Congratulations to Chaplain David Plummer’s team at Sentara CarePlex Hospital who distributed 547
advance directive packages during Advance Directive Week in mid-April. System-wide, more than 2,000 packages were distributed and 99 were completed and registered on the spot! Sentara has been a leader among health care systems in raising awareness about the need for Advance Directives, offering free access to the National Advance Directive Registry as part of its not-for-profit mission.