Home-cooked meals, traveling to visit loved ones, and spending quality time with my family – these are
just a few things I associate with the holiday season. It is a special time of year for many of us, and a difficult time for others. For some, it’s the first time spending the holidays without a loved one who passed away this year, and for others it’s a time of great financial stress. But closest to my heart are those spending the holidays in the hospital.
As I’m home with family relaxing by the fire and admiring our tree, my mind wanders to the MUSC Children’s Hospital, where young patients and their families spend this season away from home. As a volunteer, I know how much holiday cheer our Child Life Program provides this time of year. They bring festive decor to each room, wrap up gifts, and plan creative activities to help patients get their minds off of the fact they are in the hospital. Their hard work spans year-round as they facilitate play opportunities through toys, arts, crafts, games, and more to enhance patient growth and development and create a sense of normalcy.
During my volunteer time, I have the opportunity to bring patients a tray of paints, movies, or coloring books to interact with them while their family takes a much-deserved break or to provide some playtime if there’s no family present at all. The shift in energy is almost tangible when I walk into the room and they light up at all the goodies I have in hand thanks to our Child Life Program. It’s amazing how a pack of markers and some paper can turn around a 5-year-old child’s whole day.
Because of my first-hand experience with pediatric patients, I recently made the MUSC Child Life Program the beneficiary of my retirement plan. It was important to me to make a planned gift to an area that doesn’t get a whole lot of attention because I see how much joy simple things like race cars, puzzles, and video games can bring to a young child who has been dealt a tough hand. Even better is that I know my gift will grow over time as I contribute to my IRA, one day making a huge difference to our Child Life Program as my gift will provide funding for much needed toys, arts and crafts, games, and other supplies.
I believe a planned gift to help those in less fortunate circumstances is the best gift of all, and I hope you will consider it one day. I know first-hand how a little extra estate planning can bring a whole lot of joy to someone who could really use it.
In closing, I hope you have a happy and healthy holiday and a prosperous new year. And if this time of year is a difficult one, I hope many blessings come your way to make your days a little brighter.
Sincerely,
Haley
