Nurses at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) take the time to really get to know their patients. Once nurses in the Garland Birthing Center learn about a family’s hobbies and interests, they choose a book to give to them. They often write a special message, leaving a lasting memory for them to share as the child grows older. 

These books are donated by a group of teachers from Mecklenburg and Lunenburg counties who are fulfilling their mission to promote literacy. The Alpha Pi chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, with the assistance of the Beta Club at Mecklenburg Middle School, recently made another donation of books to CMH’s Garland Birthing Center on National Coloring Book Day.

Sabrina Martin is an eighth-grade teacher at Mecklenburg Middle School who helped drop off the books. She remembers the special moment her daughter received a book at CMH when her granddaughter was born. 

“The nurses picked out a book on fishing with daddy because my son-in-law loves to fish, and it meant so much to my family,” Martin said. “Now we can give that same feeling to other young parents in our area.”

Books are not their sole outreach. These sorority sisters also choose community projects to support. Because Martin’s mother was treated at CMH Cancer and Specialty Care in South Hill, they chose to help patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Patients with cancer sometimes sit for hours multiple times a week to get chemotherapy and other drugs as part of their treatment. To help the time pass more quickly and show they care, Alpha Pi put together 50 gift bags including puzzle books, pens, crafts, lip balm, lotion, stress balls and tissues for patients at CMH Cancer and Specialty Care.

Sabrina Martin, Diane Greene, Wendy Farley, Sheldon Barr and Todd Howell display the cancer care bags donated by Alpha Pi (Enterprise Marketing and Communications).

“Just some items to help keep their minds off what they’re going through,” Martin said. “It’s the little things that help people know someone else cares and is thinking about them.” 

CMH team members see the impact these donations have on patients time and time again. They are always very thankful for the kind work of these groups and their continued support of CMH.

“To hear their amazing stories and connections in our surrounding communities are very humbling and also reflect the personal connections our caregivers make,” said Sheldon Barr, president of CMH. “We are so grateful they chose to help our patients.”

If you are interested in donating to the Garland Birthing Center, CMH Cancer and Specialty Care, or another department at CMH, visit the CMH Foundation website or call (434)-447-0857 to learn more.

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