Stories of Kindness from Around the World

At the Albuquerque, NM Veteran's Administration Hospital ("VA"), there are two units focused on long-term care: The Spinal Cord Injury Unit with 26 beds, and Unit 4D with 23 beds. Unit 4D houses long-term rehabilitation, palliative care and hospice patients. On any given day, there is an average of 22-24 patients in each unit.

Many of these veterans, who range in service from World War II, through Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas of conflict, have no outside support. For various reasons, they receive no mail, and no visits from family or friends.

Over time, by volunteering at the hospital, I’ve learned some of the reasons why these veterans are all alone. One is time and the expense of getting to the hospital. I walked in with a visitor who had driven 5 hours one way. He was lucky because he had a car and could drive. Some people are just uncomfortable being around the sick, injured, and dying, no matter how closely they are related. So rather than confront their discomfort, they avoid it and just don't visit. It’s so much easier to ignore and deny than deal with reality. Families get caught up in their own lives and say, "We'll visit tomorrow, or next weekend" and that never happens.

But even if relatives and friends don’t visit, what stops them from calling or sending a letter or a card? This is what inspired my idea to give the patients in these two units a little bit of love and support in the form of greeting cards.

The cards would range from general get-well cards to birthday and major holiday cards (Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas). I spent time writing a message inside each card and signing it as an anonymous friend that cared.

Despite my inspiration, one big obstacle was financial. I'm on disability and struggle financially myself. I didn't want to commit to this project only to have it wither and die for lack of funds. I envision this as a long-term, ongoing project of compassion.

KindSpring Grants To The Rescue!

Shortly after joining KindSpring, I saw the notice about the grants. $100!?! WOW! What a help that would be! Not only would that amount fund roughly 200 cards, but it would give me some space in which to save some money for when the grant money is spent.

I applied.

I was accepted! A volunteer and I talked on the phone. And the next thing I knew: a check for $100 in the mail!

I’ve been collaborating with my friend who is an Air vet and an employee at the VA. She is the one that told me about the vets on 4D and in SCI. On September 18, I received a tour of Unit 4D and was introduced to a couple of the patients. When I delivered the birthday/Halloween cards on October 25, the nurses were so complimentary about the positive effect of the cards and so happy to have more.

I told the nurses about the KindSpring grant, and how that meant I could keep this project going, that it meant a long-term project. They were thrilled!

On my last visit, I was introduced to Mr. S. He has a tracheotomy tube, communicates by facial expression, hand gestures, and a small slate on which he can write really fast. On the windowsill next to his bed are pictures of three grandchildren. And a birthday card.

The nurse then told me the story behind the birthday card: Mr. S. had no one from his family visit or any acknowledge his birthday. She had all the staff sign one of the birthday cards and it was given to him when the Kitchen Staff sent up his birthday tray - all foods that he had requested. Without that card, Mr. S. would have had an even bleaker birthday.

I am so grateful to the KindSpring grant team for this funding. It means a lot to me to be able to help our vets in some small way, and the fact that others see value in this project and are willing to support it means everything to me. Thank you.