On Friday, August 27, patients at McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital received a special delivery from Junior Girl Scout Emily West, age 10, of Maryland. Emily is working on her Jr. Bronze Award and wanted a project that would honor her late grandfather, Craig Sands, who lost his battle with lung cancer in November 2020. In coordination with McGlinn Cancer Institute and Reading Hospital Foundation, Emily created 127 “bags of love” for patients receiving chemotherapy.
“I am really thankful and excited for this to happen,” Emily said. “My PopPop was my best friend and I miss him. I wanted to do something that would help cancer patients. I had helped my mom put together handbags filled with personal care items for women who were homeless and/or leaving abusive relationships and I thought we could do something similar. I wanted the bags to go to patients at the McGlinn Cancer Center because that's where my PopPop got the best care to help him with his fight against cancer. I am excited for my parents, grandmother, uncle, and aunt to be here too to help honor my PopPop.”
Emily worked with team members from McGlinn Cancer Institute and Reading Hospital Foundation to create a list of items to include in the bags. She and her mom created a wish list online, and within two days, she was receiving donations from all over the country, including many from Berks County.
Each bag will contain:
- Hand sanitizer
- Hand lotion
- Tissues
- Sunscreen
- Gum
- Crackers
- Chips
- Pens
- Chapstick
- Hard candies
In addition to these items, the Reading Hospital Foundation will also include a “Blanket of Hope” with each bag.
Michael Brown, MD, Medical Director of McGlinn Cancer Institute, said, “On behalf of everyone at McGlinn Cancer Institute, I’d like to thank Emily for her donation in support of our patients. I know this will help put a smile on their faces every time they use something from the bag.”
“We are so grateful to the entire West family and were honored to be a part of their tribute to Mr. Sands,” said Katherine Thornton, President, Reading Hospital Foundation. “This donation is the perfect example of the impact we can make for our patients when we work together.”
Featured from left to right in the photo - Meide Lu, MD, Tower Health Medical Group Hematology Oncology; Uday Dasika, MD, Tower Health Medical Group Cardiothoracic Surgery; Bridget Staron, MSN, RN, OCN, Director of Reading Hospital Infusion Center Nursing; Emily West; Katherine Thornton, President, Reading Hospital Foundation; and Michael Haas, MD, Chief Division of Radiation Oncology.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, Tower Health Transplant Institute, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians and providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for five consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.