By Nora Schindler Mary (not her real name) was born early and underweight. Her unmarried mother gave birth to her in a Tacoma hospital recently. When Mary was finally healthy enough to lave the hospital, her pediatrician insisted she leave with a hat on her fragile head. Without the hat, there was a significant chance Mary would soon be back in the hospital with life-threatening health problems. Although it would have taken only 40 cents of yarn and 90 minutes of time to make a hat to fit Mary, the donated hat bin was empty. Because her mother didn't have the money to buy an inexpensive hat, Mary left the hospital wearing a sock. Jo (not her real name) and her husband had always had above-average incomes. They had the financial situation most people dream of having. And then Jo developed cancer. Fighting cancer is so expensive, many people go bankrupt. Jo couldn't afford a cheap hat to cover her bald head. For the newborn, the cancer patient and the homeless, a free hat is tangible proof of community care and raises self-esteem. In January 2014, Holy Disciples Catholic Church in the South Hill-Graham area started a hat drive. The hats go to St. Joseph Medical Center's outreach program, where they are given away for free to the needy. Recently, the Tacoma hospital honored the church with an award for the first 1,000 hats donated. The new hats, homemade or store-bought, are dropped off at Holy Disciples at either the welcome desk (located just inside the church) or at the church office. The church is located just east of the corner of Meridian and 187th Street East. The hats are individually bagged with a note of compassion from the church before being taken to the hospital. The hats are given away for free. Anyone who wishes to donate to the hat drive, but would like the note of compassion excluded from the bags containing their donation, need only include a note with that wish. All questions about the hat drive can be e-mailed to me at sylvia9@netezero.com
Nora Schindler is one of the Holy Disciples Church volunteers who support the hat drive for St. Joseph Medical Center patients.
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