Taylor Hanscom ’21, president of SJC’s Project Sunshine club, has been reaching out to club members and working to ensure their presence is still felt at West Islip’s Good Samaritan Hospital, where the group regularly visits with pediatric patients.
“Since we cannot directly visit with children at the hospital right now, I asked club members to send me inspirational quotes via email,” Hanscom said. “I am attaching the quotes to St. Patrick’s Day pencils for the children to bring them a little bit of sunshine.”
The goal of SJC’s Project Sunshine Club is to establish a sense of normalcy for children facing medical challenges in hospital settings. Working onsite, club members relieve the anxiety of the young patients and in a context of fun and play, foster in them the courage and coping skills necessary to confront procedures that lie ahead.
“We design fun, creative and engaging activities for children to enjoy during their stay in the hospital,” said Lisa Tafuro, Ph.D., associate professor of speech and moderator of Project Sunshine. “Students also volunteer their time to raise money and design crafts for patients. The work they do is so important and in the face of COVID-19, our students are finding new ways to meet their goal of spreading cheer.”
