Earlier this fall, members of ̽’s Houston Student Nurses Association hosted an ice cream social in partnership with the Pincushion Gang, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those with sickle cell disease and their families through fundraisers, in-depth training, special events for the sickle cell community, blood drives, and meals and volunteer bedside sitters for in-patient families.
Mellanee Johnson, service chair of ̽’s Houston Student Nurses Association, says the group of volunteers dished out Blue Bell ice cream with all the fixings to about forty attendees. Besides ice cream, they offered games, educational resources, and goodie bags—and even canned goods for those in need. “Community service is so important to us, especially in such a large city with unique needs,” Johnson said.
She went on to explain that since many sickle cell patients have traumatic experiences during hospital visits, one goal of the event was to make a positive impact on nurse-patient relations. “My hope is that participants left with a more positive view of nurses,” she said, adding that “perhaps we will inspire someone to join the profession one day.”