Share the GOOD News

[Chellyse]

I came across this article about a nurse and thought, we need to have a post over at allnurses that shares the Good nursing news too. This is not a mushy gushy post with quotes and poetry, just a post to put any articles that are reflective of the good outcomes that we as nurses produce with our passion and kindness.There are some good stories to tell and I would like to read them.So if anyone else has any to share, do it.Thanks All! Enjoy the article:

Dream come true

By Stacy St. Clair Daily Herald Staff Writer

Posted on May 06, 2001

Daily Herald Photo/Lisa Fernandez

From the moment Abby Marz's parents died, Kate St. John has been her fairy godmother.

St. John, a Bensenville nurse, made the 5-year-old orphan's wish come true Saturday as she threw a Cinderella-themed birthday for the little girl.

The two met March 17, when St. John witnessed the car accident that killed Abby's parents. St. John rushed to the car to tend to Steve and Linda Marz, but the Wisconsin couple had died upon impact.

Their children, Abby and 2-year-old Nick, were physically unharmed in the back seat. St. John pulled Abby from the minivan and wrapped her in a blanket.

Police asked her to stay with the little girl in the police car as they inspected the scene. They put Nick in St. John's car with her 9-year-old son, Kyle.

Authorities finished their work nearly an hour later and prepared to take the kids to a local hospital. A social worker would look after the children until a relative could drive down from Wisconsin to retrieve them.

"I couldn't stand the thought of these kids being with a stranger after they lost their parents," St. John said. "So, I volunteered to stay with them. I don't know what prompted me to do it. I just couldn't leave."

During the 12-hour hospital wait, St. John and Abby chatted about her upcoming birthday. The little girl chattered incessantly about the Cinderella party her mother had planned for her.

"She talked about it nonstop," St. John said. "At least once an hour she brought it up."

Then and there, St. John resolved to give the little girl the party she deserved.

"I felt so connected to her," she said. "It's just hard to describe."

St. John mentioned her desire to give Abby a fairy-tale birthday in a Daily Herald article in late March. After reading the story, Bensenville resident Jaci Charbonneau offered to help.

Her daughter, Joelle Charbonneau-Blanco, plays the fairy godmother in a production of "Cinderella" at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights. She suggested inviting the little girl and her family to a performance.

St. John, a single mother, loved the idea and bought 50 tickets for Abby's family and friends. To help defray the costs, her co-workers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's neurology department donated money.

Once people heard about the party, she was deluged with donations. St. John's office manager paid for the Cinderella sheet cake, another co-worker bought Cinderella favors, and Charbonneau took Friday off to bake dozens of cookies shaped like the number five.

The Metropolis offered a rehearsal studio as a party room, and The Emerald City Theater Company chipped in Cinderella-themed favors.

The entire cast attended the party to sing happy birthday and sign autographs. During the production, they picked Abby from the audience to try on the coveted glass slipper.

"So many people went out of their way to make this a special day for Abby," said the girl's uncle, Tom Jashinski, who is now raising his sister's kids in suburban Milwaukee. "I couldn't begin to thank them all."

The entire event overwhelmed the family, who drove down from Milwaukee in a chartered bus. Abby's parents had spent nearly an entire year planning the little girl's "Cinderella" party and a group of big-hearted strangers made sure the 5-year-old's wish came true.

"No one would have loved this day more than my sister, Linda," Jashinski said. "The generosity of all these people is phenomenal."

Party: Co-workers, theater wish girl a happy birthday

:) :)

[Chellyse]

I came across this article about a nurse and thought, we need to have a post over at allnurses that shares the Good nursing news too. This is not a mushy gushy post with quotes and poetry, just a post to put any articles that are reflective of the good outcomes that we as nurses produce with our passion and kindness.There are some good stories to tell and I would like to read them.So if anyone else has any to share, do it.Thanks All! Enjoy the article:

Dream come true

By Stacy St. Clair Daily Herald Staff Writer

Posted on May 06, 2001

Daily Herald Photo/Lisa Fernandez

From the moment Abby Marz's parents died, Kate St. John has been her fairy godmother.

St. John, a Bensenville nurse, made the 5-year-old orphan's wish come true Saturday as she threw a Cinderella-themed birthday for the little girl.

The two met March 17, when St. John witnessed the car accident that killed Abby's parents. St. John rushed to the car to tend to Steve and Linda Marz, but the Wisconsin couple had died upon impact.

Their children, Abby and 2-year-old Nick, were physically unharmed in the back seat. St. John pulled Abby from the minivan and wrapped her in a blanket.

Police asked her to stay with the little girl in the police car as they inspected the scene. They put Nick in St. John's car with her 9-year-old son, Kyle.

Authorities finished their work nearly an hour later and prepared to take the kids to a local hospital. A social worker would look after the children until a relative could drive down from Wisconsin to retrieve them.

"I couldn't stand the thought of these kids being with a stranger after they lost their parents," St. John said. "So, I volunteered to stay with them. I don't know what prompted me to do it. I just couldn't leave."

During the 12-hour hospital wait, St. John and Abby chatted about her upcoming birthday. The little girl chattered incessantly about the Cinderella party her mother had planned for her.

"She talked about it nonstop," St. John said. "At least once an hour she brought it up."

Then and there, St. John resolved to give the little girl the party she deserved.

"I felt so connected to her," she said. "It's just hard to describe."

St. John mentioned her desire to give Abby a fairy-tale birthday in a Daily Herald article in late March. After reading the story, Bensenville resident Jaci Charbonneau offered to help.

Her daughter, Joelle Charbonneau-Blanco, plays the fairy godmother in a production of "Cinderella" at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights. She suggested inviting the little girl and her family to a performance.

St. John, a single mother, loved the idea and bought 50 tickets for Abby's family and friends. To help defray the costs, her co-workers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's neurology department donated money.

Once people heard about the party, she was deluged with donations. St. John's office manager paid for the Cinderella sheet cake, another co-worker bought Cinderella favors, and Charbonneau took Friday off to bake dozens of cookies shaped like the number five.

The Metropolis offered a rehearsal studio as a party room, and The Emerald City Theater Company chipped in Cinderella-themed favors.

The entire cast attended the party to sing happy birthday and sign autographs. During the production, they picked Abby from the audience to try on the coveted glass slipper.

"So many people went out of their way to make this a special day for Abby," said the girl's uncle, Tom Jashinski, who is now raising his sister's kids in suburban Milwaukee. "I couldn't begin to thank them all."

The entire event overwhelmed the family, who drove down from Milwaukee in a chartered bus. Abby's parents had spent nearly an entire year planning the little girl's "Cinderella" party and a group of big-hearted strangers made sure the 5-year-old's wish came true.

"No one would have loved this day more than my sister, Linda," Jashinski said. "The generosity of all these people is phenomenal."

Party: Co-workers, theater wish girl a happy birthday

:) :)