USF Nursing Delivers Bears & Smiles to Children at Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Student and Alumni from the University of South Florida College of Nursing delivered 50 bears to children at Sarasota Memorial Hospital on Friday November 30, 2012. The signature USF bears brought smiles to many children at the hospital as part of the B.E.A.R.S. – Bulls Encouraging and Assisting Through Research and Scholarship initiative.

“We had a great turnout at Sarasota Memorial Hospital! The USF College of Nursing delivered 50 bears to Sarasota Memorial, where patients in their Pediatrics, NICU, and Mother/Baby units were extremely happy to see us with early holiday gifts!” said Edwin Hernandez, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, College of Nursing, University of South Florida.

For those of you that are not yet familiar with B.E.A.R.S., was designed to address several needs:

• To bring happiness to children in hospital care during the holiday season.
• Showcase USF College of Nursing students and alumni as a positive encouraging force within the Tampa Bay region.
• All sponsorship raised through B.E.A.R.S. will go towards nursing research and scholarship at the USF College of Nursing.

The delivery in Sarasota was just the first of three this holiday season. The USF College of Nursing has scheduled deliveries at Florida Hospital Tampa on December 18, 2012, and Tampa General Hospital on December 20, 2012.

USF College of Nursing students, faculty, staff and alumni who wish to help deliver USF Nursing Bears to the children at these two hospitals should contact Mr., Edwin Hernandez by e-mail at ehernan5@health.usf.edu or (813) 974-7072.

You can learn more about the event at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in:

Nursing students give teddy bears to children at hospital an article by Donna Koehn from the Sarasota Herald Tribune

Students help young hospital patients in a video broadcast and article by Meredith Garofalo from ABC 7 WWSB TV

To get a USF Nursing BEARS brochure and order form please CLICK HERE

For more information about B.E.A.R.S. or any of the College of Nursing’s fundraising priorities, please visit our website at HEALTH.USF.EDU/NURSING/PRIORITIES  or contact Director of Development Don Snyder at dsnyder3@health.usf.edu or (813) .974.2570. The USF Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Contributions to the USF Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.