USF Nursing to bring hugs and smiles to sick children on Valentine’s Day week

Tampa, FL (Feb. 6, 2015) – University of South Florida College of Nursing will spread love to the local community during Valentine’s Day week! The college will deliver more than 600 cuddly teddy bears to sick children at six local hospitals, Feb. 9 to Feb. 13.

The custom gray bears, dressed in their own USF Nursing uniforms, will be hand delivered by students, faculty, staff and alumni to pediatric patients as part of the college’s Bulls Encouraging and Assisting through Research and Scholarship (B.E.A.R.S.) program.

Volunteers will visit the following hospitals:

• St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital – Monday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Lakeland Regional Medical Center – Tuesday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (No photo/video opportunity available)
• Mease Countryside Hospital – Wednesday, Feb.11, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Morton Plant Hospital – Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Florida Hospital Tampa – Thursday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• All Children’s Hospital – Friday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

B.E.A.R.S. encourages alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends to support the college while sharing a little joy with children in the Tampa Bay community. The proceeds help benefit the college’s research and student success initiatives.

The teddy bears, donated by college supporter, Christopher J. Davis, president of LAD Enterprises, Inc., are charitable gifts that contribute to the USF Unstoppable Campaign, a comprehensive fundraising effort by USF to celebrate the energy, vision and future of one of the country’s most exciting and engaged universities.

For information on how to participate in the B.E.A.R.S. program, visit www.usfnursingbears.com.

-USF Health-

USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. The University of South Florida is a global research university ranked 50^th in the nation by the National Science Foundation for both federal and total research expenditures among all U.S. universities. For more information, visit www.health.usf.edu.

Media Contact:
Vjollca “V” Hysenlika
College of Nursing Communications
(813)974-2017, or
vhysenli@health.usf.edu

Written by Vjollca “V” Hysenlika