FORT MYERS, Fla. — Healthcare workers in Southwest Florida who have dedicated their lives to helping others, now say they need your help.
The Compassionate Blanket Program at Lee Health creates hand-made blankets for families who have lost loved ones.
Nancy Roberts, a Faith Community Nurse at Lee Health, started the program back in 2009.
“An ICU nurse and I wanted to create a more compassionate environment for families when they have lost a loved one," said Roberts. Since then, she said volunteers have made thousands.
Roberts said it's a small gift for someone who has lost a lot.
“I have also had someone say that they buried their loved one with it because it was so meaningful,” said Roberts.
Meaningful enough that Lee Health covers the cost of the materials for the blankets through grants, but what Roberts said the program lacks is volunteers to sew them.
Reverend James Bowman Harris is a chaplain at Gulf Coast Medical Center and heard about the struggle for volunteers.
“So I asked Nancy if it was okay if I made the announcement at my church,” said Reverend Harris.
Reverend Harris made that call for volunteers at his church, Fort Myers United Church of Christ.
“Right after service, two of the women in my church popped up and were like 'Hey, here is my name and number,' and I passed that onto Nancy,” said Reverend Harris.
Roberts said they don’t have a consistent number of volunteers due to so many seasonal visitors in Southwest Florida, but that they are the heart of the program.
“I have been an ICU nurse in the past and when your patient passes away you feel a loss,” said Roberts.
Barbara Kilbride is the manager of the Faith Community Nurse Program at Lee Health, the program that supports and encourages nurses like Roberts to create efforts like the blanket program.
"Most of the nurses are retired... and want to give back. Nurses don't go away easily so they have a lot to offer and fortunately, this is one way," said Kilbride.
If you would like to get involved you can click here
You can also call Barbara Kilbride at 239-343-5182.
