Covenant Health staff open minds, one compassionate step at a time
On any given day, you can find our staff stepping up their commitment to the six Covenant Health values. One recent example is the staff at Villa Caritas and the Mental Health unit at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. They joined the 15th annual Open Minds Walk & Run to show compassion for the mental health community.
“As someone in the mental health field, I think it’s really important to advocate for patients and support them. Open Minds is a really fun way to do that – something outside of the hospital environment. It’s another way we can show our compassion for our patients,” said Tiffany Jones, Occupational Therapist in Mental Health at the Grey Nuns.
Over 15 staff from the Grey Nuns and Villa Caritas participated in the Open Minds Walk & Run event on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Happy to have met their fundraising goal, the Grey Nuns team raised $4,000 for the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta. About 12 staff from Villa Caritas and two family members also joined the event and the team raised $858.
“It’s a different way to show what we do at the hospital. We do as much as we can to support our patients in the community – not just within the walls of our health-care facilities,” said Tiffany.
“It’s an excellent team building opportunity for our team to do activities beyond what we do here at work, and also help raise awareness and money for a really good cause in the community,” said Carole Dornn, Registered Nurse at the Villa Caritas whose team participated in the event for the first time this year.
Staff at the Grey Nuns have individually been participating in the event for the past couple of years. But last year, they decided to collaborate and fundraise for the event and were successful at raising $2,500. To raise money this year, they held a BBQ event for the staff in the mental health unit. They also created other activities, including selling snacks and other treats to staff.
The staff look forward to participating in Open Minds Walk & Run every year.
“Schizophrenia is a very misunderstood illness. The schizophrenia society is doing a wonderful thing by creating awareness and also the opportunity for people to get involved in something that is both enjoyable and informative,” said Tiffany. “And there are ways available that the community can support people and families affected by the illness.”
All funds raised support the work of the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta, providing support and services for individuals and families living with schizophrenia and related disorders.