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W.C. John Muir donates to military in Iraq
By Jacquie Oliverius
Contra Costa Times
4/23/2008
In case you don't know, scrubs are the simple shirt and pants outfits worn by most staff members in the medical field and associated fields, such as veterinary services.
Dorothy Dennin, an intensive care nurse at John Muir Medical Center-Walnut Creek Campus, asked her relative, Air Force Col. Diana Atwell, then commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron in Iraq, what things her troops needed.
The answer that came back was "scrubs.," and that started a series of phone calls to make Atwell's request a reality. The calls led Dennin to Gary Boyd, senior vice president of clinical and support services for John Muir Health, and Beverly Jones, senior vice president of patient care services at the Walnut Creek campus.
"The idea of donating scrubs was hatched," said Laura Kaufman, senior public relations associate. "Andrea Segura, director of nursing on the Walnut Creek campus, got involved and it wasn't long before 50 sets of new scrubs were ready for donation.
"In addition, the Human Resources Department added keychains and an ample supply of chocolate."
The packages were assembled and the scrubs were sent on their way to the 180 surgeons, nurses, technicians, physical therapists and ancillary staff members in emergency room, operating room, intensive care unit and other wards at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq.
"The hospital is known as the military's surgical hub of Iraq, and its staff performs more than 1,500 procedures monthly," said Dennin. "Among the injured are U.S. and coalition military personnel, civilians and contractors, and also Iraqi army, police, civilians and insurgents.
"A small portion of the hospital's care is humanitarian, where on a space-available basis, Iraqi patients — mainly children — are provided with surgeries not availabe to them otherwise."
Kaufman said that once the scrubs had been received, the trauma team at Balad Air Base sent back photos of them in their new scrubs with many thanks. A round of applause for a medical-to-medical effort halfway around the world.
(Posted April 25, 2008)