Cookies, Candy and Cocoa, Oh My: Support from the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute

by Jill Adler, M.S., Coordinator, Patient Information Services, and Bunny Kohn, R.N., Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute

Puffs of hot chocolate, glittery dancing snowflakes and bags of holiday treats served as the warm welcome mat for patients being treated at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore last week.

This special holiday surprise was due to the generous spirit of the Outpatient Infusion Services (OPIS) nursing staff. Instead of the nurses eating dinner out as a group to celebrate the season they pooled their money and hosted a party in-house for the patients.

CostCo was the shopping kingdom of choice for one of the nurses. She could be seen moving her way down the aisles with baskets of sugary holiday cookies, bags of delicious candy and an array of chocolates.

Several nurses stayed late one night to "bag" enough goodies in the Snowman-themed bags to get the week started. The celebration started on Monday morning, running throughout the week. Festive decorations adorned the nurses stations and the reception area was newly designed to have patients and their guests enjoy a cup of hot apple cider, tea or cocoa. The whole nursing area smelled great and brought lots of smiles and full feelings of happiness for everyone.

The baggies had festive decorated cookies, chocolates and other candy for patients take to their seats during treatment or to just take home with them and enjoy later. A holiday card was given to each patient as they registered as well as a box of reusable shopping bags that had been donated. Just to add even more joy to the mix, poinsettia plants, silver garland and snowmen figurines were placed on the tables to be enjoyed. An adorable gingerbread house created by the pre-school aged grandsons of one of our nurses brought smiles from everyone as it was placed at the sitting area for all o enjoy.

The staff was also asked to donate hats, gloves and scarves for our patients which were given out by our Oncology Social Worker and Patient Care Navigator.

The time and love given to this event was just one more way of showing how the staff cares with so much compassion and feeling to the special patients and their families that are being treated at the Alvin and Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute.

To learn more about the Alvin and Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute, call 410-601-WELL (9355).

Card Making for Cancer Survivors

by Jill Adler, M.S., Coordinator , Patient Information Services
Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute

Big cards, small cards, card with buttons, cards with stamps, cards with pink ribbons and cards with stickers adorned the Cancer Institute's conference room several weeks ago for one of the monthly Lunch & Learn activities offered to cancer survivors and their family members.

The facilitator, Bunny Kohn, RN, a gregarious patient infusion nurse at the Alvin and Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute, led the class in an inspiring and gracious manner. She offered helpful pointers to help us beautify our cards and would not let us leave until the back of our cards with stamped with "handmade with love."

The story of how Bunny got involved in making cards is a sweet one.

"My card making workshop was created out of a 'giving back' theme when I celebrated a special birthday a few years ago and wanted to make it a special event for others," she says. "Since that time I have open house card making parties with lot's of arts and crafts available and food and fun to give us the creative spirit."

The handmade cards are created by Bunny's friends, family and co-workers and then sent to patients who become hospitalized or go to hospice. Bunny shares that "this is our way of reminding patients that we are thinking of them."

Bunny's recent card making workshop at the Cancer Institute was for patients to create a thank-you card for someone who has helped them through their journey. One of the women in the class made a card for the bus driver who brings her back and forth to treatment. Others made cards for their nurses or spouses or simply for someone that they wanted to acknowledge in a special and colorful way.

Patients were so giddy and enthusiastic Bunny has volunteered to hold the workshop again in the near future. After all, these cards are stamped with love!

Sinai Nurse Wins Spirited Women Award

Sinai Hospital oncology nurse Bunny Kohn, R.N., was honored as the 2009 Spirited Women of Baltimore this afternoon. The event was held at Morton's Steakhouse and benefited the American Red Cross.

The Spirited Women Awards recognize women making extraordinary contributions to the community. Kohn, who works in the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute Outpatient Infusion Center, has worked at Sinai for 37 years. She began her career in Women’s Surgery and continued on with the program after it was combined with the Department of Oncology in 1995. Since that time she successfully completed a local oncology and chemotherapy curriculum and earned her National Oncology Nursing Certification in 1999.

In her spare time, and using her own funds, Kohn organizes "card parties" to make homemade cards for cancer patients, and also knits scarves and hats for those undergoing chemotherapy.

The award recognizes someone who is a leader and mentor in her profession, as well as exemplifying volunteerism, generosity, compassion, sensitivity and humility. In this picture, Kohn poses with MyCity4Her founder Monyka Berrocosa.

"I was more than overwhelmed to be honored for the things I do in the community," Kohn says. "I was speechless."

Other awards winners were Teresa Hall, named the Spirited Woman on the Rise, and Sharon Perfetti, named the Spirited Woman in Balance.