West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Development

Honor Your Caregiver

Have you ever wanted to give something back? Our grateful patient program allows you to make a gift or statement in honor of someone in healthcare whose conscientiousness and humanity helped you when you needed it most.

Over the last four years, patients have had the opportunity to send their comments of appreciation and gifts to the WVU Grateful Patients & Families Fund in recognition of their health care and in honor of their physicians or other health care providers. Each March, patients are invited to participate in a special ceremony where their caregivers are presented with certificates of appreciation that include patient comments. Our doctors enjoy this unique opportunity to interact with their patients in an informal setting and greatly appreciate the recognition and support.

Those grateful patients who provided monetary support in honor of their caregivers collectively gave over $65,000 since the program’s inception. These gifts are housed in the WVU Grateful Patients & Families Fund to provide support of patient care, research, educational and operational needs of the WVU Health Sciences Center. This year, a large portion of these funds have been used to support the WVU Simulation Center.

The Simulation Center is one of the newest additions to WVU’s excellent teaching facilities. Students will learn dozens of important procedures from suturing to checking vital signs. Many of these mannequins interact with students, seeming to breath, speak, move and express their discomforts. Simulation mannequins allow students to practice delicate operations like drawing blood without fear of hurting a live patient. Students who train on mannequins can learn faster and provide better great patient care sooner.

While future gifts may go to support a different program, every gift and every kind statement honors those caregivers who make a difference in your life.

If you would like to contribute to the WVU Grateful Patients & Families Fund or make a statement for National Doctors’ Day, please contact Susan Trantham, Director of Annual Giving, at 304-293-1873 or strantham@hsc.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University