SCH Surgical team raises nearly $6K for colleague in need

In June, Camilla Shon, an open-heart charge nurse in Surgical Services, learned that a fellow nurse was diagnosed with cancer and could no longer work because he was undergoing chemotherapy at SCH.

Shon immediately went to work making posters encouraging colleagues to donate to a collection set up for the nurse (who prefers not to be named) and his family. Staff members throughout Surgery quickly took up the effort.

In just three weeks, 59 people, including several physicians and members of the Anesthesiology and Operating Room teams, collected a total of $5,485 to help their ill colleague pay his medical bills and support his family.

“I’ve been here 33 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Chung Sup Kim, RN, clinical educator in Surgery. “We’ve taken up collections in the past, but this display of support and concern was just incredible.”

Kim and Shon presented the gift, along with an oversized card signed by all the donors, to the nurse on Friday, July 16. He was overwhelmed by their kindness before he even opened the envelope.

This is a great example of the compassion and concern that our staff shows for our patients, their families and our fellow SCH employees.