Shawn L. Bird

A candystriper’s duty:

    that the hospital isn’t really a terrible place

*to smile in reassurance that the food isn’t bad

*to return a smile to a face that is sad

*to smile when we’re happy and smile when we’re not

*to leave our smiles with a lingering thought

*to smile all the time ‘til the end of our shift

    and then when we’re done we can frown if we wish

    But somehow the smiling we’ve done that day

    keeps us smiling and we’re glad we smiled that way.

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My father asked me to find this poem, because he’ll be speaking at a candystriper recognition evening this week in the extended care facility where he lives.  I wrote it when I was 15 for a display.  I volunteered at our local hospital and an extended care facility as a candystriper from grades nine through twelve, accumulating nearly 700 hours (close enough that I was given the charm for it).   I worked surgical, medical, and pediatric floors, as well as admitting.  We filled and distributed water jugs, distributed food trays, helped feed patients, ran errands, delivered flowers, etc.  I was only vaguely interested in nursing, and my hospital  time quickly informed me that I didn’t want to pursue a career in nursing, but I loved working at the hospital, helping people who needed my smiling face.  I will try to scan in the photo of me with the display.  I had to borrow a microscope to record the poem! lol