Food from the Heart

New Food Pantry at Shands PICU

Families whose kids are patients in the pediatric intensive care unit at Shands Children's Hospital have a new source of FREE small meals and snacks -- Food from the Heart, a pantry of healthy snacks and small, quick meals, provided by Broken Hearts.

Food from the Heart snacks are available to any family staying in the PICU, regardless of diagnosis or financial need. The only requirement to request a trip to the pantry -- hunger and a desire or need to not leave the PICU floor! 

Families simply tell the Charge Nurse or the PICU Social Worker that they'd like to select a snack or small meal from the Food from the Heart Pantry.

Thank you, Fidelis Omicron chapter
(Tallahassee, Florida) of Alpha Delta Kappa,
for our first batch of goodies!

Our first batch of goodies came from the Fidelis Omicron chapter (Tallahassee, Florida) of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary organization of women educators. My mother, Maryjane Thurston, a very-longtime member, graciously arranged this. I was able to tell the group about Broken Hearts and they brought items for our pantry. They were so generous, we were able to fill a large laundry basket! 

We are so excited to work with the Shands PICU to provide this new service to heart families and other families whose children are in the hospital. 

Now that we have the pantry -- we are accepting donations for it! We ask that items are nonperishable and nutritious (or at least mostly so). We want to provide families with food that will nourish them and boost their energy.

Suggested items for our
Food from the Heart pantry:

• Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers
• Whole Almonds (plain, individual packets)
• Raisins (individual packets)
• Granola Bars (Kashi, Nature Valley, Quaker)
• Dark Chocolate (individually wrapped)
• Pretzels (individual packets)
• Laughing Cow Cheese
• Low-sodium Soups (in microwaveable containers)
• Hot Teas and/or Cocoa
• Easy-Mac 
• Trail Mix (individual packets)
• Applesauce (original, no sugar-added)
• Fruit cups (such as Del Monte)
• Juice Boxes

For more information or to donate, contact:
Broken Hearts of Florida at brokenheartsinfo@brokenheartsofthebigbend.org.

Our Trip Back to the PICU

By Grace Guadagnoli

A few weeks ago, we took our Anthony back to the pediatric intensive care unit at Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville to visit the nurses he had when he had open-heart surgery to repair his congenital heart defect. When we arrived, we saw Beverly and she was very happy to see him. 

As my husband and I walked through the doors and down the halls, I had an overwhelming feeling: I was happy we were able to experience going back to the PICU, not as a patient, but to visit, a happy visit. 

But as I walked down those halls, I could not help but feel happy and sad at the same time, knowing there are precious children and families there who have the fight of their lives. As I walked through the PICU, I said a prayer for each and every family in every room. 

We are so blessed to have had the Shands’ PICU nurses take care of our little Anthony. We will forever be grateful for all they have done for us.

Grace and her family live near Lake City, Florida. Anthony, or "AJ," as he's also known, was born in September 2009 with tetralogy of  Fallot.