This Valentine’s Day, send a virtual XOXO to the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with a free e-greeting.
Anyone can send a card at no cost and as many as they want. All you need to do is go to the St. Jude website and select “Create a Card.” From there, you can browse various cards designed by St. Jude patients. Once you’ve chosen a card, you can choose a pre-written message or compose your heartfelt message.
This yearly engagement serves as a way to bring joy to children and families at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and its eight clinics across the United States.
Since 1962, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate of childhood cancer from 20% to more than 80%. The hospital is a leader in pediatric cancer research but also provides comprehensive care and support to patients and families by providing cutting-edge treatments, often at no cost to families.
Unfortunately, Iowa children’s hospitals like Blank Children’s Hospital, MercyOne Children’s Hospital and University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital do not have similar free engagements for Valentine’s Day but have other ways to give back on holidays and year-round.
Blank Children’s Hospital: Order an item from the hospital’s Amazon Wishlists
Blank Children’s Hospital is part of UnityPoint Health and is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality care to children and families in Des Moines and the surrounding region. This Valentine’s Day, you can donate by fulfilling an order from one of the hospital’s Amazon Wishlists. The hospital states on its website,” Items are needed for kids of all ages – from infants through teens. We have compiled wish lists below to provide guidance on toys and gifts needed throughout the hospital and clinics. These items are used by Child Life, Pediatric Therapy, the SHINE program and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).”
In addition to purchasing an item or items off the wishlist to be donated, you can donate directly to the hospital via credit card or by sending a check.
MercyOne Children’s Hospital: Donate online to benefit kids
MercyOne Children’s Hospital is a statewide hospital serving more than 60,000 patients annually through various areas, including the pediatric emergency department. This Valentine’s Day, you can donate by fulfilling a purchase from MercyOne Children’s Hospital Amazon Wishlist, which can be a tangible way to make a meaningful difference in the lives of hospitalized children by supporting therapeutic activities and enhancing quality of life. There is also an option to donate directly to the hospital online.
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital: Drop off crayons, clothes or toiletries
In recent years, the University of Iowa has become best known for the heartwarming tradition of the Iowa Wave. It is a tradition that happens at the end of the first quarter of home games when thousands of fans come together to transcend whatever’s going on on the field in Kinnick Stadium to collectively wave to patients and their families watching the game from the hospital.
Take the wave a step further this Valentine’s Day with multiple ways to give back. In addition to having Amazon Wishlists, the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital also accepts in-person donations, called in-kind donations. The hospital has a comprehensive list of items it can take, from Crayola crayons and matchbox cars to clothes in varying sizes and toiletry items. All items must be new.
In addition, the hospital can send via credit card on its online portal, check in the mail, or donate gift cards from local Iowa City businesses to the hospital.
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_