News & Stories
Snowflake Fundraiser a Trauma Tradition
This December marks the 8th annual “Season of Hope and Healing” snowflake fundraiser for the Cooper Trauma Center.
Snowflakes purchased in honor or memory of loved ones adorn the DiFlorio Family Healing Garden throughout the month, and proceeds are used to purchase comfort bags for families of adult and pediatric patients admitted to the hospital. Each bag contains essentials, including a box of tissues, lip balm, a pen and notebook, water, hand sanitizer and a blanket.
“Many of our trauma families arrive at the hospital in a hurry and without everything they need,” said Mary Lachant, RN, BSN, MPA, associate trauma coordinator. “They are in shock, afraid and in need of our support.”
Lachant helped establish the snowflake fundraiser along with Pat Tomlinson, trauma registry coordinator, and several other members of the trauma team.
Since its inception in 2008, the snowflake fundraiser has raised approximately $30,000 for trauma support programs.
Cooper’s Level I Trauma Center is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and one of only three in the state.
In addition to providing comfort bags, the trauma team provides food to trauma families during the holidays, toiletries for mothers of trauma patients through collaboration with the nonprofit organization Mothers Matter, and most recently supported the addition of phone-charging stations in the trauma and pediatric Intensive Care Units and surgical waiting rooms. They will soon install small televisions for families in the trauma admitting areas.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Cooper community,” said Lachant. “They rally around this fundraiser and support our trauma families during this difficult time.”