Annual Service Event Honors Caregivers on Mother’s Day
May 28, 2024
Each year Drexel University's Maternal and Child Health Student Organization (MCHSO) honors Mother’s Day and Women’s Health Week by hosting a service event to create “Self-Care Kits” for mothers (or those fulfilling the role of mothers) of children receiving care at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. St. Christopher's is located in North Philadelphia and owned by Drexel in partnership with Tower Health.
From left to right: Dr. Oge Menkiti, Neonatologist, Marissa Campbell, MCHSO President, and Michelle Valeltin, front desk, St. Christopher’s Special Needs Department
Marissa Campbell, MCHSO President, discussed the importance of this event:
“Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate and encourage all the mothers around us, but we at MCHSO recognize that some mothers experience daily hardships. We are so grateful to have been able to continue this event this year by creating these gifts bags. We hope our gift bags were able to shed some positive light on the mothers receiving the bags!”
Students prepared 75 kits that included ChapSticks, hair scrunchies, facial masks, pens, mint gum, hand sanitizer, and hand lotions to show appreciation and remind busy moms to take a moment for self-care over the weekend.
The kits were distributed to mothers at the hospital over the Mother’s Day weekend with the help of Anna Boyd, Program Coordinator, Special Needs at St. Christopher’s. Anna made sure deliveries were made to various departments throughout the hospital including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the New Baby Clinic at the Center for the Urban Child.
Anna was excited to help deliver the bags and spread joy across the hospital, saying, “I felt like Santa this morning when I dropped everything off, so thank you for that!”
Dr. Renee Turchi, MCHSO faculty advisor, program director for Drexel's Maternal and Child Health Program, and pediatrician at St. Christopher’s echoed Anna’s excitement and expressed gratitude to the students who took time to celebrate the mothers at St. Christopher's.
“The kits are so special for our mothers. Each year they bring smiles to mothers all over the hospital,” said Dr. Turchi.
MCHSO provides leadership and public health information essential in the promotion, improvement, and maintenance of the overall health status of women, children, infants, and families. Through guest speakers, article discussions, and community engagements, the organization explores a broad range of social, policy-driven and environmental conditions that impact the health of mothers, children, and families. MCHSO is a part of Dornsife's Maternal and Child Health Program.
Interested in joining MCHSO?
Drexel students interested in joining MCHSO and participating in upcoming events can send an email to MCH@drexel.edu (NPASS) or join the organization on DragonLink.
You can also keep up with MCHSO activities on Instagram @Drexel_mchso.
Learn more about Dornsife's MCH program and upcoming MCH events.
Dornsife's Maternal and Child Health Program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.