SAN ANTONIO — Support is crucial for children and families at a hospital. Providing it is so vital, in fact, that it's Allison Sharawi's job as a child life specialist at The Children's Hospital of San Antonio.
"Our job is to help children and families in the hospital to cope with being hospitalized," Sharawi said. "We want to make sure that they're understanding everything that's happening while they're here."
Her job covers everything from emotional support to planning activities. One of the duties she's come to love is making rounds near Valentine's Day.
"It's one of my favorite parts of the job to be able to bring joy to patients and families when they're here in the hospital," she said.
Sharawi delivers cards to the young patients at the hospital and clinics during that time. The Valentine's Day messages are a part of an annual program launched by The Children's Hospital of San Antonio Foundation last year.
"It's a free, easy way to make a child's day," Sharawi said.
People can choose from four cards on the foundation's web page, sign the card digitally and send it to patients, who range in age from newborns to 18 years old.
"We have patients that are here for respiratory illnesses. We have patients that have cancer," she said. "We have patients that maybe have needed surgery for their appendix or a broken arm or leg."
Donations are encouraged but not required to send the patients a card. Then, Sharawi and the child life team hit the hospital floors dropping off messages from strangers who care.
She said the patients love it.
"They think it's just a very kind gesture for someone in the community to be thinking of them," Sharawi said.
Making the deliveries with her is a facility dog named Marcus. A doggie vest with a pocket reveals a card with a treat on it.
Between Marcus and the patients, it becomes a trade. They get a card and treat, and the dog gets a pet from a happy child.
Eighteen-hundred signed cards are available for the patients so far. Some of them have been delivered.
Hospital officials said they accept the signed cards until the end of business on Valentine's Day.