Charleston Daily Seeking all the beauty that is Charleston, South Carolina

Personal Story by Deane V. Bowers

Happy Summer to you! This has been one of the most amazing summers for me. I haven’t traveled anywhere, or taken an art class, gone to a concert or even attended a festival or an art show. Instead, I have spent a lot of time in a local hospital meeting some amazing real-life heroes.

Before the summer began, I wanted to find a way to celebrate and honor some very special people in the Charleston area. My summertime would not involve long hours in my studio creating new artwork or traveling to exotic places. Instead, summer would be consist of some beautiful opportunities to make some new friends with some incredible human beings. 

Since early June, my oldest daughter Campbell and I have had the pleasure of honoring the most inspiring, dedicated and selfless Nurses in the Charleston area. Each week, we have surprised a different group of Critical Care Nurses with gratitude lunches. These courageous Nurses work in the 10 different Specialty Intensive Care Units at The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

Each group of Nurses played a vital role in caring for some of the thousands of COVID-19 patients in South Carolina over the past few years and were essential in helping our community navigate the pandemic. Their courage and bravery during such an unprecedented time was truly heroic.

In meeting each group, Campbell and I were deeply moved by their great big smiles and the glimmer in their eyes as they shared their love of Nursing with us. They are the backbone of the healthcare system in Charleston and are so much more than simply caregivers. They lovingly showed us this on a daily basis during the pandemic and continue to show us today. And their bright, beautiful smiles are still lighting up rooms three and half years after the onset of COVID-19.

Although the pandemic is officially behind us does not mean our efforts to honor and thank healthcare workers should be. Campbell and I are just everyday citizens who enlisted the help of several local restaurants to donate delicious meals that were a symbol of community pride, gratitude and thanks.

Nurses who have the most stressful, high demanding jobs and who never have the opportunity to leave their units for a meal were the recipients of these lunches. Our goal was to show them how grateful we are for all they do day in and day out and that they are still supported, loved and greatly appreciated by the community.

These surprise meal celebrations also marked the end of a successful fundraising campaign called The Together While Apart Thank You Nurses Campaign that honors Nurses across the country. This campaign was established in May 2022 in partnership with the American Nurses Association and their Foundation. All money raised has gone directly towards the American Nurses Foundation’s Wellness Initiative which was established in response to the tremendous toll the pandemic had on Nurses. It provides wellness care to RN’s across the country and enables them to receive free wellness care screenings, financial planning, job enrichment resources as well as overall wellness care.

In a year’s time, The Together While Apart Thank You Nurses Campaign has raised over $32,000! That is $12,000 more than the original goal of $20,200! Donations have poured into this Campaign because so many people wanted to show their deep appreciation and respect for Nurses. The desire to give back and ensure Nurses have the wellness resources they deserve and desperately need have made The Together While Apart Thank You Nurses Campaign such a success. So far, over 2,000 Nurse have been able to access free mental health screenings thanks to funding provided directly by this Campaign.

There is no better way to conclude this fundraiser than to come full circle and celebrate some of the Nurses who guided us through this worldwide health crisis. By taking some time this summer to salute and applaud them with gratitude meals, may these Nurses continue to feel treasured and valued.

Meeting Maggie, Janie, Susan, Charles, Dave Krystal, Sheryl, Lara, Julie, Kat, Debbie, Marc, Peter, Denise, Kimberley, Alexis, Katelyn, Thomas and Juliette (just to name a few) made my heart grow 10 sizes bigger. They showed me what truly matters and how insignificant some of my small worries are in the big scheme of life. They courageously took the time to share their reflections about working through the pandemic. In hearing their stories, I learned what true kindness, compassion, bravery and dedication look like. I am a better person for meeting these Earth Angels! Personally, It was an unforgettable experience to finally meet my heroes in person!

I hope on their hardest days; these Nurses will remember that they are seen and supported. They touch more lives than they realize.

Campbell and I encourage you to find your own way to honor community helpers in your area, whether they be teachers, police, firefighters, EMS or any other group. Never underestimate the power and importance of saying “thank you.”

PS-NBC News 2 in Charleston tagged along with us on one of our lunch surprises and captured some special moments in the video below.