Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Plank.
It began at Texas Children’s Hospital when Susan and Kendall were asked to visit a young family friend from Austin, who was scheduled to be admitted to the hospital for a bone marrow transplant. This meant that he would be in the hospital at least 3 weeks or more, away from his family and friends. Susan and Kendall decided that they wanted to do something to make his stay more comfortable. They called their family and asked them to please find out what his likes and interest were, and then they proceeded to Target to do some shopping.
Just before he arrived at the hospital, the two of them Dec’d his room with everything that had the University of Texas logo on it and more. (This caused a little controversy at home because Mike Plank is an Aggie grad from Texas A&M University, rivals to UT.) The young man and his mother were very surprised when they entered the room for the first time and quickly asked the nurse who did this. The nurse brought Susan and Kendall in to meet the young man who showed them how thankful he was by giving them both a big hug with tears in his eyes.
As Susan and Kendall were leaving the hospital, Kendall told her mom how great it would be if they could decorate rooms for all of the children in the hospital. Susan replied, yes it would…. and that is how Dec My Room began!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our challenge has always been to meet the needs of all pediatric hospitals and long-term stay pediatric patients around the country. There is never a shortage of patients who are in need.
Please tell us about Dec My Room.
Our specially trained volunteers personally shop and then decorate a pediatric patient’s room, with knowledge of the likes and interest of each individual patient. The goal is to change a dull hospital room into a cozier, more personalized hospital room that is filled with things that the patient will find comforting during his or her stay. The patient will then be able to take their items home with them when they are discharged.
The hospitals we team with are hand selected and fall in line with our mission statement:
Our Vision is to enhance the lives of ill children and young adults who are being admitted to a hospital for a prolonged amount of time.
Dec My Room volunteers personalize the hospital room soon after their arrival with items that complement the special likes and interest of the individual patient. These amenities are for their comfort and enjoyment during their stay and theirs to take home when they leave the hospital.
Dec My Room is a unique and innovative charitable program that helps improve the outlook and healing process for these patients.
Dec My Room is funded by grants, charitable donations and volunteers’ support.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have many memories growing up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Every evening, my family would sit around the dinner table together – my parents, 4 sisters and 1 brother – and we’d talk about our day. This stands out because it’s a challenge to do this today for so many of us.
Also, growing up in the Northwest, my grandfather was a big pheasant hunter. And I remember collecting all the pheasant feathers, and every Sunday after church, I would look forward to having pheasant and my grandmother’s fruit salad with fresh cream.
Contact Info:
- Address: 720 N. Post Oak Road, Suite 275 Houston, TX 77024
- Website: decmyroom.org
- Phone: 8325381201
- Email: cbarta@decmyroom.org
Image Credit:
Dec My Room
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