Page 12 - Watch_Vol. II_2015

granting wishes,

Each year, directors across the hospital sharing
sharpen their pencils and painstakingly
plan budgets to ensure patients receive the SINCE THE WISH LIST
signature care for which the hospital is fa- PROGRAM BEGAN IN 
mous. But often the numbers don’t stretch WITH A BUDGET OF
quite far enough to cover some of the ex- ,, SUPPORTING 
tra touches, the niceties that can make a HOSPITAL DEPARTMENTS;
patient’s or family’s day a little bit better. IT HAS GROWN TO
, SUPPORTING
The wish list program — one of The MORE THAN  HOSPITAL
Auxiliary’s most popular initiatives — pro- DEPARTMENTS.
vides the icing on the cake by funding
items that may seem small but can have
a tremendous impact.

Filling Unmet Needs
The Auxiliary budgets , a year for
the program, funded mainly by toy and
gift shop revenue. It provides grants for ex-
penses that may not seem essential to med-
ical care but are still important for patient
care, particularly education and distrac-
tion materials. Departments throughout
the hospital apply, as well as Texas Chil-
dren’s Pediatrics (TCP), Texas Children’s
Health Centers and West Campus.

“The wish list program fills a niche by
giving departments money to spend on
items that benefit patient care and the staff
as well,” says Michael Schramm, commit-
tee co-chair. “It’s rewarding to know we’re
helping make the hospital experience as
pleasant as possible.”

Toys, Books and More
Each year, department directors ask their
staffs to submit requests, which then are
submitted to The Auxiliary committee.
The committee approves or denies requests
based on the guidelines. Departments are
notified of approved items, which they

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