Westerly Hospital welcomes donation to cancer patients from Valenti Subaru

Westerly, RI (July 15, 2024) ꟷ Westerly Hospital recently accepted a donation of blankets for patients at the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Westerly from Valenti Subaru of Westerly and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Bruce Morrow, general manager for Valenti Subaru, delivered the 60 blankets to the hospital, saying the dealership believes in giving back. “We know patients in our community who are fighting cancer, and we know they can always use both the comfort of a blanket and the knowledge that everyone in the community is rooting for them,” he said.

Along with the blankets, Subaru donated a display board pinned with paper hearts, each offering words of encouragement from their employees to Smilow patients, including: “Don’t give up. Stay strong!” “You’re stronger than you think.” and “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.”

“These blankets are about comfort,” said Carrie Kenyon, RN, executive director of Patient Care Services at Westerly Hospital. “Both physically and emotionally they help our patients. For people fighting cancer, to know that others are thinking of them, it means so much. Westerly Hospital thanks Valenti Subaru for doing this year after year.”

Nick Stahl, major gifts officer for the Westerly Hospital Foundation added, “We always appreciate the support we receive throughout the year from all our donors in the community, both individuals and businesses, helping with gifts of all sizes. The blanket donation from Valenti is always special because of the positive impact it provides directly to patients.”

Kim Dufficy, RN, nurse manager for Smilow Cancer Hospital at Westerly, noted that Valenti Subaru’s gift fits well with Smilow’s goal to provide comprehensive and integrative oncology cancer care. “Going through treatment can be very difficult,” she said. “If you get cold, a warm blanket can help you feel better, especially when you realize it comes from people in the community who are truly wishing you the best.”

Westerly Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a 125-bed hospital that has been providing residents of southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services in a community hospital setting for more than 90 years. Westerly Hospital patients receive the finest quality treatment in the following areas of care: emergency, medical, surgical, radiology, laboratory and rehabilitative services. The hospital also offers heart and vascular care, interventional pain management, wound care, pulmonary rehabilitation services, inpatient geriatric psychiatric care and comprehensive cancer care provided through the Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center. All inpatient rooms are private. westerlyhospital.org