Gift bags let pediatric psychiatric patients know they are not forgotten

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A pair of Dover-Foxcroft residents are busy collecting $12 sponsorships to fill bags for Easter to give to pediatric patients at the four psychiatric facilities across the state. The gifts brighten the days for the youngsters and let them know people outside the hospital are thinking of them.

The $12 contributions purchases a decorated bag from Thirty-One Gifts — a national direct sales company — and Independent Director Theresa Makowski uses all her commission to purchase goodies to fill the bags. Last year about 60 bags were donated and this year the goal is 100.

“This is our fourth year doing this, Theresa had wanted to do an Easter bag for kids,” said Julianne Wortman about the bag drive she and Makowski are working on. “I suggested why not give these to inpatient mental healthcare facilities for kids? We don’t seem to hear about those kids, they are in the hospital for reasons they cannot control.”

Both Wortman and Makowski said they have a personal connection, for Wortman it is a family member who has dealt with inpatient care and Makowski’s husband is a clinical psychiatric therapist for Mayo Regional Hospital. “He sees how childhood mental illness plays into adult mental health illness,” she said, mentioning a nationwide study indicating one in five children will experience mental health problems.

“We also had friends impacted by mental health issues,” Makowski said, saying they like knowing they can do something to help and show support.

“I work in the district attorney’s office as a victim witness advocate,” Wortman said. “I work with trauma and some of these kids need in-patient care. I see the need in ways most people in our community don’t think about.”

Wortman said in talking with officials at Acadia Hospital in Bangor about the Easter bag drive she was told, “‘No one had ever suggested doing something like this for kids.’’

She said in year one of the project pediatric patients received gift bags and in the second year adolescents were included. “Last year we had enough to do three of the four hospitals.”

Wortman and Makowski have given to Acadia Hospital, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston and Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent, and in 2019 they hope to add Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook. “This year we are hoping to get all the kids taken care of,” Wortman said.

For the last two years the two have worked with the Foxcroft Academy Student Council to collect books, crayons, coloring books, puzzles and games to be donated along with items such as stuffed animals, crafts and stress balls. “Last year was big and we partnered again with them this year,” Makowski said.

“We also have people from several states who donate each year,” she said.

“The patients have a lot going on during the day but there is an awful lot of downtime and that can be really hard for kids,” Wortman said. She said the gifts can help keep the youngsters occupied and the bags include healthy non-perishable snacks for them to enjoy.

“Our families put the bags together so we have four helpers,” Wortman said as they each have a pair of children — all between ages 10-15.

“Christmas that’s when everyone thinks of giving,” Makowski said, so she and Wortman decided to give around Easter which this year will be on April 21.

“No one wants to think about kids with psychiatric problems,” Makowski said, as she hospital staff have told them that the community often forgets about the patients in their care.

“It could be an eating disorder, the child could feel suicidal or be trauma-effected and usually for a kid to be there they have to be a danger to themselves or others,” Wortman said. “A lot of these kids don’t ever get visitors, they could be in state custody, so the staff have been so thrilled.”

She said being told “‘no one had thought to do this,’ I think that speaks to the stigma of mental health.”

“When I went to Lewiston last year the charge nurse was honestly crying,” Makowski said.

Gifts are also given to hospital staff, “a little something to share and enjoy together,” Wortman said.

Makowski said she will order the bags by March 25. “I think we want to raise awareness more than anything,” she said. “Looking at a child you don’t always know their thoughts. They don’t need to be shunned, harassed, made to feel worse than they are already feeling.”

For more information, please contact Makowski through her Facebook or LinkedIn pages or via www.tmakbags.com. Sponsorships can be done by check or PayPal.