Young Students Provide Patients with Great Medicine During Dignity Health's Weeklong Kindness Challenge

Patients at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center are receiving an extra dose of kindness courtesy of hundreds of young Phoenix students who hand-crafted get well cards.

The get well wishes to the patients are part of Dignity Health's Great Kindness Challenge, taking place Jan. 23-27.

The Great Kindness Challenge, created by non-profit Kids for Peace, is a bullying prevention initiative dedicated to creating a culture of kindness in elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide. The event challenges participating students to complete at least 50 acts of kindness in one week.

Students and All Saints' Episcopal Day School near downtown Phoenix took the challenge one step further, by creating hundreds of hand-written get well cards. The cards were designed by students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. 

"The students at All Saints' Episcopal Day School value caring for each other and sharing kindness with those in need," says Jennifer Miller, school counselor. As part of the Great Kindness Challenge this year, we are excited to partner with Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center to continue to spread kindness beyond our campus and create get well cards for over 500 patients. Every student participates in service-learning throughout the school year with our community partners such as Habitat for Humanity, St. Mary's Foodbank, Arizona Humane Society, UMOM, Phoenix Rescue Mission, and supporting our sister school in Haiti." 

Patty White, president and CEO of St. Joseph's said the cards, which were delivered by nurses to patients, were particularly touching and "outstandingly creative.

"Young children can teach us a lot about kindness and the students at All Saints' Episcopal Day School certainly have added to the joy of this Great Kindness Challenge Week," says White.