PERU — Thanks to the generosity of a Spring Valley woman, children taken to the IVCH CareToday urgent care walk-in clinic are receiving “busy bags” to help them pass the time while waiting for treatment.
Sue Manning was already putting the bags together for kids taken to the IVCH emergency department and day surgery units. She added CareToday to her list in November.
Each bag contains an age-appropriate activity book, a book to read, a book mark and crayons or pencils, depending upon the age of the child. There are different bags for children ages 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12.
Manning’s niece, Lisa Jones, works in the IVCH health information management department and helps Manning put the bags together.
“I know sometimes when your child is sick and they have to wait to be seen, they get pretty irritable, so we thought the bags might help,” said Jones.
The bags were originally a project of the local Kiwanis Club. After the club disbanded, Manning decided to continue the program on her own in memory of her daughter, Lauren Dimond, who died in a traffic accident in 2016. Manning pays for the materials in the bags out of her own pocket.
“This is a very generous and much appreciated project, especially when undertaken by one individual. We truly appreciate all that Sue Manning has done,” said Tommy Hobbs, IVCH chief executive officer.