UAlberta medical residents helping with the annual PARAdime campaign
While festive decorations may be coming down to mark the end of the holiday season, medical residents at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry are working hard to keep holiday cheer alive and well just a bit longer. The residents, members of the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA), are collecting donations in Edmonton in an effort to give back to the community in their annual PARAdime campaign.
"It gives resident physicians a chance to provide support outside the hospital and to the community as a whole," explains Debraj Das, a co-coordinator for this year's fundraising efforts. "Often we are stuck in the hospital so we forget that there are many less fortunate individuals who still need our care. PARAdime allows us to take a step back, look at the big picture and provide a helping hand to those who need it the most."
This winter marks the sixth year of the annual campaign. This year's efforts are once again directing donations to help Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS), a local youth shelter. The residents are collecting backpacks filled with everyday necessities, such as non-perishable food, clothing, toiletries, bus tickets and gift cards.
For Nicole Delaney, a co-coordinator for the campaign, the efforts have been a source of satisfaction. "For the last two years, I have helped to drop off our donations at YESS each February [and] I was able to see firsthand how much the donations are needed," she says. "But the most gratifying aspect of dropping off donations at YESS was hearing that young people were really excited to open the backpacks and see what items they contained. I have donated a backpack for the past two years and I always pack it with essentials that I hope will brighten someone's day."
Donations to the campaign are being collected until Jan. 31. New or gently used items can be dropped off in the resident lounges of local hospitals. Monetary donations to YESS are also being accepted. For the resident physicians involved, they say the PARAdime campaign has become a vital aspect of their mission to provide care to people in need.
"PARAdime is a small but important way for us to help youth struggling with difficult situations," says Delaney. "Many of us face challenges, but we have social and financial supports that help us to cope with adversity. I sincerely hope that our donations are helping to make life a little easier for someone going through tough times."
Donations of backpacks filled with non-perishable food items, clothing, toiletries, bus tickets and gift cards can be dropped off at:
- University of Alberta Hospital: Dvorkin Lounge WMC 2G2
- Royal Alexandra Hospital: Resident Lounge DTC 4001
- Grey Nuns Community Hospital: Resident Lounge DTC 0153
- Misericordia Community Hospital: Resident Lounge B-015
Monetary donations can also be made directly on the YESS website.