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Photo by Sidney Thoms
Sue Podas (left), a representative of VITAS Innovative Hospice Care in Lombard, looks at the T-shirt that Laura Saverino, director of admissions at Arbors of Itasca, just signed for a holiday benefit.

Hospice reps raise funds, spread cheer

By Sarah Meisch, smeisch@mysuburbanlife.com
GateHouse News Service
Tue Dec 18, 2007, 10:34 AM CST

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Lombard, IL -
Sue Podas isn’t sure how many people have signed her T-shirt. The once white double extra large cotton shirt has become a canvas for people who are helping Podas’ employer, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, raise money for the ALS Association of Greater Chicago.

The premise is simple: For every signature Podas collects, VITAS will donate $1. That’s led to a much-signed shirt displaying a multitude of signatures and little drawings some people have added, such as Christmas trees or peace signs.

“I can’t even begin to guess,” she said of the number of people who have signed it. She also has people sign a sheet of paper and she’ll tally the number at the end of the month.

On Friday, Podas, a VITAS representative from its Lombard office, was collecting signatures at The Arbor of Itasca, a nursing home in Itasca.

“This is such a wonderful project,” she said.

Laura Saverino, director of admissions at The Arbor, agreed.

“I think this is a fabulous idea, well-needed,” Saverino said. “The more people who know about ALS, the better. It should be publicized as much as possible.”

This is the second year the Lombard office has conducted a T-shirt signing fundraiser, Podas said, adding that last year the hospice raised money for Alzheimer’s disease.

She’s not the only one collecting signatures. All of the representatives from the Lombard office are doing it, with a growing informal competition among them, she said.

In addition to raising money for charity, the fundraiser also allows Podas to educate people about hospice care.

“I believe people aren’t aware of it,” she said.

One common misconception is that VITAS “takes people away.”

“We care for the person no matter where they’re at,” she said. “Hospice allows people to live their lives to the best that they can until they pass on.”

That’s why a VITAS team comes to The Arbor, to take care of the people in its program. The teams also go to peoples’ homes and other care facilities.

“We call them our walking angels,” Saverino said. “The staff of VITAS blend in so well we don’t know who’s who.”

A team consists of a physician, a registered nurse, a social worker, a chaplain and a nursing aide, Podas said.

“They all work together to meet the needs of the patient and the family,” she said.

As Podas walked around The Arbor, asking staff to sign her shirt, the feedback was all positive.

“It becomes a piece of art,” she said of the shirt. “We’re all just having such a good time with this. The reaction from everyone we work with is phenomenal.”

When she asked resident assistant Linda Zgela to sign her shirt, Zgela did a double-take, looking closely at the shirt Podas was wearing.

“Sign your shirt?” Zgela asked.

Podas carries the T-shirt with her. She said she often gets that reaction. But she had no trouble convincing Zgela to sign.

“It turned out beautiful,” Zgela said.

But it’s not completely done. Podas will collect signatures through the end of the month.

“I hope we get it so full that there are no more white spots on it,” she said.

Once December is over, the shirts be displayed in VITAS’ office and then presented to the ALS Association along with a check.

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