Stephanie Singley (left) was inspired to bring food to the waiting room when she noticed other families spending more time there while her mom was a patient at Regional One Health.
Stephanie Singley understands the stress and uncertainty family members of Regional One Health patients experience while in the Critical Care Waiting Room. She walked a few miles in their shoes when her mother was a patient.
Stephanie’s mother spent five weeks in intensive care, recovering from internal damage sustained when she was kicked by a horse.
“My dad and I lived there the entire time,” she says now, five years since her mom’s injury. “The care was absolutely phenomenal. Without Regional One Health, she wouldn’t have lived. We are eternally grateful for what the hospital did to save her.”
Stephanie owns Bella Vita Gifts & Interiors in Collierville along with sister stores The Back Room by Bella Vita in Cordova and Itty Bitty Bella in Collierville. She’s using her retail businesses to give back to Regional One Health by showing support and understanding to loved ones of patients at Regional One Health. Each month, Stephanie and co-workers deliver food and treats to the Critical Care Waiting Room as well as to staff in the Elvis Presley Trauma Center.
Stephanie says she was inspired to bring food to the waiting room when she saw others who had family members spending more time in the hospital than her mother.
“The care was absolutely phenomenal. Without Regional One Health, she wouldn’t have lived,” Stephanie said. “We are eternally grateful for what the hospital did to save her.”
“Some people are living up there for weeks and months at a time and sometimes are unable to work while they stay there with their loved ones,” she says. “We were there for roughly a month and a half and we’re so thankful for the team who helped my mom recover.”
Prior to the monthly meals, Stephanie delivered goodies at Christmas each year in honor of her mom’s December accident. It was a small but gracious token of appreciation to the staff working over the holidays.
Bella Vita holds an annual event in the fall that showcases local art. Part of the proceeds are given to Regional One Health Foundation. And during the 2017 event, Bella Vita made a special T-shirt with all proceeds going to provide the monthly meals.
Stephanie’s mom is fully healed. She had a lacerated liver, lost a kidney, had three broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
“When we came back at Christmas to bring treats and talk to some of the nurses they’d say they couldn’t believe she isn’t on dialysis because of the extent of her liver damage,” Stephanie said. “But besides her incision you’d never know. We’re so thankful for everyone at Regional One Health.”