This fall, Project Sunshine partnered with the Faculty Student Association (FSA) on the Plant Sale at CommUniversity Day on September 22. Anthony Gentile, FSA Manager of Machine Operated Services donated spider plants, fig trees and avocado plants that he planted and nurtured in his own home.

Through their efforts, they raised over $500 for the national organization. This money will be used to provide more programs and activities for children all over the country.

“I’ve grown these plants, and now I can donate them to a cause where they can be sold to raise money to help children and families that are facing tough times, because I know how difficult it is to go through that,” said Ahana Maheshwari, Chapter Leader.

Project Sunshine is a nonprofit organization with chapters on college campuses across the country. Their mission is to provide free social, educational and recreational programming for children and their families as they face medical challenges.

Stony Brook University’s chapter is dedicated to volunteering weekly in Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, as well as leading initiatives on campus in support of the children and families there. They seek to restore a sense of normalcy to the pediatric healthcare environment and spread cheer to the children undergoing treatment.

Read more: http://www.stonybrook.edu/happenings/student-spotlight/grad-students-pedal-their-way-to-understanding/ 

Stony Brook University Cancer Center hosted a Battle of the Bands event on September 17 and raised over $5,600 to help fund programs for Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

Five bands comprised of healthcare professionals from four Suffolk County Hospitals – including, Eastern Long Island Hospital, Northport VA Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center and Stony Brook Medicine — traded in their stethoscopes for microphones, bass guitars, and drums and battled it out, to compete for the title of ‘Docs Who Rock.’

Guests and performers on stage.

“It means so much to the patients, because they’re in the hospital the longest prepping for several weeks before their bone marrow transplant and it gets boring just being in a hospital room. We try to do everything from art therapy to music therapy and we want to provide more so these funds will help,” said Jeanine Carlson, RN, Nursing Supervisor, Stony Brook University Hospital, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

The bands performed for nearly 375 people at the 89 North Music Venue in downtown Patchogue. WBAB radio host Fingers emceed and judged the event and food was donated by local area restaurants.

Grey Matters and Prognified were two Stony Brook bands that competed in the event. Grey Matters, a group consisting of a doctor and medical personnel from Stony Brook Medicine, were crowned the winner of the evening and walked away with the guitar trophy, which will be displayed in their hospital for a year.

Read more: https://www.facebook.com/pg/stonybrookmedicine/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1434457089943522

Stony Brook University’s Project Sunshine Chapter received more than 500 children’s DVDs from generous donors around the campus.

The DVDs were collected at campus dining locations throughout the month of November and given out to patients at Stony Brook Children’s hospital during the holidays.

Project Sunshine at Stony Brook University

An international organization, Project Sunshine empowers a dynamic and dedicated corps of over 10,000 volunteers to bring programming  – recreational (arts), educational (tutoring and mentoring) and social service (HIV and nutritional counseling) –  to over 60,000 children facing medical challenges and their families in 100 major cities across the United States and in five international satellite sites: Canada, China, Israel, Kenya and Puerto Rico.

The Stony Brook University Chapter works in close collaboration with the Child-Life Department at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Volunteers selflessly donate their time to create program materials and deliver programs.

The DVD drive was a collaboration between Project Sunshine and the Faculty Student Association (FSA). In addition to this effort, the collaboration’s projects throughout the year included making craft kits at the Sending Sunshine event and a Toy Drive to brighten the life of a child in need during the holiday season.

Check out a  video of the DVD drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtHTO7bPCLU