Baby girl Ember Gail Chancellor will be a born philanthropist. Her parents-to-be, who will welcome her to the world any day now, donated their baby shower to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patients and families in need.
Instead of gifts for themselves, Jenni and Bert Chancellor asked friends and family to buy baby items from the neonatal ICU Amazon Wish List or donate funds to the hospital via their shower giving page.
The impact of the gifts will be far-reaching, said Child Life Specialist Cathy Regan. Some will remain on the unit, and others will be sent home with new parents who lack resources.
“People never forget,” Regan said. “The layers run deep of all the positives that are associated with donations like these.”
She added that besides philanthropists who donate to Children’s Hospital, there is a community of individuals who pray for the hospital and its patients. “We can tell our families ‘There are people who are surrounding you, whom you will never meet, who care,’” Regan said.
Ember, or Emi for short, will be the Chancellors’ first child together. In planning for her arrival, the couple discussed feeling guilty about having a baby shower when they are fortunate to be financially stable.
“There are a whole lot of people who come into the hospital to have a baby and are wondering where the car seat is going to come from, or how they are going to get formula,” said Bert Chancellor, executive director of Information System Business Services for Loma Linda University Medical Center.
The couple delivered all the shower gifts to Children’s Hospital June 12, with many of the clothing and other items reflecting their love of fantasy superheroes.
In real life, though, it’s up to ordinary people to take care of each other, Bert said. “I think it is a calling for people to invest back into their community.”
Employees who are inspired to give back like the Chancellors are invited to join to the Grow Together Employee Giving Program, through which donations can be made to support areas of the organization they are passionate about.