Baking it forward

As those on the front lines in the fight against the coronavirus frantically search for PPE’s and lifesaving medical equipment, they’re finding more and more of the one thing not in short supply: kindness.

Kindness is in abundance in Kansas City, according to the Kansas City Star, where a group of five nurses at Children’s Mercy Hospital figured their colleagues at an adult hospital were having a more difficult, more stressful time. So they pooled their money – they pooled their kindness – and sent cookies to several units at University of Kansas Hospital.

It turns out love, and sugar, are good for the soul.

“It’s just pretty cool, we as nurses, even though we’re at separate hospitals, are trying to show our support during this time,” said Melissa Jackson, a charge nurse at Children’s Mercy.

The nurses at University of Kansas Hospital were so taken with the surprise, they decided to pay it forward and sent cookies to nurses at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. And those nurses sent cookies to AdventHealth Kansas City, who sent some to North Kansas City Hospital.

The cookie train, as it’s known, has become a manifestation of the goodwill of those on the front lines who, though they may be in high-stress situations with little hope in sight, have not lost sight of the hope in each of us.

“We saw how it had such a great positive impact,” said Kara Purdum, a University of Kansas Hospital nurse working in the COVID-19 intensive care unit. “Just kind of a small, uplifting mental morale that it did. … This is a hard time, but as long as anyone stays together, we’ll get through it.”