Blue Bird Auxiliary

The Blue Bird Auxiliary to Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas began sewing projects in 1960. Their members volunteer their time in many departments of the hospital and several also belong to the Sewing Committee. They have over 200 volunteers and about 15 members are on the Sewing Committee.

They sew three sizes of heart pillows, stuffed fish, stuffed puppies and red flannel stockings for newborn babies at Christmas. They sew about 60 pillows a month that are given to heart patients, breast cancer and oncology patients and children who have had heart surgery. They also sew about 400 stuffed fish a month for the young patients that are made with juvenile prints that the children enjoy.

Lynelle Stigent explained “We see and hear the appreciation from the patients and it makes our efforts all worthwhile. The heart pillows are held firmly against an incision when a patient coughs and it lessens the pain and the stuffed fish certainly distracts a kid from the experience they are facing. We receive “thanks” all the time.”