Volunteer Helps Children Bear a Hospital Visit

NEW SMYRNA, Fla., May 5, 2017 Geneva Wetzel, 93, has personally handmade and donated 850 knitted teddy bears for children in visiting Florida Hospital New Smyrna's emergency room. Its taken seven years for the New Smyrna Beach grandmother and great-grandmother of 12 to reach the milestone of 850 teddy bears, but shes finds it rewarding. I enjoying doing it and it is for a good cause. I hope the children enjoy it too, Wetzel said. I hope it lights up their eyes a little bit and makes them feel a little bit better. I know they are sick when they come in here, so I hope it helps them. Recognizing that hospitals can be scary places for young children, Florida Hospital New Smyrna community outreach program coordinator Bonnie Bullock appreciates Wetzel's gift. We hope these smiling, cuddly bears will ease their fears, Bullock said. We are just so grateful for Geneva. With these bears, shes helping us create a special moment for children in need of medical care. About Florida Hospital New Smyrna Florida Hospital New Smyrna is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 46 hospital campuses and nearly 8,200 licensed beds in 10 states. With 112-beds, Florida Hospital New Smyrna is one of the six Florida Hospitals in Volusia and Flagler counties that composes the Florida Hospital East Florida Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital East Florida Region has 923 beds and more than 6,000 employees. For more information about Florida Hospital New Smyrna, visit www.FHNewSmyrna.org. Photo Caption: Florida Hospital New Smyrna emergency room staff thank Geneva Wetzel (center) for handmaking and donating knitted teddy bears for children in visiting the hospital. Its taken seven years for the 93-year-old New Smyrna Beach great-grandmother to reach the milestone of 850 teddy bears.