Remembrance Ceremony, Blessing Of Hands At South Shore Hospital

Press release from Northwell Health:

March 16, 2021

At a time when so much is being asked of our heroes on the front lines of medical care, it’s good to remember that they sometimes need a healing touch themselves.

In this case, that healing touch was offered today at in the form of a special blessing of the hands at South Shore University Hospital. It’s a nondenominational ceremony that recognized and united healthcare workers who've chosen the shared journey of caring for patients.

First, a remembrance ceremony was held to honor all the lives lost to coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19). The ceremony attended by approximately 100 of SSUH’s healthcare heroes served to honor the thousands of lives lost to COVID-19.

“Today’s event is a reminder of hope,” said Donna Moravick, NP, executive director at SSUH. “This past year has been especially difficult on our front-line workers, so being able to come together and honor those who we’ve lost is especially meaningful.”

The ceremony was followed by a blessing of the hands, in which Rev. Sonia Trew-Wisdom placed oil on the wrists of all recipients and said a special blessing.

“It is quite often in our profession that we take the role of our hands for granted,” said which Rev. Sonia Trew-Wisdom, SSUH Chaplain. “Hands are extremely important in the delivery of clinical care to patients of all ages, bringing new life into the world and offering comfort to those in pain.”

Because human touch is such an important component of health care, the blessing is especially meaningful to physicians, nurses and other hospital staff. It provides a spiritual experience, symbolically linking the art and science of healthcare. The ceremony helps healthcare workers reconnect with why they chose healthcare as a profession.

400 yellow carnations were also distributed to the guests at today’s event.

This press release was produced by Northwell Health. The views expressed here are the author's own.