May 6, 2020 | Lauren Woods - Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine

Little Girl Gives Back to COVID-19 Nurses at UConn Health

It's National Nurses Week! In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic a toddler from West Hartford has decided to spend her extra time doing some good for the nurses on the frontlines caring for patients at UConn John Dempsey Hospital

Ellie Colonese, age 4, outside her West Hartford home showing her support for the nurses at UConn Health during National Nurses Week (Photo by Sarah Colonese).

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a little girl from West Hartford has decided to spend her extra time doing some good for the nurses on the frontlines caring for patients at UConn John Dempsey Hospital.

“I wanted to be helpful,” shared Ellie Colonese, who is only four-and-a-half years old.

This week Ellie Colonese with the help of her mother Sarah. family, friends and neighbors gifted more than 100 snack goodie bags to the nurses at UConn John Dempsey Hospital caring for COVID-19 patients (Photo by Sarah Colonese).

Her mother Sarah Colonese couldn’t be prouder as together in honor of National Nurses Week (May 6-12) they delivered more than 100 goodie bags to UConn Health nurses filled with a variety of snacks ranging from water, breakfast bars, cookies and Ellie’s favorite Pringles potato chips. Family, friends and neighbors also helped contribute to the Colonese family’s cause donating more than 700 snack items for inside the goodie bags.

And why did they choose to support UConn Health nurses?

“It’s where all our doctors and nurses are, and they are always so wonderful,” shared Sarah. “These goodie bags are something we could do to give a nod to them and not feel so helpless.” Sadly, the Colonese family recently experienced the passing of a loved one due to the virus.

“It’s nice to see even kids saying thank you,” said Jasmine Cabid, RN, of UConn Health who is caring for COVID-19 positive patients on the dedicated Med3 floor at UConn John Dempsey Hospital.

Ellie and Sarah Colonese dropping off their goodie bags to COVID-19 nurses outside UConn John Dempsey Hospital (Photo by Lauren Woods).

“She’s adorable,” shared Alexis Perry, RN, also a COVID-19 dedicated nurse on Med3.

Perry added: “Things have been very challenging but UConn and everyone has been so supportive.”

Cabid also stressed, “Teamwork is the only way we could get possibly through this.”

And Ellie is indeed now part of UConn Health’s teamwork even at her young age.

The nurses at UConn Health gifted Ellie a new lawn sign to further show her support for health care workers on the frontlines. In addition, they shared with her a symbolic heart magnet for her refrigerator.

Alexis Perry, RN, at UConn Health (Photo by Lauren Woods).

Ellie is already proudly displaying her support for UConn Health’s efforts and its health care workers on her home’s lawn in West Hartford should they or any other health care heroes just happen to drive by.