Caring for Our Veteran Patients with a Special Gift

To give back to all the men and women that keep our country safe every day, Alex Bear, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital patient support assistant, Surgical Trauma Internal Care Unit (STICU), came up with an idea — to create an American flag out of carved wood that can be set on bedside stands in patient rooms in the STICU. Patients who are veterans are then able to take the wooden flags home when they are discharged or transferred to another unit. “I love working with the patients every day and I do a lot for the veterans that come through our unit… I love to give back to the men and women that have risked their lives to keep our country safe,” said Alex.

Each flag Alex makes is hand cut and carved with a hammer and chisel to give it a rustic look.