Editor’s note: This personal reflection was shared by an individual whose family was a beneficiary of the kindness, compassion and assistance of a Project Dana volunteer. The writer prefers to remain anonymous, but her sentiments are, undoubtedly, shared by many Project Dana clients, who have been shown such kindness and compassion by Project Dana volunteers.
After many years of elder caregiving and as these responsibilities became increasingly difficult, our family was blessed to be introduced to the services that Project Dana provides to the elderly, disabled and their caregivers. As a recipient of Project Dana’s assistance, our family’s life has been greatly blessed. I cannot begin to say enough about the positive impact that everyone at Project Dana and the volunteers provide for those of us who are privileged to utilize their services. They truly have hearts of gold and are heaven-sent angels on earth.
Please allow me to share a personal experience our family had with one of Project Dana’s volunteers. We are very grateful to this volunteer who went above and beyond the call of duty to help our family when my father was unexpectedly hospitalized. Initially, he took my dad to a routine doctor’s appointment, but due to a separate medical condition and at the recommendation of the physician, he willingly transported my father to the emergency room and patiently waited with us at the ER. Being a very thoughtful and considerate individual, he anticipated our needs and generously sacrificed his personal time to provide transportation to and from the medical center.
On the day my father was released from the hospital, he kindly offered to pick him up and, on the way home, even stopped by the pharmacy to pick up medication. He put the needs of others ahead of himself and adjusted his personal schedule to accommodate us. In summary, when our lives turned “south,” he was pleasantly there every step of the way to lift us up and support us during a trying time; his moral support was priceless. He made a challenging situation so much easier to contend with and things would not have gone as smoothly without his kind assistance. Needless to say, our family feels indebted to him and we are so grateful for his selfless giving.
Additionally, we are blessed with volunteers who not only enable us to do our weekly marketing errands, but also provide transportation to and from medical appointments. We are very appreciative for their time and willingness to help us.
Project Dana enables the frail, elderly and disabled to remain in familiar surroundings, and with their families, instead of being institutionalized. Domo arigato gozaimasu Project Dana for all you do for those in need and how you touch their lives. It is with heartfelt gratitude to the late Mrs. Shimeji Kanazawa and Mrs. Rose Nakamura, who had the insight and wisdom, as well as selflessly giving of themselves to work untiringly on behalf of society’s benefit. It is our sincere hope that future generations will continue the mission of Project Dana so that others will benefit from their services when the need arises. We’re wishing you all the best for continued success.
