After Fran had knee replacement surgery at Suburban Hospital, she spent 24 hours in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). One of the nurses, Zhen Yuan, gave Fran a heart-shaped pillow and explained that it was made by student volunteers.

Fran says she was in a lot of pain, and the pillow helped her to stretch her knee out. She also used it to prop up the arm with the intravenous line so she didn’t crimp the tubes.

“That pillow stayed with me for weeks afterward,” Fran says. “It was the perfect comfort companion. Knowing that it came from a place of caring and that students took their own time to make it is priceless. It warmed my heart.”

Yuan says the idea for the heart-shaped pillows came from a simple need — to help her postoperative patients manage their pain. Nurses used to tape blankets to make splinting pillows, and she wanted to create something more supportive. The response from patients has been overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as, “It’s more than just a gift.”

“These pillows have brought comfort to patients and serve as a source of emotional support, providing a sense of care and compassion during challenging times,” Yuan says.

Yuan connected with the students, some of whom have special needs, through the American Chinese Parent Organization. She started the project as a way for the students to obtain service learning hours.

“Their hard work has resulted in over 250 pillows so far, and we are inspired to continue this initiative,” Yuan says.

Yuan says other patients in the PACU have used the pillows to support surgical incisions after abdominal surgery. They use the pillows when they cough or take deep breaths.

“If we encourage them to use a pillow, it makes it more comfortable,” Yuan says.

The students, who attend several different schools, meet biweekly at Yuan’s house on Saturdays to make the pillows. They work for about three hours while enjoying their favorite pizzas and music.

“The students collaborate well, fostering teamwork,” Yuan says. “Everyone is so happy at the end of the day because they accomplished something. They care, and they feel they did something meaningful for the community.”

Alice Zhao, an eighth-grader at Robert Frost Middle School, has been making pillows with the group for about a year.

“I wanted to help because I’m interested in arts and crafts like sewing and crocheting,” Alice says. “I’m excited to use my skills to help patients in the hospital. Volunteering makes me feel like I’m impacting others in a good way.”

Zhao says the project has been a good learning experience for both the children and the adults.

“You’re working with new people or people you might know,” she says. “I get to use this opportunity to teach students how to sew. It’s fun, and I’ve learned important things like leadership and teamwork.”

PACU team leader Lynna Gaskins has witnessed the comfort pillows’ impact on patients and on herself  after she had gastric surgery.

“My surgery was laparoscopic, so whenever I moved, coughed or sneezed, it was uncomfortable,” Gaskins says. “I pressed it against my stomach, which helped control my pain.”

She says the PACU staff now gives the pillows to most of its patients.

“It makes their recovery easier,” Gaskins says. “Anytime you have surgery, it can be life changing. Sometimes, people have a hard time after the surgery, and the heart pillows provide physical and emotional support. When they get them, they’re so thankful for them.”

Gaskins says she thinks the patients appreciate that students make the pillows.

“They know they come from love,” Gaskins says. “Little things can make such a difference in people’s lives, and it’s good for the students to know they’re making a difference.”

Yuan and the students received the Humanitarian of the Year award during Suburban Hospital’s 2024 annual medical staff meeting in September.

To make a comfort pillow, click here to read the instructions.