After sending out a quick message online, a Rhode Island nurse has seen an avalanche of ‘no worry stones’ sent to her to help comfort patients.
Tracy Gelsomino is a nurse navigator works at Women & Infants Hospital, helping breast cancer patients with their many appointments. She sent a few online messages to get tips on rock painting after learning about ‘no worry stones’ which have colorfol messages of hope.
After a few hours, she had dozens of messages. And soon she had hundreds of rocks from across the country mailed to her door.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect this,” Gelsomino said. “I thought I’d be sitting at the kitchen table learning how to paint one rock, and in four weeks I have 400 rocks sent to me.”
Gelsomino gives her patients a choice from the stones to hold onto during their procedures as a source of comfort. She said they’re a hit at the hospital and a reminder of how people will still look to help.
“I think during the pandemic, you start to forget there’s some really good, amazing people in this world,” Gelsomino said.
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