Whidbey Island Bank feels strongly about health care. For the last three years they have been the Platinum Spoke Sponsor for the Whidbey General Hospital Foundation’s fundraising bicycle event, Tour de Whidbey. When the bank learned that the event was cancelled for 2012, the response was immediate.

“We love the event; however, we support the event because we support the hospital,” said Vice President Mary Moore Bailey in a press release. “Tell us how else we can help this year.”

The foundation had an answer, suggesting a blanket warmer for the Medical Ambulatory Care/Oncology clinic of the hospital. The MAC/Oncology clinic provides chemotherapy infusion services for cancer patients. To a patient experiencing the chilling effects of some chemotherapy drugs, a warm blanket is an amazing gift. It provides a level of comfort beyond just the warmth it provides to their body; it also gives patients a spirit-lifting sense of being cared for.

The bank responded with an immediate, enthusiastic yes, committing $10,000 to purchase a mid-sized blanket warming cabinet for the patients of the clinic. The freestanding, mobile model chosen by the clinic staff has the durability and ability to be easily cleaned, which is required for their busy outpatient department.

Recently, Bailey visited the MAC/Oncology clinic to share the good news and learn more about the services the clinic provides.

“We wanted to do something that directly benefited patients here on Whidbey,” she said. “To be able to ensure warm blankets are easily accessible for nursing staff to offer to every patient is a joy for us.”