On July 28th, the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s affinity group Women in Healthcare Give Back ran an exciting tournament to raise money for a chosen non-profit—The Floating Hospital. The friendly pickleball competition brought women from various companies together to hear about the mission and accomplishments of the 155-year-old non-profit organization.
The Floating Hospital believes healthcare is a basic human right and has been a leader in recognizing that health and lifestyle challenges require more than healthcare to attain health equity. The Floating Hospital pioneered the combination of healthcare, dental, behavioral health, health education, life-skills training, a youth camp, and free van transportation along with the delivery of necessities that helps their unique target: women and children living in shelters and safe houses.
Members of the Women in Healthcare Give Back group recognize The Floating Hospital’s mission and spend time helping at various events. Charlene Prounis, who has worked at the HBA as a board member, chapter mentor, and now on the Past President/Chair Emeritus committee, is also now on the board of The Floating Hospital and is championing the two organizations’ involvement with each other. Multiple HBA members at the HBA Pickleball event shared their experiences working at The Floating Hospital’s Women’s Health Weekend, where women from shelters around the city received free pap-smears, massages, dental health tools, clothing, and other services while children picked out toys or even practiced some English. One HBA member said: “At least five of the 40 women who came through that weekend said they just had the best day ever. And I was struck by how amazing what it is The Floating Hospital does for people.”
Back at Centercourt Athletic Club in New Jersey, HBA members put their charitable sentiments aside to battle it out on the pickleball court. After being instructed by the pros, over 30 women competed for recognition as pickleball champs. Eight winners were crowned, with medals to take home for bragging rights. All who gathered were flush with the excitement of competition and the promise of participating in future Floating Hospital charitable healthcare events, like Camp Rise Up and December’s Candy Cane Lane.
