Thank You Balloon Display at UHS Binghamton General

A balloon display, similar to the ones seen at UHS Wilson Medical Center and UHS Vestal popped up today at UHS Binghamton General Hospital.

The fantastic display is part of a nationwide effort to recognize and encourage healthcare workers in the days of COVID-19 that was launched with a Greater Binghamton and UHS connection.

A website, www.honorandthank.com, has been launched alongside these displays by Binghamton native Kathleen Kilmer, chief executive officer of the Nevada-based company Easy Event Planning.

Her sister, Rosemarie Kleitz, of A Balloon Affair in Binghamton, has been installing letter-balloon thank yous outside local medical facilities.

“My sister has created a page on her website where people can go and leave positive messages of love, thankfulness and encouragement to all of those working in healthcare facilities,” Ms. Kleitz told UHS News.

To date, visitors to the web page have left a large number of messages for staff at many healthcare facilities nationwide, including a few dozen specifically to encourage UHS staff working with courage and professionalism under pressure.

Ms. Kleitz received permission to set up the balloons outside UHS locations “to spread the word about the website and also to find a way to thank all of our healthcare workers in our local area.”

The impact of the pandemic on healthcare professionals came home to Ms. Kleitz and Ms. Kilmer when another of their sisters, a nurse in Nevada, had to cope emotionally with losing two of her patients to the coronavirus.

“The awful feeling of not being able to help overcame her,” Ms. Kleitz said.

But the messages of love and hope that have been posted to the honorandthank.com website have been uplifting to their sister and many of her nursing colleagues, Ms. Kleitz noted.

See below for pictures of the wonderful display at UHS Binghamton General Hospital.