PORTLAND, Maine — Since 2012, Dunkin' franchises all over Maine have donated $500,00 to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital through gifts and their annual Iced Coffee Day.
On Wednesday, May 25th, Dunkin' patrons in Maine and eastern New Hampshire can buy an iced coffee knowing that $1 of their purchase will support the tens of thousands of kids and their families who utilize the children's hospital each year.
Sharon Granville, the child life program manager at Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, said this year Dunkin' has awarded them a grant that will allow them to invest in more technology.
"A strong way to connect to kids and their families is through technology. So Dunkin' in providing their funding is going to enable us to hire a dedicated staffer to actually game with patients and use the aspect of gaming and technology to form relationships, help kids feel supported, have a chance to meet with other patients virtually, and really have a chance to bring some joy to their hospital experience," Granville said.
It's support that helps kids like Brayden Austin, who in 2015 was flown to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. At 20 months old, Brayden had a midgut volvulus, caused by a developmental abnormality, that led to two strokes and months of recovery in the hospital.
Brayden's parents, Jennie and Adam, credit the doctors, nurses, and staff at the children's hospital for not only saving their son's life but creating a sense of normalcy for them while he was there.
"They became part of our family," Jennie said. "We worked together as a team. We knew every morning when the doctors were going around and they made sure we were there and we were part of the team, having those conversations. The nurses were our friends. They were our people we cried on, taught us how to take care of Brayden when we got home. We couldn’t have gone through it without the nurses, the doctors, the child life specialists. They have all been amazing. Even now Brayden has his favorite nurses that when he does get admitted he wants me to message them and be like, 'Hey, are you working today?'"
Dunkin's promotion lasts all day on May 25th, and only applies to iced coffees, excluding nitro brew and cold brew.