At Puget Sound Kidney Centers, care goes far beyond treatment. Sometimes, it begins with something as simple as a forgotten blanket and grows into something extraordinary.
When Lisa T, Administrative Assistant at our Whidbey Island clinic, first joined PSKC, she was tasked with cleaning out patient lockers. Inside, she found a beautiful pineapple quilt, along with several fleece blankets. She took them home, washed them, and gave most away but something told her to hold onto the quilt.
A few weeks later, a nurse asked if there was an extra blanket for a patient who had forgotten theirs. Lisa knew immediately she had saved that quilt for a reason.
The pineapple quilt became a shared comfort, washed and available for any patient who needed warmth during treatment. And stitched onto that quilt was a small tag: Quilters on the Rock Whidbey Island.
For months, Lisa thought about reaching out. One day, she mentioned the idea to Pauline, a PSKC patient, who smiled and encouraged her: “They love doing it, and need something to do.” They both laughed. Lisa sent an email. The response was immediate and enthusiastic. “This sounds like something we can make happen.”
What happened next was more than anyone expected.
After meeting with members of the quilting group, one comment changed everything: “Well, they all deserve a quilt.” With that, Quilters on the Rock committed not only to providing quilts for new patients but also for every current patient at the PSKC Whidbey Island clinic, which is about 44 patients.
Soon after, the first round of more than 20 handmade quilts arrived at the clinic.
Each one is unique, created with care, creativity, and collaboration. Some are made start to finish by one quilter, while others are assembled in group “play days,” where members come together to piece, quilt, and bind them. Every quilt represents hours of work and a deep desire to give back.
When the quilts were ready to be shared, Pauline, the patient who first encouraged the connection, was invited to choose the very first one.
As she entered the room, her face lit up. Surrounded by color, texture, and craftsmanship, she took it all in with wonder. And then, in a moment that felt meant to be, she began talking about her dear friend Leon, a quilter.
As the conversation unfolded, it became clear: Leon was connected to the very same quilting community standing in the room.
A full-circle moment. One of those quiet, powerful reminders that kindness has a way of finding its way exactly where it’s needed.
“It warms my heart to see all this,” Pauline shared, holding the quilt she had chosen.
For patients receiving dialysis, often spending 3-4 hours in treatment 3 times each week, these quilts offer more than warmth. They offer dignity, comfort, and connection.
Lisa now carefully washes each quilt before it is given, just as she did with that very first one. And with every new patient who receives a quilt, the impact continues to grow.
“It’s such a great feeling,” Lisa shared. “Patients are truly humbled by the gesture.”
Because of the generosity of Quilters on the Rock and supporters like you, our patients are not only cared for, they are wrapped in compassion, community, and hope.
Sometimes, the smallest moments, like saving a quilt, turn into something much bigger than we ever imagined.
“We went in pretty scared,” Jerry recalls. “But from the very beginning, we had the absolute best care. They made me feel comfortable and treated me with such kindness all the way through.” Jerry and CeCe give high praise to all of the PSKC staff they have worked with, from Port Townsend clinic’s medical director Dr. Gill, to their “beautiful angel Joel, and the wonderful Nurse Vickie with her beautiful smile that greets us every time.”