Rocking Chair Project

This past year, ten residents from the Madison Residency Program joined with the AAFP Foundation (American Academy of Family Physicians) in a unique philanthropic venture, The Rocking Chair Project. This program unites young family physicians in training with some of their patients in greatest need in order to provide the gift of a beautiful glider rocking chair to new mothers. Founded as an independent non-profit organization, in 2004 The Rocking Chair Project joined forces with the AAFP Foundation to expand the project nationwide.

The chairs are provided free of cost to the mothers and the participating resident physicians. Intended to provide support and nurturing for both mother and baby, the chairs are shipped to the designated families shortly after delivery. The resident then meets with the family to assemble the chair with the new mother. Not surprisingly, this act of compassion provides true dividends in terms of richer doctor-patient relations, and an indelible awareness of the depth of need experienced by some patients in the resident's care. Danielle Gindlesberger, MD, now a third-year resident in the Madison Program, was the first to present and assemble a chair with her patient. Dr. Gindlesberger's observations are included here as they illustrate the power of this project in a very tangible manner.

"My patient population is mainly on medical assistance and I know that they can not afford much, but to see where [my patient] lived brought some of those comments to reality. The rocking chair is now the only piece of furniture she owns other than the bassinet for the baby. Instead of putting the rocking chair in the living room, she chose to put it in the bedroom next to the bassinet for the baby. Her love and desire to provide for her child was evident. The chair will give her a place to sit and feed her child."

"It was a very rewarding and empowering moment to put the chair together with my patient. I hope that all that donate to this project continue to do so. It is not just about the chair. My patient and I helped build something together that will continue to be a part of her life for a very long time."

More information on the Rocking Chair Project can be viewed online at http://www.rockingchairproject.org. The Madison Residency Program is hopeful that it will again participate in this worthwhile project in the coming year.