Area employer Nissan North America is making a positive impact in the lives of Middle Tennesseans with its active support of Vanderbilt Health initiatives.
Lifting Patient Spirits
Nissan employees recently participated in a "Letters of Encouragement" campaign, writing 82 heartfelt letters to patients at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
The center's team expressed their gratitude on Instagram: "Your kind messages have uplifted spirits and reminded our patients that they are not alone in their journey. Thank you to the Nissan team for your compassion and for making a meaningful difference.”
To support VICC patients in similar campaigns, reach out to Camille Savell at camille.amadeo@vumc.org.
Promoting Safer Teen Drivers
The Teen Driver Safety Program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt addresses the growing problem of teen motor vehicle crashes in Tennessee. Supported by a Nissan Neighbors grant, the Be in the Zone (BITZ) Teen Driver Safety program is a hospital-school collaborative program designed to educate teen drivers about the dangers of distracted driving and help them become community advocates for safer driving.
The importance of this program is clear: Car crashes remain the leading cause of preventable death among teenagers in the United States. According to the latest Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security report, there was even an increase in traffic fatalities involving teen drivers between 2022 and 2023.
“Working with Nissan has really opened our eyes,” said Stacey Pecenka, MPH, manager of the Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention Program at Monroe Carell. “It’s not just about the driver and passengers making good decisions while in a car, but also working with the product safety team at Nissan to learn more about the forensics of what happens to both the vehicle and passengers in car accidents. It provides an entirely new perspective.”
Find more information about the program in this article on VUMC News.
