On a rainy, cold day in 2010 Cong. Charlie Dent, Rep. Julie Harhart and Slatington Mayor Walter Niedermeyer attended an opening dedication of a nonprofit organization called 'Through These Hands.'

The organization collects surplus health care supplies and works with 60 nonprofit organizations to send non drug-related medical products, such as wheel chairs, operating and exam tables, plastic gloves, catheters, X-ray machines, orthopedic supplies and booties to both international and domestic health care institutions that would not otherwise have access to medical supplies. Clinics and hospitals in Argentina, Guatemala, Ecuador, Granada, Haiti and Honduras to name a few have benefited by the charitable donations made by the organization."It all started with a random act of kindness," said Dorene Shannon, Director. A friend of Shannon's, a former nurse, was going on a mission trip to Kosovo, a region in southeastern Europe. She asked co-workers to collect and save the booties that patients often leave behind when they are discharged from the hospital. Shannon took them home, bleached them, and patients in Kosovo became the recipient of more than 500 pairs of much needed and appreciated booties.It was only a matter of time when word got out and Dorene Shannon and her husband Bruce were fully involved in collecting and redistributing unwanted medical supplies to those in need. Medical professionals started to notice waste and contacted the Shannons. An operating room nurse noticed there was a lot of waste in the OR. If a case is canceled and the operating room was already prepped for the patient, everything has to be disposed of. These items are now redistributed through the Shannon's organization.People began to donate braces, canes and walkers and hospital beds. Dorene said, "At first we stored everything in the sunroom of our home, then we moved to the garage, and finally we had so many items we established ourselves as a nonprofit and mortgaged our home to buy a warehouse in Slatington."The Shannon's pick up the items up and take the supplies from the hospital to the warehouse. As of today, there are nine hospitals on board. This organization is truly a win-win situation. We are actively 'green,' because we redistribute items that would normally be thrown away and we are saving the hospital money because they don't need to incur the cost of discarding the supplies.Currently there are 30 volunteers that help the Shannon's. However, Bruce and Dorene recently suffered a setback when the warehouse flooded and left many of the medial items and the warehouse structure is at risk because the rain caused several sinkholes at the base of the foundation.The recent rains caused a catastrophic loss; four trailers of supplies were damaged by water. Without flood insurance it's a daunting task for the Shannon's and their volunteers. They desperately need donations to help with the clean-up and take precautions to ensure this does not happen again.Dorene said when things get back to normal she would like to reach out to motels and hotels, hoping to acquire soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels and linen."Our supplies have been in 28 different countries. We've met wonderful people and have been able to provide supplies to Katrina victims in Gulf Port, Mississippi and sent delivered medical supplies to Louisiana.Bruce and Dorene Shannon believe their work is God's work. There are just too many coincidences that make it hard to ignore, said Dorene. One time, a couple was going to Hungary. We checked with local hospitals to see if they needed catheters. They said they did not. The couple decided to take four suitcases full, just in case. At a family reunion they met a doctor whose nephew just graduated with a degree in heart surgery. He was very grateful for the donation.A benefit Craft Show and Bake Sale is planned on October 30 at the Bethany Wesleyan Church in Cherryville in family life center from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. You may contact the Shannon's at (610) 428-2786 or email at

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