06/05/2026
🧡 Today, we wear orange.
Not because gun violence is a headline.
Not because it’s a statistic.
But because behind every number is a child, a family, a friend, a future forever changed.
This morning, staff gathered at the Peace Pole to recognize Wear Orange Day and Gun Violence Prevention Awareness Month. Standing beside a memorial created from melted guns and bullets collected from the community after the death of a young person, we were reminded that violence leaves a lasting impact long after the news cameras leave.
As healthcare professionals, we witness the moments that divide lives into before and after.
We see the empty seats at dinner tables.
The parents waiting at the bedside.
The siblings trying to understand the unimaginable.
The healthcare teams who carry those stories with them long after a shift ends.
And while we are honored to care for children and families during their hardest moments, our greatest goal is to prevent those moments from happening at all.
That’s why Wear Orange matters.
It looks like safe firearm storage.
It looks like supporting youth in crisis.
It looks like investing in our communities.
It looks like having conversations that may feel uncomfortable but could save a life.
The color orange represents visibility—a commitment that we see those affected by gun violence and that we refuse to look away.
Every child deserves the chance to grow up.
To make mistakes.
To chase dreams.
To discover who they are becoming.
And every child we keep safe is a trauma we never have to treat.
Today we wear orange.
Tomorrow, we continue the work.
🧡
