Thanksgiving Day 2024: A Time for Gratitude and Reflection

Thanksgiving Day in 2024 fell on November 28th.

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It’s a time for families and friends to gather, share a festive meal, and give thanks for the blessings of the past year.

The holiday has deep roots in American history, dating back to the early 17th century when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a feast to celebrate a successful harvest. Over the centuries, Thanksgiving has evolved into a time of reflection, family traditions, and generosity. It’s a moment to pause, appreciate the present, and give back to those in need, fostering a sense of gratitude and community.

Thanksgiving Day in Medicine

Thanksgiving Day holds special significance for healthcare professionals, as it provides a unique opportunity for reflection and gratitude in multiple ways. For many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare specialists, it is a time to express appreciation for their communities, workplaces, and the patients they serve.

They are able to take a moment to acknowledge the trust and responsibility placed in them and to be thankful for the chance to make a difference in people’s lives. It is also a time to reflect on the collective efforts of their colleagues and the support of their families, which often play a crucial role in sustaining them through the challenges of their demanding work.

In addition to expressing their thanks, healthcare professionals also receive words of gratitude and recognition from their patients and colleagues. The holiday provides a chance for patients to share their appreciation for the care and compassion they’ve received, while colleagues often take a moment to thank one another for their teamwork and dedication. This mutual exchange of thanks fosters a sense of connection and camaraderie, helping to strengthen the bonds within healthcare teams and the communities they serve.

Thanksgiving in medicine is a time for both giving and receiving gratitude, reminding healthcare professionals of the meaningful impact they have on the lives of others and reaffirming the importance of community, collaboration, and compassion in their work.

Healthcare workers, like many professionals, often work on Thanksgiving, especially in hospitals, emergency rooms, or urgent care centers where patient care never stops.

Many hospitals provide Thanksgiving meals for staff members working that day, allowing them to enjoy a festive meal with their colleagues. Some hospitals also organize small celebrations or acknowledge their teams’ hard work through recognition events, ensuring healthcare workers feel appreciated for their dedication to patient care, even on a holiday.

Thanksgiving is also a time when many doctors go beyond their regular duties and volunteer in their communities. Some participate in free clinics, health fairs, or offer medical services at food banks and shelters, helping underserved populations. Others may join local programs to provide healthcare to those in need, embodying the spirit of giving and compassion that is central to the holiday. For doctors, volunteering on Thanksgiving is not just about offering medical care; it’s about giving back to the community and serving those who may be struggling or less fortunate.

Patrick Hwu:

“Happy Thanksgiving to my friends, family and colleagues. On the final day of my countdown, I’m sharing a note of gratitude to our Moffitt Cancer Center team! I hope you know that your purposeful work truly impacts lives, and today and every day, we are so grateful.”

Toni Choueiri:

“This Thanksgiving, may the holiday offer you and your loved ones a time of rest and reflection, surrounded by gratitude and good health!”

Amer Zeidan:

“Happy Thanksgiving day from the Yale Cancer Center inpatient leukemia team helping our patients every day of the year..”

National Cancer Institute:

“Happy Thanksgiving from NCI to everyone working to end cancer as we know it.”

Naveen Pemmaraju:

“Leukemia Clinic team Appreciation luncheon together! Happy Thanksgiving.”

Aaron Goodman:

“Happy Thanksgiving! We may disagree on politics at the dinner table (or even if we should eat meat/turkey) but we I hope can all come together and agree that turkey red blood cells are beautiful!”

Katie Coleman:

“Our first Thanksgiving together I already had cancer and we didn’t know it.

Our second we celebrated a week early because Thanksgiving fell on a week I knew I’d be doubled over in pain with even a bite of dinner after timing the severe pains I’d get every few weeks. I was stage IV and we still didn’t know.

Our third we spent just the two of us a week after returning home from having tumors burned from my liver marking my last cancer related intervention.

Today marks our sixth Thanksgiving. A day I’m reminded how grateful I am to still be here, for this man who’s been by my side every step of the way and for the time we’ve been given to start new holiday traditions. Texas style- bring on the smoked Turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving y’all.”

Yan Leyfman:

“Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

May your day be filled with gratitude, joy, and the warmth of loved ones. Here’s to good food, great company, and cherishing all we’re thankful for.”

Dana-Farber’s Breast Oncology Center:

This Thanksgiving, we are especially grateful for the healthcare providers, researchers, patient advocates and caregivers who are making strides in the fight against cancer. Wishing you a day filled with gratitude and hope. Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating.”

Vivek Subbiah:

“Grateful hearts, joyful gatherings, and one filled with love and laughter.
Wishing you all a blessed and bountiful Thanksgiving.”

Mwanje Godfrey:

“Happy Thanksgiving!

As we gather with loved ones today, let’s remember those who need our help. We’re excited to share a life-changing opportunity with you – supporting Children’s Mercy Initiative in education, shelter, feeding, medical services of the needy children!

This Thanksgiving, be part of something special. Join us in bringing hope, healing, and happiness to children and families in need.

Every gift, big or small, counts! Your support will help provide:

Medical care for children with life-threatening conditions and emotional support for families during difficult

Let’s come together to make a difference! Donate now and help change lives.

Thank you for being part of our community!”

Jorge Cortes:

“To all our patients, friends, trainees, staff, faculty, and volunteers at Georgia Cancer Center, we want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Let this be a time to reflect of all we can be thankful for.”

MD Anderson Cancer Center:

“We are thankful for our patients, their families, our faculty and staff, our volunteers and our generous donors as we work toward our mission to End Cancer. Happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating.”

Christine Garcia:

“Happy Thanksgiving from our WCM Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program! Thankful for this amazing group!

Stephen Chun:

“Thanksgiving in Honolulu with my 97-yo grandfather Dr. Thomas Lau, M.D., the 1st Asian med onc in USA and last surviving original faculty of University of Hawaii Cancer Center.”

History

The origins of Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1621 when the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony (in present-day Massachusetts) celebrated a feast with the Wampanoag Native American tribe. They gave thanks for a successful harvest after a harsh winter, and the two groups shared food, such as venison, corn, and other local produce.

Early illustrations of the first Thanksgiving/nationalgeographic.com

In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, setting the date as the final Thursday in November. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up by one week to extend the holiday shopping season, but after a public outcry, he moved it back to the fourth Thursday where it remains today.

The formalization of the Thanksgiving holiday across the United States didn’t happen until much later, in 1963, under President John F. Kennedy, though regional celebrations had been taking place for about a century before then.

whitehousehistory.org

“Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and Massachusetts, far from home, in a lonely wilderness, set aside a day of thanksgiving” – John F. President Kennedy

Here are some interesting facts about Thanksgiving Day:

– The Pilgrims and Native Americans didn’t call it “Thanksgiving.” The term “Thanksgiving” wasn’t used to describe the 1621 feast. The Pilgrims referred to the event as a “harvest celebration” or “harvest feast.”

– The first Thanksgiving lasted three days. It wasn’t just a meal; it was a three-day celebration featuring feasts, games, and various activities that allowed the Pilgrims and Native Americans to bond and give thanks for the harvest.

– Thanksgiving wasn’t celebrated consistently until the Civil War. After the first Thanksgiving, the holiday wasn’t celebrated annually. It wasn’t until President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national holiday in 1863 during the Civil War that Thanksgiving became a fixed annual observance.

– Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade wasn’t always televised. The first parade in 1924 was a live, public event, with no television coverage. The parade, which now draws millions of viewers, began being televised in 1946.

– Thanksgiving and the NFL are linked. While the tradition of football on Thanksgiving dates back to the late 19th century, the NFL has embraced the holiday. The first NFL Thanksgiving Day game was in 1920. The Detroit Lions, now known for their Thanksgiving Day games, have played every year since 1934.

– The tradition of pardoning turkeys by U.S. presidents has an interesting history. While Harry Truman received a ceremonial turkey from the National Turkey Federation, it was John F. Kennedy who first spared a turkey. Richard Nixon sent his turkey to a petting zoo, and George H.W. Bush made turkey pardoning an official tradition in 1989.

– There are four U.S. towns named “Turkey,” located in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.

– Cranberries, often a Thanksgiving favorite, were used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes long before they became part of the holiday meal.