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Actress Ellen Pompeo, who plays a doctor in Grey’s Anatomy, values the real-life triumphs and challenges of doctors and their patients. To show appreciation, Pompeo and her husband, music producer Chris Ivery, visited Children’s on March 30.
While back in her hometown of Boston, Pompeo also attended the Trust’s Women in Medicine (WIM) Luncheon, a fundraiser celebrating Children’s leading women physicians and researchers. This year’s honoree, neurosurgeon Liliana Goumnerova, MD, is New England’s only practitioner in pediatric neuroendoscopy. Other WIM attendees included WBZ-TV anchor Lisa Hughes, who served on the event committee and as the emcee for the seventh year.
Tek’s 33s, a program set up by Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, is back for the summer. Every season, Jason Varitek donates tickets for 12 games to Children’s patients and their families. They’re invited into Fenway Park before the gates open to meet Varitek, get his autograph and hang out behind the dugout to watch batting practice. Varitek also hands out bags of Red Sox gear and baseballs to each patient. This year’s program started on April 8, 2009, at a Sox game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Child Life Services hosted Puppy Pre-op in the Patient Entertainment Center in celebration of Child Life Week. The stuffed animals were “admitted” to the hospital, where they saw the doctor, had their vital signs and X-rays taken, had blood drawn and were fitted with a cast.
These young philanthropists organize community fundraisers such as bike rides, bowl-a-thons and car washes. Or they add fundraising components to their dance recital, summer camp, karate school, theater productions and sports leagues. And with each generous act, they’re not only helping kids in need, they’re also learning that they can better the world.
Encourage a child in your life to help other kids this summer by hosting a fundraiser for Children’s. They may learn that when they give back, they get back so much more in return. Adults can get involved as well by organizing their own community fundraisers. For more information, visit childrenshospital.org/fundraisers.
Despite the economic downturn, Walmart and Sam’s Club associates from Massachusetts and New Hampshire had their best fundraising year ever. In 2008, they raised more than $1.1 million—the highest total in the company’s seven years of fundraising for Children’s. Even more amazing: the majority of donations collected ranged from $1 to $5. It’s proof that small acts of kindness can make a big impact.
The associates raised the funds through in-store promotions, employee contests, customer contributions and grassroots efforts including bake sales, flea markets, golf tournaments and seasonal carnivals. Since 2002, Walmart and Sam’s Club employees have raised more than $5 million for Children’s, through the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN). CMN is a non-profit organization that helps raise funds for 170 pediatric hospitals across North America, including Children’s.
Take to the water or road this summer and help kids battling critical illness. Join the Miles for Miracles program, in which athletes participate in events and fundraise for Children’s. Two upcoming events include the Marlborough Triathlon (July 26), founded by Olympic triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker, and the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race (August 9), a seven-mile run through scenic Cape Cod.
For more information on these and other Miles for Miracles events visit childrenshospital.org/run
Know a special child age 6-16 who participates in NSTAR’s Walk for Children’s and inspires others to do the same? Does he or she know what a special place Children’s is and love to give back to the hospital?Ý Nominate that child to be the Walk Child Ambassador. He or she will receive pre- and post-walk publicity, special recognition and fun responsibilities—like ribbon-cutting—on walk day, Sunday, June 14.
For more information contact: walk@chtrust.org or 1-866-303-WALK. Interested in walking 7-or 2-miles for Children’s? Visit: childrenshospital.org/walk.
This Mother’s Day, help give patients’ moms the best gift ever: a healthy child. Make a $5 donation to Children’s and send an e-card designed by a Children’s patient to the moms in your life. You can even send an e-card to the mothers spending their special day by their child’s bedside. We’ll print out your e-card and post it at the Center for Families for everyone to enjoy. Visit childrenshospital.org/giving to shop for your e-card.
Along with e-cards, you can send flowers. From now until Mother’s Day, May 10, KaBloom.com will donate will donate $5 from all online flower purchases to Children’s. Your mom will be so proud.
Congratulations to Children’s Blood Donor of the Month for May, Bob Messier. In January of 1990, Messier’s 2-month-old grand-niece, Molly, received open heart surgery at Children’s. Messier decided to donate while he was visiting her. “After seeing her, I knew I couldn’t donate anywhere else,” he remembers.
Messier continued to donate over the years, and when he had given more than five gallons of whole blood at Children’s Blood Donor Center, he decided he wanted to do something more for the kids. He chose to give platelets so he could donate every two weeks instead of every two months.
Messier has had a few relatives other who were treated at Children’s, and he continues to donate to express his thanks. Appreciation for the care these relatives received is the reason why Messier has given 230 donations and counting.
Messier has also raised $22,000 for the Jimmy Fund by riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge, a 192-mile bike ride that raises money for the fight against cancer. He’s passionate about riding, selling candy to fundraise for the Challenge, spending time with his granddaughters, adventuring outdoors and, of course, donating platelets. “People need to help people,” says Messier. “I think donating platelets is an easy and great way to do it…so what are you waiting for?”
On April 15, Children’s Hospital Boston at Waltham was honored to accept the 2009 Good Neighbor Award, given by the Waltham Partnership for Youth, Inc. (WPY).
The WPY Good Neighbor Award is given to the “person or organization that has made significant long-term contributions to the youth of Waltham via the WPY or to the donor of sustained significant contributions to the WPY.”
Steven Gordon, chief administrative officer at Children’s Hospital Boston at Waltham, says he is very excited about the award. “It’s great to be recognized,” he says. “Many people here put in a lot of hard work.”
The WPY strives to enhance the quality of young lives in Waltham by identifying the needs of the youth, and coordinating useful resources.
Join us for our fifth annual Texas Hold ’Em Tournament benefiting Children’s on May 11. The tournament takes place at the Boston Harbor Hotel and will be emceed by World Series of Poker Pro and Celebrity Apprentice star, Annie Duke. Last year’s event raised more than $630,000 for the hospital. Don’t miss your chance to go “all in” for kids. For more information, visit childrenshospital.org/texas.
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