Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital Donor Impact Report

THANK YOU

DONOR IMPACT REPORT

Children’s Health at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital

EMPOWERING PATIENTS WITH AUTISM

People with autism frequently have difficulty navigating outside of their familiar environment. The Patient Passport, made possible through donor generosity, was developed to provide critical information and strengthen the bond between people with autism and those they come in contact with in medical offices and the community. It explains how the person expresses themselves, what sensitivities they have, what soothes or comforts them, what would make an interaction less difficult and their interests, among other things. The passport facilitates positive relationships and encourages more interactive experiences with others.

“The passport is an invaluable tool for our patients with autism and their families as they navigate unique challenges in community and medical settings.”

MICHELLE BREAUD, M.A., manager, Network Autism program

Healthy Eating for Kids

Young patients treated at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health at The Molly Center for Children and Adolescents with Diabetes benefit from the expertise of a new donor-funded dedicated pediatric nutritionist. Nutrition plays a major role in diabetic and metabolic disorders in patients’ health. The nutritionist develops nutritional plans to build positive eating habits and advises patients and parents on their specific nutritional issues. They also provide consistent follow-up during patient visits, monitor weight fluctuations and collaborate with physicians and other caregivers to ensure that the child’s needs are met as they develop. We are grateful for our donors who support this critical service.

Taking the First Steps Towards Health

The HealthySteps ZERO TO THREE grant-funded program is a partnership with pediatric primary care doctors to address social issues and determinants of health, child development, housing, barriers to care, food literacy and transportation concerns, among others. Social workers connect at-risk families with assistance in the community and are also a valuable resource for team members. The program improves the health of babies and toddlers at an important time in their development and helps build a healthier community

“She has given me an abundant number of resources on whatever topics I inquire about. She has helped me gain access to a wide range of things such as diapers, childcare, transportation, utilities assistance and much more.”

“Witnessing parents grow in confidence through our program’s education and resources is a rewarding experience. The value of providing support and comfort during those tough times cannot be measured.”

ANGELINE IRRIZARRI, CHES, NICU family support program coordinator, March of Dimes

PARTNERING WITH PARENTS OF NICU BABIES

Families with a newborn in the Mary Sanzari Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and team members benefit from the March of Dimes NICU Family Support® Program program coordinator, offering NICU parent and team education, access to resources, emotional support and compassion. This improves our families’ experience throughout their newborns’ stay and after returning home. Most importantly, parents have the opportunity to focus on caring for their newborn at a critical time in their young lives.

MEETING THE NEEDS OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH CANCER

The Adolescent and Young Adult Program, a new partnership between Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health Children’s Cancer Institute and Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center, provides young adults with the resources needed to help them as they go through cancer therapy and treatment now, and in the future. The program’s nurse navigator focuses on each patient’s unique care coordination and education needs; facilitates communication between the medical and pediatric oncology clinical teams; assists in enrolling in clinical trials and makes connections with support services. We are grateful to our donors for their support of this program.

Together, We’re Tackling Kids Cancer

When you make a gift to Tackle Kids Cancer, you’re bringing hope and healing to countless patients and families facing a difficult cancer diagnosis. Tackle Kids Cancer funds benefit:

• Care. Essential care and treatments, including access to more than 100 clinical trials

• Support. In-hospital patient and family support programs, such as the Sibling Support Program

• Survivorship. Unique survivorship programs for cancer survivors through Cure & Beyond

• Research. Groundbreaking pediatric cancer research at the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation