West Valley families can now find comprehensive care in their own backyards.
6 4 7
DEPARTMENTS
The Insider
Updates from around Phoenix Children’s.
A Space for Solace
Get a behind-the-scenes look inside the new Prayer Room at Phoenix Children’s Hospital –Arrowhead Campus.
5 Questions
West Valley business owner Autumn Henderson shares her journey of giving back and the experiences that drive her commitment to Phoenix Children’s.
18 19
A Nourishing Path Forward
A monitoring program for infants with cleft lip and palate puts babies on a course for happy, healthy lives.
Common Cause
Recent and upcoming events supporting Phoenix Children’s patients and their families.
Grow West
As Phoenix Children’s expands to the West Valley, patients and families are finding the comprehensive care they need—right in their own backyards.
The Heart for It
How Steve Grout’s courage advanced congenital heart surgery and how his legacy will support the growing field of adult congenital heart care.
Dream Weaver
Transforming adversity into artistry, Diné designer Naiomi Glasses donates a portion of proceeds from her collaboration with Ralph Lauren to Phoenix Children’s.
PHOENIX CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS
CHAIR
Taylor Burke Rainy Partners
VICE CHAIR/SECRETARY
Alexa Schneider Kimbell, Inc.
PHOENIX CHILDREN’S PRESIDENT AND CEO
Robert L. Meyer
PHOENIX CHILDREN’S
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, FOUNDATION
Steven S. Schnall
Tarl J. Robinson Plexus Worldwide
Scott Bindley Screenwriter
J. Paul Rhodes Community Volunteer
Ahron Cohen Polar Sun Ventures
Ed Grant Scottsdale Investment Management
Shane Doan Toronto Maple Leafs
Lisa Graziosi Extension Bar
EMERITUS
Larry Clemmensen Community Volunteer
EMERITUS
Michael Bill The MJ Companies
EMERITUS
Kevin Czerwinski Merit Partners, Inc.
DEAR FRIENDS,
This year, we’ve expanded our reach, bringing specialized pediatric care closer to the families who need it most. Whether it’s through opening our new West Valley campuses, enhancing our telehealth capabilities or forming strategic partnerships with community providers, your contributions have made it possible for us to bring world-class care right to our local neighborhoods. And because of generous donors like the Moyes family and the Henderson family, for example, patients like Payton—who you’ll read more about in this issue—will now receive the care they need closer to home.
One of the most impactful developments is the growth of our outpatient services, along with the expansion into new hospitals with more inpatient beds. We’ve been able to introduce more pediatric specialists into underserved communities, reducing travel time for families and bolstering our ability to provide comprehensive care for children with complex medical needs. This expansion is a direct result of your dedication to making health care more accessible for every child.
We’re also pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in pediatric medicine, investing in cutting-edge technology and research that pave the way for innovative treatments and therapies that improve outcomes and transform lives. Phoenix Children’s is at the forefront of these advancements, offering our patients the highest-quality care across all our locations.
Your involvement is more than just a donation—it’s a vital part of our mission to build a healthier future for our children. Each story herein reflects the positive impact of your support. Together, we are creating a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.
On the Cover: Phoenix Children’s has expanded into the West Valley, opening several new facilities to meet families where they are.
Moments is published by the Phoenix Children’s Foundation. Editorial and design consultation by Casual Astronaut.
To share your comments or if you wish to unsubscribe, call 602-933-4483.
Thank you for being an essential part of the Phoenix Children’s family. Your investment in our mission is what drives us forward.
With heartfelt gratitude,
STEVE SCHNALL Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer
The Insider
Updates From Around Phoenix Children’s
Rocking for a Cause
Two days, three stages, 25 acts and one incredible mission.
The annual M3F music festival in Phoenix may seem like other music festivals. What sets M3F apart, however, is its nonprofit status, with 100% of its proceeds donated to local causes, including to Phoenix Children’s Therapeutic Arts Program. Funded by donations, the program offers patients an outlet—immersive crafts, drawing, singing, playing instruments—through which they can safely process feelings in a way conducive to healing.
In 2023, board-certified therapists engaged with 3,300 Phoenix Children’s patients, using art and music to help children manage physical pain and emotional discomfort, adjust to new treatments or diagnoses, cope with long hospitalizations and learn how to navigate feelings of grief or loss. In 2024, even more patients will benefit, thanks to M3F’s generous $125,000 donation—a gift that will provide therapeutic arts throughout the entire Phoenix Children’s health system.
Festivalgoers enjoy the M3F music festival while also supporting its charitable causes.
4 Tips for a Savvy Giving Strategy
Looking for tax-smart ways to support Phoenix Children’s? Here’s how.
DONATE STOCK
Protecting Little Lives With Waymo
Benefit: When you donate appreciated stock you’ve owned for more than 12 months, you receive a fair market value tax deduction and pay no capital gains tax. Have other appreciated assets? There are great strategies for these too.
GIVE WITH THE ARIZONA CHARITABLE TAX CREDIT
Benefit: A dollar-for-dollar credit offering the value of your gift back on your state income taxes—up to $470 for individual filers and $938 for those filing jointly.
MAKE A QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION FROM AN IRA
Benefit: For IRA account owners ages 70 ½ and older, this can satisfy the required minimum distribution and exclude the amount donated from taxable income.
DONATE FROM A DAF
Benefit: If you’ve previously funded a donor-advised fund (DAF), you can direct a grant to Phoenix Children’s without it affecting your income. 1 2 3 4
The hope is that children will be free to grow up in environments devoid of danger. But that’s not always possible—risks exist everywhere for children of all ages. That’s why Phoenix Children’s offers the Injury Prevention Program, an education and outreach effort that provides families and caregivers information, tools and support to help prevent childhood injuries. And there’s perhaps no
other entity whose mission is more safety-oriented than Waymo, which is why its three-years-strong partnership with Phoenix Children’s is so aptly suited. The autonomous vehicle technology company has donated $60,000 to Phoenix Children’s, with an additional $20,000 planned for 2024. Of that, two-thirds funds the Injury Prevention Program and its Child Passenger Safety and Bike Safety programs.
In 2023, the Phoenix Children’s Injury Prevention Program helped fund and distribute:
1,000
new car seats to families in need through safety initiatives
3,300 children’s bike helmets through community outreach programs
2 road- and bike-safety awareness videos
Two-thirds of Waymo’s gifts to Phoenix Children’s goes toward the Injury Prevention Program.
CUSTOMIZABLE AMBIENCE
Adjustable lighting and sound allow the space to reflect the tone and needs of any event taking place in the space.
MULTIFAITH SPACE
The new space is designed to accommodate individuals of all religious beliefs, as well as those seeking a quiet space for reflection or meditation.
SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES
Storage in the back holds items of significance for those from many faith backgrounds, including diverse religious texts, children’s books, prayer rugs, rosaries and literature on coping in difficult circumstances.
COLORFUL & CALMING
Beautiful glass artwork with natureinspired colors provides a calming, serene environment.
ADAPTABLE SEATING
Movable/adjustable seating allows the room to convert into a space for a religious service, baptism, parent support group or other gathering.
A Space for Solace
Get a behind-the-scenes look inside the new Prayer Room at Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Arrowhead Campus.
Unveiled in July 2024, the brand-new Prayer Room at Phoenix Children’s Hospital –Arrowhead Campus was made possible thanks to a generous gift from the Autumn and Robert Henderson Family. The Prayer Room is open and available to patients and their families 24/7, offering a place to find comfort and peace during challenging times. Here, we offer an insider’s look at this space for solace.
Heartfelt Dedication
Autumn Henderson, COO and co-owner of Liberty Buick and Liberty GMC in Peoria, shares the profound impact of the new Prayer Room that bears her family’s name and the personal experiences that drive her commitment to Phoenix Children’s.
As the namesake of the new Prayer Room at Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Arrowhead Campus, Autumn’s journey from a dedicated donor to a key figure in the West Valley’s philanthropic community is both inspiring and
heartfelt. Through her own experiences and deep personal connections, Autumn has channeled her passion for helping others into creating a sanctuary of peace for families facing challenging times.
Why did you first become involved with Phoenix Children’s?
I wanted to do more than just donate, and within a week of having this thought, a friend who works for Phoenix Children’s Foundation called me about an opportunity to join the West Valley Phoenix Children’s council. I couldn’t say yes fast enough! It was meant to be.
family’s name.
What significance does the new Prayer Room hold for you?
My mother had brain surgery and was in the hospital for a while. Whenever I went to the hospital’s chapel, I felt a sense of calm and peace, even though it was a scary time for me. I wanted to help provide other families that same sense of peace and calmness while experiencing their own scary times.
You’re an active West Valley Phoenix Children’s council member and co-chair. Why is helping this campus important to you?
I was raised in the West Valley and I know how important it is for our community to have a children’s hospital near us. The fact that we now have this amazing hospital in our own backyard makes a difference in so many lives.
What has been the most rewarding part of your partnership with Phoenix Children’s?
Now that people know I’m so involved, my employees will often share their own experiences with Phoenix Children’s and thank me. It reinforces that I made the best decision choosing to be on this council.
What values or experiences have influenced your dedication to giving back to the community?
When someone in need asked my parents for help, they were always willing to help, even if it meant giving them the shirt off their back. I’m sure that’s where it started with me.
Bobby and Autumn Henderson stand outside the new Prayer Room that bears their
As Phoenix Children’s expands to the West Valley, patients and families are finding the comprehensive care they need—right in their own backyards.
GR W
W WEST
Payton was just 5 years old when she fell at school, hitting her head on the sidewalk. Diagnostic scans at the local urgent care showed that what her parents first believed to be a minor scrape was, in fact, a skull fracture and a brain bleed, serious injuries requiring surgery. Payton was immediately transferred from Surprise, where the family resides, to Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus for brain surgery.
Though she spent nearly 30 days in the hospital—12 days in a coma in the pediatric intensive care unit and time in both inpatient and outpatient rehab to relearn gross and fine motor skills—Payton recovered. She received a cutting-edge new cooling treatment for traumatic brain injury—plus art and music therapy, two programs supported by donations—as part of her care. Even her family, including her two older brothers, were looked after by Payton’s care team, receiving gifts on Easter and getting a chance to go to the Child Life Zone, a unique, state-of-the-art therapeutic space within the hospital where kids can be kids.
“[They] were incredible,” says Payton’s mom, Brandy. “They continually went above and beyond to help her and us navigate the scariest moments of our lives.”
The worst has passed for Payton, now 11 years old. The energetic fifth grader loves drawing and singing and dancing and soccer. She’s full of life and curiosity.
But that doesn’t mean she’s out of the woods yet. A traumatic brain injury is a lifelong condition, and for Payton, this means regular visits to Phoenix Children’s—a 90-minute round-trip drive from the family’s home in the West Valley—for evaluations to make sure she’s meeting critical developmental milestones. If only the level of care that Payton requires were closer to home.
Thankfully, now it is.
MEETING A CRITICAL NEED
Phoenix’s West Valley encompasses the communities from Avondale and Buckeye to Wickenburg and Youngtown. Together, the West Valley’s 15 cities boast a growth rate of twice the national average, with more than 1.7 million people currently calling the West Valley home. Over the next 25 years, more than 50% of Maricopa County’s growth is expected to take place in the region, and the pediatric population is expected to increase from 400,000 at present to 500,000 by 2030.
All this to say, the need for comprehensive pediatric health care in the West Valley is urgent.
“Over the last 10 years, there’s been massive growth,” notes Jared Muenzer, MD, MBA, chief physician executive at Phoenix Children’s. “We recognize that, and we understand that the
world-class pediatric care we provide should be available to everyone, without the burden of having to travel. The question becomes: ‘How do we get closer to home and what parts of our business do we put closer to home?’”
The answer? A strategic West Valley expansion offering convenient and high-quality options for children in need of urgent and emergency care, specialty care, inpatient care, outpatient surgical care and sports medicine.
“Phoenix Children’s main campus will always have the ability to do all those things,” Dr. Muenzer says. “But, for example, when children are diagnosed with cancer, those care plans last two to three years. Most of that care can be done in a patient’s own community. Whatever that need is, whatever can be done closer to home, it makes life so much easier for families.”
A traumatic brain injury is a lifelong condition, and for Payton, this means regular visits to Phoenix Children’s— a 90-minute round-trip drive from the family’s home in the West Valley. Now, the level of care that Payton requires is closer to home.
The expansion in the West Valley comprises several new facilities in Arrowhead and Avondale, providing a suite of offerings that run the gamut of pediatric health care needs:
• Availability of radiology, MRI and CT scans
• Intensive care unit capabilities
48 inpatient beds
• Operating rooms open every day of the week
• Subspecialists for outpatient treatment
• Sports medicine physical therapy
“Children with broken arms or those who need stitches, children with diabetes or those who are asthmatics … all these conditions can now be cared for in the West Valley,” Dr. Muenzer says. “Everything you can think of that needs to be done at a children’s hospital, we can do it.”
Payton on the playground at Phoenix Children’s Hospital –Thomas Campus, where she received treatment for a traumatic brain injury when she was 5.
ANSWERING THE CALL
Dr. Muenzer says that Phoenix Children’s is always looking forward to what’s next—a futurefocused perspective on the region’s population growth and how that translates to its pediatric health care needs. But to propel projections into actions, Dr. Muenzer says it’s all about philanthropy. “We can do things faster, quicker and offer more programs and more support to patients and families because we have the robust engine of our partners and donors,” he says.
Among these impactful donors are Vickie and Jerry Moyes.
The couple—high school sweethearts who met in junior high—moved here from Utah in the 1960s, settling in the West Valley where Jerry founded Swift Transportation. He launched the business with a single truck, turning the small company into one of the largest trucking enterprises in the United States.
During this time, their family grew too. The couple has 10 children, 22 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. The whole Moyes
“The worldclass pediatric care we provide should be available to everyone, without the burden of having to travel.”
—Dr. Jared Muenzer, chief physician executive at Phoenix Children’s
clan lives in the West Valley. Throughout the past six decades, Jerry and Vickie have seen the area morph from vast desert into a metropolitan area with several cities.
And though the development has been impressive, they feel that it’s also outpaced itself in some ways. “I believe the West Valley has been neglected in a number of areas, whether it’s education or health care,” Jerry says.
With that in mind, the Moyes family has found ways to bolster the community’s needs over the years, from supporting child welfare and behavioral health programs to helping create safe spaces for children to thrive.
When Phoenix Children’s launched its $200 million health care expansion into the West Valley, Jerry saw yet another opportunity to help. He and Vickie made a $5 million philanthropic investment into Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Arrowhead Campus, a gift that will transform pediatric care for West Valley children and their families for years to come.
Jerry and Vickie Moyes have created a lasting legacy with their gift to Phoenix Children’s, playing a prominent part in the West Valley expansion.
West Valley Expansion at a Glance
Phoenix Children’s Hospital –Arrowhead Campus
• Inpatient care
• Emergency department
• Surgery center
• Multispecialty clinic
• Supports 76,000 annual visits
Phoenix Children’s Specialty Care –Arrowhead Campus
• Allergy & immunology
• Cardiology
• Developmental pediatrics
• Endocrinology
• ENT (otolaryngology, head and neck)
• Gastroenterology
• General surgery
• Genetics
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
• Pulmonology
• Sleep medicine
• Sports medicine
• Urology
Phoenix Children’s –Avondale Campus
• Emergency department
• Rehabilitation services
• Expanded specialty clinic
• Supports 71,000 annual visits
“We wanted to do something that’s important and will benefit children and families for a long time,” Jerry says. “We drive by the new Phoenix Children’s Hospital up there, and we’re very excited about supporting that. We’re excited to see the progress that will bring.”
Vickie recalls, “I remember it was orange groves—absolutely beautiful orange groves. Now there’s a gorgeous hospital there.”
The hospital’s Vickie and Jerry Moyes Family Pavilion forever celebrates their deep dedication to investing in the futures of West Valley children—from the health of kids to their quality of life. “It’s very, very important, good medical care,” Jerry says. “But one of the things people don’t think too much about is, it’s not only to have health care, but to have it where it’s not inconvenient.”
Dr. Muenzer seconds that sentiment: “Our mission is that every child, patient and family get the highest quality of care no matter where they touch a Phoenix Children’s location or provider. From when they initially contact us all the way to discharge, we want that experience to be consistent and world-class no matter where they go.”
A glimpse of Glendale in the 1970s, where open fields once stretched across the landscape—now home to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital –Arrowhead Campus.
FOCUSING ON WHAT MATTERS
At 11 years old, Payton is compassionate and funny, says her mother, Brandy. Payton can be a little shy as a result of her injury, Brandy adds, but she says that Payton loves people and loves having fun. The effervescent girl she is today, and the enthusiasm with which she navigates the world, owes much to the gift of life given to her at Phoenix Children’s six years ago.
“Being able to come [to Phoenix Children’s] and get as much care and support as we did was amazing,” Brandy recalls.
The good news for Payton and her family—and for thousands of other West Valley children affected by life-threatening disease, chronic illness or injury—is now they don’t have to travel far and wide for the transformative power of healing care. Thanks to compassionate donors like Jerry and Vickie Moyes, first-class pediatric care is right here, in their very own ZIP code.
“What I love most about working at Phoenix Children’s is that there’s potential,” Dr. Muenzer says. “You won’t find an opportunity to grow and develop and deliver this level of care anywhere else in this country. We have the population base, the commitment and the philanthropic support. That potential is palpable.”
Heart
for It The
How Steve Grout’s courage advanced congenital heart surgery and how his legacy will support the growing field of adult congenital heart care.
Congenital heart defects are deformities in the heart that are present at birth. It wasn’t long ago that a congenital heart defect was a grave diagnosis.
When Steve Grout was born in 1955, doctors told his mother not to get too attached. Born with four separate heart defects, he wasn’t expected to live past his first week. But a week went by, then a month, then a year. Steve kept growing and was in relatively good health throughout childhood, even if he had challenges.
“He didn’t like to dwell on his limitations, but it was frustrating when the other boys were able to play baseball and football, and Steve would easily tire and have to spend the rest of recess inside,” says Barbara Grout, Steve’s wife. He had a desire to learn chess at this time, so his mother drove him to a rec center, where he played with adults once a month. Chess became his replacement for sports, and he later became a chess master.
STAR PATIENT
Despite his health challenges, Steve achieved remarkable academic and professional
A Remarkable Life & Legacy
1955 | A Rocky Start:
Steve Grout was born with four heart defects, and doctors doubted he would survive his first week.
1960s | Childhood Challenges: Despite health issues, Steve grew up determined, though unable to join in typical childhood activities.
success. He graduated from the University of California and went on to pursue a graduate degree at Stanford University. He then earned a law degree from the University of Arizona, where he made Law Review. Steve practiced law and taught himself investing. “Steve was brilliant and determined,” Barbara says. “He always found a way to do what he loved.”
Steve had two strokes before age 35. He frequently had to travel to California for care because Phoenix didn’t have any cardiologists who specialized in congenital heart disease in adults at the time. After all, kids with congenital heart disease didn’t usually survive to adulthood.
After his second stroke, his Los Angeles doctors told him about a new surgery called the Fontan procedure, a complex surgery that reroutes blood through the heart to the lungs. They told him he had a 50-50 chance of surviving it. “Steve just said, ‘I have no chance if I don’t do it,’” Barbara says.
The surgery, which Steve had in 1988, gave him a new lease on life. “For the first time, his fingernails were pink, and he could breathe well,” Barbara says. “He proposed because he finally felt like he had a future.”
While Steve’s surgery was a success, he still required regular care from a cardiologist. That meant traveling to California each time he needed a checkup or treatment. Then in 2017, Phoenix Children’s launched an adult congenital heart disease program.
“There are now more adults living with congenital heart disease than children— about 2 million, and that number increases by 50,000 people each year,” says Jordan D. Awerbach, MD, medical director of the Stephen C. Grout Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program. “That hasn’t always been the case. It has only been in the past decade that the need for congenital cardiologists who are also trained to care for medically complex adults has been realized.”
And it’s still very much a growing field. Phoenix Children’s adult congenital heart disease program is one of only 53 in the country today. Depending on which direction a patient travels, the next closest center is between 350 and 1,000 miles away.
A LASTING GIFT
Steve was so grateful for the program that when it came time to make end-of-life arrangements, he specified that he wanted Phoenix Children’s to be able to learn from his heart when he died.
“Stephen was passionate about education, and his incredible gift of donating his heart and lungs for teaching and research has already had a profound
1988 | Life-Changing Surgery: Steve underwent the Fontan procedure, which improved his health and allowed him to marry Barbara.
2017 | Local
Care
Relief: Phoenix Children’s launched an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, easing Steve’s care in his later years. Steve passed away in 2023.
Legacy of Hope
Steve donated his heart and lungs to research, leaving a lasting impact on future congenital heart disease care.
“There are now more adults living with congenital heart disease than children—about 2 million, and that number increases by 50,000 people each year.”
—
JORDAN D. AWERBACH, MD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE STEPHEN C. GROUT ADULT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE PROGRAM
impact,” Dr. Awerbach says. “His anatomy has been studied by all of our cardiology fellows and all of our students from the University of Arizona College of Medicine during their cardiac anatomy block.”
Additionally, the Grout Family Trust created the Stephen C. Grout Endowed Fund for Adult Congenital Heart Care at Phoenix Children’s in Steve’s honor. The fund will be invested and distribute out a percentage in perpetuity, meaning Steve’s legacy will live on indefinitely.
“This transformational gift will support the creation of an adult congenital heart disease fellowship here at Phoenix Children’s to help address the national shortage of providers,” Dr. Awerbach says. “It will significantly contribute to the care of our adult congenital heart disease patients.”
To learn how an estate gift to Phoenix Children’s can leave a legacy of hope and healing for Arizona children, visit GiveToPCH.org/Legacy or contact Nicola Lawrence, associate vice president of philanthropic advising, at 602-933-3870 or giftplanning@phoenixchildrens.com
Naiomi Glasses was born with a craniofacial disorder that caused her to look different from other kids. But her family made her feel so loved that it wasn’t until she went to preschool at 5 that she really felt different.
“A little girl in my class asked, ‘Why are you so ugly?’” Glasses recalls.
Fortunately, her medical team at Phoenix Children’s had prepared her for such comments. “I just told her, ‘I have a bilateral cleft lip and palate. My doctors are fixing it. Do you want to be friends?’” Glasses says.
“Fixing it” consisted of several surgeries between infancy and adulthood. Glasses’ final surgery was at 21. She considers herself lucky to have gotten the care she needed at Phoenix Children’s over the years, especially considering her family moved from Mesa to Dinétah (Navajo Nation)—six hours away from Phoenix Children’s—when she was in grade school.
“I’ve met a lot of kids who stop getting treatment after the initial necessary procedures because they can’t afford to travel for their care,” Glasses says. That’s why, when she was named Polo Ralph Lauren’s first-ever artist in residence, Glasses recommended that Phoenix Children’s Foundation receive a portion of the proceeds of one of her clothing collections.
A LOOMING LOVE
Glasses began weaving at a young age, having learned the art from her paternal grandmother. “It was very soothing, very meditative,” Glasses says. “I just really enjoyed it and loved taking inspiration from nature and my culture.”
Glasses fell so in love with weaving that she wanted to make it her life’s work. Of course, she found out soon enough there wasn’t much money to be made in the artistry. “It took almost a month to make a single piece, and my parents pointed out that I’d never be able to sell my work for enough to live on,” she says. “They didn’t want me becoming a starving artist. So I decided to become a designer instead.”
HER INSPIRATION
Glasses worked with Lauren and his design team for two years on three separate Polo Ralph Lauren x Naiomi Glasses collections, the first of which dropped in December 2023. With the theme of “Love of the Land,” it celebrates her homeland.
Part of Something Bigger
Ralph Lauren and Naiomi Glasses, inspired by her journey with a craniofacial disorder, select Phoenix Children’s Foundation to receive a portion of proceeds from their design collaboration, providing crucial aid for Native American families and cleft care.
“This first drop of the collection is truly a love letter to the land,” Glasses says. “When I think of the land, I think of my family. It’s a way to show love for them and just how interconnected everything is.”
Where the first drop’s earthtones are subdued, the second drop is anything but. “Color in Motion” is a nod to another of Glasses’ long-time loves: skateboarding. “There are parallels between weaving and skateboarding,” Glasses says. “Both are very meditative. You can ride and ride, weave and weave, and just get lost in them.”
GIVING BACK IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
A portion of the proceeds from this second collection goes to the Phoenix Children’s Foundation Patient and Family Assistance Funds for Native American Families and the Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Care. The money raised is used to alleviate financial barriers such as housing, transportation and treatment costs for Indigenous families seeking care for children with cleft lips and palates.
“I’m just so happy I can give back,” Glasses says. “I feel like I’m part of something bigger, and that means everything to me.”
Glasses’ collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren is about more than fundraising to her. It’s about representation, not only as a Diné but also as someone who was born with a cleft lip and palate. “I just think it’s really important to have the representation I wanted to see as a kid,” she says. “If I had seen someone like me going out there doing these things as a kid, I think I would’ve had more confidence to feel accepted in these places.”
Drop three, “Denim Daydream,” launched in August 2024, rounds out the three-part collaboration and celebrates Glasses’ longtime love of rodeo on an all-indigo color palette.
A Nourishing Path Forward
Afew hours after giving birth to baby girl Emery, Sharlin knew something wasn’t right.
“It seemed she was eating OK,” Sharlin recalls, “but then she’d arch [her back], hold her breath and turn blue. We couldn’t figure out what was going on.”
The next morning, Emery was diagnosed with cleft palate and Pierre Robin sequence, a birth defect characterized by an underdeveloped jaw, a backward displacement of the tongue and an obstructed airway. Emery and her family were referred to Phoenix Children’s within the first week of Emery’s life.
It was a diagnosis that rocked Sharlin and her husband’s world. Sharlin knew the struggle that
A monitoring program for infants with cleft lip and palate puts babies on a course for happy, healthy lives. A
To learn more about Innovation Circle and how its funding helps accelerate advancements that improve the health of children everywhere, visit GiveToPCH.org/ Innovation-Circle
lay ahead—keeping Emery fed and nourished. Children born with cleft lip and palate (CL/P) are at high risk of malnutrition due to feeding challenges. Though the risk can be mitigated by close feeding and weight monitoring by a cleft care team, frequent visits to the hospital often pose significant burdens for caregivers.
This was certainly true for Emery’s parents. Exhausted from sleeping in shifts to make sure Emery’s airways stayed open, and from the nearconstant feedings, Sharlin and her husband were in no condition to manage the drive to Phoenix Children’s from their home in the San Tan Valley.
So when Emery’s care team introduced the family to the hospital’s groundbreaking new program, the Infant Growth NutrITion fEeding (IGNITE) Home Monitoring Program, it changed everything. A digital health-tracking app tailored to infants with CL/P, IGNITE enables real-time tracking of infant feeding and weight. Each week, the baby’s health care team reviews the data, connecting with caregivers when an infant’s feeding or weight gain falls outside the desired parameters.
The best part: IGNITE is accessible from home via smartphones and tablets given to each family enrolled in the program—no more long drives back and forth to the hospital.
IGNITE is funded by Innovation Circle, a giving group that invests in high-impact projects. It was co-developed by Thomas Sitzman, MD, associate professor of plastic surgery at Phoenix Children’s, in collaboration with Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Prior to IGNITE, one in four children with CL/P at Phoenix Children’s was severely malnourished at 4 months of age. In the first six months after IGNITE launched, not a single child was malnourished. Emery is now 6 months old, a joyful kid who loves meeting new people. She’s on track to reach 20 pounds—the goal weight for her CL/P surgery, scheduled for four days after her first birthday.
Events That Make Moments Possible
Recent and upcoming events supporting Phoenix Children’s patients and their families.
Give-A-Thon
| Aug. 19-23, 2024
The 2024 KTAR News and Arizona Sports Give-A-Thon, presented by Valley Hyundai Dealers and the Ak-Chin Indian Community, raised a record $2.38 million in its 16th year.
At One Yoga Festival | Sept. 14, 2024
During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, yogis supported children facing cancer at Phoenix Children’s. The event raised over $90,000, benefiting the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
5K & Kids Dash | Oct. 5, 2024
Participants raised money for their chosen area of care at Phoenix Children’s during our 2024 5K & Kids Dash, brought to you by RSM US LLP and presented by AutoNation.
OFF THE RECORD
Nov. 2, 2024
Enjoy a concert by country star Chase Rice and delicious food from Phoenix’s top restaurants at this boot-stomping concert hosted by PCH 50. OffTheRecordPCH.com
GOLF TOURNAMENT
Nov. 22, 2024
Our 25th annual Golf Tournament, presented by CBRE and The MJ Companies, tees off at Troon North Golf Club. The event has raised over $10 million all-time. PCHGolf.com
IGNITE HOPE
Dec. 14, 2024
This holiday tradition raises funds for Phoenix Children’s while showing patients and their families they’re not alone during the holidays. PCHIgniteHope.org
CONCOURS IN THE HILLS
Feb. 15, 2025
Come to Fountain Park for a day of cars, food and music at this oneof-a-kind showcase of high-performance and collector vehicles. ConcoursInTheHills.org
BEACH BALL ROYALE
March 8, 2025
Don your best resort wear and dance the night away at this exclusive beachthemed cocktail party held at the W Hotel in Scottsdale. PCHBeachBall.com
