Phoenix Children's - Moments Spring 2024

The New Frontier

How groundbreaking innovations are redefining possibilities at Phoenix Children’s.

The Insider

Updates from around Phoenix Children’s.

A New Era of Orthopedic Care

Dr. Maegen Wallace is transforming the landscape of care for children with rare orthopedic conditions in the Southwest.

5 Questions

Madison is only 12 years old, but living with several complex medical conditions has given her a unique outlook on overcoming adversity.

Healing Spaces

Get a behind-the-scenes look inside the new neurodiagnostic sleep laboratory at Phoenix Children’s Hospital –Thomas Campus.

Common Cause

Find out how you can get involved in upcoming events that support Phoenix Children’s patients and their families.

8

The New Frontier: Innovation Making an Impact

Breakthrough drugs, revolutionary technology and lifechanging surgeries are transforming care at Phoenix Children’s.

Family Values

For years, the Ghiz family has championed a series of philanthropic initiatives at Phoenix Children’s. Now brothers Anthony and Nick are helping build a bold new future for pediatric mental health programs.

A Legacy of Impact

Thirty-six years of giving are just the beginning for George and Jennie Scarfo. The Arizona couple wants their legacy of support to last for future generations.

CHAIR

Taylor Burke Rainy Partners

PAST CHAIR

Alexa Schneider Kimbell, Inc.

VICE CHAIR/SECRETARY

Sheila Zuieback Halle Family Foundation

EMERITUS

Larry Clemmensen Community Volunteer

PHOENIX CHILDREN’S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Robert L. Meyer

PHOENIX CHILDREN’S CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, FOUNDATION

Steven S. Schnall

Kevin Czerwinski Merit Partners, Inc.

Tarl J. Robinson Plexus Worldwide

Michael Bill MJ Insurance

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

At Phoenix Children’s, we firmly believe that philanthropy is an essential catalyst for game-changing innovation. Your generous contributions have empowered us to push the boundaries of pediatric medicine, allowing us to develop groundbreaking initiatives that have transformed the landscape of children’s health care.

Through the power of philanthropy, we have been able to build innovative programs, invest in state-ofthe-art medical equipment and technology, and attract internationally renowned physician-researchers to our health system. Your support has played a pivotal role in providing our young patients with access to cutting-edge treatments and personalized care, ensuring they have the best possible outcomes.

In this issue of Moments, you’ll see inspiring examples of how philanthropy has helped fuel our innovation. For instance, thanks to our community’s generosity, Maegen Wallace, MD, MBA, is bringing much-needed pediatric orthopedic care to the Southwest (see page 6). And ongoing support helps neurologists like Saunder Bernes, MD, and Michael C. Kruer, MD, test groundbreaking new treatments (see page 8). The ripple effect of their work will touch patients and their families for years to come.

Thank you for being a part of this ever-evolving journey into the future of health care. Together, we’re setting the pace for children’s health.

Sincerely,

STEVE SCHNALL Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer

PHOENIX CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS DEAR FRIENDS,

The Insider

Stories of service

Stories of generosity and hope come from Phoenix Children’s every day—but for three volunteers, giving back is just part of who they are.

Jack Gallagher: A new generation of leadership

As one of the Phoenix Children’s Foundation’s giving groups, the Teen Board advocates for others, creates community awareness and fundraises—and for some members, it’s a cause that hits close to home.

“When I was in seventh grade, my sister was hospitalized with lifethreatening blood clots at Phoenix Children’s,” says Teen Board President Jack Gallagher. “The incredible work done by Phoenix Children’s saved my sister’s life.”

Under Gallagher’s leadership, the Teen Board has raised over $40,000 to support the hospital’s Therapeutic Arts Program, which gives hospitalized patients a chance

Updates From Around Phoenix Children’s

Children’s patients even more special. “If I can be a kid at times with them, I would love to provide that special moment to make them laugh or smile, with the patient, their sibling or even just comforting the parents,” she says. “I just want to give anything I can.”

to heal through art and music therapy. “When my sister was at Phoenix Children’s, the Therapeutic Arts Program didn’t exist,” he says. “The program would have let her stop being a patient and just be a kid for a while.”

Antonia Borggreen: Bringing joy amid adversity

Antonia Borggreen started volunteering with Rainbow Kids activities for patients of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and their families. “I got to see firsthand what families go through and it literally broke my heart,” she says. Borggreen says she loves children but is unable to have her own, making her interaction with Phoenix

The gift of play

Last year, Buckeye-based Funko Toys donated over $50,000 worth of toys to Phoenix Children’s Toyland, which allows families to select brand-new holiday gifts for patients and their siblings at no cost. Any surplus toys from Toyland are donated to Phoenix Children’s Toy Program, which provides toys to patients year-round. Funko’s gift resulted in:

8,000 toys and gifts available to patients and their siblings.

2,000+ items distributed during the holiday season.

400 gifts

Steve Salatino: A call that changed everything

For Steve Salatino, it was chance that led him through the doors. Manning the phones at a KTAR News and Arizona Sports Give-A-Thon, Salatino says he “was so touched by the experiences the families shared and the generosity of people calling in that I decided then that Phoenix Children’s was going to be my charity of choice as well as a place to volunteer my time.”

And Salatino keeps coming back. Since retiring in 2016, he’s been volunteering at the hospital and the Foundation office—from working the front desk to decorating for the holidays to stuffing envelopes.

Morning meals that make a difference

Arizona breakfast eatery Over Easy is on a mission to raise $100,000 for Phoenix Children’s in 2024. Throughout the year, $1 from every kids menu purchase at any Over Easy location will be donated to the Hope Fund, which provides support to the areas of greatest need.

“As an Arizona native and father of two, it means a lot to be able to work alongside a

foundation that directly impacts the lives of children across our state and the country,” says Brian Terpay, chief operating officer of Over Easy.

In addition to the ongoing fundraising, in April the restaurant and hospital teamed up with Shamrock Farms/Hickman’s Eggs for an additional register campaign to support both Phoenix Children’s and United Food Bank. Over Easy matched diner donations to Phoenix Children’s, while Hickman’s donated a dozen eggs per dollar to the food bank.

“It means a lot to be able to work alongside a foundation that directly impacts the lives of children.”

—

A New Era of Orthopedic Care

Dr. Maegen Wallace is transforming the landscape of care for children with rare orthopedic conditions in the Southwest.

For children with rare orthopedic conditions, accessing care is a challenge. But with the recent addition of orthopedic surgeon Maegen Wallace, MD, MBA, Phoenix Children’s is helping families across the Southwest get expert care for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), or brittle bone disease, and other conditions.

“OI care in the eastern part of the U.S. and the Midwest is quite good,” explains Dr. Wallace, who is one of the busiest OI surgeons in the country, operating on over 70 patients yearly. “But there weren’t any big centers in the Southwest.”

Children with OI are often born with fractures and suffer a lot of broken bones throughout childhood. “The surgeries and interventions that I can do make it so that they have less fractures,” she says. “They can be more like a kid when they aren’t worrying about broken bones all the time.”

When Dr. Wallace arrived at Phoenix Children’s in September 2023, her priority was to launch a multidisciplinary OI clinic. The twice-monthly clinic started in November and has since filled quickly and may soon increase frequency as a result of this early success.

“I think there are a lot more kids in Arizona with OI than anyone even realized,” Dr. Wallace says. “With our dedicated clinic, those patients have a place to come.” In the calendar year prior to Dr. Wallace’s arrival, Phoenix Children’s surgeons conducted three OI surgeries. In just a few short months, she quadrupled that number as families traveled from all over the country to see her.

In addition to her clinical and surgical expertise, Dr. Wallace is contributing to important OI research, including a National Institutes of Health–funded, multisite longitudinal study as well as a pharmaceutical

trial for a drug that shows promise in increasing bone density in children with OI.

Pushing Through the Pain

Madison is only 12 years old, but living with several complex medical conditions has given her a unique outlook on overcoming adversity.

Despite grappling with several medical conditions—including brittle bone disease and a disorder that affects her connective tissues—Madison remains resilient. Though her medical state can alter the course of her day, it doesn’t dictate the path of her life. Madison is a dedicated student, a musician and a cheerleader. She’s a girl who, at a young age, has learned that acceptance leads to perseverance.

You are in a cast three or four times a year— how do you make the best of these situations?

I have them rub glitter all over my cast when they make it. I’ve gotten to the point where I bring in my own glitter, and I do different colored casts.

To learn about other ways

Phoenix Children’s is advancing pediatric orthopedic care, visit GiveToPCH.org/ Ortho

Philanthropy not only allows Phoenix Children’s to recruit acclaimed physicians like Dr. Wallace, but it can also help patients access better care.

“If you have a rare disease like OI and you don’t have access to good multispecialty care because it’s not available in your state or you don’t have the means to get it, then philanthropy can help kids gain access to the care they deserve,” Dr. Wallace says. “A lot of families have to travel. If we can help with travel support or care navigation while they’re here, those families are super grateful.”

Do you want the other kids at school to know about your medical condition?

I don’t go up to someone and tell them everything. I just say, ‘I can’t do that.’ Everyone caught on that I injure easily when I often showed up in a wheelchair or cast. They do not fully know what’s wrong, and I don’t want them to know. That’s why I don’t tell anyone—I want to be treated like everybody else.

What would you say to someone who has given a donation to help kids like you?

Thank you. When I walk through Phoenix Children’s, I see many kids who have it worse than me. You’re not giving to one group of kids—you’re giving to people who have different problems going on with their bodies. It’s not just a place for sick kids. It’s a place for children who are trying to get better at things.

What do you love about Phoenix Children’s?

I love Phoenix Children’s because I’m so comfortable now. I’m not overwhelmed and scared anymore. I know what to expect.

How do you think your medical challenges have propelled you to grow?

When things do not go as planned, I remain calm. One time I was walking into school, and I couldn’t do it. I had to go back home right away. Sometimes I get sad if I miss something. But overall, I have become a calm person.

With the addition of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Maegen Wallace, Phoenix Children’s now offers specialized care for rare conditions like osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, helping children across the Southwest.

THE NEW FRONTIER

Innovation Making an Impact

Breakthrough drugs, revolutionary technology and life-changing surgeries are transforming care at Phoenix Children’s.

hen people ask neurologist Saunder Bernes, MD, who has worked at Phoenix Children’s for 37 years, when he’s going to retire, he says he doesn’t know. After all, it’s too exciting a time in medicine.

“To be able to offer a family treatment, if not a cure, for diseases we never thought we’d be able to, is the reason I continue to work,” Dr. Bernes says.

Dr. Bernes is just one of the hundreds of Phoenix Children’s physicians driving advancements in the rapidly evolving landscape of pediatric health care. From expanding medical knowledge

Miracle Drug

ONE DOSE CHANGES A FAMILY’S FUTURE

Ashley and Joshua’s son, Christopher, was born a seemingly healthy boy in 2017. When he didn’t start walking by 20 months, Christopher was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease causing severe muscle weakness that can affect not only a child’s ability to walk but to eat, speak and breathe. Severe forms of SMA can cause lifelong disability and even death.

For a long time, there were no approved treatments for SMA, which affects one in 15,000 babies born in the U.S. While health care teams did everything they could to provide patients with nutritional and respiratory support, there was nothing to improve motor function.

By the time Christopher was diagnosed with SMA, there was a treatment available that could stop the progression of the disease. However, it must be administered every four months for the rest of the patient’s life. Though Christopher was progressing well, the toll that the ongoing treatment took on him and their family made the couple question whether they wanted to have a second child. SMA is a genetic disease, and they knew that if they had another baby, that child might have SMA, too.

The science surrounding SMA is advancing quickly, thanks in part to research being conducted at Phoenix Children’s.

Dr. Bernes currently has several patients, including Christopher, in a clinical trial testing drugs to help improve muscle strength.

Ashley says. “I didn’t want to wait a year to see if she would take those first steps that Christopher missed out on, which is silly because as a mom, you want to enjoy those first few months.”

Emily took her first steps at 14 months old. Today, 4-year-old Emily is symptom-free. She loves to dance, play soccer and ride her scooter around her neighborhood. “Most of the time, we don’t even think about the fact that she has SMA,” Joshua says.

The treatment that Christopher receives, Spinraza, also stops the progression of SMA, but because he was not diagnosed until after symptoms appeared, he still experiences some effects of the disease. But even though Christopher hasn’t met all his developmental milestones, his strength and mobility have greatly improved. “It’s been exciting to watch his development,” Dr. Bernes says. “I’ve known Christopher since he crawled, and now, he can walk by himself, and his upper extremities are stronger or equal to most kids his age.”

Joshua says he’s pleased with his son’s progress, too. “If Christopher hadn’t received treatment, now as a 6-year-old, he would likely be in a power wheelchair,” he says.

Scan here to watch Christopher and Emily’s story.

and addressing unmet needs to advancing personalized medicine and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, innovation is a core tenet of Phoenix Children’s mission.

“Innovation—it’s in every single thing we do,” says Jared Muenzer, MD, MBA, chief physician executive at Phoenix Children’s and COO of Phoenix Children’s Medical Group. “It’s in the way we approach problems at every level, and we’re so fortunate that [President and CEO Robert L. Meyer] gives us the freedom and support to do it.”

Dr. Bernes and other physicians at the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s show how research and innovation can help patients and families walk forward.

But the release of Zolgensma in 2019 changed everything. Dr. Bernes knew the drug could be a life-changing treatment for families like Ashley and Joshua’s. While Zolgensma doesn’t have the power to reverse SMA symptoms in patients like Christopher, the one-time gene-therapy treatment can increase the likelihood of normal motor development if administered before symptoms appear.

In 2020, Ashley and Joshua welcomed Emily into the world. Three days later, they learned through genetic testing that Emily also had SMA.

“It should have been devastating news,” Ashley says. “But I felt hope in Zolgensma. I believed we could stop the disease in its tracks.”

Dr. Bernes did, too. At just under 6 weeks old, Emily received her one and only dose of Zolgensma at Phoenix Children’s. “That day I remember feeling anxious and exhilarated,”

Progress in understanding SMA is rapidly evolving, propelled in part by ongoing research at Phoenix Children’s. Dr. Bernes is actively involved in two clinical trials dedicated to studying medications that enhance muscle strength, involving patients like Christopher.

“The timing of everything is surreal,” Ashley says. “Having kids in this time when the medical field is exploding is a blessing, and having a hospital that keeps up with all the new treatments is even better.”

Dr. Saunder Bernes knew the drug Zolgensma could be a life-changing treatment for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) like Emily.

Christopher’s strength and mobility have greatly improved with the aid of new treatments.

From Wheelchair to Mountaintop:

At 8 years old, Gianna was diagnosed with dystonia, a movement disorder that affects about 250,000 people of all ages in the U.S. The neurological condition causes signals from the brain to become “out of sync,” causing involuntary muscle contractions.

People who have dystonia experience symptoms including uncontrollable twisting, repetitive movements, and abnormal and painful postures. “If you’ve ever experienced a charley horse, you’ve experienced a mild form of dystonia,” says Michael C. Kruer, MD, director of the Pediatric Movement Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s.

Dystonia can affect any part of the body— including the arms, legs, head and neck, or even specific muscle groups like the vocal cords— and is often debilitating. The intensity of the symptoms can also vary over time. “Many kids with dystonia can have chronic, near-constant symptoms but also have symptoms that come and go,” Dr. Kruer says. “Their symptoms can get much worse when they are sick or stressed and can be triggered by common things like a touch, a startle or emotion.”

Dystonia is often treated with medication, but it doesn’t work for everyone and may result in unpleasant side effects, including drowsiness, depression and insomnia. Severe dystonia is particularly difficult to control with medication alone.

By 12, Gianna’s dystonia had gotten bad enough that she had to use a wheelchair to get around school. Her mother, Nora, recalls how much time getting the wheelchair in and out of the car would add to outings. “It came apart in four different pieces,” she says. “So anytime we went anywhere I’d have to take it apart, and then we’d have to get there early so I could find parking and reassemble it again.”

Then Dr. Kruer told Gianna and Nora about deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical

treatment for severe dystonia that historically was reserved for adult patients. “What we’re dealing with is essentially elective brain surgery, which is a really scary proposition for most families,” he says. “But over the years we’ve figured out ways to make DBS more and more effective, which makes us more confident using it earlier and earlier.”

Phoenix Children’s stands out as part of a small group of health care networks providing pediatric deep brain stimulation (DBS), a type of neuromodulation leveraging technology to support the normalization of brain cell firing.

During the procedure, surgeons implant thin, flexible wires called electrodes into specific areas of the brain that control movement. They then implant a small pacemaker-like device called a neurostimulator under the skin of the patient’s chest below the collarbone. Once programmed by a neurologist, the neurostimulator delivers steady electrical pulses to correct abnormal or overactive brain rhythms that are causing involuntary muscle contractions and movements. The treatment isn’t available everywhere.

“Phoenix Children’s is one of a handful of health systems that offer pediatric DBS, a form of minimally invasive neuromodulation that uses technology to help brain cells to fire more normally,” Dr. Kruer says.

At first, Nora was skeptical. “It was just really overwhelming in the beginning,” she says. “I mean, any mother, when they hear brain surgery—it’s really scary. Plus, people were telling us it wouldn’t work.”

And sometimes DBS doesn’t work. Research suggests that an average patient who undergoes DBS has a 35% improvement in symptoms. Fortunately for Gianna, Dr. Kruer and his colleagues had recently figured out a way to optimize the treatment for pediatric patients.

“One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced with DBS is that there is a delay between when we program a child’s neurostimulator and when the dystonia improves. It doesn’t usually happen right before our eyes—it often takes days or weeks for the movement disorder to improve,” Dr. Kruer says. “This ‘set-checkadjust’ process can take several weeks, which impacts our patients’ quality of life.”

So Phoenix Children’s found a solution. Neurologists at the Barrow Neurological Institute monitor and record a child’s brain rhythms with neurostimulators. BrainSense technology allows Dr. Kruer and his colleagues

to have real-time brain activity data on tablets.

“Having such exact information has been an absolute game changer,” he says. “We can make adjustments during their visits and immediately see the results on the monitors, which is enabling us to optimize their settings much better.”

Ultimately, Nora decided DBS would be the best option for her daughter, and Gianna had the surgery in March 2023. Not long after, she was able to walk without assistance. By fall, she started riding the bus to school again. And during her 2023 winter break, Gianna climbed South Mountain with her brother. “I mean, that’s amazing,” Dr. Kruer says. “She went from not being able to walk to hiking an entire mountain.”

But Phoenix Children’s isn’t stopping there. To continue to improve DBS for children with dystonia and other movement disorders, Dr. Kruer serves on the executive committee of PEDiDBS, an international consortium of health systems that collects and shares a registry of clinical DBS data. The consortium allows Phoenix Children’s neurologists to partner globally with other physicians and scientists to study how best to use DBS technologies to help kids.

“It’s really an exciting time, because we know more about the brain than ever before,” Dr. Kruer says. “There’s still an awful lot we need to learn, but we’re starting to offer surgeries and treatment options like this to more and more of our patients and their families.”

Support innovation in neurology

If you’re inspired by these stories of advancements in pediatric neuroscience and would like to learn how you can make an impact on children’s health, please contact Jana Earnest senior philanthropy officer at Phoenix Children’s Foundation, at 602-933-1857 or jearnest@phoenixchildrens.com

Not long after undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in March 2023, Gianna was able to walk without assistance, mitigating the effects of dystonia. Today, she can join her brother on hikes.

Family Values

For years, the Ghiz family has championed

a series of philanthropic initiatives at Phoenix Children’s. Now brothers Anthony and Nick are helping build a bold new future for pediatric mental health programs.

When Nick Ghiz was 27 years old, he discovered the secret to life. After years of battling addiction and mental health issues, he spent three days at a motivational conference in Dallas that would change the course of his life and, eventually, the lives of countless others.

“During the conference, there was a lot of talk about the power of giving,” Nick, now 35, says. “For whatever reason, that really struck a chord with me. I knew from that point on that nothing was more important than giving back, and it felt like I’d unlocked that secret code, that key to life that everyone is looking for.”

When he returned home to Phoenix, he began making weekly donations to Phoenix Children’s and soon enlisted the rest of his family to join him in supporting the hospital.

Thanks to the Ghiz family’s long-standing commitment to giving back, it wasn’t a hard sell.

“Growing up, I was able to witness both my mom and my dad always giving back to their community through donations, through their church, or just helping people out whenever they saw a need,” Nick says. “We’d never pass a homeless person on the street without giving them either food or money. Tangible things like that really left an impact on us kids.”

Substance & Style

Proceeds from the sale of Museum House, Paramount Luxury’s $9 million home in Paradise Valley, will support patient families and mental health initiatives at Phoenix Children’s.

A FAMILY COMMITMENT

In 2019, the entire Ghiz family—Nick, his siblings Annalise and Anthony, and parents Buzz and Janice—wanted to make a tangible difference. Buzz and Janice met Jared T. Muenzer, MD, MBA, chief physician executive at Phoenix Children’s and COO of Phoenix Children’s Medical Group, and were moved by the work at Phoenix Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD). The whole family made a generous contribution to fund clinical research at the center permanently. The gift not only gave Phoenix Children’s the resources it needed year after year to pursue a cure for cancer, but it also connected the Ghiz family legacy to Phoenix Children’s for decades to come. Today, Buzz sits on the CCBD Advisory Board.

But that was just the beginning. Nick wanted to find a cause even closer to home. “My greatest struggle in life is mental health,” he says. “So, I thought, how do I turn that into my greatest strength?”

To do that, Nick and Anthony, co-founders of Paramount Luxury Development, decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from every home sale to support Phoenix Children’s patient families and mental health initiatives. The brothers say connecting their philanthropy to a profitable enterprise like Paramount ensures they can consistently offer significant gifts to improve mental health care. “We have been given the opportunity to receive so much—and the opportunity to share,” says Anthony, who also volunteers weekly at Phoenix Children’s Child Life Zone, a unique stateof-the-art therapeutic play area.

BUILDING A LASTING IMPACT

Paramount Luxury recently sold its first home under the partnership—resulting in a $25,000 gift to benefit the health system’s emergency mental health services—and Nick and Anthony are eager to see what the future holds. They are vocal mental health advocates and happy to share their story, but the branch into pediatric mental health care isn’t about their family; it’s about something bigger. They’ve learned how COVID-19 magnified the mental health crisis, especially for young people, and how emergency departments are still overfilled with children in need.

“I don’t know if I will have kids in the future or not, but I’m a believer in building my legacy,” Nick says. “Right now, my kids are the Phoenix Children’s kids. Those kids are my legacy.”

“We wanted to build something special and unique in the Valley— and give back,” says Anthony Ghiz (left). Co-founders of Paramount Luxury Development, Anthony and brother Nick (right) are donating a portion of every home they sell to Phoenix Children’s.

A Legacy

of Impact

Thirty-six years of giving are just the beginning for George and Jennie Scarfo. The Arizona couple wants their legacy of support to last for future generations.

When George and Jennie Scarfo moved to Arizona in 1965, they were seeking a drier climate for George’s health. Beyond building a new sense of home, the couple wanted to embrace and support the local community.

Originally, the Scarfos were supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. But as they saw the dramatic growth of Phoenix Children’s, the Scarfos saw an opportunity to make an impact close to home.

“Why would we get involved out of state?” George asked. “Let’s take care of our own local kids.”

For 36 years, the Scarfos have given their time and made annual financial contributions to improve the health of Arizona’s children, but they don’t want to stop there. As longtime members of Phoenix Children’s Legacy Society, a group of people who have made a gift to Phoenix Children’s in their will or trust, the Scarfos hope they will make a lasting impact on generations to come.

CONNECTIONS THAT COUNT

In addition to the Legacy Society, the Scarfos are part of Innovation Circle, a giving group whose participants jointly invest in high-impact projects led by Phoenix Children’s physicians, researchers and clinical leaders.

Members’ gifts are pooled to form a grant fund. Proposed projects are pitched to the group, and members vote on how to allocate funding.

“We’re in the decision-making process, and we get to vote,” George says. “You feel like you’re making a contribution just by raising your hand.”

The ability to connect with leaders, clinicians and staff is one of the many reasons why the couple keeps their philanthropic emphasis on Phoenix Children’s. Over the years, they’ve gotten to know the doctors, nurses and other staff members. “Among the people who work at the hospital, there’s a pervasive attitude of, ‘What can I do to help your children, and what can I do to help you?’ Everyone takes their work seriously,” George says.

The couple also volunteers at the hospital several times a year, doing everything from manning the coffee cart to making arts and crafts with the kids to delivering teddy bears and toys to patients. “We get a lot of joy out of seeing the smiles on the children’s faces,” George says.

“The bravery of these kids is amazing.”

Plus, the couple can be spotted at events, assisting with fundraisers and various holiday festivities, and regularly attending fundraising functions such as Beach Ball. George has even volunteered to coach researchers and clinicians on public speaking and presentation skills to help them improve their chances of getting funding for their work. “There is a limited amount of money available,” he says. “Not all programs can be funded, so it’s important to present well.”

ENDURING GENEROSITY

The Scarfos, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in December 2023, say that not having their own children has in some ways made it easier to incorporate Phoenix Children’s into their estate planning. “Since we didn’t have children of our own,” George says,

“we decided the patients of Phoenix Children’s would be our children.”

And they’ve already made an impact, providing the final installment to improve the playground on the Thomas Campus; donating to the Homeless Youth Outreach program, which provides free comprehensive medical care to unhoused youth; and funding a year’s worth of the Patient and Family Assistance Fund to provide emergency relief to patient families experiencing financial hardship. The fifth-floor playroom on the Thomas Campus carries the Scarfos’ name as well.

In gratitude for their many years of volunteerism and philanthropy, the Scarfos have been named Phoenix Children’s first-ever Legacy Society Honorees of the Year.

With more than 36 years of active involvement, along with their legacy gift that will continue to support Phoenix Children’s for years to come, the Scarfos know they’re doing something valuable for the community. “It’s something that gives us satisfaction,” George says. “A financial gift is an easy thing to do, but when you get yourself involved, it’s so much more meaningful. We feel like we’re part of the family.”

If you’re considering leaving a legacy that will bring a future of hope for the children of tomorrow, visit GiveToPCH.org/Legacy or contact Nicola Lawrence, associate vice president of philanthropic advising, at 602-933-0984 or giftplanning@phoenixchildrens.com

As esteemed members of the Legacy Society and Innovation Circle, George and Jennie Scarfo have made an indelible contribution to Phoenix Children's and generations of patients.

Wired

Headboards,

GENTLE

Offering a Space to Rest

Get a behind-the-scenes look inside the new neurodiagnostic sleep laboratory at Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus.

WHOLE-FAMILY CARE

Comfortable sleeper couches, which were tested by parents, help caregivers get a good night’s sleep too.

UPCOMING EVENTS

U nveiled in April 2023, the newly expanded neurodiagnostic laboratory at Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus improves comfort and care for children undergoing sleep studies, electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) testing, and nerve conduction studies. Here, we offer an insider’s look at a patient room.

GIVE-A-THON WEEK August 2024 Tune in to KTAR News 92.3 FM and Arizona Sports 98.7 FM for the annual Give-A-Thon, the country’s largest radiothon for a children’s hospital.

GiveAThonForPCH.org

Events That Make Moments Possible

Recent and upcoming events supporting Phoenix Children’s patients and their families.

Phoenix Children’s Golf Tournament

Nearly 300 golfers gathered at Troon North Golf Club for the 23rd annual tournament, which raised almost $1.2 million.

GiveToPCH.org/Golf-Tournament

Ignite Hope

The 12th annual candlelight walk raised a recordbreaking $548,000 as over 2,600 people spread holiday cheer to patients and their families.

PCHIgniteHope.org

Concours in the Hills

The “greatest car show on grass” featured over 1,000 vehicles and raised more than $325,000 for Phoenix Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

GiveToPCH.org/Concours

PHOENIX CHILDREN’S AT ONE YOGA FESTIVAL

September 14, 2024

Enjoy a day of yoga, fitness and fun in support of Phoenix Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

GiveToPCH.org/Yoga

PHOENIX CHILDREN’S 5K & KIDS DASH

October 5, 2024

Join over 3,000 fitness enthusiasts and families for a fun-filled day of walking and running at Salt River Fields.

PhoenixChildrens5K.org

footboards and furniture make each patient room feel more like a child’s bedroom than a hospital room.

devices and other equipment are contained in cabinets to keep “scary” wires out of view.

D• Make a bequest in your will or trust.

• Give directly from your IRA through a qualified charitable

• Recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund.

• Donate stocks or other securities.

• Create a charitable gift annuity.

• Donate a vehicle.

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Phoenix Children’s neurologist Saunder Bernes, MD, with Christopher.