Guardians Magazine: Fall 2020

Guardians Fall 2020

The stories of impact you make possible at St. Louis Children’s Hospital

Groundbreaking treatment room receives first patient see page 8

Doing what’s right for kids

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How you can help kids this holiday season

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Present in our community, no matter what

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Featured guardians of childhood

From Malcolm E. Berry

Chief Development Officer, St. Louis Children’s Hospital The stories of impact you make possible at St. Louis Children’s Hospital

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buzzworthy

Meet Children’s only four-legged employee: Casey New unit sheds light on mental health needs How you can help kids this holiday season

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big advances for our small patients

Cover story: Groundbreaking treatment room receives first patient

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out of the hospital, into our neighborhoods

Present in our community, no matter what

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featured guardians of childhood

Making a difference thanks to our featured guardians

Please note: This publication includes photographs and images of subjects without masks. These were created before current CDC guidelines and St. Louis Children’s Hospital continues to adhere to strict policies to keep patients, visitors and staff safe.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation 1001 Highlands Plaza Drive West, Suite 160 St. Louis, MO 63110 314.286.0988 888.559.9699 Copyright ©2020

Dear Friends,

You don’t need me to tell you the past several months have been full of challenges. From struggling to understand a new virus in COVID-19 to renewed public activism on topics of racial injustice and discrimination, this year is nothing short of historic. But what I want to share with you is that I’ve been truly amazed by the unwavering support our hospital and its patients, families and staff have received since March. The willingness of our community to step up when they are needed the most is what makes me proud to be part of Children’s. It’s a true testament to the vital care we provide to children from St. Louis and beyond.

I don’t know if you remember my mention of our new therapy dog, Casey, in my last letter to you. I had said we’d be sharing more of his story in the coming months, and I’m pleased to say if you look at the next page, you’ll get a glimpse into our only fourlegged Children’s employee. Stories like this are rays of sunshine and the subsequent pages are filled with similar bright spots. I hope you take the time to read through and see how the hospital has continued to thrive even when faced with unprecedented obstacles. I think you’ll be genuinely inspired by the stories we’ve chosen to share with you.

As we approach the last few months of 2020, I think we can all be grateful for the lessons this year has taught us. We’ve learned humanity shines through in times of crises. The volume of individuals and companies who simply reached out asking what they could do to help was staggering and awe-inspiring. We’ve learned how resilient our patients and their families are as they faced new protocols, often shifting quickly due to new findings by our infectious disease prevention team in conjunction with the CDC. We’ve learned about the power of education and understanding. At our recent Stars Society virtual celebration, our members attended in record number to hear a message from our Executive Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Affairs.

And finally, we’ve learned to be hopeful as we plan for a fruitful 2021. Our Children’s family has been working tirelessly to ensure an inspiring and uplifting year to come while building on knowledge gained from our current position. I’d be remiss to say we still don’t have work to do, but with your help, I know we are headed in the right direction. So thank you for all the work you’ve done to clear a path for St. Louis Children’s Hospital as we navigate toward a new year. We look forward to a year of monumental growth and prosperity.

With gratitude,

StLouisChildrens.org/Giving

Malcolm E. Berry

buzzworthy

Meet Children’s only fourlegged employee: Casey Furry friends always provide a welcome distraction from procedures and hospital stays. In February 2020, the Child Life Services team gained their own furry coworker. Casey, a St. Louis Children’s Hospital facility dog, spends his days lifting spirits and lowering anxiety for patients and families throughout the hospital.

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asey was trained specially for the hospital

by Duo Dogs, a local not-for-profit organization that focuses on connecting dogs with individuals and organizations. Donor support directly enabled the addition of a dedicated facility dog to visit patients and their families, and ensured his general care such as vet needs, grooming and supplies were covered.

Casey’s two handlers, Tyler and Theresa, are Certified Child Life Specialists and balance their time with patients while ensuring Casey also completes his daily duties. They each attended a one-week training to get acclimated to Casey and learn his commands before bringing him to the hospital.

Since February, he has gained popularity throughout the hospital halls and is consistently called to many departments including the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Heart Center, Hematology-Oncology and more.

A Direct Impact The positive effects of pet therapy have long been documented and include helping patients become active and engaged in their recovery early on.

In 9-year-old Carly’s case, she was having trouble finding the motivation to get up and walk after doctors drained fluid from her lungs. A visit from Casey was just what the doctor ordered and he motivated Carly to get her body moving — an important part of the recovery process after being diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia. Carly’s mom says, “Her entire body seemed to react to Casey

Thanks to Casey’s support, Carly was able to take a much-needed walk around the halls of Children’s to help her heal.

being there. Carly got up with Casey and walked with no problem, farther than they even asked. He gave her so much hope and happiness. We are so very grateful for that experience.”

Today Carly is back to dancing to her own tune. She misses ordering her food from the TV at Children’s and really wants one in her bedroom.

Casey has also been a positive influence on our frontline workers. He joined the Children’s team only a month before COVID-19 hit St. Louis.

With so many unknowns, Casey provided a calming diversion and became essential support for hospital patients and staff.

A publication of St. Louis Children’s Hospital

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buzzworthy

New unit sheds light on mental health needs When the new Pediatric Behavioral Health Unit opened in the summer of 2019, everyone knew it would make a huge impact on the community — filling a much-needed gap in pediatric healthcare. But no one could predict that less than a year after the unit opened its doors, our community would be gripped by an unprecedented pandemic that would put additional strains on mental health.

Kya, now 16, aspires to be a forensic psychologist.

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he 14-bed unit, a place of safety and healing for kids ages 5-17 experiencing mental health crises, was years in the making. When it opened, thanks to unrestricted gifts made to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, the team wanted to take a cautious approach with a unit radically different from any other at the hospital. The census started at eight patients and slowly increased to 10. “This allowed for an adjustment to the patients having roommates, which can be a substantial safety risk in a behavioral health unit,” says Luke Hofmann, Pediatric Behavioral Health Unit Manager.

Just 11 days after the unit opened on July 18, 2019, 15-year-old Kya arrived at the Children’s emergency department after she experienced strong suicidal ideations. “I wasn’t surprised to learn they had a behavioral health unit, I was surprised to learn it was new,” says Angelia, Kya’s mom, who is a social worker and instructor at a local university.

Kya and her family are no strangers to the hospital.

Both Kya and her two brothers were diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), and she first visited Children’s as a patient more than 10 years ago. St. Louis Children’s was a place Kya and her family knew and where they felt comfortable.

For Kya, her mental health struggles began around the time she hit high school. Not only had her family recently moved from a rural Missouri town to St. Louis, but she recently had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) embedded in her chest as a preventive measure due to her ARVC. Kya attributes an eating disorder to “starting the snowball” that led her to Children’s. She began skipping lunches at school and restricting her diet at home. “It wasn’t that she was emaciated, but we were noticing a lot of little red flags,” says Angelia. After conquering the disorder with months of treatment, the depression came center stage, requiring additional resources.

This case was special in that it needed to be treated differently. Because of the medications Kya was taking for her heart condition, the family needed collaboration between cardiology and behavioral health to find the right combination of medications — something St. Louis Children’s could offer her that other facilities could not. In fact, the family was rejected from several other treatment centers because of Kya’s preexisting heart condition.

While Kya’s three total stays in the unit were before the pandemic struck, her experience was similar to those who have been admitted after her.

On the cusp of removing a cap on the census, COVID-19 arrived. In an effort to align with the hospital’s responsibility to flatten the curve as much as possible, the unit again limited its census to eight patients.

What never wavered during these challenging months was the personalized care delivered to each child who was admitted to the unit.

Customized to their age and needs, patients participate in a variety of daily activities including group and individual counseling, coping skill classes, quiet time and expressive therapies such as art and music.

Kya’s mom said those activities played a large role in her road to recovery. “The group setting allowed her to connect with others who were experiencing similar things,” says Angelia.

The St. Louis Children’s emergency department has seen more than a 50 percent increase in patients with behavioral health needs like Kya coming through their doors each year over the past five years.

“The nurses, mental health coaches, providers, social workers and various therapists on the unit are what make it the special place that it is,” says Hofmann. “Its success is a testament to their dedication and passion to patients with behavioral health needs.”

As for Kya, the care team at St. Louis Children’s helped her escape the “deep dark hole” as her family calls it. She’s currently a junior in high school and finally able to focus on her passions: photography, art and the cello. For those who are looking to get the same help she received, Kya says it best: “Give it a chance.”

Pediatric Behavioral Health by the Numbers The unit’s team of experts includes psychiatrists, nurses and nurse practitioners, mental health coaches, social workers, expressive and occupational therapists and a behavioral analyst.

They are specially trained to help kids cope with depression, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts of suicide, and have the skills to resolve behavioral issues without restraining or isolating patients.

The most common reasons for admission include major depressive disorders, disruptive mood dysregulation, general psychosis and bipolar disorder. Nearly 20 percent of patients have autism of some level.

Patients Served in 2020 as of August 31: •

Admissions: More than 300

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Average daily census: 11 patients

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Average stay length: 6 days

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buzzworthy

How you can help kids

this holiday season!

St. Louis Children’s Hospital follows one simple mission — to do what’s right for kids. That mission comes to life through generous donations that enable us to deliver specialized care to children in need. Your support of our doctors, researchers, care teams and hospital staff helps ensure our patients and their families are at the forefront of receiving innovative therapies and compassionate care.

This season of giving, please consider joining our mission to do what’s right for kids with a tax-deductible gift at StLouisChildrens.org/Gift, or through one of the following efforts:

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Holiday Cards

Snowflake Village

Treat your friends, family, clients and colleagues to a message of joy this year by sending a St. Louis Children’s Hospital holiday card. Personalized cards feature a verse and signature of your choice and best of all, 20 percent of all sales will benefit St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Visit goodcausegreetings.com/slch.asp to share in the true spirit of the holidays!

St. Louis Children’s Hospital is grateful for all the generous gift donations we receive throughout the year, but during the holidays these items are vital to stock our Snowflake Village. This program provides the opportunity for families to “shop” for their children while in the hospital, as parents are given free tickets to exchange for toys. The goal is to bring joy to kids spending their holidays within the hospital walls. Please visit StLouisChildrens.org/WishList to learn more about our greatest needs and any restrictions to keep in mind when gifting items. For questions, please contact us at 314.215.7192 or SLCHdonations@bjc.org.

Guardians Magazine Fall 2020

AmazonSmile

IRA Charitable Rollovers*

Shopping for your gifts online this year?

Go to smile.amazon.com, select St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation and Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of eligible purchases to Children’s. These small donations really add up and have no additional cost to you.

Don’t forget to change your settings on the Amazon App, too! This ensures every time you shop, you are helping Children’s!

If you are 72 years old or older, you can give up to $100,000 per year from your IRA directly to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, without having to pay income taxes on the gift.

Facebook Fundraisers

Appreciated Stock*

Creating a Facebook Fundraiser is a quick and easy way to take your holiday giving to the next level! Encourage your family and friends to help make this holiday season magical for children in the hospital. Visit Facebook.com/fund/stlchildrens to set up your holiday fundraiser.

If you have appreciated stock that you have held for more than one year, you may wish to consider giving a gift of stock to support our work. This is the most popular type of asset that donors give to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation. When you donate long-term appreciated securities, you can reduce or even eliminate federal capital gains taxes on the gift. In addition, you may be entitled to a federal income tax charitable deduction based on the full fair market value of the securities at the time of the transfer.

Tax Credits* Missouri state tax credits are available for qualifying gifts to our Teen Outreach Program and Healthy Kids Express Dental Van. Make a gift to one of these vital programs, receive tax credits that reduce your overall tax obligation — and you actually end up paying less out of pocket overall! Give more, spend less!

For more information, please contact Jan Rogers at 314.286.0981 or Jan.Rogers@bjc.org.

This is a great way to benefit our kids and realize additional tax benefits. Please contact Ana Pantazi at 314.286.1575 or Ana.Pantazi@bjc.org to inquire about our stock transfer instructions.

What gifts can qualify for tax credits? Youth Opportunities Program (YOP): Gifts of $1,000 or more in support of our Teen Outreach Program from qualifying individuals and businesses. Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP): Gifts of $1,000 or more in support of our Healthy Kids Express Dental Van from qualifying businesses.

For questions or to reserve your YOP or NAP tax credits today, please contact Meg Geiger at 314.273.3652 or Meg.Geiger@bjc.org.

*This information is provided for educational purposes only. Please consult with your legal or financial advisor when considering this gift.

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big advances for our small patients

Angelina is known for her positivity and resilience, choosing to focus on what comes after her cancer treatment.

Groundbreaking treatment room receives first patient In medicine, and in life, it’s not often you’re able to say you were the “first.” But for 17-year-old Angelina, she can say she was the first pediatric patient to use the new iodine-131 metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-131 MIBG) therapy suite built at St. Louis Children’s Hospital last year. That meant being the first to stay in the specially designed, lead-lined room for about a week while her body slowly eliminated the targeted radioactive infusion she received to treat her cancer.

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Guardians Magazine Fall 2020

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ngelina chose to not think about her diagnosis or the procedure, instead focusing on her future during her stay in the MIBG room. For those who know Angelina, this doesn’t come as a surprise.

She wants to complete her treatments so she can focus on finishing high school, attending the University of Missouri and becoming a veterinarian.

However, as a parent, her mom, Charlene, said the process was difficult.

“It was hard. You feel helpless. You want it (the cancer) to get better.” She was able to enter Angelina’s room every few hours to assist her with various medical needs. She wore full body protection and changed it every time she went in and out of the room due to the radioactivity.

“That’s the only time I had access to her,” says Charlene. “I couldn’t give her a hug, but at least I had a chance to go in there.”

A Long Road Ahead Angelina is the exception to the rule according to Washington University pediatric hematologist and oncologist Fred Huang, MD, who heads up the MIBG program at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s. Most pediatric patients are diagnosed with neuroblastoma as an infant or toddler. In fact, it’s the most common cancer in babies under age 1 and rare in children older than age 10.

In Angelina’s case, her cancer diagnosis came at age 13 but she started her medical journey when she was much younger.

Starting at 3 years old, Angelina began having a series of seizures, sometimes up to seven in one day. Under the care of a neurologist, she was diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy and received treatment to control her condition. She was eventually given a clean bill of health, weaned off her

Angelina has rung the bell signifying the end of cancer treatment several times, but she has never officially been in remission.

It breaks my heart to see Angelina go through such hardships. Like all parents, I just wish I could take it away.

Angelina’s mom, Charlene

medication and released by her doctor.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of her journey.

Angelina began to exhibit cold-like symptoms and body aches. She was simply told she had strep throat, but her family knew it was more. They arrived at Children’s looking for a second opinion. It wasn’t strep at all … it was cancer.

Once Angelina was diagnosed, she immediately started on a treatment plan that included surgery to remove a mass in her abdomen, chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

“She was always ready for what was next,” said Dan Willis, MD, a Washington University pediatric oncologist at Children’s, about Angelina’s positive attitude while she underwent year after year of procedures, surgeries and cancer treatments.

“There were times when I didn’t think she would make it,” said Charlene. “Like when her blood pressure went so low that we weren’t sure she would wake up. It breaks my heart to see Angelina go through such hardships. Like all parents, I just wish I could take it away.”

After her other options failed to put her into remission, Dr. Willis and Dr. Huang determined that MIBG therapy would be the next course of action. And while MIBG is currently only considered when other continued on next page

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big advances for our small patients

MIBG Therapy Suite Offers New Hope for Families From inception to completion, the MIBG suite took about a year to design and build with every component being carefully considered for safety, comfort and care. The suite is equipped like any other hospital room but with many special features including: • • • • • • •

Lead doors and walls Reinforced lead flooring under the bed to protect room below Leaded glass window to see into the adjacent family room Remote monitor to see all vital signs from nursing monitor station All surfaces have been designed to be easily wiped down or decontaminated Camera and intercom in corner so family members can interact Special box that leads to sewer to safely dispose of waste

Top: Patients stay in the entirely lead-lined MIBG suite.

Bottom: During Angelina’s stay in the MIBG suite, caregivers had to take great caution to ensure they had limited exposure to the radiation being used to treat her while still providing the best care.

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Guardians Magazine Fall 2020

treatments have been exhausted, their hope is that one day it will be used with a new diagnosis before the body undergoes the stress of standard cancer treatments.

Making a Dream a Reality Angelina and her family are local to the St. Louis area, but for other families needing MIBG therapy, there are only about 20 centers located across the country. The next nearest center is approximately 300 miles from St. Louis. But according to Dr. Huang, what makes the MIBG program at St. Louis Children’s so special is not only the location but the way the team focuses on familycentered care. The caregiver’s suite attached to the patient rooms seems like an obvious addition, yet not every facility has one.

What’s already a hard time for families, who often are picking up their lives and traveling for treatment, shouldn’t be made any harder by a lack of easily-accessible resources for the family.

When Washington University Physicians shared the desire to build an MIBG therapy suite at St. Louis Children’s, the time from concept to completion was nearly recordbreaking. The request for support was made to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation in 2018 and because of donors like the Blues For Kids Foundation, Butler Family Foundation, Development Board of St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Hale S. Irwin and the World Record Baseball Game 2019, construction of this best-inclass suite was ready to welcome patients just a year later — a true testament to the power of philanthropy, and the willingness of donors to understand the value of unrestricted gifts.

Moving Forward For Angelina, the future remains positive yet cautious. Her scans detected an increase in cancer activity, and she was admitted for another round of MIBG therapy in September. Throughout all of this, no matter what comes her way, Angelina is willing to do whatever it takes to beat her neuroblastoma once and for all.

out of the hospital, into our neighborhoods

Present in our community, no matter what During the coronavirus pandemic, St. Louis and communities across the nation have faced unprecedented challenges affecting every aspect of our lives — not only our health, but also everything from where and how we work to the security of basic needs like food and housing. This crisis, like nothing we’ve experienced in our lifetimes, has drawn back the curtain on stark disparities in socioeconomic conditions and health.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children today.

Our Healthy Kids Express Asthma Program teams up with select St. Louis area schools to provide individual asthma care, education and supplies.

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out of the hospital, into our neighborhoods

The Healthy Kids Express Screening program bridges the healthcare gap by partnering with local school districts, day care centers and Head Start programs to provide services such as hearing and vision screenings, immunizations, and height and weight checks.

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t St. Louis Children’s, our team has proven their preparedness and demonstrated a willingness to lend a hand whenever and wherever needed. We are proud to recognize our team members who have been vital in these recent times, and the community programs that have pivoted as they assess the evolution of the community’s needs.

Pivoting During a Pandemic For St. Louis’s neediest kids and families, St. Louis Children’s is the biggest provider of free and reduced-cost care, bringing free services into local neighborhoods. Even in a pandemic, we couldn’t stop providing care for these families.

Our Child Health Advocacy and Outreach (CHAO) division houses a suite of successful community-based programs designed to address some of the biggest challenges in children’s health, particularly in under-resourced neighborhoods — asthma; dental health; diabetes and nutrition; vaccinations and health screenings; maternal and infant health; and

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Guardians Magazine Fall 2020

safety and positive health choices among children and teens.

In response to the pandemic, the team quickly shifted protocols beginning in March.

“When COVID-19 hit, our community reacted to the situation because everything was unfamiliar,” says Lisa Meadows, Director of Healthy Kids Express (HKE). “Schools, just like hospitals, shut down. Elective surgeries stopped. Physician and dental offices closed.

So, we also had to shut down. Almost immediately, we assembled a team to determine how we could continue to provide these services safely for our community.”

Telephone and virtual/video conferencing was put into protocol to enable the continuity of care in our community. The asthma team provided telehealth visits for patients and families, and the Raising St. Louis team stayed connected with moms and dads enrolled in the program via phone calls while also dropping off thousands of diapers each week.

School telehealth and mental health visits ran throughout the summer and community service projects capped off this year’s Teen Outreach Program.

The HKE team was stationed at several locations inside the hospital and at multiple schools to assist in coronavirus screening, as well as to provide immunizations for children who’d missed critical health updates due to stay-at-home orders or loss of insurance.

CHAO relaunched the HKE dental van by mid-June. The van travels to schools, daycare centers and Head Start facilities to educate local kids about the importance of regular brushing and flossing and provides no-cost dental services courtesy of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation. Precautions against the spread of COVID-19 include limiting the number of people in the van, wearing personal protective equipment and requiring appointments.

A Team We’re Proud Of Our advocacy and outreach programming is wide-ranging and exceptionally successful, reaching more than 15,000 children each year. This year is no exception, and our CHAO team has been an increasingly vital resource in the last several months.

“I am so proud of our team and how they’ve risen to this challenge,” says Lisa. “There was no switch to just flip. Not one person could do it alone. It really took a village to make this happen. And to watch not only us but everyone in our community make a rapid transition and be able to do it successfully really says something about all of us.”

To learn more about how you can support community-based programs like Healthy Kids Express, visit StLouisChildrens.org/Giving or call 314.286.0988.

Top: St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Kids Express program brings a team of caring professionals on colorful, specially equipped buses to help under-served children receive much-needed services and education.

Middle: The new dental van is bringing healthy smiles to St. Louis children in need thanks to the generosity of our donors.

Bottom: Lisa Meadows, Director of Healthy Kids Express

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featured guardians of childhood

Making a difference

thanks to our featured guardians

Thanks to a $100,000 gift from Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Children’s has been able to provide St. Louis area families safe and convenient options for COVID-19 testing over the past few months. Hyundai Hope on Wheels has been a vital philanthropic partner, supporting research. This new gift continues their commitment to helping us do what’s right for kids.

Children’s injuries and illnesses do not take a break in times of crisis. Whether it’s providing meals and lodging for our patient caregivers, ensuring staff can have their mental health needs met, or delivering best-in-class medical care, the partnerships we build allow St. Louis Children’s Hospital to remain on front lines and fighting every day. We celebrate those who continue to support St. Louis Children’s Hospital and allow us to focus on our mission to do what’s right for kids.

260 runners signed up to participate in either a 5K or 9K — in memory of Joshua’s nine amazing years — and ran on their own for this year’s Joshua’s Great Things 5K and Fun Run. Because this year’s event was virtual, runners from outside the St. Louis area including Kansas, Washington, Hawaii and Texas registered and raised more than $11,000 for pediatric cancer research.

Over the past several months, local restaurants, businesses and organizations have donated meals and snacks, beverages, gifts and even new shoes! Restaurants from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis delivered meals each week for almost two months, providing consistent support to our staff across many hospital departments, as a part of their Carryout for La Comunidad initiative.

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Guardians Magazine Fall 2020

A longtime supporter of Healthy Kids Express, Procter & Gamble set up a Coronavirus Relief Fund and reached out right away to ask how they could help. Their donation to the Children’s Response Fund came in the first weeks of the pandemic to support families who were staying in the hospital during this particularly difficult time.

The Annual Joe Buck Classic was unfortunately canceled this year, but the hospital still received 100 percent support from all of the committed sponsors to provide $194,000 to the Joe Buck Imaging Center. Joe Buck and past patient ambassadors even sent along a personalized video message to all supporters in lieu of celebrating in person. We look forward to celebrating the 20th year of the event next year the right way!

In spite of the need to cancel some of our most popular events — Table Tops Spring Event, Blooms and Butterflies, St. Louis Children’s Hospital Day at Six Flags and the Joe Buck Classic — our sponsors continue to demonstrate their dedication to the hospital’s patients and their families.

We raised almost $500,000 thanks to 74 different sponsors who showed support despite the cancellations.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room received six new washer and dryer units thanks to a generous gift from the Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust. These new units ensure patients and their families are able to wash their clothes, blankets and stuffed animals while staying at the hospital.

Cousins Kannon, Carter and Brantley spent a June day selling lemonade on their front lawn. After talking about a teammate who went to Children’s following a bicycle incident, the boys decided to donate their $100 profit.

According to Kannon and Carter, they chose St. Louis Children’s so they could help others and because they didn’t really need the money.

Friends Molly and Elle wanted to do something positive for the kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital during a particularly hard time. They hosted a bake sale in their neighborhood and raised $400 to be used in the area of greatest need! These inspiring kids received their own check as a way of saying thank you for their generous donation.

Did you know that by marking your gift as unrestricted, your dollars will fund the hospital’s area of greatest need? Donations like these allow our hospital team to remain flexible — ensuring that we can meet expanding patient capacity needs, support cutting-edge disease research and respond to the unique hardships our families are facing during this unprecedented time.

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NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO. 858

St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation 1001 Highlands Plaza Drive West, Suite 160 St. Louis, MO 63110 314.286.0988 or 888.559.9699 StLouisChildrens.org/Giving

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Join us for the

7th Annual Virtual Play Date

on Saturday, November 27, 2020, at 6 p.m.

Grab your friends and family and enjoy an evening at home complete with games and activities - all while helping St. Louis Children's Hospital fulfill its mission to

do what's right for kids!

Your support of Play Date demonstrates your commitment to helping Children's Discovery Institute researchers find lifesaving treatments for pediatric cancers, lung diseases, heart disorders and more.

Visit StlouisChildrens.org/PlayDate to purchase your event package today.