Guardians Magazine: Spring 2020 by St. Louis Children's Hospital

Guardians Spring 2020

The stories of impact you make possible at St. Louis Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital

Tiny fighters defy big odds see page 6

Doing whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for kids

Year in review 2019 impact report

More than just miracles

10 & 16

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

year in review

2019 impact report

big advances for our small patients

Cover story: Tiny fighters defy big odds

featured guardian of childhood: Virginia Moellenhoff

Gratitude spans decades after childhood illness

community partnerships

More than just miracles

featured guardian of childhood: Dr. Gerald Wool

Celebrating a doctor’s lifetime of passionate generosity

buzzworthy

We do what’s right for kids: employee giving 2020

Dear Friends,

History has shown us that during times of greatest difficulty, we see the best of humanity. Here at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, we’ve seen our community step up and offer assistance in so many ways the past few weeks. Through these times, our children continue to amaze us in ways we’ve never thought possible. The many hospital teams have answered the call to find new and creative ways to assist our patients, while protecting both themselves and the patients they serve. It was also the perfect time to introduce our new therapy dog, Casey, to the hospital halls. While many of our programs have had to temporarily push pause due to stricter regulations, Casey is beginning his new life as a member of the Child Life Services team. We will be sharing more about this very special dog in the coming months and how he’s helping our patients navigate their diagnoses and treatments, but I couldn’t resist mentioning him as a beam of light in this uncertain time. Another bright spot is the response we’ve seen from so many of our donors. In light of what the hospital has seen so far, and in preparation of what is to come, we have established the Children’s Response Fund to provide emergency assistance to our patient families and to support St. Louis Children’s physicians, clinical staff and team members with the resources required to continue delivering exceptional pediatric care during a crisis. This fund will allow us to provide families the basic support and services they need to take care of their children — including food, clothing, personal care items, lodging and gas cards. Your past and future gifts have the potential to meaningfully help those who need it most. Remember that no matter what, our ongoing commitment to do what’s right for kids will not waiver. I want to personally thank you for your continued partnership through philanthropy. Now, more than ever, we are reminded that we are truly better when we work together. Your gifts enable St. Louis Children’s Hospital to serve the community in the current crisis. We are thinking of you and your family during these uncertain times. Thank you for being a part of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital family. We cannot do this alone. With gratitude,

Malcolm E. Berry

highlights & happenings Shopping at The Nook Gifts & Gatherings benefits St. Louis Children’s Hospital! The Ladue-based shop that sells apparel, home goods, unique gifts and Missourimade crafts donated almost $6,000 in its first year. You can also shop online at TheNookSTL.org.

This season’s St. Louis Blues Casino Night, which benefits St. Louis Children’s Hospital, featured a talent show that included several Children’s patients singing, dancing and even solving a Rubik’s cube.

2020 marks 25 years of pet therapy at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. To kick off the “paw”some milestone, nearly 20 Paws for Hope teams came together to commemorate many years of comforting snuggles with furry friends. Each attendee received an anniversary coloring book containing drawings of each of the Paws for Hope dogs. Thank you to our partners at PetSmart Charities for making this possible.

Characters like Captain America and Anna and Elsa delighted patients as part of the annual Love Light Festival — the hospital’s official kickoff to the holiday season.

The Healthy Kids Express Asthma program continues to improve the health of children in the community like Felaila Richardson, who recently competed in her first race! The 5-year-old and her family enjoyed an allexpenses-paid trip to Orlando and joined Team Cigna at the Walt Disney World® 5K, thanks to our partners at the Cigna Foundation.

Hospital supporters took to the blue carpet for the premier of Laila: The Next Season at the Chase Park Plaza. The party included a film screening and panel discussion featuring St. Louis Blues defensemen Colton Parayko, Dr. Jeffrey Bednarksi, Dr. Julia Warren and Laila herself!

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Year in review 2019 impact report Thanks to the 13,402 donors who provided more than $24 million in funding to St. Louis Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital. Funds raised

Funds granted toward

to support priority areas

to support needs in

$24,300,000

$33,723,328

22%

55.5%

39.5%

Family

60%

Progress

Family

Progress

18%

Community

Your gifts at work FAMILY

8,900patient families received assistance

through the family care fund

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

COMMUNITY

18,168 children served through community programs

85,782

kids treated through 2,671

trips made by the Transport Team

857

students were enrolled in the intensive, school-based asthma program

1,920

kids received free dental care

1,547

5,269

car seat consults provided

15,100

visits to the inpatient and sibling playrooms and teen lounge

music and art therapy sessions provided

1,287

immunizations given to kids

37,968

comforting snuggles by 34 therapy dogs

PROGRESS

Funded

32 research studies

tackling the most prevalent areas of serious childhood illness—cancer, congenital heart issues, lung conditions, and immune-based disease

Supported the best and brightest through

16 endowed chairs,

6 medical fellowships, and 1 nursing scholarship A publication of St. Louis Children’s Hospital

big advances for our small patients

Tiny fighters defy big odds Bethany Watkins and Dave Barylski were thrilled when they learned they were expecting identical twin girls. Bethany’s 8-year-old son, Kaedyn, was equally excited to become a big brother to the babies, who were due August 25, 2019.

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

At 11 months, Everlei, left, and Rylei, right, have shown incredible resilience after spending 218 days in the NICU.

owever, when Bethany was 16 weeks pregnant, she learned the babies had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a rare and serious condition in which one twin gets too much blood from the placenta while the other doesn’t get enough. Although it only affects approximately one out of 1,000 pregnancies, if it is left untreated, TTTS may result in the loss of one or both babies. The condition required weekly visits to both Bethany’s doctor in Springfield, Missouri, and specialists at the Fetal Care Center in St. Louis. Designed for high-risk pregnancies, the center is part of the Women & Infants Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital that combines the expertise of three world-class medical providers: St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. They are among a select few with the expertise to perform the fetal surgery to treat TTTS while the unborn babies remain in the womb. By April, when Bethany was 22 weeks pregnant, the specialists in the Fetal Care Center determined Bethany needed fetoscopic laser photocoagulation, a minimally invasive surgical procedure that

uses a small camera to find and disconnect the abnormal blood vessel connections in the placenta causing unequal blood flow. Soon, everything started moving in fast-forward. While undergoing a routine presurgery ultrasound, doctors saw something alarming. The ultrasound revealed Bethany was fully dilated and ready to give birth — barely halfway through a typical 40-week pregnancy. Within two hours, Bethany delivered Everlei and Rylei. They were immediately whisked away to the Children’s Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). “The medical evidence is very clear that babies born at a very early gestational age do much better if they’re born at a site with a high level of NICU care,” explains Barbara Warner, MD, MS, a neonatologist and chief of newborn medicine at St. Louis Children’s. “Bethany was able to deliver at our hospital’s Women & Infants Center, so the family had the highest level of care available immediately. We had more than 30 people in the delivery room ready to care for these babies and Bethany.” Bethany didn’t see her babies for the first several hours after they were born as the medical team worked to save the premature twins. When she finally did see them, she was shocked by how fragile they were. The girls weighed just over a pound each — about the size of a papaya. Their eyes were fused closed, their eyelids not yet formed. Their skin was translucent, and respirators delivered air as they could not yet breathe on their own.

Our NICU is the only one in the region directly connected to labor and delivery, keeping mothers like Bethany close to their babies during care.

The medical evidence is very clear that babies born at a very early gestational age do much better if they’re born at a site with a high level of NICU care.

Barbara Warner, MD, MS

Finding confidence and comfort in the experts As uncertain as she knew the future would be, Bethany was determined to remain positive. “There weren’t many stories like ours to help us know what to expect or to give us hope,” Bethany says. “But we knew our babies were in the best hands possible at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. We were so fortunate that we were already at this hospital when I went into labor.” While there is still a plethora of unknowns surrounding extremely premature babies, survival rates have increased across the United States thanks to ongoing research by doctors like those at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. Babies like Everlei and Rylei, who would not have been considered viable, now stand an increasingly better chance of surviving. continued on next page More than 30 team members of St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital were in the delivery room when the twins were born.

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big advances for our small patients Dr. Barbara Warner (left) was recently awarded the F. Sessions Cole, MD, Chair in Newborn Medicine. Endowed Chairs are typically created with funds from one or two passionate donors, but this chair is unique in that it was created with funds from many of our closest supporters in honor of Dr. Cole (right).

“The team at St. Louis Children’s was phenomenal,” Bethany says. “They assured us that we were all in this together — we became like family. They were fully invested from the beginning of our journey, and I knew they all cared about our girls.” Dr. Warner believes close connections with families are essential. “We go through the ups and downs with them on this journey. But our medical team’s emotional investment in caring for both the babies and the families’ care is absolutely necessary, and that’s one of the things I’m most proud of here at St. Louis Children’s.”

development, vision, diet and hearing. At the same time, our medical team has expertise in taking care of extremely premature babies. This highly experienced and specialized subspecialty care is not available many places.” Bethany is grateful that Dr. Warner was a key part of the comprehensive team that helped the twins survive. Everlei and Rylei are among the youngest babies in the world to survive such extreme prematurity without severe complications, as far as doctors can currently tell. “Survival at 22 weeks is rare and complicated,” Dr. Warner says. “When Rylei and Everlei were born, they were at the threshold of being able to live outside of their mother’s womb. In the past, we didn’t have the technology, and we didn’t have small enough instruments required to sustain babies outside the womb who were just 22 weeks gestation. Still, it’s difficult to give parents a realistic view of what the journey will be like for them when babies are born so prematurely.” Nevertheless, Bethany and Dave were extremely thankful for Dr. Warner’s kindness and uplifting spirit as she discussed the possibilities of the future with them. “She said we were all on Team Barylski and also respected our decisions about our babies as we worked together,” says Bethany.

Meeting the challenges of extremely premature babies For babies born so early, every breath is a struggle. Preterm babies haven’t yet developed the natural reflexes of sucking, swallowing or breathing. Digestion and brain development are also challenges for premature babies. “We are just beginning to understand the issues that these extremely preterm babies face,” Dr. Warner says. “We’re in very active research to learn what we have to put in place to optimize neurologic The twins share a quiet moment snuggling while taking a nap together.

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

community partnerships

We go through the ups and downs with them on this journey. But our medical team’s emotional investment in caring for both the babies and the families’ care is absolutely necessary, and that’s one of the things I’m most proud of here at St. Louis Children’s.

Barbara Warner, MD, MS

Celebrating successes The twins stayed in the St. Louis Children’s NICU for 218 days. Without fully developed organs at birth, they each had breathing problems and brain bleeds. Rylei had to undergo surgery to treat a bowel issue. “There was a lot of technology, medical care and decision-making along the way, but the babies are truly a miracle,” says Dr. Warner. “The family depended on each other, and I think there was some dependence between the babies on surviving this journey together. Our entire team worked closely with the parents and family to get through some very difficult times.” The family finally went home to Springfield just before Thanksgiving. While the family was happy to come home, Bethany says they were also sad to leave the friends they made at the hospital. “We were leaving friends who got us through the worst time of our lives. They let us cry on their shoulders and gave us so much emotional support. I couldn’t be more grateful to the NICU team. They cared for our whole family.” While the twins remain on oxygen for the time being, both girls are sporting pink, plump cheeks and tummy rolls while they work on reaching for toys. Their big brother is a constant source of entertainment.

The best Christmas present: After spending 218 days in the NICU, Everlei and Rylei were discharged and home before the holidays.

“The babies smile and laugh a lot,” Bethany says. “In the next few months, we’re looking forward to them sitting up and maybe even crawling. They’re strong little girls, and I’m so proud of how far they’ve come.”

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featured guardian of childhood: Virginia Moellenhoff

Gratitude spans decades after childhood illness During the Depression era that began in late 1929, resources were scarce for many families. Virginia Moellenhoff’s father was out of work and struggled to provide for his wife and two young daughters. But 6-year-old Virginia had a lump behind her ear and was having trouble hearing in her classroom. With empty pockets and a glimmer of hope, they sought care for Virginia at St. Louis Children’s Hospital knowing she would not be turned away due to the family’s inability to pay. Grateful for the care she received as a child, Virginia Moellenhoff is proud to support St. Louis Children’s Hospital with several charitable gift annuities.

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

octors discovered Virginia had mastoiditis, often caused by an untreated ear infection that spreads to a delicate bone behind the ear. Virginia quickly had surgery to remove the infected growth from the bone.

The “little things” that mean a lot While Virginia’s hearing improved, she contracted scarlet fever soon after surgery. During the 1920s-1940s, scarlet fever was rampant and caused many children to become very sick and die. Virginia required a blood transfusion and was hospitalized for several weeks. Because the bacteria-caused illness was contagious, visitors were discouraged. “I remember my parents looking through the doorway, but they couldn’t come in the room,” Virginia says. “It was very hard on all of us. It was the first time I’d ever seen my father cry.”

A positive, lasting side effect Thankfully, Virginia has had no significant lasting effects from the surgery and high fevers she experienced as a child. However, one lingering outcome remains: her appreciation. Virginia says, “The care I received as a child was given gratis, for free, because we had no money. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was given the same quality of excellent care as everyone else who could pay.” With a grateful heart and a desire to give back, Virginia grew up to be a reading specialist and raised four children. Today, Virginia is a healthy 93-year-old who lives with her husband just a few miles from where she grew up. Her focus for the past several years has continued to be gratitude. “I’ve been blessed, and I’m extremely grateful to St. Louis Children’s Hospital,

which is why I contribute to the hospital every year,” she says. After learning about charitable gift annuities, Virginia decided that she wanted to give to the hospital. “It provides me with additional income while also helping the hospital — it’s a double benefit,” she says. Charitable gift annuities provide donors with dependable income during their retirement years while also allowing the hospital to further its work. This type of donation also offers numerous tax benefits. Thanks to her generous donations, St. Louis Children’s Hospital is able to ease the financial burden — Young Virginia around the time she received care similar to what Virginia’s at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in 1932-1933. parents felt when she was a child — through our Free Care Fund. Contributions provide financial support for patient medical bills as well as care that is not eligible for insurance reimbursement. This fund offers relief from financial stress so parents can fully focus on their child’s treatment. “Through my giving, I’m hoping to provide hospital care for children whose parents can’t afford medical bills, just as I experienced,” Virginia says. “I truly appreciate the wonderful care I received when my family was in desperate need. I give to the hospital because they saved my life.” When you establish a charitable gift annuity with St. Louis Children’s Hospital, you’ll receive numerous benefits, including a steady income stream for life! To learn more or to request a free, personalized illustration showing how a charitable gift annuity might work for you, contact Jan Rogers at 314.286.0981 or Jan.Rogers@bjc.org.

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community partnerships

More than just miracles At St. Louis Children’s Hospital, we rely on our community partners—partners like Children’s Miracle Network (CMN)— who support us in our mission to do what’s right for kids.

hildren’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Greater St. Louis (CMN-STL) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Since its inception in 1988, it has provided St. Louis Children’s Hospital with more than $26 million. These unrestricted donations allow us to immediately respond to rising needs. With the support of CMN-STL, we are able to elevate hospital programs, acquire new equipment and meet the needs of area kids. The organization helps provide services, such as meals and transportation assistance, to low-income families and has enabled better healthcare access to kids in our area schools and communities. They also help fund our Child Life Services department, including expressive therapies like arts and dance movement, the sibling playroom, teen lounge and camps. Nationally, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is an alliance of premier hospitals for children. Each year the 170 CMN hospitals provide the finest medical care, lifesaving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

“It is our privilege to support the lifesaving work of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, uniting together to provide our community’s children the chance to live stronger, healthier lives,” says Krista Lucy, executive director of CMN-STL. We are proud to be a Children’s Miracle Network hospital. This partnership boosts our ability to provide the best possible treatments, comforts and opportunities for our patients to just be kids. We are also proud of the role our patients play in this partnership.

Children’s Miracle Network Ambassadors Every year, each CMN hospital identifies ambassadors in its local community. These kids spend their year advocating for the charitable need of children’s hospitals across North America. The St. Louis Children’s Hospital 2020 CMN Ambassadors are Olivia (Liv), Lebo and Lexi. As ambassadors, Liv, Lebo and Lexi will attend events like Dance Marathons, National Pancake Day and Miracle Treat Day, as well as serve as the voice for other children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital who are just like them.

community partnerships

We are proud to be a Children’s Miracle Network hospital. This partnership boosts our ability to provide the best possible treatments, comforts and opportunities for our patients to just be kids.

Meet our 2020 ambassadors

I am Liv

Liv is a butterfly-chasing 9-year-old girl and the youngest of four siblings. In 2019, Liv was diagnosed with grade 3 anaplastic ependymoma, a cancer of the central nervous system. It began with what Liv explained to her mom as the appearance of kaleidoscope images in her vision, turned into frequent headaches, short-term memory loss and eventually a seizure after golf practice. “That’s when my mom radar was off the charts,” says Liv’s mom, Nicholle. She knew they needed to go to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. An EEG revealed a seizure in her occipital lobe, and an MRI showed a lesion in her brain. Liv underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor. Just 15 days post-surgery, the family received the devastating news — to cure her brain cancer, Liv would need to endure six weeks of proton beam radiation, a highly targeted and accurate form of radiation therapy used to treat tumors located near vital organs. While receiving therapy, Liv would have to lie completely still for 40 minutes at a time. With this personalized treatment plan and the support of her family, Liv is currently in remission. She is most excited to tell people thank you this year as a CMN Ambassador. continued on next page

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community partnerships

I am Lebo

Lebo was born in South Africa and loves ”House Hunters.“ There, he was well loved and cared for by the staff in a local care home but lacked access to the resources, doctors and therapies needed to care for Lebo’s cerebral palsy. As a result, he did not walk or use his legs much. In fact, Lebo often got around sitting on a skateboard and using his arms to propel him from place to place. At 7 years old, Lebo found his forever family with Angela and Matt Hanks right here in St. Louis. When the Hanks brought Lebo home, they took him to St. Louis Children’s Hospital to meet with Dr. T.S. Park, a world leader in developing and refining Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR). SDR allows children with cerebral palsy an opportunity

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

to move from depending on a wheelchair to walking sticks, or even the ability to walk, run and play with no assistance. As a result of SDR surgery, Lebo is using his feet and legs for the first time in his life with the help of a walker and sticks. As a CMN Ambassador, Lebo says, “I’m most looking forward to Dance Marathons because I like to dance, and they have good snacks.”

I am Lexi

Lexi is a sweet, smart and spunky 4-year-old who is always dancing. She had a very typical childhood until one weekend when she developed a stubborn fever that wouldn’t go away. Lexi’s mom decided to pay a visit to the pediatrician. Lexi’s pale appearance concerned her doctor enough that she ran some blood work. That afternoon, the pediatrician called

community partnerships

about the troubling blood work results. Lexi’s mom immediately put her daughter in the car and drove to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. A typical healthy person has thousands of white blood cells. When she arrived at Children’s, Lexi had two. Her care team knew they needed to move quickly. A bone marrow biopsy revealed Lexi had pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer. Treatment for her leukemia will last approximately two and a half years, wrapping up in the fall of 2020. Although she is currently undergoing chemotherapy, she is officially in the maintenance phase of treatment. Lexi always keeps a positive attitude and is most excited to attend Dance Marathons as a CMN Ambassador. She dreams of taking dance classes when her treatment is complete. You can support our Children’s Miracle Network patient ambassadors and St. Louis Children’s Hospital at several upcoming events like Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day and Cowboys for Kiddos. For more information, visit cmn-stl.org/take-action or contact Kathryn Lodes at Kathryn.Lodes@bjc.org.

Children’s Miracle Network 2019 Dollars at Work With the support of Children’s Miracle Network, St. Louis Children’s Hospital is able to provide services to lowincome families through the Family Care Fund.

In 2019, St. Louis Children’s Hospital Family Care Fund: • served almost 8,900 families • assisted 4,425 families with purchasing meals while their child was a patient and 3,023 families with gas cards, cab vouchers and Metro tickets to get their child to medical treatments • provided 931 families with life-sustaining medications for their child • helped 521 families with lodging support to allow them to remain close to the hospital for needed care and patient proximity • supported 41 families with funeral expenses during their time of greatest need Fundraising dollars were also utilized to provide healthcare access to kids in our local communities. Healthy Kids Express, the first dedicated pediatric mobile health program in the St. Louis area, provides free, comprehensive pediatric dental care, asthma care and healthcare screenings for about 20,000 underserved children and teens annually. These services are funded largely from unrestricted funding enabled by CMN.

In 2019: • 1 ,920 students received a total of 9,404 dental procedures at 238 site visits in the Healthy Kids Express Dental program. • The program provided services to 307 children with no insurance, 1,045 with Medicaid and 1,261 students who received free or reduced lunch. •4 2,670 screenings were performed, reaching 11,210 children in the Healthy Kids Express Screening program that includes vision, hearing, lead, anemia, cholesterol, glucose, height, weight, BMI, blood pressure and immunizations.

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featured guardian of childhood: Dr. Gerald Wool

Celebrating a doctor’s lifetime of passionate generosity

One step at a time, something small can build into something great. For more than 36 years, Dr. Gerald Wool chose to make his donations little by little, quietly becoming one of St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s most frequent donors. In fact, he is now noted for giving the largest number of gifts by any individual donor to the Foundation.

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

Dr. Wool dedicated his life to practicing pediatric medicine.

n every endeavor throughout his life, his commitment never wavered. Jerry, as he was known to many, met his future wife, Sandy, when he was just 14 and she was 12. They were next-door neighbors and best friends for years until their friendship blossomed into something more in college. They were married for 58 years before Dr. Wool passed away in May of 2019 at the age of 83. As a youth, Dr. Wool worked hard to rise through the Boy Scout ranks to become an Eagle Scout, which ultimately helped him earn a scholarship to Princeton University. After medical school, he served as a pediatrician in the United States Air Force in Alaska during the Vietnam War. When Dr. Wool returned to St. Louis in 1970, he continued as a pediatrician in private practice with The Children’s Clinic for 33 years. Throughout that time, his

It makes us so proud to know that his way of celebrating an accomplishment or a loved one’s life was to give to others.

Pamela Wool

practice was closely associated with St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “He loved his patients and took a wonderful interest in all of them,” Sandy says. “He also had such respect for Children’s and the entire clinical staff associated with it.” With unending enthusiasm for helping others, Dr. Wool participated in numerous professional organizations and volunteered for several nonprofits throughout his life. Never one to do anything halfway, Dr. Wool even took up running in his 40s and ran 13 marathons.

A committed heart makes a lasting impact While he was generously sharing his time and talents over the years, he also was a committed donor to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. His generosity totaled 766 gifts in honor of 443 different individuals since the Hospital Foundation began keeping track through electronic records in 1984. Sandy believes he began giving to the hospital even before then because “that was his nature.” His gifts often honored major life events such as birthdays and weddings of friends, families and even patients. He also felt compelled to make gifts in memory of those same loved ones. “It makes us so proud to know that his Dr. Wool was a dedicated teacher, spending time mentoring residents, medical students and pediatric nurses.

continued on next page

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way of celebrating an accomplishment or a loved one’s life was to give to others,” says Dr. Wool’s daughter, Pamela. “He gave to many charities, but Children’s was the one he was most dedicated to because it reflected his values and his life’s work, which was taking care of children and their families.” Sandy agrees. “Jerry was a kind, generous man and was very loyal and devoted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. We were so proud of all he did.”

Inspiring a legacy of generosity Dr. Wool’s giving spirit left a lasting impression on his three children, Deborah, Pamela and Andrew. As adults, they are also philanthropic and strive to continue their father’s legacy of selflessness and community. “When I heard my dad had given the most individual gifts to Children’s Hospital, I was delighted but I can’t say I was surprised,” says Pamela. “I have always been in awe of my dad’s commitment to giving to causes he believed in, and he most certainly believed in Children’s Hospital. When he spoke of Children’s, it was always with incredible pride that he was part of this renowned medical community that was the very best at providing care for patients.”

Jerry was a kind, generous man and was very loyal and devoted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. We were so proud of all he did. Sandy Wool

Running was a big part of Dr. Wool’s life, participating in 13 marathons over the course of his life.

She says watching her dad’s generosity shaped her values, and she aspires to live up to his legacy every day. Dr. Wool’s other children, Deborah and Andrew, echo the sentiment. “My dad was a person who valued giving back,” Pamela adds. “One of my favorite memories was his ‘random acts of kindness.’ At restaurants, toll booths, movies or in line at a museum, he would periodically just pay for the person behind him. The smiles he elicited are unforgettable.”

To create a meaningful tribute for a loved one, caregiver or just someone special in your life, please visit hbit.ly/slchtributes.

Guardians Magazine Spring 2020

buzzworthy

We do what’s right for kids: employee giving 2020 In the spirit of doing what’s right for kids, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the 2020 Employee Giving Campaign. What is the Employee Giving Campaign? St. Louis Children’s Hospital funds patient-centered programs and services not funded by normal hospital operations. The Employee Giving Campaign is an opportunity for employees to participate in the culture of philanthropy and support the programs and services that enhance the patient experience for the families we serve. Since 2017, the Employee Giving campaign has seen From left, Barbara Gilmore, Arie Bennett, Torrie Lucas and Garles Reese wear their shirts in an 88% increase in funds support of the Employee Giving Campaign. This year’s shirt color was voted on by hospital staff. raised and a 90% increase in participation. Just last year, we and more opportunities to provide the best care when raised more than $86,000 and had 1,551 our kids are faced with an illness or injury.” employees participate, exceeding our participation goal and increasing revenue Washington University Physicians over 2018 by almost $15,000! join the Campaign The 2020 Campaign kickoff was held This year we are excited to welcome our February 21-28 at various St. Louis Children’s pediatric partners at Washington University Hospital locations. More than 1,700 employees to join this amazing campaign. and physicians enrolled to participate during “We believe in the work of St. Louis Children’s kickoff week and will proudly sport their new Hospital and its Foundation,” says Dr. Gary Silverman, 2020 Spirit t-shirt. pediatrician in chief. “We are excited to partner with “It’s an exciting time to be a member of the them in advancing the mission and doing what’s right St. Louis Children’s Hospital team,” says Malcolm for kids!” Berry, chief development officer at St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Participation in this campaign means more programs and Employees and Washington University Pediatric services, more family support, more research Partners can join the campaign anytime by visiting StLouisChildrens.org/EmployeeGiving.

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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

WE’RE PROUD TO BE THE #1 CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN MISSOURI.

Even Prouder of Our Kids.

Every day, St. Louis Children’s provides world-class care and personalized treatments to kids like Eyonna, who doesn’t let sickle cell disease get in the way of learning new yoga moves and spending time with friends.