Valley Children's would like to extend a huge thank you to our friends at Taco Bell for hosting their 2018 in-store fundraising campaign. Together, more than 100 Taco Bells from across the Central Valley helped raise crucial funds for Valley Children's Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program. With the support of their communities, Taco Bell raised over $236,000! 

We are so grateful to the many, many people who made this incredible total possible.  Thank you again to all of our local Taco Bell employees and customers, and Mr. Paul McDougal and Mr. Mark Tanis for their incredible efforts in coordinating this campaign every year.

We are proud to announce that Valley Children's Healthcare Foundation has earned a "Platinum" rating from GuideStar in 2019 for a second consecutive year. This rating is the highest award that GuideStar, the nation's leading charity rating agency, awards for a nonprofit's transparency and accountability to donors. Currently only one-half of one percent (0.5%) of U.S. charities have earned this distinction. Click here to read more about this special honor. 

Last month we had the honor of celebrating the kindness of Janell Boldt, who made a significant gift to our Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) Program. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) provides breathing and heart support and is used after all standard treatments for those problems have failed.  It lets the heart and/or lungs of our most critically ill patients rest, while our doctors treat the underlying illness. Because of Janell's philanthropy, the team purchased an additional ECMO machine, allowing more children to receive this lifesaving therapy at Valley Children's.

On March 29, Janell experienced the value of her gift when she returned to Valley Children's Hospital to see the machine she made possible and meet a special visitor, Ms. Riley Clark.  Riley was diagnosed with severe myocarditis, an infection in her heart that can require a heart transplant. The ECLS team at Valley Children's acted quickly, put Riley on the lifesaving therapy and sent her via Air George to the nearest pediatric transplant center. After seven days on ECMO and antibiotics, Riley was taken off all supportive therapy and was able to breathe on her own.

Riley, her parents and grandfather joined us to celebrate Janell's gift to the ECLS Program for which they will forever be thankful. It was a special day that all of us will remember. 

The ABC30 "Futures Worth Fighting For" Telethon is coming up in August 2019. For an entire day,  ABC30 will be at the Hospital, sharing about the services and care Valley Children's provides for the children in our community.  There are still opportunities to sponsor this special event. For more information, contact the Foundation at 559.353.7100. 

Considering a new car this summer? Why not donate your old one? It's a great time to donate that vehicle that is taking up space in the garage or in need of repairs! To learn more about donating a vehicle, call 844-589-GIVE or 844-589-4483. You can also donate online by visiting: https://valleychildrens.careasy.org

 

To view the full calendar of events, click here.