Local Business Leader Makes Generous Gift to Valley Children’s Hospital in Support of Families
Mr. Claude C. Laval III has generously donated $1 million to Valley Children’s to help patients and families cope with the burden of non-medical financial needs associated with hospitalization. This includes expenses like rent for families who take extended absences from employment to manage their child’s care, or car repairs to travel to and from the hospital. To honor Mr. Laval and his late wife, Betty Lou, Valley Children’s has renamed its fund to support patients and families facing hardships as the “Claude and Betty Lou Laval Angel Fund.”  

"Valley Children's Hospital is an incredible asset to our region, which we have long supported,” says Mr. Laval. “Because the hospital serves children from different circumstances, over such a wide area, oftentimes, both the patient and their parents have unmet and unexpected needs. Previously, there have been only limited funds to support these emergencies, and we hope these funds begin to change that. Our gift has been structured in such a way that it will match funds donated by others, hopefully allowing the Angel Fund to grow and make a significant impact on children's health and well-being."

“Mr. Laval and his family have helped chart Valley Children's course for five decades through their leadership and generous philanthropy," says Valley Children’s Healthcare President & CEO Todd Suntrapak. "Betty Lou served on the Board of Trustees during the 1970s and 1980s, and their daughter, Mendy Laval Alkotob, has served as a Trustee since 2000. Betty Lou was also a longtime member of the La Feliz Guild, which raises awareness and funds for Valley Children’s. Her daughter later joined, as well. Claude and Betty Lou have made investments in endocrinology, capital projects, healing arts and now patients and their families. The Laval family has been integral to shaping children's healthcare in the Valley."

Read the full News Story here.
Taco Bell Franchisee Pacific Bells Raises $81,000 for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program
This past March, 54 Taco Bell restaurants between Fresno and Stockton, all of which are part of the Pacific Bells franchise, held their annual fundraising campaign to support Valley Children's. Collectively, with the support of generous members of the community, they raised $81,000 in just two weeks’ time to help ensure that survivors of pediatric cancer receive the treatment and care they need at Valley Children’s. We are so grateful for the dedication and passion of Taco Bell’s regional employees, managers, and franchisees.

This year’s campaign slogan was, “Ringing the Bell for Valley Children’s Cancer Survivorship Program with passion and helping make dreams come true,” referring to the bell that cancer survivors ring upon completion of their treatment. The two regional Taco Bell divisions held celebrations for their top stores and presented an award to display for the year. Regional Taco Bell franchisees have generously supported Valley Children’s Hospital since 2005. We are so grateful for Taco Bell’s many years of support. A special thank you to Mr. Mark Tanis, Vice President of Pacific Bells, and Mr. Paul McDougal, President of Paul McDougal Marketing, for their leadership of this annual campaign.
Thank You for Making a Difference, Mitch Riegelhuth!
Despite his own battle with cancer involving radiation and chemotherapy, Mr. Mitch Riegelhuth from Coarsegold has been focusing on his mission to help children right here in the Central Valley.

On Friday, May 7, Mitch donated 86 touchscreen tablets to help occupy kids’ time while they are treated at Valley Children's Hospital. The Valley Children’s Child Life Services team was there to accept the tablets on behalf of patients they help every day to cope with hospitalization. Mitch has been collecting tablets from generous customers, charities, family, and friends over the last several months.

In addition, Mitch’s dear friend and astrophotographer, William Brown, kindly donated multiple signed and matted prints of deep space for the kids to enjoy. We sincerely thank Mr. Mitch Riegelhuth for his extraordinary support to further our mission to continuously improve the health and well-being of children.
Thank You, Vulcan Materials Company
Vulcan Materials has generously provided $7,500 in support to Valley Children’s Child Life Services. Child Life Services embrace the value of play as a healing modality and helps children and their families reduce the effects of stress caused by illness, injury and hospitalization. Last year alone, Child Life provided 22,454 units of service, which includes any support to patients and their siblings. Whether preparing a child for surgery by demonstrating the procedure on a teddy bear or helping kids complete schoolwork during an extended hospital stay, Valley Children’s child life specialists are positively impacting young lives every day.

Vulcan Materials Company is the nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates—primarily crushed stone, sand and gravel—and a major producer of aggregates-based construction materials, including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete.

Throughout their history as a public company, they have been guided by a fundamental belief that they will do well as a company by doing good – for their own people and for the communities where they operate. This philosophy has been instrumental in their continuing growth and prosperity across their operations. Locally, Vulcan Materials has locations in Fresno, Madera and Sanger.

Thank you, Vulcan Materials, for investing in our community and the young lives we serve at Valley Children’s!
Fernando - Valley Children's 2021 CMN Champion
In early 2016, 5-year-old Fernando was not feeling like his normal self. After a first and second opinion from primary care providers, Fernando was referred to specialists at Valley Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. They found Fernando’s white blood cell count extremely high, and concluded it was pre-B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the white blood cells.

For three and a half years, Fernando endured regular chemotherapy treatments. Week after week, month after month, it was not easy for young Fernando, but he persevered. Finally, in October 2019, 8-year-old Fernando got to ring the “No Mo’ Chemo” bell at Valley Children’s. This ceremony is for patients to mark the end of their cancer treatment journey. Staff, family, friends and even Fernando’s baseball team were there to cheer him on.

Today, Fernando loves playing and watching sports. He especially loves playing baseball, his favorite sport. “He’s getting better, he’s running, he’s stronger,” says his dad.

Valley Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders team helps hundreds of children like Fernando fight cancer every day.

Read Fernando's full story here.
CMN Hospitals | Walmart and Sam's Club
June 28 – July 25
Our Children's Miracle Network Hospitals partners, Walmart and Sam's Club, will be raising funds for Valley Children's. From June 28 through July 25, please consider donating to Valley Children's when shopping at your local Walmart.
CMN Hospitals | Dairy Queen Icon Campaign
June 1 – July 31
Our Children's Miracle Network Hospitals partner, Dairy Queen, is fundraising for Valley Children's for the next two months. While you're ordering ice cream, please consider donating in the months of June and July!
Happy Hearts Campaign
June 1–30
Happy Hearts Days are back! June 1-30, Best Buy Markets IGA in Hanford, Visalia and Lemoore will be selling icons to support Valley Children's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in memory of Heather Nugent. Please consider making a donation at the register!

Since 2019, "Happy Hearts Day" has been recognized on May 11 by the City of Visalia and May 4 in the City of Hanford.
To view the full calendar of events, click here.
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Valley Children's Healthcare Foundation
(559) 353-7100

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