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On this first month of 2024, we'd like to thank you for making last year another successful year of providing high-quality care to children where and when they need it most. 2023 saw more well-deserved recognition for our workforce members who work day-in and day-out to achieve impressive outcomes for our patients.
- For the eighth consecutive year, Valley Children's was recognized as a Best Children's Hospital by U.S. News & World Report.
- The Leapfrog Group named Valley Children's a Top Children's Hospital, putting our organization in the top 3% in the country for quality and patient safety.
- Partnerships that ensure the best access to pediatric care continued in 2023. For example, we signed a formal partnership with Wigmore Women's and Children's Hospital to elevate pediatric care in Armenia and share experiences with the deep Armenian heritage of our many patients.
- As part of our 10-year Fresno State partnership to increase opportunities for students pursuing health professions, we hosted six celebrations for oncology and PICU patients, ECMO graduates, the Willson Heart Center and more.
- Valley Children's proposed clean energy strategy was one of just 15 projects chosen nationwide for a grant to expand our storage capabilities, so that patient care will never be interrupted by power outages.
None of these distinctions could happen without our talented and devoted workforce members who believe in our mission. In gratitude of everyone's hard work, Valley Children's Board of Trustees - and President and CEO Todd Suntrapak – hosted the first-ever summer carnival at George's River Ranch. Staff, providers, volunteers and their families arrived to a massive playground complete with stilt walkers, circus tents and unlimited fun. Also, Valley Children's announced an increased benefit amount and broader eligibility requirements, allowing 278 employees to benefit from our education assistance program and 227 employees took part in our student loan repayment plan – a combined total of nearly $1.3 million invested in our workforce.
All of these achievements and milestones were furthered along by the generous gifts of people like you. Thank you for a wonderful year of accomplishments and for continuing to make Valley Children's the best place to work in healthcare. We hope this eNews finds you and your loved ones healthy and full of hope for a great year ahead. Read on for some great news going on at Valley Children's Hospital.
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This past year, Sherri Evert provided Valley Children's Hospital with a generous transformational donation. A devoted advocate for the Central Valley and especially its children, Sherri and her late husband Paul invested their lives, creativity and resources into strengthening community health, revitalizing downtown Fresno, and supporting local businesses.
Beyond her 2023 major gift, Sherri is helping kids at Valley Children's in multiple ways. She has been a longtime member of Valley Children's Touchdown Challenge in partnership with Derek Carr to continue to improve the quality of care at Valley Children's. She is also helping to make possible the 2024 Celebration of Life to honor patients who lost their lives in the past year. This past fall, Sherri funded a field trip for several oncology patients to attend a Giants game. Her generosity has also made possible countless hours of clinical education for physicians and staff in Palliative Care, Transport, and ECMO at Valley Children's.
In the months ahead, Valley Children's plans to honor the Evert family with the naming of the Paul and Sherri Evert Welcome Area near the main entrance of Valley Children's Hospital.
Sherri Evert is a true warrior for kids. Her generosity fuels the mission at Valley Children's Hospital in many ways, and we are extraordinarily grateful. Thank you, Sherri!
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For many years, Radio LOBO 98.7 FM in Merced has raised money for Valley Children's through Children's Miracle Network Hospitals' annual Radiotón en Español. We are very excited to share that the total raised during the 2023 Radio LOBO 98.7 FM Radiotón was $46,684!
A big thank you to LOBO radio personalities Diana Miramontes, Armando Villanueva and Oscar Silva for their passion and commitment in telling the miracle stories that happen at Valley Children's Hospital! We are incredibly appreciative of the team at Radio Merced for their support.
We also want to thank everyone who donated! Muchas gracias a todos los que donarón!
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Derrel's Mini Storage has bolstered the work at Valley Children's for 38 years. For every new unit rented, Derrel's Mini Storage donates $1 to support the patients and families we serve. All of the more than fifty Derrel's Mini Storage locations across the Central Valley participate in this campaign each year, which resulted in a $33,489 donation for 2023. This ongoing investment in our patients' care has become a trusted resource, allowing us to continue bringing our best, knowing that children and their families are counting on us.
Since 1986, Derrel's Mini Storage has donated more than $1.1 million to Valley Children's Hospital. Thank you to Derrel's Mini Storage for their continued generosity, and to all those who rented a storage unit this year!
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Valley Children's would like to thank Our Lady of Miracles Celebration in Gustine for their generous donation of $30,000. They hosted the annual Portuguese celebration of Our Lady of Fatima to raise funds for their organization's school and for charity. We are grateful for their inaugural support for Valley Children's.
President George Martins said they raise funds for charities by asking the community throughout the year as well as the day of the celebration. The community's response was overwhelming! Thank you to everyone who organized, supported, donated and participated to make this gift possible. Your support helps to further our high standards of care for those with futures worth fighting for.
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This year the Clovis Rodeo Foundation hosted their 7th annual Kids, Cowboys and Clays fundraiser to benefit Valley Children's Hospital. The event was held in Coarsegold and included breakfast, a sporting clay tournament, live and silent auctions and an incredible tri-tip lunch. As a result of this event, they presented Valley Children's with a check for $25,000!
These proceeds will help Valley Children's continue to provide the best care possible to the children we serve here in the Central Valley. Thank you to all of the members of the Clovis Rodeo Association and to everyone who participated to make this event a success.
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We would like to thank The Nasim Rad Hope Foundation and their board of directors for their generous donation of $21,000 to benefit Valley Children's Oncology and Hematology patients and families.
The Nasim Rad Hope Foundation was established as a nonprofit in memory of Nasim Rad who passed away in 2013 from leukemia. During her five-year battle, she organized several fundraisers to help children with cancer. Truly her legacy lives on through the Foundation and their incredible work over the past eight years! For more information about their work, click here.
We are so grateful to Nasim's family and friends for their continued support and for helping to make a difference in the lives of our patients and families.
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We recently celebrated the incredible generosity of Central Valley's radio personality Gnarley Charley and the team at Club One Casino for hosting their second annual charity poker tournament in November. The event included dinner and prizes for a $100 buy-in. This year, the tournament raised $3,156 for Valley Children's Hospital.
Through Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and the Extra Life program, this event will have a significant impact in the care we provide our patients and families. Thank you to Gnarley Charley, Club One Casino and all of our tournament participants for a fun, successful night benefitting our Central Valley kids!
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The support we receive from adults in our community is beyond measure, with the outpouring of generous gifts, donations, volunteer hours and other forms of help and encouragement for our patients. However, when the kids of our community step up to help kids at Valley Children's, it's a whole new level of championship. In December, two notable groups of kids made heroic efforts to raise money for Valley Children's.
The Heart of Cubs was established in 2017 by a group of children who wanted to fundraise and give back to their community. Every year, they set up a stand on Candy Cane Lane for 10 nights, where they perform with their string orchestra, sell snacks and collect donations to benefit Valley Children's Hospital. This year they raised $2,815.73. Thank you to The Heart of Cubs, their members and the communities who supported their efforts. Your generosity is helping us to continue to provide the best care possible for kids!
Since 2022, Caroline and Cameron have raised over $850 and donated over 575 toys to benefit Valley Children's Hospital Oncology clinic and Craycroft unit. This year they hosted their second annual Christmas for Kids with Cancer in honor of their dad, Brandon, who is a cancer survivor. Their generosity and support continue to make a powerful impact on the lives of the children we serve. Thank you, Caroline and Cameron, for making Christmas brighter for all of our patients and families. Learn more
We are so inspired by the many kids like these two groups who find creative ways to give back to their community, and we can't wait to see what Central Valley kids achieve in 2024!
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Meet our new 2024 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Champion for the Central Valley, Davey Jean. Davey Jean is a 10-year-old who was born with a rare genetic disorder called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q). She has been a patient at Valley Children’s since she was 30 weeks in utero, when she was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a compilation of four heart defects. Soon after her birth she required open-heart surgery, the first of five surgeries she has had at Valley Children’s. She is not only a patient of the Willson Heart Center, but she also continues to see Valley Children’s specialists in cardiology, plastic surgery, genetics, neurology, endocrinology, GI, neuropsychology and developmental pediatrics, as well as physical and occupational therapy.
True to form with most 22q children, Davey Jean has a big personality that comes in a tiny package. She is very active and enjoys playing with her friends, doing gymnastics and going to the park. She loves her family and adores her dog, Tater Tot. She is currently thriving in a private school that focuses on children with learning disorders, specifically Davey Jean’s dyslexia.
Davey Jean’s mom, who was also treated at Valley Children’s as a child, feels an extension of family with Valley Children’s. “Valley Children’s is in our backyard, and we both grew up here. We love this hospital!”
The feeling is mutual. Everyone at Valley Children’s lights up when Davey Jean and her mom, Brittany, come through our doors. We are so excited to have Davey Jean represent Valley Children’s and the Central Valley for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals!
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The 10th annual An Evening of Inspiration gala benefiting Valley Children's Adaptive Sports will be held Saturday, March 9 at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Fresno. Click here for event and ticket information. | |
Save the date! Kids Day is Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Join us in supporting a Valley tradition! If you're interested in being a site leader or volunteering, please call us at 559-353-7100 or visit valleychildrens.org/kidsday. This is a great volunteer opportunity for businesses and schools. | |
Did you miss last month's newsletter? View it here. | |
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