Children’s Hospital at Erlanger will participate in the third annual Children’s Hospitals Week, March 18 through 24. Children’s Hospital at Erlanger is one of 170 member Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) across North America participating in the week-long initiative.
Each year, Children’s Hospitals Week celebrates miracle stories like local Miracle Child, Drew. Three-year-old Drew was born with Prune Belly Syndrome, a condition in which babies are born without their abdominal muscles, along with other urological abnormalities. Drew underwent surgery at three months old and then again at 15 months old, where he spent 34 days in the Children’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for recovery. Drew continues to face health challenges and receives follow-up care at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.
"Children’s Hospitals Week is all about helping kids and ensuring children’s hospitals have the funds they need to care for more than 10 million kids a year," officials said. "This weeklong campaign, March 18-24, includes various fundraising and awareness efforts, initiated by CMN Hospitals, member hospitals and corporate partners to help shine the light on the importance of donations and celebrate the network of people dedicated to helping kids thrive."
Area residents can support their local CMN Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Erlanger through the following Children’s Hospitals Week activities March 18-24:
• Visit local Panda Express, Speedway or Elder’s Ace Hardware locations to make a donation to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger and receive a Children’s Hospitals Week bandage.
• Tune in to the Children’s Hospitals Week Live-athon Wednesday, March 20, at 8 p.m.: The live event will feature appearances by various celebrities and 10 kids who represent the 10 million kids treated annually at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada. Catch the action at Facebook.com/CMNHospitals.
• Start a Facebook fundraiser. Help raise critical funds for Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. Visit https://cmnhospitals.org/how-to-successful-fundraiser/ to get started.
• Wear a bandage. Show your support for children’s hospitals by wearing a bandage of your choice, taking a photo, and sharing it with the #ChildrensHospitalsWeek hashtag.
All funds raised locally through this year’s Children’s Hospitals Week will support Children’s Hospital at Erlanger’s efforts to continue to provide specialized, pediatric care to the region.
"Children’s Hospital at Erlanger thrives on the support of generous donors in our community; including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals programs like Children’s Hospitals Week," officials said. "These donations have helped provide specialty care and equipment in a pediatric-centered environment. Most recently, these funds have supported the creation of the Children’s Kennedy Outpatient Center."