Brenner Children’s Hospital officials announced today that they are joining a new nonprofit organization that will raise funds nationally to help member hospitals cope with dramatic increases in the health needs of children.
“America’s children are facing increasing challenges to their health and well-being—challenges that include the growing numbers of uninsured kids, the steadily climbing statistics on childhood obesity and the staggering toll of preventable injuries,” said Lori Brown, administrator and vice president of Brenner Children’s Hospital. “Together for Kids has been formed to rally more resources to make America’s kids healthier and safer.”
Together for Kids consists of 34 children’s hospitals and hospital systems, representing 53 individual facilities serving children in 47 U.S. cities. The network includes major university teaching hospitals, pediatric departments within hospitals, and children’s hospitals in communities of all sizes. The alliance also includes the 20 Shriners Hospitals for Children across the country that provide specialty medical care to children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, all at no charge.
Together for Kids, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity, will raise funds through corporate sponsorship, events, grants and other forms of philanthropy, distributing the funds to member hospitals to address the most urgent children’s health needs in their communities.
Together For Kids will target injury prevention and obesity as priorities. Brenner Children’s Hospital houses the area’s only pediatric emergency department and trauma center. In addition, the children’s hospital has recently hired a national obesity expert to help form a pediatric obesity program.
In April 2008, Together for Kids will launch its first annual national fundraising campaign, Come Out to Play!—a month-long series of events around the country to raise funds for hospitalized children and to encourage kids and families to take part in active play that’s healthy and safe.
###
Media Contact: Rae Bush (336) 716-6878, rbush@wfubmc.edu; Bonnie Davis, (336) 716-4977, bdavis@wfubmc.edu; Shannon Koontz (336) 716-2415, shkoontz@wfubmc.edu.
About Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center: Wake Forest Baptist is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Brenner Children’s Hospital. It is licensed to operate 1,154 acute care, rehabilitation, psychiatry and long-term care beds and is consistently ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report.
About Together for Kids
Together for Kids (www.togetherforkids.org) is a national alliance of children’s hospitals and other hospitals serving children, dedicated to building a healthier future for America’s kids. The organization provides an urgently needed national fundraising mechanism for its member hospitals, helping them care for seriously ill children and tackle the toughest health issues facing all kids, with a focus on childhood obesity and injury prevention.
Media Relations
Main Number: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587