Brenner Children’s Hospital, part of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, was named the lead agency of the year by Safe Kids North Carolina and the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The honor came during the Safe Kids N.C. Injury Prevention Conference held last month.
Brenner Children’s heads Safe Kids Northwest Piedmont, one of 45 Safe Kids North Carolina coalitions, and serves residents of Forsyth, Davidson, Davie, Stokes and Yadkin counties and the surrounding areas.
This award recognizes the leadership, support, prevention and treatment services that Brenner Children’s provides to the area as a Level I pediatric trauma center
“Injury prevention is really a core mission of Brenner Children’s Hospital,” said John K. Petty, M.D., pediatric surgeon and trauma program director, Wake Forest Baptist. “We are honored to help save lives and treat injured children, but our desire is to help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.”
“All of our Safe Kids partners are crucial in helping spread the injury prevention message,” said Luly Beckles, pediatric injury prevention coordinator, Brenner Children’s Hospital, and Safe Kids Northwest Piedmont coordinator. “By joining together to conduct child passenger safety classes, car seat checks, bicycle safety events and helmet giveaways, water safety programs, home safety workshops and other community events, injury prevention is truly a team effort.”
Last year, 800 children were admitted to Brenner Children’s with traumatic injuries and burns. Nationally, injuries kill nearly 10,000 children every year and are the leading cause of death for children, according to the CDC.
“We are proud to partner with Brenner Children’s Hospital to help fund prevention and safety programs, which are a vital part of our mission,” said Robert J. Gfeller, M.B.A., executive director, Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. “Our goal is to continually raise the quality of care for injured kids and support programs that help save the lives of children.”
Safe Kids North Carolina is one of more than 600 coalitions affiliated with Safe Kids Worldwide, whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury, which is the leading killer of children.
Media Relations
Joe McCloskey: jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-1273
Eryn Johnson: eryjohns@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-8228