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July 31, 2007 -- For any family, an emergency room visit is a stressful
experience, but thanks to a generous donation from local business
partners, visitors to Kimball’s Emergency Department will
find a child-friendly environment designed in the spirit of a playful
toddler who died just before her second birthday.
Since opening their first Liberty Tax Service office in Hazlet
in 2002, 1989 Jackson Memorial High School graduates Alex Sauickie
and Michael Cybulski have committed to give back to the local community
— pledging when opening a new office to provide their services
for free during March of their first year in exchange for a donation
to the local hospital. But with the successful opening of their
third location in Lakewood in 2006, the drive to support Kimball
Medical Center in Lakewood took on very special meaning for Sauickie.
“My wife and I unexpectedly lost our 21-month-old daughter
Chloe in July 2005 to what has been classified as Sudden Unexplained
Death in Childhood (SUDC), a type of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome),”
he said. “We grew up Jackson, and Kimball has always been
our community hospital, and the hospital’s response to us
following Chloe’s death has just been overwhelming.”
In 2006, Liberty Tax Service raised more than $2,600 for Kimball
and donated it in memory of Chloe. During a recent luncheon reception
in the newly appointed playroom that featured hot dogs and bags
of cheese-flavored snacks — the toddler’s favorite foods
— hospital administrators and members of Chloe’s family
gathered to dedicate the Chloe Alexis Sauickie Playroom.
“We know how stressful an Emergency Department visit can
be for children and their parents, and at Kimball, we are committed
to making each child's stay with us as comfortable as possible,”
said Joe Hicks, executive director of Kimball. “It has been
well documented that play is vital to a child's well-being, as children
are able to act out — through play — feelings they may
not be able to put into words, including fear, anger and loss of
control. Now, whether the child is the patient or a family member,
Chloe’s playroom will provide a safe place for playful distraction.
“Thank you for sharing Chloe’s memory with us —
her spirit will watch over all who come to this playroom,”
he added.
For Alex and Jennifer Sauickie, who attended the reception with
their other children — Kaitlyn. 6. and Gracie, 1 — as
well as extended family and friends, the dedication provided an
opportunity to remember the child they lost, as well as to raise
awareness of the silent killer that claimed Chloe’s life.
“Not a day goes by that we don’t think of Chloe, and
by keeping her memory alive here in this playroom, it makes it a
little easier,” Alex said.
“Chloe’s memory will always be alive here,” added
Hicks, who noted that Kimball treats more than 13,000 children each
year in the Emergency Department.
Caryl Russo, vice president of development for Kimball who provided
the closing remarks, noted that in addition to the visitors to the
playroom, the plaque will also provide an opportunity for hospital
staff to learn about the little girl whose name it bears.
“Whenever we unveil a memorial plaque at Kimball, the staff
wants to know about the person we are honoring,” she said.
“The hospital staff will come to know the story of Chloe,
and that means so much to all of us.”
Founded in 1997, Liberty Tax Service is a United States-based company
that specializes in the preparation of tax returns for individuals
and small businesses and is the fastest growing retail tax preparation
company in the industry’s history — with some 2,400
offices in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit their Web site
at Libertytax.com.
Kimball’s Emergency Department is staffed by a team of board-certified
physicians who are certified in advanced cardiac life support, advanced
trauma life support and pediatric advanced life support. This has
earned the department designation by the American Heart Association
as an advanced cardiac life support providing agency for children
as well as adults.
The physicians are supported by a team of specially trained nurses
who are certified in pediatric advanced life support and highly
skilled technicians. Kimball consistently ranks among the top 10
hospitals in New Jersey — and among the top 10 percent of
emergency departments in the nation — for patient satisfaction.
To learn more about emergency services at Kimball,
call 888-SBHS-123 (888-724-7123).
CONTACT: Kathleen Horan
Public Relations and Marketing
732-557-3909
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