What Your Gift Can Do

Gifts to Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHNJ) have made the difference in the health of thousands of children throughout the state. Annually 37,370 children count on CHNJ for their health care needs in both inpatient and outpatient settings. An additional 4,700 children rely on CHNJ clinics within their local elementary, middle and high schools. Below are a few examples of the ways philanthropy brought health and joy to many of our children.

• Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Neonatal Ambulance
• Rooftop Playground
• Child Life

For Giving to Children, click here.

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Program Provides Children To Have The Best Cardiac Care Right Here in NJ– The Children’s Cardiac Center at CHNJ is the State’s largest pediatric cardiac surgical program and the only center performing complex operations and using minimally invasive approaches to a variety of congenital anomalies. The surgical program has presented innovative techniques at the annual meetings of the American College of Cardiology and was recently featured on ABC’s Good Morning America program.

Mike Hartman with parents Michelle Hartman and Michael Papasidearo at annual Valentine reunion party held by the Children’s Cardiac Center of Children’s Hospital of New Jersey

One especially exciting technique called the Amplatzer Duct Occluder was recently used by Dr. Rajiiv Verma, director of pediatric cardiac invasive services at CHNJ, to close the Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), abnormal blood vessels surrounding the hearts of three young children. The use of this technique made history as it had never before been performed by a physician in New Jersey. “The Amplatzer device is another advancement in medical technology that allows for improvement in the quality of care for children with congenital heart disease. It allows for a choice in treatment method rather than being forced to undergo open-heart surgery,” explained Dr. Verma. Support from our donors helps us to bring such medical advances to CHNJ for the benefit of our children.

Rajiv Berma, MD, FACC, FSCAI, listens to Jadon Jackson's heart

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)-A Resource For The Sickest Babies in the State.- The NICU in the Division of Neonatal Medicine at CHNJ is a Level III New Jersey State Designated Regional Perinatal Center, which provides care to some of the sickest babies in the state. Our NICU cares for approximately 750 babies a year. These fragile infants range from the lowest birth weight infants (1 lb.) to more critically ill larger infants. They may have cardiac problems or other serious or complicated diagnoses, but all require the expertise of our neonatal team of professionals. Plans are now underway to renovate the NICU. These modernizations will provide a more family friendly environment that will also enhance the flow of communications between physicians, nurses and staff. We will soon be seeking philanthropic support to help us with these necessary renovations.

At neonatal annual Halloween party at NBIMC parents provide costumes for their newborns. Pedro Motta, shown with his mother Josiene, was born at 23 weeks and has spent the past 4 months in the NICU. Alaina Antonopoulos, also born at 23 weeks and now 4 days old, celebrates with her father Athanasios Antonopoulos.

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Transportation for our tiniest patients-Our neighbors at the Newark Liberty International Airport Airline Managers Council have made it possible for our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to purchase a new NICU transport ambulance to ensure that neonates can travel safely to NBIMC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Neonatal transport staff receiving donation from the leadership of the Newark Liberty International Airline Managers Council

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A Healthy Outlet For All -Thanks to the support of the Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation, we were able to create a beautiful Rooftop play area with a basketball court and an injury-resistant floor so that children hospitalized in our behavioral health unit could have the pleasure of playing out doors while receiving treatment. Behavioral Health “loans” their rooftop play area to other sick children in the hospital as well, so they can enjoy the sunshine or play.

A patient in the Behavioral Health Program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center shoots baskets at the rooftop playground made possible by a grant from the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.

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Child Life Program-More Than Medical Care To Help Children Recover

Hospitals can be a scary place, especially for children. They don’t feel good, they are away from home, often their parents aren’t there, they have no friends and they may have to take medicines that make them feel even worse. Fortunately, the caring trained staff in the CHNJ’s Child Life program know how to alleviate their fears and help them understand that the procedures and medicines will make them well. The children can play games in the Ruth Sagner Activity Room, they can e-mail other hospitalized children across the country, or they can dress up in costumes for special occasions. The pet therapist brings a dog to give them love and make them laugh, and the child life specialists arrange for tutors so that the children do not get too far behind in school.

Docent from Turtle Back Zoo bringing animals to children in the Ruth Sagner Activity Room at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at NBIMC

Grant funding from the Starlight/Starbright Children’s Foundation and the Rummel Foundation helps to support the Child Life program, and most recently, fund raising revenue from a special event called “Bears Cares Day 2004”, helped us to raise more vital funds.

“Bears Cares Day 2004” was made possible by a group of dedicated volunteers who organized this fun-filled day at a Newark Bears Baseball game at the Riverfront Stadium in Newark. Participants enjoyed the ball game (Newark Bears vs. the Pennsylvania Road Warriors) and special activities for children which included a crafts studio, a get-well card station and a hands-on hospital set up with a chance to handle medical paraphernalia. Bears Cares Day increases awareness of the Child Life Program at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at NBIMC, and raises funds to enable the Child Life program to continue providing its vast array of critical services which help our children to cope with their hospital experiences.

Family at May 15, 2004 Bears Cares Day engaging in typical
Child Life activities at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at NBIMC

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