Auction Brings Out - Children`s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation

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YO U R G E N E R O S I T Y AT W O R K
Auction Brings Out the Best in Students
A pizza for $120? That’s the price
some Avonworth Middle School
students were willing to pay during
the school district’s annual auction
to benefit Children’s Hospital of
Pittsburgh of UPMC’s Free Care Fund.
“It’s amazing what people
will do to raise money for
Children’s Hospital.”
— Greg Wolfe
Teacher, Avonworth High School
Held every November and
December, students in the middle school and high school
solicit donations, help run the auction, and bid on many
of the items in order to raise money for the Free Care Fund.
A group of Avonworth School District
teachers and students (above) presented
their gift to Children’s Hospital at the
Free Care Fund telethon.
a tradition that’s firmly entrenched
with the 1,200 students in this small
northwestern Allegheny County
school district.
The proceeds from the 2009 auction were over
$22,000, and a group of teachers and students presented
the gift during the annual Free Care Fund telethon.
“It’s a cause that speaks to a lot of our students,” said
Greg Wolfe, a physics teacher at the high school. “Some
of them have actually been, or know people who have been,
recipients of the Free Care Fund so it’s intensely personal
to them.”
For over 20 years, the Free Care Fund has been the
recipient of Avonworth’s fundraising activities and it’s now
Tony Cario, a tenth grade math teacher, said the kids
not only respond well to raising money for Children’s
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Auction Brings Out the Best in Students Continued from page 1
Hospital, but also to the way in which the money is
raised — the auction. Many students, he said, save their
own money throughout the year so that they can be serious
bidders when auction time rolls around.
“We have a lot of food items donated for the auction
and the students get into fierce bidding wars with each other,”
said Kelly Walbush, who has taught at the middle school
for 13 years. “We’ve had cans of soda go for $50.”
Or pizzas for $120.
While the middle school students battle it out over
culinary delights, the high school students are a bit wiser
to the economics and compete over items such as a Sidney
Crosby-autographed jersey, a month of free lodging at
Hidden Valley Resort, or one of the more coveted items —
having a teacher shave his head in front of the entire school.
“It’s amazing what people will do to raise money for
Children’s Hospital,” Mr. Wolfe said.
The auction has spread beyond the walls of the school
and the entire community now participates in the activity.
The auction is held online so that anyone in the community
can make donations as well as bid on items.
“We have a couple from the community who donate a new
washer and dryer every year for the auction,” Ms. Walbush
said. “This is a small community and everyone looks out for
one another.”
And for the kids at Children’s. n
For more information about how your school or group can
raise money for Children’s, visit www.GiveToChildrens.org.
Keeping Kids Safe a Priority
The Kohl’s Safety Center officially opened in February inside the Giant Eagle
Foundation Family Support Center on the sixth floor of the hospital. The
Kohl’s Safety Center is funded through a donation exceeding $245,000 from
Kohl’s, and features replicas of areas and items found in homes that might
pose safety hazards for young children.
Injury prevention specialists are available Monday through Friday from
noon to 4 p.m. to help educate patient families about important injury
prevention topics and demonstrate child safety techniques. Families of
patients admitted for traumatic injuries can visit the safety center
to redeem a “prescription” for items such as a baby gate,
child safety seat, or bicycle helmet at no cost.
Through its Kohl’s Cares for Kids philanthropic
initiative, Kohl’s has supported a wide variety of
injury prevention programs at Children’s Hospital
since 2000, including the Reality Education for
Drivers program, child passenger safety, Think
First for Kids, the Hard Head Patrol program,
and an ATV safety awareness campaign. n
Annual Free Care Fund
Telethon Results
The annual holiday telethon to benefit the
www.GiveToChildrens.org/FreeCare
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w w w . G i v e To C h i l d r e n s . o r g
Free Care Fund received over $1.5 million
in pledges and donations from individuals,
corporations, schools, and community
groups.
Luke Emmerling (left) and his father
Mark helped to cut the ribbon for the
opening of the new Kohl’s Safety Center.
Luke is a former patient who had been
treated at Children’s Hospital for an
accident that occurred in his home.
The Free Care Fund provides free and
uncompensated care to children who need
the expert care of Children’s Hospital, but
whose family cannot afford it because of
a lack of health insurance, or because of a
child who has an illness that exceeds what
insurances will pay, has a chronic illness,
or needs experimental treatment. n
J. Gregory Barrett: New Foundation President
J. Gregory Barrett, who became president of Children’s
Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation on February 1, has the
cure for any work-related frustrations that may come his
way in the future.
“If I have a bad day, all I’ll have to do is walk through the
halls of the hospital and I’ll get a reminder of why I’m doing
this,” he said. “It’s an energizing feeling to know that we’ve
been given the opportunity to improve children’s lives and
change the way they receive health care in this country.”
The national search for a new president started shortly
after Roger Oxendale announced his retirement last June.
Greg said he didn’t think twice about applying for the job.
“Many people in the fundraising and nonprofit industry
in the United States have great respect for Children’s
Hospital and for the Foundation,” he said. “It’s a dynamic
organization that’s ahead of the curve in many respects,
and it’s also a pivotal time for fundraising.”
Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna III, chairman of the
Foundation, agrees that it is a good fit. “We are very excited
to have someone of Greg’s caliber join the organization,” he
said. “His extensive background in and knowledge of fundraising
and nonprofit administration makes him the right person at
the right time to lead the Foundation into the future.”
Greg comes to the Foundation from the University of
California, San Diego, where he served as associate vice
chancellor for health sciences development. In this role, he
was responsible for raising funds for the university’s school
of medicine, school of pharmacy and pharmaceutical
sciences, and the medical center.
A native of West Virginia, Greg is a graduate of James
Madison University in Virginia and earned his MA at Indiana
University. Prior to his position at UC San Diego, he served
“If I have a bad day,
all I’ll have to do is
walk through the
halls of the hospital
and I’ll get a reminder
of why I’m doing this.”
— J. Gregory Barrett
as the associate vice president for institutional advancement
and strategy at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and also
held development positions at Children’s Memorial Hospital
Foundation, and the Chicago Historical Society.
Greg said that philanthropy is critical to operating a
compassionate, state-of-the-art pediatric health care facility.
“In children’s healthcare, there are many programs that
are non-reimbursable but are vital to a child’s recovery, such
as music therapy and child life programs,” he said. “Even the
reimbursement that we do receive doesn’t completely cover
all of the medical expenses for some children.”
Greg’s initial plans include spending the first couple of
months getting to know the community and the people who
make Children’s Hospital so special.
“We have a wonderful new building but it’s the work
that takes place inside that building that has the greatest
meaning to most people,” he said. “I look forward to being
able to spread the word.” n
Vice President for Development Named
Jay Frey, CFRE, has been appointed
vice president for development at the
Foundation. A native of Wheeling, West
Virginia, Jay spent the last 19 years in
Chicago, working as a fundraising
consultant and in leadership positions
within the development departments at
Rush University Medical Center, the
Chicago Historical Society, and the
University of Chicago Medical Center.
Previously, he was a fundraiser for Harvard
Medical School and for several private
schools in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Jay, a graduate of Oberlin College,
holds the Certified Fundraising Executive
(CFRE) credential and has served on the
Association of Fundraising Professionals
(AFP) International’s board of directors and
as past president of AFP’s Chicago chapter.
Currently, he is on the board of directors
of the AFP Canada Foundation. n
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I nspirations S P R I N G 1 0
C a l endar of E vents
Servin’ it Up for Children’s
A tennis tournament to benefit
See you
April 25!
a.m. to Noon Men’s Doubles Tournament
9
Noon to 1 p.m. Men’s Doubles Tournament Lunch and Awards
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
of UPMC will be held on Sunday,
April 25, 2010 at the Oxford
Athletic Club, 100 Village Club
Drive in Wexford.
The cost is $100 per person and
includes registration in one of three
tournaments, lunch or dinner, and
a trophy to each winning team.
1 to 4 p.m. Women’s Doubles Tournament
4 to 5 p.m. Women’s Doubles Dinner and Awards
5 to 8 p.m. Mixed Doubles Tournament
8 to 9 p.m. Mixed Doubles Dinner and Awards
To register, e-mail Shannon Anglero at
[email protected] or call the Children’s Hospital
of Pittsburgh Foundation at 412-586-6336.
P atient S pot l ight
Revolutionary Brain Surgery at Children’s Hospital
After her daughter Haley continued to have head pain
despite treatment for recurrent sinus infections and tonsillitis,
mom Jill Spitznagel knew there had to be a serious problem.
Late last fall, when the headaches became an almost daily
occurrence, her pediatrician suspected migraines and Haley
was referred to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
for further evaluation.
During a precautionary MRI, however, doctors learned the
headaches were being caused by a craniopharyngioma tumor
growing near Haley’s pituitary gland, and surgical removal
of the tumor was the best option for a complete recovery.
The traditional surgical approach to removing the tumor
was very risky, would leave permanent facial scars, and
require a slow recovery time for the five-year-old
from Pittsburgh’s South Hills. Children’s
pediatric neurosurgeon Elizabeth
Tyler-Kabara, MD, was able to offer
a revolutionary technique to remove
the tumor: through the nose.
“Dr. Tyler-Kabara was very optimistic about the
surgery and its outcomes,” said Mrs. Spitznagel, “After
hearing about the risks associated with traditional
brain surgery, we decided that we wanted the doctors
to determine if Haley was a candidate (for EEA).”
Haley was the first patient to undergo this
groundbreaking surgery at the new facility and the
five-hour operation included two neurosurgeons, an
endocrinologist, ophthalmologist, ENT specialist, and
gastrointestinal specialist.
Haley spent a total of 21 days in Children’s recovering
from the surgery and having her hormones and medications
regulated but she was discharged in time to celebrate
Christmas at home with her parents and baby brother.
Pioneered at UPMC, the Endoscopic
Endonasal Approach (EEA) is minimally
invasive brain surgery that often means
less pain and side effects as well as less
trauma to the brain and surrounding
nerves, no disruption to the growth
plates, and a shorter recovery time.
“The surgery truly saved her life,”
Mrs. Spitznagel said. “It’s a miracle
that this type of surgery is
available right here in Pittsburgh
at Children’s Hospital.
We are so fortunate.” n
B oard of T rustees
Howard W. Hanna III
Chair
Mary Jo Dively, Esq.
Vice Chair
J. Gregory Barrett
President
4
Jay Frey
Vice President
Bernadette M. Scheid
Treasurer
Steven G. Docimo, MD
Christopher A. Gessner
Leslie W. Braksick, PhD George K. Gittes, MD
Lawrence N. Gumberg
Jay W. Cleveland Jr.
Sy Holzer
Rebecca Cost Snyder
Ronald R. Davenport Jr. Arthur S. Levine, MD
Joseph C. Manzinger
Vincent C. Deluzio
Martha H. Munsch, Esq.
Douglas P. Dick
w w w . G i v e To C h i l d r e n s . o r g
Headache-free and tumor-free, Haley
returned to school six weeks following the
surgery and will continue to be watched
closely by neurosurgeons and endocrinologists
in the months to come.
Denise M. Pampena
David H. Perlmutter, MD
Dorothy J. Pollon
John G. Rangos Sr.
Steven J. Shangold
Mark A. Snyder
Joseph C. Walton
Managing Editor: Christina Clinton Evans
Art Director and Photography: Jason Yurkovich
Photographers: EFB Photography; courtesy of the Spitznagel family
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation is the sole fundraising arm of
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. The Foundation exists to provide
financial support for the hospital’s mission of improving the health and wellbeing of all children through excellence in patient care, teaching and research.
Inspirations was printed using vegetable inks. The fiber used in this paper
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Copyright © 2010 Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation