The Hummingbird Campaign

Transcription

1 The Hummingbird Campaign It s been said that a small action, such as the flapping of a hummingbird s wings, can alter the atmosphere on a global scale. Our own Hummingbird Campaign will change the course of many lives right here in New York State

2 Inspired by the legacy of St. Elizabeth Seton, the St. Elizabeth Seton Children s Foundation provides philanthropic support to enhance the medical, therapeutic, rehabilitative and special educational goals of medically complex children served by the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, John A. Coleman School and Children s Rehabilitation Center. The Foundation reaches children and their families across this continuum of residential and communitybased services, celebrating the uniqueness of each child.

3 St. Elizabeth Seton CHILDREN S FOUNDATION

4 The Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center is a pediatric specialty nursing facility, serving the most medically complex children in New York State. The Pediatric Center, which is a 137- bed and 165,000-square-foot complex, is in its 27th year of service and March 2015 marked our third year in our new home in Yonkers. We ar star facility in the Best Nursing Homes category of U.S. News & World Report. Our state-of-the-art, child-centered green pediatric facility in the country. Children come to us with serious medical and neurological challenges. We provide comprehensive health care, rehabilitation and special education services to all our residents. Our services include, but are not limited to: medical care, nursing, respiratory therapy, palliative care, pastoral care, social work services, physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapies, music therapy, art therapy, aquatic therapy and Child Life. Our residents receive care in a nurturing, home-like environment, which helps them reach their greatest potential. The John A. Coleman School, with campuses in White Plains and Yonkers, is regionally recognized as a school of excellence and provides community and center-based special education and therapeutic programs to children from over 40 school districts in Westchester, Putnam, the Bronx and Manhattan. The White Plains campus serves 145 children in 12 classrooms and the Yonkers campus serves the 137 residents of the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center in 15 classrooms. The Coleman School has been recognized for the last eight years as a School of Excellence by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) and is known for its comprehensive evaluation component, early intervention services and inclusive nursery school, Children s Place, reaching nearly 1,000 children and their families each year. The Children s Rehabilitation Center is an outpatient pediatric diagnostic and treatment center that provides comprehensive medical and rehabilitative services to children with complex physical and developmental disabilities. We now treat nearly 4,000 children each year the largest population we ve served, yet. The Children s Rehabilitation Center provides rehabilitative services including physical, occupational, and speech and language pathology therapies, as well as feeding therapy. We also offer clinical specialties and services that include but are not limited to: orthopedics, physiatry, ophthalmology, neurology, neonatology, audiology and urology. In addition, we provide psychological and social work services, as well as Care at Home case management services. We offer a brace/orthotic clinic c and an adaptive equipment clinic, too. The Children s Rehabilitation Center also boasts a therapeutic pool that many of our children utilize for aquatic therapy. Patients range in age from birth to 21-years-old and come to us from Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess and Orange Counties and the Bronx.

5 The Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center s Legacy of Compassion in Action The Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center has a long history of serving the underserved. Since 1988, we have provided expert specialty nursing care to New York State s most medically complex children, as well as assistance to their parents who are challenged from every angle of society. For nearly a decade, we have established an especially strong reputation for providing care for needs, as a result of the creation of our Long-Term Ventilator Care Program. Our Children 99% are unable to walk and require a custom-made seating system It was in early 2006 that the Pediatric York State Department of Health to consider offering long-term care for ventilator-dependent children. The Department of Health recognized a growing need to provide for this pediatric population, whose caregivers were desperately searching for an appropriate health care setting to place their child. As a result, the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center did not hesitate to launch a long-term program for ventilator-dependent children, making the Pediatric Center this demand. Before our groundbreaking Long-Term Ventilator Care Program began, families of ventilator-dependent children faced the cruel dilemma of having to relocate their child out of state and far from their loved ones. We live by the words of St. Elizabeth Seton, All are Welcome. 99% of our children s stays are funded through the Medicaid system 82% come to us from New York City 17% are from Westchester, the Hudson Valley and Long Island 1% are from New Jersey 14 different religions are celebrated at the Pediatric Center 12 different languages/ dialects are spoken by our families 91% have a palliative care plan in place 84% will live at the Pediatric Center throughout their life or until the age of 21 63% have seizure disorders 53% have tracheostomies 19% are admitted for specialized rehabilitation We knew we needed to repatriate these children and reunite them with their families. We live by the words of St. Elizabeth Seton, All are Welcome. To us that means that all who seek our help will not only receive it in the hands of expert caregivers, but that help will be provided with respect, dignity and tenderness. 18 require ventilator care

6 The Hummingbird Campaign: Be Part of the Change In August of 2006, we were able to care for four ventilator-dependent children. This count increased to eight children by the end of 2009 and then, when we relocated from Manhattan to our present home in Yonkers in 2012, we increased this number to 18. Now, with our eyes on the future, we will soon nearly triple this number to accommodate even more of New York State s ventilator-dependent children. As of July 2014, we already had a waiting list of 27 children and their families seeking admission. Seventy percent (70%) of this waiting list includes children who are currently residing in facilities that are located outside of New York State. To do this, the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center and the John A. Coleman School will be expanding. We will break ground on our $24 million expansion in November 2015 and we expect to be move-in ready story addition will make the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center the largest provider of pediatric ventilator care in New York State; we will be able to care for a total of 50 ventilator-dependent children, which will bring the total number of children served by the Pediatric Center to 169. In addition, the John A. Coleman School, which serves the residents of the Pediatric Center in Yonkers, will add additional classrooms to educate these 32 new residents. This project also includes two other initiatives: An important part of this philanthropic effort is to create a Center for Excellence to export knowledge across the country and internationally on best practices in delivering holistic care and improving the quality of life of ventilator-dependent children. Another facet includes the renewal and renovation of our White Plains and Yonkers campuses. Renewal and renovation of both campuses may include physical capital projects to the schools and their grounds, as well as electronic capital projects. The Hummingbird Campaign, a $6 million philanthropic effort initiated by the St. Elizabeth Seton Children s Foundation, will unite 32 ventilator-dependent children with their parents and loved ones once again. Those who are considering supporting this worthy effort, or who wish to learn more about the incredible children who reside at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, are encouraged to come visit us. To arrange for a personal tour, please contact: Brian Harrington Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement 300 Corporate Boulevard South Yonkers, N.Y m (914) t (914) BHarrington@setonchildrensfoundation.org

7 The Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center Way: We Set the Standard for Caring for Ventilator-Dependent Children The Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center consistently operates at nearly 100% occupancy and our 18-bed ventilator program is always at capacity. This is why we re looking to expand. develop a program for children who are dependent on ventilators, we have spent almost a decade honing our practice and now we have set the standard for how this care should be delivered. At the Pediatric Center, we are committed to maximizing the health and life experiences of our children who are dependent on mechanical ventilators for respiratory support, said Gordon Hutcheon, M.D., the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Our staff of skilled nurses, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation therapists, social workers, dieticians and physicians, in conjunction with multiple pediatric subspecialists, ensure that their complex health care needs are consistently met, he said. In addition, at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, we believe that residents need to take part in Creative Arts therapies, recreation therapies and Child Life. Our dedicated, interdisciplinary teams make sure that our children are recognized as important members of their communities, Dr. Hutcheon noted. Our families are also an integral part of our care process and we join with them to address all of the child s medical, educational, emotional and spiritual needs. Carmela Senese, the Pediatric Center s Chief Rehabilitation sentiments. Our residents enjoy the outdoors and they take part in our group activities. Many of our children who are dependent on ventilators also utilize technology, like ipads, to communicate with those around them and take a more active role in their daily care, she said. We try to offer our children who are dependent on ventilators as many opportunities as possible to interact with their environment and experience the joys of childhood, just like a typically developing child.

8 St. Elizabeth Seton Children s Foundation The Hummingbird Campaign Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center Recognition Opportunities Center for Pediatric Ventilator Care $1,500,000 The Hummingbird Campaign: Project Costs, Financing and Recognition Opportunities Pediatric Center 2nd Floor $500,000 Will be home to 64 children Pediatric Center 3rd Floor $500,000 Will be home to 61 children Pediatric Center 4th Floor $500,000 Will be home to 44 children Project Cost: $24,000,000 HUD Mortgage: $18,000,000 Capital Campaign Objective: $6,000,000 Gifts may be pledged and paid over a period of securities, real estate or other real property. An attractive and comprehensive schedule of Recognition Opportunities has been developed to encourage giving and show our gratitude for your generous support of this project. The St. Elizabeth corporation and contributions to it are tax deductible to the fullest extent permissible by law. Physical Therapy Center $250,000 Occupational Therapy Center $250,000 Speech Therapy Center $250,000 Neighborhood Family Play Areas (8) $150,000 Adaptive Equipment Center $150,000 Adaptive Playground $150,000 Family Respite Suite $100,000 Resource Libraries (5) $50,000 Snoezelen Room 2nd Floor $50,000 Snoezelen Room 3rd Floor $50,000 Art Studio $50,000 Resident Rooms (71) $25,000 Taken by the Verni Family Foundation Taken by Anonymous Donor Taken by the Barbara Family Foundation Taken by Anonymous Donor John A. Coleman School Recognition Opportunities School Gymnasium/Common Area $250,000 School Classrooms (16) $50,000 School Classroom 6 $50,000 Taken by the Luke O Brien Foundation Taken by the Caruso Family

9 The Hummingbird Effect: We Change Lives Max s Story: You ll sleep at night and rest easy knowing that your child is not just taken care of, but loved. That s what Rachel Amar, the mother of Max, a ventilator-dependent child who resides at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, said she would tell the families of the 32 ventilator-dependent children who will soon be able to the call the Pediatric Center home. Rachel hasn t always been able to have this peace of mind about her son and his care, though. Prior to the Pediatric Center, Rachel and - cult and uncertain journey together, which began when Max was born premature at 32 weeks. Max was born with brain stem atrophy, a diagnosis that doesn t allow him to breathe, swallow, regulate his temperature or move on his own. For the beginning condition was very unstable. He spent almost his before being transferred to an acute rehabilitation facility at 8-months-old. However, after about a year, Rachel realized that her son. He had stopped receiving rehabilitation therapy and they did not want to take on the liability of sending him to school, so he really was not getting anything, she said. That s what spurred Rachel to begin to search for a facility that could not only care for her ventilator-dependent child from a medical standpoint, but also one that could provide him with the dignity, love and experiences he deserved. But what she found was that at that time, there were no facilities in New York State that could provide what she and Max so desperately needed. So, Rachel took action; she wrote letters to local and State politicians, contacted local news stations and, eventually, she got the attention of the New York State Department of Health. The Department of Health worked with Rachel to search for a place that could deliver long-term ventilator care for Max and other children like him in their home state of New York. When they, too, discovered that there was no facility to meet these requirements, they asked Pat Tursi, the CEO of the Elizabeth Seton kind in the New York. When the Pediatric Center agreed to take Max and they started preparing for it, I just couldn t wait I was so happy, Rachel said. On August 21, moved to the Pediatric Center. Within three weeks, three additional children joined Max in the Pediatric Center s Long-Term Ventilator Care Program. Max and I knew he was receiving great care. Plus, driving to Manhattan [from my home in Long Island] was the closest I had been to my son in years, Rachel said. When the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center relocated to their brand new, state-of-the-art facility in Yonkers in 2012, Rachel was thrilled. I know it s better for Max, she said. It s all in the ambiance. The facility is bigger, the building is beautiful and child-friendly and I can take Max outside. More than anything, though, it s the feeling that we re in a home, not a hospital. Rachel also lauded the staff for their involvement. There s no other place like this. It s truly more than just a job for the staff here; their love is genuine and they take being caregivers to another level, the day. When I come here, it s relaxing, Rachel continued. I look forward to it because I know that Max is happy, clean, cared for and attended to. That means that when I visit, I can just enjoy being with my son, she said. Some days, I accompany him to school and other times we just lie in bed together and read but, each day, I get to kiss him and I kiss him like crazy! Rachel laughed. Once I get that smile, my whole day is made. I finally have peace of mind when I leave my son for the day. Rachel Amar, Max s Mom

10 The Hummingbird Effect: We Change Lives Kevin s Story: We care for Kevin and his entire family For almost 15 years now, my family and I have gotten care here that I know we couldn t have gotten anywhere else. Leida Perez, Kevin s Mom We pride ourselves on delivering a level of care that is completely unique and unparalleled. At the core of this care is our holistic approach, which centers entirely on our resident and their loved ones. That focus has made all the difference for Leida Perez and her family. Leida s oldest son, Kevin, has been a resident at the Pediatric Center since he was only a few weeks old. Kevin was born with brain damage that didn t allow him to move or eat on his own and, as a result, he has required assistance with all daily functions. I feel at peace because he s here, said Leida. I ve been very happy with the care here because I see that the staff has fought for him; they ve fought for him to receive the best care possible. And for Kevin and his family, it s of 2013, when Kevin was 13-yearsold, he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be placed on a ventilator. This sudden change in Kevin s to accept and since that time she has relied on the Pediatric Center s staff for their support and tenderness to cope with Kevin s fragile condition. The Pediatric Center has a Palliative Care Program in place that is designed to provide children with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness whatever the diagnosis. Our Palliative Care Program addresses the needs of our residents who have life-limiting conditions, as well as the needs of their families. Through this program, Leida has received support from various staff members mbers from a variety of disciplines, includand pastoral ing art therapy, music therapy care. I ve worked with Leida and Kevin s family by offering supportive ences they can share together, from creating art work to hang in Kevin s room to taking family portraits at his experi- bedside, said Caroline Mason, an art therapist. Through a Child Life initiative known as Precious Hands, Leida was able to create handprints with Kevin as a lasting keepsake to cherish. The freedom to call on these services in a time of need is what makes the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center so special, said Deborah D Angelo, a music therapist. Leida had asked for a bedside blessing for Kevin, with a musical accompaniment in Spanish, her native language. I was honored to be able to help, said Deborah. I sang Pescador de Hombres, and I could tell it spoke to her on a very deep level to be able to have this beautiful experience with her son along with a song that s rooted in their faith and their language. It really has meant a lot to have these memories with Kevin, said Leida. For almost 15 years now, my family and I have gotten care here that I know we couldn t have gotten anywhere else. I truly don t know where we d be without the Pediatric Center today.

11 The Hummingbird Effect: We Change Lives Yaquelin s Story: She s back in New York and closer to her family Today, Yaquelin is almost 7-years-old. For many milestone, but, for Gisela Alonso, each day that her daughter has is a reason to celebrate. I was told that she wouldn t live past the age of two, said Gisela, describing her daughter who was born with a rare genetic disorder. Yaquelin s fragile and complex condition necessitated countless inpatient stays and outpatient treatments, as well as cardiac surgery, hip surgery and a tracheostomy and gastrostomy placement all before the age of one. Shortly after, Yaquelin contracted pneumonia and Gisela was told that her daughter would need to be placed on ventilator support. When Yaquelin couldn t be weaned from the ventilator, she was transferred from an acute rehabilitation setting to a long-term care facility that was out of state and far from Gisela s hometown of Queens. It was I felt like we kept receiving more and more bad news. I also had a newborn and an entire family to care for, which made it hard for us to be with Yaquelin as often as we wanted to, she said. It was my faith that kept me strong. In July of 2011, Yaquelin was admitted to the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, which, at the time, was located in Manhattan. I felt comforted and relieved to Gisela. Prior to her being at the Pediatric Center, we were never able to all be together as a family. Now, the whole family can come and visit! Yaquelin s family comes by often and they also attend many of our special events, like our annual Family Holiday Party, Block Party and Family Portrait Day, said - peutic Recreation Specialist. It s so beautiful to see them visit. They cuddle her, talk and laugh with her; they just have a good time. When I see Yaquelin and her family, it s as if they re all just spending time in their family living room together, Frankie said. If she can t be in my home, then I know that this is the best place she can be, Gisela said. It s hard, as a mother, to leave your child in the care of someone else but I know that Yaquelin is receiving the best medical attention possible and that she is loved and she is happy. It s hard, as a mother, to leave your child in the care of someone else but I know that Yaquelin is receiving the best medical attention possible and that she is loved and she is happy. Gisela Alonso, Yaquelin s Mom

12 The Hummingbird Effect: Be Part of the Change Lamaya s Story: Help us bring Lamaya home Compassion in Action Can you imagine the heartache of having a child who has to reside hours away from you in a different state to receive the medical care necessary to live? That s been the case for Sylvia Arzola, whose daughter, Lamaya, is currently being cared for in New Jersey, far from her family s home in the Bronx. Lamaya has required a ventilator since October of 2008, when she was just a 1-year-old, and has been on the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center s Long-Term Ventilator Care Program waiting list since January of When we open the doors to our 32-bed addition for ventilatordependent children in early 2017, Lamaya will be I m just so excited, said Sylvia. It s been so tough for us to work around the constraints we have with transportation and needing to take time off from our jobs to head out to Jersey to see her, she continued, but, that won t be the case when she s in Yonkers. When I spoke with Lamaya s mother [to tell her Lamaya would be receiving placement at the Pediatric Center], I could feel her smile across the lines of our phones! said Margie Rodriguez, the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center s Director of Continuity of Care/Admissions. Being able to provide a family, like Lamaya s, with that sense of relief is the best part of my job, Margie said. We ve been waiting for this for a really long time. I can t wait for her to be closer so that we can be with her anytime we want to, Sylvia said. But it s not just the promise of being in closer proximity to their daughter that has drawn Sylvia and her family to the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center. Each time my family and I have come to tour the facility, we ve been so impressed by the way the staff members care for the children and the environment and the space in which they have to do so, she said. This place is more like a home and less like a hospital. I know my daughter will be comfortable and happy here. All of our work and all of our lives are motivated around responding to those in need, especially when no one else is helping. Sr. Maria Iglesias, S.C., Pastoral Care Coordinator at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center We want our children to get the chance to just be kids kids who can play and laugh and also feel safe and comfortable. These are not just children we take care of they re children we care for. Dr. Joann Galley, Director of School Psychological Services at the John A. Coleman School We help our students explore the world around them and we show them love. And you know what happens? They grow. Maybe it doesn t show up on a test or an exam, but when they share in a new experience or reciprocate our tenderness that s how we know. Allie Maloney, Teacher at the John A. Coleman School We ve been waiting for this for a really long time. I can t wait for her to be closer so that we can be with her anytime we want to. Sylvia Arzola, Lamaya s Mom

13 Expanding Our Yonkers Campus The Hummingbird Campaign will make the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center the largest provider of pediatric ventilator care in New York State. Here s our expansion, by the numbers 26,000-square-feet of new construction 8,589-square-feet of renovated space EXISTING BUILDING New rooms and spaces will be added and renovated including, but not limited to, eight resident rooms (that will accommodate four residents in each), two neighborhood family play areas, two Snoezelen rooms, two resource libraries, a Physical Therapy Center, an Adaptive Equipment Center and classrooms in the John A. Coleman School 109 new employees will be hired, NEW BUILDING ADDITION nursing assistants (CNAs), respiratory therapists, a physician, a nurse practitioner, physical, occupational and speech therapists, a social worker, teachers, assistant teachers and paraprofessionals, Creative Arts therapists and recreation therapists The outside of our campus will continue hummingbird garden and an outdoor playground

14 Welcome Home! Located on a bucolic 6.5 acres, our facility provides our residents with and green grass. Inside, our children live in neighborhoods, not units, and we build play and fun into each day with games, celebrations and frequent opportunities to interact with others. At the Pediatric Center, we offer our children, their families and their caregivers access to numerous outdoor and indoor recreational spaces including two playgrounds, a pizza garden, rose garden, nature trail and sound garden, a Space Voyage Room, hydrotherapy suite, art room and music room. Our staff members strive to provide all of our residents with as many normalized childhood experiences as possible. We recognize that providing these childhood experiences is part of providing a home-like environment; it gives our residents the chance to just be kids.

15 Our Continuum of Care provides specialized medical, educational and therapeutic services to over 5,000 medically complex children each year where and when they need them the most where good beginnings never end Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of New York St. Elizabeth Seton Children s Foundation 300 Corporate Boulevard South, Yonkers, N.Y