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 1675 Dempster Street • Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 • 847.723.KIDS (5437) • TDD |
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Medical Specialties
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Supporting Child Life 
Thank you for your interest in supporting the patients of Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital and the Child Life program. Gift donations are greatly appreciated and help make a child’s or adolescent’s hospital stay more pleasant.To get the most out of your special involvement, we ask that you read our gift donation guidelines.
Patient Wish List Child Life Wish List Supporting Child Life Programs Our Donors Contact Us Service Projects Because of the nature of the medical setting, the Child Life program cannot provide you with the exact number of pediatric patients that will be in the hospital on the day of your gift donation. We will be happy to give you an estimated count for donation planning. However, it is important to remember the number of patients can often change significantly overnight as new patients are continually admitted to the hospital and others are discharged. In addition, children also receive care on an outpatient basis in many other areas of the hospital. You may wish to include these children in your gift donation. When making a donation, please specify where you would like your gifts distributed. Our outpatient units and clinics include:
—All gifts should remain unwrapped for easy identification and distribution among appropriate ages and gender. —If resources allow, consider having a few extra gifts on hand for siblings visiting at the hospital.
Patient Wish List Following are gift giving suggestions for patients and their families.
Parents are often under a great deal of stress during their child’s hospitalization and would appreciate receiving a small gift of comfort. If you would like to make a donation that supports all patients at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital please click on a link below:
Supporting Child Life Programs Many of the programs offered by the Child Life department are made possible through generous donations from individuals, businesses and organizations. To learn how to support any of the following programs, please call (847) 723-PLAY (7529) and select option #1. Treasure Box Program Treasure boxes filled with toys and age appropriate gifts are located throughout the children’s hospital. These toys and gifts are given as rewards to young patients, following an invasive procedure. Funding is needed to purchase small items such as stickers and toys. Infant/Toddler Program Infants and toddlers make up a large part of Lutheran General Children’s Hospital’s inpatient population. These patients would benefit from a special supervised program designed to address their needs. Such a program would also provide additional support to parents. Monetary donations are needed to create the program and purchase resources. Shadow BuddyTM Program Shadow BuddiesTM have been designed to be both a “friend like me" and a teaching tool. These warm, huggable toys for boys and girls help take the place of friends who cannot be around when needed most. Shadow Buddies also help children and their family members cope with their condition. When seen first on their "Buddy", a scar or catheter has far less impact. This in turn makes it easier for health professionals to provide appropriate, successful treatment. To learn more about Shadow Buddies visit www.shadowbuddies.com. Medical Badge These colorful stickers appeal to a variety of ages, tots through teens. These simple “rewards” are given to the patient for their bravery after a difficult or frightening procedure. Infant/Toddler Items Toys for patients from birth to three years of age, including those for special needs patients, are often difficult to maintain in the hospital setting. Funding is therefore needed to provide quality toys and treasure box items for our young patients. Coping Kit Items The Child Life staff uses a coping kit to help reduce anxiety associated with treatment by distracting young patients during invasive medical procedures or times of stress. The kit contains an intriguing selection of play materials and unique toys with special designs. Dance-Movement Therapy These monthly interactive sessions encourage mobility, promote recovery, and facilitate personal expression. Creative approaches and unique use of objects enable patients to better relate to new people and a new hospital environment. Smudge Art Therapy Group Smudge art therapy helps patients cope with their medical experience by allowing them to express their feelings related to hospitalization. Facilitated by an art therapist, the art group meets monthly in the playroom and teen lounge. The group facilitator also provides therapy at the bedside for those who cannot attend the playroom or teen lounge sessions. Art Therapy Program The Snow City Arts Foundation works to make art a part of the daily lives of young patients in Chicago area children’s hospitals. The Child Life department is in need of funding to offer this wonderful program for the patients at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital. To learn more about the Snow City Arts Foundation, visit their website at www.snowcityarts.com. Starbright World Computer System The Starbright World computer system is a private online community that connects more than 30,000 kids living with chronic and serious illness. Kids can chat, email, read bulletin boards, find friends, learn about health care conditions, surf web sites and play games, all in a private and safe environment that helps them deal with day to day challenges of living with an illness. To learn more about the Starbright Foundation, visit their website at www.starbright.org. Special Events Program (All ages) Special events are planned throughout the year to celebrate life, and include: birthday celebrations, Winter Celebration, Costume Day, Valentines Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, Child Life month (March), Spring Celebration, 4th of July, Labor Day and Easter Day. Each one-day event typically costs around $200.00, which purchases food for 50 inpatients and their families. Computer Program Computers offer entertainment and educational opportunities for hospitalized youngsters and adolescents. Two mobile computers are currently available in the children’s hospital, and are equipped to provide limited Internet access and developmentally appropriate games. Our goal is to add a computer to each patient room. School Teacher and School Program During the school year, the Child Life department helps pediatric and adolescent patients keep up with schoolwork by arranging for individualized teaching and homework assistance. A teacher is currently available to Lutheran General Children’s Hospital on an as-needed basis for young patients expected to miss more than ten days of school. Our goal is to add a full time staff schoolteacher who would teach and assist patients, particularly those with chronic conditions, from preschool age through high school, helping to reestablish their routine and reinforce our belief that the ill child will get better. Picture Me Program "Picture Me!" is a unique photography program designed to enhance self-esteem and positive body image, despite illness or injury. Professional photographers engage patients in playful situations in an effort to capture an outer image that reflects their inner beauty. Black and white photographs are printed on flat finish paper that allows patients to hand color details, and add personal touches to each portrait. This program is made possible through the Kelly Project, a nonprofit organization for children and adolescents. The program is sponsored at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital with donated funds. Photographer time and skills are donated. To learn more about this program please visit their website at www.artistphoto.com. Our Donors The Child Life department thanks all of our donors whose generosity has helped make the wonderful programs offered through the Child Life program possible. We’d also like to thank the many community groups and organizations for their continuing support and donations. Contact Us For more information about making a gift donation to Lutheran General Children’s Hospital, please call the Child Life office at (847) 723-PLAY (7529) and select option #1. |
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