Hoping This Dream Becomes Reality

"We envision a Children’s Hospital System totally dedicated and exclusively committed to the care of the region’s children. A medical facility where no child will ever come into contact with an adult patient, or a staff member who is not trained to care for children."

We have lived in the same area ever since I had my son, Chip, and since I have adopted my other children. In our area are multiple hospitals, one of which is a well-respected teaching hospital, many specialists, and a cadre of doctors we like and respect. Problem is, they are scattered all over the area.

For instance with my son, Ronnie. I adopted him at age 15, and he is now 18. He sees a pediatrician near our home, a nephrologist at the teaching hospital, a surgeon at our local children's hospital (which has recently been sucked up by the teaching hospital), and attends therapy at another location. When his urologist left the teaching hospital, we had to drive 70 miles to another hospital just to find an urologist.

Ashley has been seen by multiple doctors at the teaching hospital, sees a neurologist at a second hospital, has also had to make the 70 mile drive to the distant hospital, has been in the emergency rooms of three different hosptials, has had testing done at three hospitals, and has spent too many hours to count at the children's hospital.

The record keeping for both of them can be overwhelming at times.

I want one place for my children to go - one place to find all the services we need - one place that is totally dedicated to meeting the medical needs of children, special needs or otherwise.

Hopefully soon there will be such a place in my area. An organization named PACKids (Pediatricians Associated to Care for Kids) is driving a grassroots effort to create a free standing facility dedicated to children. That's their vision statement at the top of this post. And this is their mission statement:

"This Children’s Hospital will be a center of excellence. It will consolidate the talents of health care providers committed to the health and well-being of pediatric patients.

We will support innovation and research into the prevention, causes and treatment of diseases that affect children and be dedicated to the next generation of physicians, in particular pediatricians, pediatric specialists and allied pediatric health professionals.

We will transform care into a fully integrated system providing for the needs of all children. We will provide for the medical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of children and their families. We will embrace diversity while providing advocacy for the health and well-being of the region’s children."

Exactly what we need and want...

Visit the PACKids website to learn more!