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Newark, NJ (July 21, 2010) – The Starlight Children’s Foundation NY*NJ*CT has provided ongoing support to Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ) at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center as part of its Pediatric Hospital Support Program. The organization recently gave CHoNJ $44,000 in funding to benefit child life programs and support seriously ill children. Since 2002, Starlight Children’s Foundation has donated nearly $200,000 to child life programs at CHoNJ.
"With the wonderful donations from Starlight, we can offer fun and therapeutic programs for our pediatric patients that make their hospital stay more pleasant and less frightening,” says Anne Reilly, Director of Child Life for CHoNJ.
The Starlight Children’s Foundation provides the hospital with a clown named Hug-a-Me who comes every Friday to entertain patients in the Pediatric and ICU units. In addition to teaching the children magic tricks, she helps the pediatric patients forget the medical tests of the day and just enjoy being children. Starlight also gives CHoNJ a grant that funds a Child Life Specialist position as well as monthly parties on the inpatient units, such as Mardi Gras and luaus.
This year the Pediatric Hospital Support Program has supported 35 tri-state area hospitals.
“Starlight’s mission is to help seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education, and family activities,” stated Elaine Siver, Executive Director of Starlight Children’s Foundation of NY*NJ*CT. “We are confident it will help restore some of the happiness that a serious illness takes away and make a child’s hospital experience more pleasant and when possible, more fun.”
Over the past 14 years, Starlight’s pediatric hospital support program has supported nearly 100 hospitals in the tri-state area with an estimated project value of more than $10 million. The programs supported by Starlight have brightened the lives of more than one million hospitalized children.
About Starlight Children’s Foundation NY*NJ*CT
The Starlight Children’s Foundation makes a world of difference for seriously ill children and their families. Since 1985, the NY*NJ*CT chapter has been offering hope and a brighter future for seriously ill children. The goal of the Starlight Children’s Foundation is to help these children experience the simple joys of being a child. Each year, Starlight serves over 275,000 critically, chronically, and terminally ill children throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Some of Starlight’s most unique programs include Great Escapes, special outings for children and their families, STARBRIGHT World, a private online community for teens who are living with chronic diseases to connect, Hospital Happenings, including themed parties, toys, and visits from entertainers. For more information on Starlight Children’s Foundation of NY*NJ*CT, please log on to www.starlight-newyork.org.
About CHNJ
Children's Hospital of New Jersey, located at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and part of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, is the state's premier hospital caring for children, with specialized services to treat ill and injured children from newborn to adolescent years as well as preventive programs that promote wellness in the community. For a referral to a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, please call 1-888-724-7123. Follow us on Twitter: get real time news from the Saint Barnabas Health Care System at www.twitter.com/barnabas_health.
Contact: Beth Salamon
Public Relations
Phone: 973.322.4926
esalamon@barnabashealth.org
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