By Jessica Powell, Major Gifts Officer for Brenner Children’s Hospital
Quality children’s health care is a gift, something my family knows better than most. Our daughter Sydney was born with a very rare metabolic disorder that had her in and out of the hospital for her entire life. We were told she wouldn’t make it to her first birthday, but she was able to celebrate 10 of them—thanks in large part to advanced patient care and research.
Today, as the gift officer for Brenner Children’s Hospital, I’m able to help local families who face challenges similar to those my family experienced. I also get to see firsthand, on a daily basis, how gifts to Brenner are making a difference in children’s lives. For example:
- NICView cameras – A donor enabled us to purchase special cameras that allow families to see and look out for their children who are in the neonatal intensive care unit. For families who can’t stay at their child’s side, this remote viewing system has brought tremendous comfort.
- Brenner Robot – Thanks to the generosity of a local family, Brenner became the first children’s hospital in the country to have a MEDI robot. The robot is programmed with cognitive behavior therapies to help reduce children’s stress and motivate them to get out of bed and on the road to recovery.
- Interactive display system – Children who visit the fluoroscopy room now can feel like they are part of an undersea world, thanks to Michelle Boyte and Lillie’s Friends. The system projects underwater scenes on the walls, giving children something to focus on.
Here in Winston-Salem, we are fortunate to have an amazing, tight-knit community that generously donates to Brenner Children’s Hospital. People regularly make direct donations and/or participate in community fundraisers. We also host official fundraisers, such as our upcoming 13th annual 99.5 WMAG Brenner Radiothon.
For two days, you can tune in to 99.5 WMAG and hear inspiring, heartwarming stories of Brenner patients. During the Radiothon, you will have the opportunity to call in with a donation or pledge. You can make a gift in honor or memory of a special child in your life.
Of course, you can donate any time by visiting the Brenner Children’s Hospital donation page. You can choose whether your money will go into the general fund or to support a specific department or initiative. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact me at (336) 713-2132 or jbpowell@wakehealth.edu.
*Sponsored by Brenner Children’s Hospital
