Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation embarks on 2-year, $2 million campaign

DETROIT – Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation publically announced the official launch of its $2 million "Dream. Hope. Discover." campaign today at Children's Hospital of Michigan DMC.

The two-year initiative, which began quietly in 2013, is a commitment to advancing life-saving pediatric research, supporting community outreach, and significantly improving young people's health.

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The Campaign is called "Dream. Hope. Discover" because that's what courageous children and caring, enterprising physicians do every day.

"This campaign is symbolic of the types of important projects that will benefit kids locally and around the world, while also helping further establish the Foundation as a key advocate for children's health in Southeast Michigan and providing benefit to the economy of Detroit and surrounding areas," says Foundation President and CEO, Tony Werner.

The Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation is marking the 125th anniversary of the state's first and most experienced pediatric specialty hospital with an initiative to jump-start explorations and push innovations on six research and child benefit projects. David K. Page, Chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees, says, "We are committed to supporting research projects and improving the health of children. In 2013 we strengthened our grant making abilities and awarded over $6 million in grants. This campaign allows us to do even more to fulfill our mission."

The Foundation has already received commitments totaling $1.25 million during a 1 year silent phase.

The Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation has identified six significant, high impact projects not funded by public sources. This two-year campaign will raise more than $2 million for valuable programs that include sophisticated treatments for children with migraines, family training and support, a global information network for cardiac surgeons and a school-based health center that caters to the children of uninsured immigrants:

Home Monitoring for High-Risk Cardiac Babies

Experienced cardiac team members want to help parents of fragile infants learn to prevent potentially serious cardiac or respiratory complications, or to spot a secondary illness that could be risky. Simple, reliable, timely ways of spotting health setback signs at home would allow rapid, potentially life-saving intervention. Objectives also include compiling data and publishing results that add to medical literature on monitoring babies with complex heart defects during their first year.

Integration of Child Life Specialists in Pediatric Imaging

Certified specialists provide relaxation and familiarization services to patients and families before MRIs and a second scanning test that precludes sedation. This type of intervention has proven effective in a California study. The hospital's Child Life and Pediatric Imaging departments are prepared to further validate the findings. The goal is to eliminate recovery room stays and possible side effects from sedation.

Cardiac Neonatal Cooling Study to Save Lives, Reduce Disabilities

The hospital is in the forefront of a new care standard for infants who didn't get enough oxygen during birth. The principal investigator can expand her initial work to gain more potentially life-saving and disability-reducing knowledge of how to apply an infant cooling technique most effectively. This is a unique opportunity to obtain critical data as part of a national research network.
Innovative Treatment of Chronic Migraines in Children

The neurologist leading the hospital's Headache Clinic hopes to continue studying the effect of Vitamin D on chronic migraines in children. Her goal is to reduce their severity and frequency. Recent studies suggest that Vitamin D may have an important treatment role, which her clinical study of 140 patients could help validate.

Hamtramck School-Based Health Center

The future of this community outreach program, which has provided treatments, immunizations and other preventive care since 2000, is jeopardized by cuts in support from the state and school district. The clinic is a critical resource for families with barriers to health care access, particularly the uninsured and new legal immigrants. It's also a vital pathway to school enrollment and a healthy future.

Congenital Cardiac Interventional Study Consortium

As host of a global network of pediatric cardiologists, the hospital is well-positioned to expand a national database established to decrease complications from pediatric heart catheterizations. Phase I documented risk factors, based on 15,000 cases. Seed funding now is needed to analyze root causes of complications -- knowledge that can reduce mortality rates and avoid lifelong rehabilitation care.
Helping these programs go forward will have a direct impact on children's health care, medical knowledge and Southeast Michigan's image as a center for innovative leadership.

Campaign Chair, Matt Friedman said, "These projects would be impressive and of interest to parents regardless of where they were happening. The fact that they are going on right here, in Metro Detroit, allows an opportunity for our donors to contribute to some of the best research and patient care in the world. This should be a point of pride for all of us."

The Foundation also announced a generous $75,000 Challenge Gift from an anonymous donor. Between today, June 17 and Labor Day, September 1, 2014, gifts will be matched dollar for dollar up to a cumulative $75,000. Gifts can be made by mail, phone, online or by texting the Keyword KIDS to 85944 for a $10 donation.

Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation

Established in 2003, the Foundation is dedicated to advancing the health and healthcare of the children of Michigan by raising philanthropic support for pediatric medical education, groundbreaking pediatric research, the prevention of childhood diseases and injuries, and to advocate for children and their safety. The Foundation granted more than $5 million in 2012 for these important community initiatives. The Foundation is an independent Foundation governed by a 24-member community board of directors, and is recognized as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. To stay up to date with the CHM Foundation, like the Foundation on Facebook or visit the website at www.chmfoundation.org.