CHOC Space

Every day, California Children’s Hospitals save lives. (I know. I see it every day.) Children with leukemia, cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease. 80% of kids with leukemia are making it. 90% are coming through delicate heart surgery. Proposition 3 doesn’t raise taxes. It gives the sickest kids in California the chance for a better life.

Proposition 3 will help California’s children’s hospitals meet the current and growing needs of our state’s most critically ill children.  If the bond is passed, CHOC is eligible to receive up to $98 million for expansion, renovation and the purchase of medical equipment.  The Children’s Hospital Bond Act is an investment in the lives of children served who will be cared for over the next three decades in the state’s premiere pediatric facilities, including CHOC.  Please visit www.imaginewithus.org to learn more.

Lollipop Live! will likely make the record books for CHOC as one of the most memorable days for our patients and their families. The exciting day started out with Ryan Seacrest broadcasting his top-rated morning show from inside CHOC’s Radio Lollipop studio. Celebrities stopped by throughout the day, including Heidi and Spencer from “The Hills,” Jesse McCartney, Ne-Yo, Misty May Treanor, Shawn and Kim Wayans, and more!

Families and guests were wooed with performances by Jesse and other artists who have hits on the R & B and pop charts. Disney sensation (and former Cosby kid) Raven Symone, was spotted on the floors and inside the patients’ rooms. She was a hit with patients and parents, alike.

The event also featured crafts and activities, with help from merchants from the Downtown Disney District and from Children’s Miracle Network sponsors. Patients, volunteers and staff took to the stage for “CHOC’S Got Talent,” giving the celebrity performers tough competition. (Check out our Residents in this video!)

KIIS-FM raised about $60,000 for CHOC – as of the last DJ sign off at 10 p.m.

I had such a blast…I can’t wait until next year! To view photos and more video from the event, visit http://www.kiisfm.com keyword CHOC!

I am so excited today because the great people at KIIS FM are broadcasting from CHOC all day today to celebrate Radio Lollipop’s Anniversary! There are so many cool things going on. Just tune your radio to 102.7 FM and you will hear Ryan Seacrest & Ellen, Sisanie, Boy Toy Jesse and JoJo (you can even listen online)! There are so many fun activities and ways to donate. Visit kiisfm.com keyword CHOC for more details, photos, video and so much more. Also, you can watch this video! If it gets 102,000 views, the Anaheim Ducks will donate $10,000 to CHOC!

Did you know that doctors at CHOC can talk directly with patients and doctors at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach without ever leaving the hospital in Orange? It’s true! Using robotic “telemedicine technology”, critical care specialists stationed at CHOC are able to assist Hoag Emergency Medicine physicians 24-hours-a-day in the evaluation and care of pediatric patients in the Hoag Emergency Care Unit. I just read this really great article about one of our docs in yesterday’s Orange County Register. It’s all about how he can talk with patients using this cool, life-sized robot. Click here to read the article.

Hey everyone! This year’s CHOC / Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park is October 19th!!! This is my absolute favorite CHOC event. I love getting up early, going to Disneyland and hanging out with all my Disney pals. Thousands of people come out to show their support for CHOC. Last year, we raised over $1.6 million for the hospital–and I’m sure we can raise even more this year! I heard we even have a cool, new social networking website just for CHOC Walk participants. Anyone can join and add their video, photos and stories about the walk. Check it out at http://members.chocwalk.org. And be sure to visit chocwalk.org to sign up for the walk. Can’t wait to see you all there!

Chivas USA visit patients at CHOC

My new friends on the Chivas USA soccer team stopped by the hospital to visit with patients on July 18th.  What a welcome these players received here!  CHOC kids and their families are big fans of the team, and had a lot of fun meeting the players and getting autographs.  The players hung out with the patients in our playrooms and were just the coolest.  I can see why they have such a large fan base.   Be sure to cheer them on this season!

Proud to be Magnet

I always knew our nurses were cool…but this proves it. On July 16, 2008 we received the call that CHOC had been awarded “Magnet recognition” for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).  What’s Magnet you ask? Well, The Magnet Recognition Program was developed by the ANCC to recognize quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in professional nursing practice. It also provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive. (I got that from the ANCC web site.) Receiving this designation puts us in the top 3% to 4% of hospitals in the nation! I’m so proud of all our nurses and to belong to such an amazing organization. But don’t just take my word for it, as the lead Magnet appraiser put it, “Magnet is what CHOC nurses and Associates do everyday and you do it exceptionally well.”  Go CHOC Nursing!!!

For more about this incredible honor, visit CHOC’s website.

Choco Appreciation Day

Wow…who would have thought they would have an appreciation day, just for me! June 28 was a happy day for me as patients and CHOC Associates celebrated “CHOCO Appreciation Day”. Associates wore CHOCO attire and Maggiano’s Little Italy supported the day by providing CHOCO-shaped cookies for patients to decorate in the Cafeteria. Maggiano’s also graciously gave treats to Associates and designed a huge, edible CHOCO Bear made out of (what else?) chocolate cake! Members of our Executive Management Team and patients helped decorate the huge cake and then we all enjoyed a great big piece. Many thanks to Maggiano’s for bringing lasting smiles and providing tremendous support to CHOC. This day was so much fun. I can’t wait for next year!