The New Year has come and it is an exciting time for our hospital. The staff is looking forward to a great year of serving children and helping kids defy the odds. We hope you'll take an active role in our hospitals by becoming a roadrunner, helping raise funds for our hospital or visiting the Cincinnati hospital...we welcome your involvement in the world's greatest philanthropy.
Saturday, May 16, 2009, 1 - 3:30 p.m. Open House and Family Day. This will be our traditional open house day, but with a twist. We're inviting families, patients and Shriners to come together at our Cincinnati hospital and celebrate our unique place in everyone's lives. There will be clown programs, craft stations, tours of the hospital and refreshments. I hope you'll make a point to stop by the hospital on this special day. If you would like to bring a group to perform or tour, please contact Louise Hoelker at (513)872-6059 or lhoelker@shrinenet.org. More information will be sent to all sponsoring Shrine Centers and many of our patients in the next few weeks.
Our roadrunner program has changed a bit...we are COMPUTERIZED...therefore when drivers sign in they will no longer get their patches, but rather they will be sent to them a short time after their trip to Cincinnati. With this change, it is very important for drivers to check that their name and address is correct in our records. This list is available in the sign-in book. And it is equally important that drivers write legibly so that we can record their correct name, address and shrine center.
The Cincinnati hospital just launched a patient ambassador program. Close to 50 patients and families expressed an interest in sharing their story with others. One of those ambassadors is Sara Christenson. Sara Christenson, 15, became a patient at the Cincinnati hospital after sustaining second- and third-degree burns on both hands when she touched the front of a hot oven when she was nine months old. Since being referred to Shriners Hospitals, Sara has received skin grafts on both hands and has had seven surgeries to expand the skin grafts. Now a freshman in high school, Sara is busier than the average teenager. She plays flute in the school's symphonic and marching bands, and she loves art. In addition to teaching Sunday school and being involved in her youth group, Sara is active in her school's Key Club, a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others. Most impressively, Sara is her freshman class president, making her a prominent face among her peers. Despite a busy school schedule, Sara continues her involvement with Shriners Hospitals. She is a Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery (SOAR) volunteer. As a patient ambassador, Sara has participated in numerous speaking engagements on behalf of the health care system, including the 2008 Imperial Council Session and the 2009 East West Shrine game.
So mark your date May 16, 2009 and come join the festivities at Cincinnati Shrine hospital for children.
Jerry Hardisty
Vice Chariman board of governors Cincinnati shrine hospital