Long Branch, N.J.-- – The Saint Barnabas Health Care System today announced the involvement of its two Children’s Hospitals in a new nonprofit foundation, Together for Kids™, which will raise funds nationally to help member hospitals cope with dramatic increases in the health needs of children.
The Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark BethIsrael Medical Center and are both participating members of Together for Kids.
“The children of our region and across America are facing increasing challenges to their health and well-being—challenges that include the growing numbers of uninsured children and the rising rate of childhood obesity,” says Ronald J. Del Mauro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Saint Barnabas Health Care System. “We are pleased to be part of this exciting new initiative and its mission to rally more resources to improve children’s health in the U.S.”
The announcement from the Saint Barnabas Health Care System was in conjunction with a press conference held September 26 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. for the launch of Together for Kids.
Children’s Health Problems Increasing, Funding Declining
A variety of troubling statistics demonstrate the need to focus more resources on children’s health. Since the 1980s, the percentage of overweight children has jumped from six percent to 17 percent, the number of children with asthma has doubled, and the number of uninsured children has risen to more than 11 percent of all children.
“While the needs are increasing, funding for children’s hospitals is declining,” says Margaret C. Fisher, M.D., FAAP, Medical Director of The Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. “Together for Kids has been created to support the critical work of children’s hospitals in caring for seriously ill and injured kids, and to make a focused effort on the issues of childhood obesity and accident prevention.”
Helping Children’s Hospitals Help Kids
Together for Kids consists of 34 children’s hospitals and hospital systems, representing 53 individual facilities serving children in 47 U.S. cities. As a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) public charity, Together for Kids will raise funds through corporate sponsorship, events, grants and other forms of philanthropy, distributing the funds to member hospitals to address their most urgent children’s health needs.
Pediatric specialists from the Together for Kids hospitals who make up its Physicians Advisory Committee have prioritized the issues of childhood obesity and accident prevention as critical challenges where the member hospitals will work together to make a real difference.
To learn more about Together for Kids, check out www.togetherforkids.org.
About The Children's Hospital at MonmouthMedicalCenter
As a regional leader dedicated to children’s health, The Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center offers the highest level of pediatric care for newborns to adolescents, including leading edge treatments and specialized expertise. More than 130 pediatricians are affiliated with the Monmouth Medical Center’s pediatric attending staff and more than half are subspecialty trained. The Children’s Hospital has extensive subspecialty outpatient services for children with chronic illnesses, a Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU), part of Monmouth's state-designated regional perinatal center, a Cystic Fibrosis Center and a Ronald McDonald House. For a referral to a pediatrician or specialist from The Children’s Hospital Monmouth Medical Center, please call 1-888-SBHS-123.
Date: September 26, 2007
CONTACT: Beth Salamon
Public Relations
(973) 322-4926, esalamon@sbhcs.com
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