Greetings LG Health Foundation donor family and warm regards to you during these cold months!

Below are some stories and updates from around LG Health that illustrates the impact philanthropy plays in our not-for-profit health system. We’ve also included information about COVID-19 vaccines and our progress to vaccinate our community.

Thank you for your support of the LG Health Foundation and LG Health!

March is Child Life Month!

In March, Lancaster General Hospital and hospitals worldwide celebrate Child Life Specialists and the Child Life profession through education and awareness of their work. Child Life Specialists help normalize the hospital experience for children and bring joy, comfort, and specialized care to hospitalized kids and their families.

We're celebrating and recognizing the Child Life Specialists at Lancaster General Hospital by sharing some of their most memorable moments from the past year.

"One of my most memorable moments from this past year was working with a teenage patient all too familiar with the hospital due to chronic health problems since infancy. He reminded me that patients themselves are often our greatest teachers. Teenagers are often known for wanting privacy and that it's not 'fun' or 'cool' to hang out with adults. Still, this particular patient welcomed the opportunity to play board games and reflect on his hospitalizations through the years. He used words like "my veins are broken" and "the hospital is a normal place for me to be." I felt a sense of gratitude when I left work that day. Our Pediatric patients endure so many hard things when being hospitalized, and it's truly a privilege to be part of their hospital journey and to see how courageous, brave and resilient they are. They inspire me daily, and I feel so grateful to be a part of Pediatrics and Child Life at LGH."

- Becky, Child Life Specialist

"A young preschooler came into the Emergency Department with a toy stuck on a finger. As a Child Life Specialist, I began building that important therapeutic trusting relationship by comforting the patient and slowly engaging them in play. A Child Life Specialist's distraction bag is full of various interesting toys to help children cope through their world of play. The patient's favorites were the various spin lights. During play, the patient was distracted so that the toy could be cut off the patient's finger. Throughout procedures, a Child Life Specialist also uses non-threatening language to explain to the child what the medical professional is doing to help them feel better. The young child was reassured that the finger would be freed. The patient coped well and was discharged. Two months later, a mother had a young sick child lying in her arms wrapped in a blanket. While passing the Child Life Specialist's desk on the way to their room, the child spotted the familiar distraction bag full of toys. The child's face lit up as I handed the patient her favorite spin light. It was the same child from two months ago!"

- Janet, Child Life Specialist

"One of the most memorable moments of the past year was Christmas 2020. Due to the pandemic, we had restricted visitor guidelines, and the typical holiday celebrations were canceled. It was a tough time to be hospitalized, especially for a child. We were overwhelmed with joy by the annual donors who continued to give and GAVE MORE during the pandemic. The East Cocalico Police collected brand new items at their station and delivered them to the Child Life team. We still get excited thinking about working Christmas Eve, playing music, and wrapping gifts with the nurses to surprise the families. The tears of joy from the patients and families will be something we will always remember."

Kate & Michelle, Child Life Specialists

Child Life is not a billable service in hospitals, so we rely on philanthropy to fund these vital positions in our Seraph-McSparren Pediatric Inpatient Unit at LGH and the Emergency Room. Our goal during the next three years is to grow the Child Life program so that our youngest patients have access to this important service at all points of care across the LG Health system.

Support Child Life

Donor Advised Funds: Making a DAF-ference

You may have previously made the wise financial decision to make a charitable gift to a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). However, your gift will remain unfinished unless you take the next step and direct a gift to Lancaster General Health. Directing a gift from your DAF could help accelerate our work in cancer research or fund scholarships for nurses. Your donation could make the difference in someone's fight against heart disease or support pediatric patients at Lancaster General Hospital.

Let us help you finish what you so generously started. Contact your Donor Advised Fund and direct a gift to Lancaster General Health today.

Don’t have a DAF but are interested in learning more about this giving vehicle? You can establish a DAF through Penn Medicine that provides you with a convenient way to support your favorite charities, including LG Health.

Questions about DAF’s or Planned Giving?

Contact Crystal Mills at Crystal.Mills@pennmedicine.upenn.edu or 717-544-5956.

Image credit: wisergiving.org

Our patients and their families often ask how they can “give back” to those who have made a difference in the care they received through Lancaster General Health. Our Healthcare Hero program allows you to recognize a caregiver who has made a meaningful impact on your life, by making a gift in his/her honor.

Although the amount of your gift remains confidential, your Healthcare Hero will be notified of your honorary gift. We'll also share your message of gratitude, acknowledging the good work they do for you and our community.

Your gift of appreciation is guaranteed to stay local and change patient lives. Philanthropic support allows us to invest in people, programs, innovative technology, and new facilities across LG Health.

Honor a Healthcare Hero

Join the Women's Giving Circle

Since 2006, the Women's Giving Circle (WGC) has funded projects and programs throughout women's and children's health service lines at LG Health.

The Women's Giving Circle allows members to pool their annual membership gifts to support projects that will improve the community's health and well-being. All members get to vote on the presented projects each spring, giving every member a voice in where their collective investment is directed.

Membership gifts are accepted on a rolling basis from September through April. All membership gifts received by the proposal presentation meeting (held in mid to late April) will be pooled to fund the proposals/projects with the highest number of votes from the group.

Join the Women's Giving Circle

Vaccine Resources

As your partner in good health, LG Health is committed to sharing information about COVID-19 vaccines and our progress to vaccinate our community. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on LG Health's vaccination efforts, visit LGHealth.org/Vaccine. To view updates on phases and to view dashboards by county, visit the PA Department of Health's Vaccination page.

We encourage LG Health patients to create a MyLGHealth account. If you have not already done so, sign up here. This will make the scheduling process easier and more efficient when it’s your turn to schedule your vaccine.

We’ve compiled links to some recent news stories featuring contributions from LG Health leaders, as well as links to information that we cite when giving advice to our own patients, friends and family.

Video: Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s Dr. Joseph Kontra answers questions about the COVID-19 vaccine with WGAL viewers

Pre-Recorded Zoom Meeting: Vaccine Town Hall features Senator Ryan Aument and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s Dr. Michael Ripchinski

Video: Cherise Y. Hamblin, MD, Associate Director, OB-GYN at LG Health Physicians Family & Maternity Medicine, joined three other physicians for a virtual town hall on the impact COVID-19 has had on communities of color, hosted by abc27

USA Today Article: COVID-19 vaccines 100 percent effective in stopping hospitalizations and death

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