patients connected with Emily Falzone, pediatric art therapist
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Your generous contributions to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Annual Fund play a crucial role in supporting over 20 programs that rely on philanthropic support to continue. By supporting this fund, you help ensure that we can provide exceptional care and offer vital services to our smallest patients and their families.
Click here to view the HDVCH Annual Fund Summary for a comprehensive view of the programs that benefitted from philanthropy this year.
Program Highlights
Parents Helping Parents
The Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center’s Parent-to-Parent Program continues to provide important support for parents of our tiniest patients. When a baby is born and there are medical complications that require the baby to receive care in The Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center (NICU), it can leave parents with many questions. This program pairs them with past NICU parents who serve as “mentors” to guide them through the complex medical system. This past year the program was expanded to offer this support to bereaved families. These volunteers are also invited to speak to our new nurses as part of our orientation throughout the year and share stories of their work, highlighting the importance of this program.
Caregiver Meals Pilot Program
In 2024, HDVCH piloted a program to supplement the nutrition of families with Medicaid during their child’s hospitalization. When parents are spending time in the hospital with their child, one of the expenses they face is the cost of food for themselves. For those who can’t afford the cost, they will often skip meals, which can lead to their own illness. Philanthropy is covering the cost of two meals per day until their Medicaid meal card arrives.
Art Therapy
The child and family life team’s very first art therapist, Emily Falzone, experienced her first full year of serving patients. She was able to bring the magic of art to the bedside and in the form of group therapy to the medical-psychiatric unit and Ethie Haworth Children’s Cancer Center. Participating in group art therapy creates community for those who are navigating similar diagnoses. Your generosity helps with the purchase of supplies, such as those used for medical painting, which allows patients to paint with real medical supplies including syringes, IV-catheters, gauze and more. Participating in this type of art therapy can give them a better understanding of how the tools work and a greater sense of autonomy.
Facility Dog Indi
The child and family life team welcomed facility dog, Indi, to the team. Indi’s first official day was in October, and it didn’t take long for her to become one of the most treasured team members! Indi and her handler, Child Life Specialist Spencer Slaghuis, are spending most of their time in the radiology and sedation spaces, providing comfort and support to kids who are anxious and scared about what they are going to experience at the hospital. Indi has also been known to bring smiles to the team members throughout HDVCH.
Indi in Action!
Being in a small room, waiting for a procedure to begin, is hard for a 5-year-old. When this patient stepped out of her room to pass the time, she became excited. To her left was a beautiful familiar wagon — fun to ride in but even more fun to pull. To her right was a facility dog, Indi — fun to pet but even more fun to pull. This patient spent the next thirty minutes roaming the hall pulling her red wagon with 55lb golden retriever, Indi. This was a therapeutic experience for the patient to have control, be able to explore and see many smiling faces. It was clear that this would be a positive memory for this patient and this family for a long time.
matches were made in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center’s Parent to Parent Program
trays have been delivered to families as part of the caregiver meals program
patients connected with Emily Falzone, pediatric art therapist
matches were made in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center’s Parent to Parent Program
trays have been delivered to families as part of the caregiver meals program
patients connected with Emily Falzone, pediatric art therapist
matches were made in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center’s Parent to Parent Program
trays have been delivered to families as part of the caregiver meals program
patients connected with Emily Falzone, pediatric art therapist
matches were made in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center’s Parent to Parent Program
trays have been delivered to families as part of the caregiver meals program
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