As a caring friend of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, we wanted to share some wonderful news with you…

 For the second consecutive year, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is one of only seven children’s hospitals in the nation – and the only pediatric medical center on the West Coast – ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties and named to the national “Honor Roll” of children’s hospitals in the United States.  The current U.S. News & World Report rankings were recently released online.

 This acknowledgment by U.S. News & World Report is a direct result of our wonderful team of physicians, nurses, clinical staff and employees who work hard every day to provide the best care possible to our patients and their families. This recognition is also a testament to the hard work of our Board of Trustees and our Safety Quality Services Committee, which oversees quality management at our hospital.

 The article on “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” will be published in the August issue of U.S. News & World Report, and will be available on newsstands in late July.

 We plan to publicize this wonderful news with advertisements (see below) in U.S. News & World Report, Los Angeles Times, Daily News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star News, Whittier Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, Pasadena Magazine, California Pediatrician as well as website advertising with the Times and Daily News online. Please see the attached sample advertisement included with this email.

 Thank for all you do to make an honor like this a reality!

We are thrilled when one of our young friends steps up and asks if they can chair an event for Maddi’s Closet – and eleven year old Claire Miller did just that!  Claire took on the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles “Sock and Video” Drive for her WACC Serve Week Project.  What a success it was!  Claire, with a little help from Megan Chacon, reached out to friends for donations and sold donuts and cupcakes to reach her goal.  Claire and her mother recently visited CHLA, delivering 300 pair of socks and 44 DVD’s to the patients in the Cancer Ward.

CHLA was thrilled to have the donations.  The economy has greatly impacted their ability to provide the patients with many of the little extras that mean so much.  Claire, Maddi’s Closet sends a great big hug to you for caring in such a special way.  You make a difference in other children’s lives!  Thank you!

Plans are underway – The 6th Annual Mad Dash Fundraiser, will be held in November or December, 2010 at La Serna High School in Whittier.  Again this year, we are hoping for a beautiful crisp morning, a great pancake breakfast co-hosted by the La Mirada Kiwanis Club and the Greater Whittier Kiwanis Club, lots of volunteers helping out, lots of participants walking, running, cheering, and in general – having a great time and walking to raise funds to support children with cancer!  Watch for updates as plans progress.

CHLA works hard to make sure the newly diagnosed children and their families are informed and prepared for the process they will be going through by providing them with a copy of the Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors: A Guide for Families,Friends and Caregivers written by Authors: Tania Shiminski-Mayer; Patsy McGuire Cullen, Maria Sansalone

The paperback book costs around $30.00 each. From personal experience, we can tell you that the book helped us through our experience, answering many questions along the way.

If you would like to help with this project, please mail a donation to us. Or, you can pick up a copy and mail that to us. We have been able to take 30 copies to CHLA. We need to provide at least 30 more. Let us know if you have any questions.

The Videos for Heroes Project, headed by Maddi’s 12 year-old cousin, Nick Picarella, was a wonderful success! He delivered over $1,600.00 worth of new or gently used video systems and games to Childrens Hospital 4th Floor, establishing a game library for the little patients in 2007. Our hats off to Nick!

ANYONE wanting to add to the video game system and game library at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles can donate new or gently used systems and under age 12 appropriate games by mailing to:

From Maddi’s Closet
% Nick Picarella Games for Heroes Project
15519 Surrey Lane
La Mirada, California 90638

Donations by check that you wish to be used specifically for this program should be noted on the check. If you have any questions, please call us (562) 943-3684

From Maddi’s Closet
Medical Advisory Board
Director, Dr. Jonathan Finlay, Neuro-Oncology
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Moise Danielpour, M.D., Pediatric Neurosurgery

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Jonathan Finlay, M.D., Neuro-Oncology
Barbara Britt, RN, MSN, Pediatric Oncology nursing
Karla Garcia, LCSW, Neuro-Oncology social worker
Sharon O’Neil, Ph.D., Pediatric Neuro-psychology

Childrens Hospital of Orange County
Lennie Sender, M.D.,Pediatric Oncology

City of Hope National Medical Center
Michael Jensen, M.D., Pediatric Oncology

Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara
Daniel Greenfield, M.D., Pediatric Oncology

Kaiser Permanente-Sunset
Robert Cooper, M.D., Pediatric Oncology

Loma Linda University Medical Center
Albert Kheradpour, M.D., Pediatric Oncology

Miller Children’s Hospital/Long Beach Memorial Hospital
Jerry Finklestein, M.D., Pediatric Oncology
Joel Cherlow, M.D., Radiation Oncology

UCLA/ Mattel Childrens Hospital
Joseph Lasky, M.D., Pediatric Oncology

UC-San Diego
Rich Kadota, M.D., Pediatric Oncology