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Working at Children's Hospital Boston offers employees the chance to help kids in big ways, but Katherine Hadley, MHSA, administrator in the new Pediatric Transplant Center (PTC), never expected to help by strolling along the Charles River. In September 2006, Hadley noticed that the hospital's transplant program was missing something: community involvement. So she put together a PTC team for NSTAR's Walk for Children's Hospital Boston. Last year, 44 people joined the team of PTC employees, patients and their families for the walk and raised almost $36,000 for Children's.
For many families, having a critically ill child is more than an emotional burden; it's a financial struggle. Funds raised at the walk help ease that burden and support the hospital's care, research and community health efforts. Knowing that the need is large, Hadley's team ramped up recruiting efforts for this year's walk with motivating emails to staff, frequent progress updates and invitation postcards. They set an even higher fundraising goal for this year: $70,000.
But the perks of walking aren't all about fundraising. Patient families spend the day with others who understand what they're going through. Staff members enjoy a day with colleagues and patients. There's free food and entertainment, too. "Walking alongside our patients, as a team, is one of the most gratifying things we can do," says Hadley. Start your own team or grab some friends and join the walk June 8.
For more information, visit childrenshospital.org/walk or 866-303-WALK. |
