Community Groups Make Christmas Magical for Ill and Hospitalized Children and Their Families
The Committee to Benefit the Children (CBC) at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, volunteers from LaSalle College High School, and the generosity of Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services of New Jersey and Pennsylvania make Christmas magical for children with life-threatening illnesses.
Families struggling with medical bills, loss of income and family separation often do not have the extra money for holiday gifts during a difficult time. Through the annual Secret Santa Project, close to 60 families, children and their parents, will receive gifts through the efforts of LaSalle College High School students, CBC, and Preferred Home Health Care.
Stephanie Kulak, director of nursing for Preferred Home Health Care at the Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania office who serves on the board of CBC, said, “Each year Santas go to every home with the gifts and a full ‘meal in a bag,’ including a turkey and all the fixings, provided by Preferred. We realized a few years ago that while everyone received gifts, they didn’t have anything as basic as a dinner to enjoy.”
Last year, more than 800 gifts were collected, an additional $8,000 in donations was raised to purchase additional gifts, and over 20 percent of the students at La Salle College High School spent their Christmas Eve delivering presents.
For more information, contact Lisa Gallicchio, marketing executive, at 800-603-2273. Also visit PreferredCares.com.
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services:
Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit Preferred at PreferredCares.com for more information.
About St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children (SCHC), Philiadelphia: SCHC is a children’s specialty hospital, offering a wide range of health care services for children from birth through 21 years of age. With the expertise of 220 pediatric specialists, medical services include developmental disorders, orthopedic disabilities, heart conditions, or debilitating allergies or chest colds, earaches, school physicals or scheduled immunizations. SCHC is provider of inpatient, outpatient and emergency pediatric care to children of the Delaware Valley, Lehigh Valley and Southern/Central New Jersey communities, as well as a teaching site for future pediatric providers.