Cardinal Kids Vice President, Pediatric Physician Services - Brooke Hata, MD and Director of Pediatric Palliative Care – Dannelle Hester, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Launched in September, Cardinal Kids helps families navigate the challenges that arise when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness
Carolina Caring has been awarded a $700,000 grant from The Duke Endowment to help fund Cardinal Kids, its community-based pediatric program launched in September that blends palliative medicine with curative treatment for seriously ill children and teens. These crucial funds will be used to provide comprehensive medical care, pain management and ongoing support to patients and their families initially in Burke, Alexander, Catawba and Lincoln counties. Cardinal Kids will expand its services over a 3-year period including Charlotte in late 2020.
Community-based pediatric palliative care adds an extra layer of support for seriously ill children, using a team approach to provide holistic, compassionate and individualized care. The program includes an assessment and customized plan of care addressing the physical, psychological, psychosocial and spiritual needs of the child, along with their families and caregivers. Clinicians provide expertise in treating symptoms and navigating complex medical decisions based on what matters most to patients and families. Services are most often provided to families in their homes. Carolina Caring is the only provider offering community-based pediatric palliative care in this region of North Carolina.
“Raising healthy children can be challenging. When a child is seriously ill, it can be simply overwhelming. We knew we wanted to do more to help these children, their moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and the whole family. We are so blessed to have a partner like The Duke Endowment, one of the most prolific philanthropic foundations in the nation,” says Dave Cook, President and CEO of Carolina Caring. “Their support is critical to ensuring the success of our new Cardinal Kids program. It is truly exciting to see what we can do together!”
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $3.6 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
For more information on Cardinal Kids or to learn more about how you can support this community effort, please call 828.466.0466.