Cardinal Kids Director Dannelle Hester blows bubbles with our first pediatric palliative patient.
Carolina Caring’s Cardinal Kids Program recently held a special event to celebrate how much progress the pediatric program has made in just three years. Staff, board members and other supporters gathered for the happy occasion, where it was announced that the program has delivered expert palliative and hospice care to more than 100 seriously ill children and their families.
The program was inspired by the personal experience of Dannelle Hester, the program’s Director of Pediatric Palliative Care, whose son, Ethan, was the first child served in the organization’s Catawba Valley Hospice House. “When my son experienced a serious illness, we longed for the emotional and physical support that comes from a program like Cardinal Kids,” says Dannelle. “The holistic approach offered by the program really supports families and gives them time back to spend with their children.”
Established and funded as part of a grant from The Duke Endowment in 2019, this unique pediatric specialty program began as a pilot and quickly grew throughout its first three years. Currently, it is funded partially by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance, but the program is primarily supported by fundraising dollars secured by Carolina Caring and Carolina Caring’s Foundation.
While other pediatric palliative programs deliver home-based, private-duty nursing, Cardinal Kids offers a full spectrum of pediatric specialty care for children ages 0 to 18 through home visits by board-certified doctors and nurse practitioners. By bringing together different pediatric health care specialties under one program, parents don't have to face serious illness alone or jump through hoops to try to find what treatment protocols are best suited to their child’s individual needs.
“Cardinal Kids is a wonderful program that I am so grateful for,” said Kerry Fleenor, Mother of Emily Fleenor, the first child served by the Cardinal Kids program. “The support we received was unparalleled and made all the difference in helping our family heal.”
Another unique feature of Cardinal Kids is the prenatal program for families who have discovered their babies may be born with a life-threatening condition — news of which can be overwhelming.
“I am humbled and reminded of our mission and purpose when our team shares stories of walking along side parents when their child is experiencing a life-threatening illness,” says Dana Killian, President and CEO of Carolina Caring. "We're so honored to support families in our community during some of the most difficult times in their lives."
For more information about the Cardinal Kids program, visit CarolinaCaring.org/cardinalkids.
Carolina Caring, founded in 1979, is an independent, community-based, nonprofit healthcare provider. It specializes in programs that offer relief from chronic conditions, serious illnesses, and the challenges they bring, including palliative medicine and hospice care for all ages, primary care and grief counseling. Currently, Carolina Caring serves 12 counties across western North Carolina and the Charlotte Region. For more information about Carolina Caring, please call 828.466.0466 or visit www.CarolinaCaring.org.