And that’s why there’s West Metro Miracle League. WMML is a non-profit organization run by volunteers which gives children between the ages of 3 and 19 with any cognitive and/or physical challenges the great opportunity to play baseball. Last year in the west metro, 12 teams – comprised of 132 players – hit the diamonds at Bennett Family Park in Minnetonka to play ball! There are also leagues in the north, east and south metro areas – visit the Miracle League page to get more details on these opportunities.
PHS brought in the first real days of spring by teaming up with the Pirates from West Metro Miracle League for a fun game of baseball on May 7 (see more pictures from the night here). After lacing up our shoes and practicing our swing, we had a great evening of batting, running, catching and cheering each other on. It was a perfect evening for it, and the St. Paul Saints were there to provide some entertainment to boot! Everyone was a winner that night, and the energy that the players brought to the field was enough to remind every buddy, coach, and spectator why programs like this are so important.
A Place Where Hope Grows.
Each spring, PHS employees look for forward to one event that happens rain or shine (or sleet) – the annual Spring Clean-Up for Faith’s Lodge.
On May 10, 26 volunteers drove to Danbury, Wisconsin for another fun and productive weekend of cleaning and landscaping at the lodge. Last year, we were there for their Tree Planting Day to revive the land after a storm knocked a huge number of the trees down in 2011. This year, we went there with a mission to plant more trees (80, to be exact), stain their playground and benches, lay grass seed, and plant flowers. Although the sleet and temperatures didn’t scream spring, we know the sunshine and warm weather is on its way and wanted to do whatever we could to ensure families will be able to enjoy the amazing surroundings, resources and reflection space that Faith’s Lodge provides.
If you’re the parent of a medically-complex or seriously ill child, it’s not too late to join other families at Faith’s Lodge for the week of June 25-30. If you’re interested, please contact PHS clinician at 651-642-1825. If you or someone you know could benefit from Faith’s Lodge this week or any other time of year, please visit their website to learn more.
To keep up with what PHS is doing in the community, like us on Facebook – we love to hear from you!
As organizations around the nation recognized the amazing efforts and opportunities that volunteers bring last week during National Volunteer Week, we couldn’t help but think back on our past year and the time, energy and dedication our staff brought to events that PHS’s community program, Sharing Care, participated in. From Ronald McDonald House to Faith’s Lodge and many in between, PHS was out getting involved and helping in the community of families that we take care of every day.
Sharing Care was created in 2008 to expand how we define taking care of the child, and is designed to:
Take our charitable giving one step further
Encourage generosity
Align our charitable giving with our mission to take care of the child, and
Provide PHS employees with the opportunity to donate time to programs and events in the community that are directly associated with serving medically-complex and underprivileged children and adolescents.
The numbers speak for themselves – throughout the past year, nearly 100 PHS staff have donated over 350 hours of personal time doing activities like donating blood, planting trees, donning bald caps, answering phones, pedaling, donating toys, being buddies in baseball and basketball, or cooking dinners for families. So while we remembered the importance of volunteering throughout last week, it’s also something that is in our minds year-round. Philanthropy has been in PHS’s culture since its doors opened over two decades ago, and continues to prove important to those who work here today.
With another year full of volunteer opportunities ahead, we’re looking forward to the ways we can give to others and continue taking care of the child in as many ways as possible! Do you have any upcoming volunteer activities you’re participating in? We always love to see members of the community helping out.
Many children grow up attending various camps, clinics and games specific to the sport that they’re involved in. This serves as a great tool for them to improve their skills, build relationships and learn how to follow instructions.
However, when Julie Hagen started looking for basketball camps for her son Lucas, who has Down syndrome, she soon realized there weren’t the same opportunities for physically or cognitively impaired children. Once she started talking to parents of children in a similar situation, she quickly realized there was a lot of interest in creating a clinic for them and soon, iCAN hoop was created through West Metro Miracle Athletics (WMMA) and more than 50 kids participated the first season. This past season, the basketball clinic held 12 clinics (six for ages 5-9 and six for ages 10-19) and runs with each player being paired with a buddy as they work through circuits such as ball handling, dribbling, passing and shooting – giving them the chance to gain the same meaningful lessons and experiences other clinics bring.
14 Sharing Care volunteers brushed up on their basketball techniques to be buddies with participants in one of the clinics held last Sunday, April 14th in Chanhassen. The players and buddies alike had a great time moving up and down the court, learning basketball skills and making friends! You can see the clinics in action and hear more of the iCAN hoop story here – it’s one that we strongly believe in, as the players get out in their community and involved in activities that allow them to learn, achieve and thrive. We were so amazed by all of the participants and look forward to participating in the WMMA’s baseball league this spring and summer!
Thanks to programs such as iCAN hoop, kids of all abilities and skill sets can get involved in the activities they love – and that is something that we love!
On Friday, March 22nd, a crowd of Faith’s Lodge supporters gathered at the Fine Line Music Café for Hope Thrives, an evening dedicated to celebrating this amazing non-profit organization and the important resources it provides for families who are facing the serious illness or death of a child. While the Ben Johnson Band raised the roof, Faith’s Lodge raised money – $3500, to be exact – that will go towards helping families who need the healing and restorative powers of this space in Danbury, Wisconsin.
Faith’s Lodge and PHS have been longtime partners, and a lot of events and opportunities that we’ve participated in together have been featured on this blog. We see such a strong connection between what they do and what we do – bringing care to families with a medically-complex child. Whether that is medical or emotional, a more complete circle of care is provided when Faith’s Lodge and PHS are involved – and that means the best outcomes for the families and the patients.
With all of this in mind, we were happy to present this evening of music, dance and reflection for an organization whose mission we see as such a crucial service for families as they navigate the ups and downs of dealing with a complex medical condition. Guests watched a video that told the stories of families who had been impacted by Faith’s Lodge firsthand, a touching piece you can see here, between sets by the band. Everyone had a great time cutting a rug, and it was all for a wonderful cause that will have a meaningful impact on those who need Faith’s Lodge for retreat and reflection in the future.
Have you or someone you know been impacted by Faith’s Lodge? We’d love to hear about your time there.
On Saturday, February 23rd, ten PHS volunteers climbed 30 flights of stairs at the Accenture Tower in Minneapolis for the American Lung Association Fight for Air Climb. As an event that happens around the country to raise money for improved lung health and lung disease prevention through research, clean air initiatives and educational programs, Sharing Care was happy to get involved in this cause along with over 800 participants across the state.
PHS respiratory therapists use the most advanced technologies every day to help our patients breathe easy at home, and joining alongside organizations like the American Lung Association means supporting the opportunity for everyone to have improved lung health and care.
The event, raising over $240,000, included a firefighter climb which involved fire departments taking on all 30 flights dressed in complete gear with oxygen tanks on their back. We were pretty impressed, since our team thought getting up all 660 stairs was pretty difficult without any of the additional accessories. But mostly, we were proud to go above and beyond our fundraising goal and see so many other people coming to support this cause.
PHS is excited to announce that our Medical Director Roy Maynard, M.D., has joined the Spare Key Board of Directors. Dr. Maynard will provide insight and guidance to the nonprofit organization as it continues to assist families and expand its network.
Spare Key has been helping the community for the past 16 years by providing mortgage payments for families who have seriously ill or critically injured children in the hospital, to better ensure parents will be able to remain present and active in their children’s care.
With the parallels in mission, the partnership between Pediatric Home Service and Spare Key that has existed for 3 years will be made stronger with Dr. Maynard joining the board. PHS’s Sharing Care community outreach program has partnered with Spare Key through monetary donations, participation in their annual fundraiser, The Groove, and earlier this year with the fun and unique experience to ‘Pedal to the Max‘, pedaling a 10 man bike for 24 hours straight.
“PHS and Spare Key have always had a natural connection through their common goal – keeping families together,” said Dr. Maynard. “As more patients are receiving their medical care at home, I look forward to collaborating with other members of the board to expand the opportunities Spare Key has to serve families in the area.”
As the organization moves forward, and with the input of Dr. Maynard, it plans to adjust the eligibility guidelines to include patients who are being treated through homecare as well as those who are in the hospital.
PHS volunteers had a blast last Friday, September 28 at Aria at the Jeune Lune celebrating Faith’s Lodge. The event marked the 5th year of rocking out for a good cause. With performances by Eric Hutchinson and Martin Zeller, guests enjoyed food from Crave, henna tattoos and rockin’ hair do’s from the stylists at Simonson’s.
Faith’s Lodge provides a place where parents and families facing the serious illness or loss of a child can retreat to reflect on the past, renew strength for the present and build hope for the future.
The PHS volunteers enjoying the night raising money and rocking out to Eric Hutchinson and Martin Zeller.
Families had fun at this free event taking pictures in the photo booth, getting full face painting, crazy hair do’s and playing with different musical instruments from around the globe. In addition to the fun stations the entertainment couldn’t be beat, Beachcomber Bob, a performance from Circus Manduhai, muscial group Bazillions and Okee Dokee Brothers.
Having a chronic illness not only impacts the child with the condition but also the entire family. HopeKids understands this challenge and strives to support these families with the message that hope can be the most powerful medicine of all. HopeKids events provides kids and parents with the opportunity to connect with others in similar situations. That invaluable connection helps families know they’re not alone.
HopeKids provides ongoing events & activities and a powerful, unique support community for children with cancer and other life-threatening medical conditions free of charge for the whole family. With events such as go-cart racing, football clinics with the University of Minnesota Gopher football team, private movie screenings, twins games and not to mention their annual HopeDay festival. When you’re at a HopeKids event you can be sure there will be no shortage of fun or hope for these children, their siblings and parents.
3rd Year at the Festival- still going strong
Sharing Care volunteers were lucky enough to participate for the 3rd year in a row in the 6th Annual HopeDay Festival, hosted by HopeKids! MN on September 9th. We had a blast with all the kids and their families, painting faces and fishing for prizes at the PHS go fish wall and attempting to make life size bubbles. Although the bubbles weren’t much of a success the kids still had fun playing in the sudsy pool anyway.
The festival marks the end of the HopeKids season and is the organization’s largest event of the year. This year’s festival attendance topped out at around 1,000 HopeKids families, approximately 400 student athletes and an additional 50 volunteers. The festival had fun events such as BMX bike show, blow up jumpers, dunk tank, pony rides, basketball, putt-putt golf and so much more. Thank you to HopeKids for letting Sharing Care be a part of the festivities. Check out our amateur face painting skills and all the fun we had at the PHS booth in the slideshow below.
Were any of you lucky readers at the event? If so, what was your favorite part?
PHS employees are pretty lucky to work for an organization that puts such importance on giving back and volunteering time. We get fantastic opportunities to be out in the community supporting like-minded organizations that support medically-fragile kids and their families. This week, Sharing Care volunteers had a great time helping out at the Coleberry Golf Tournament benefiting HopeKids MN! We spent the morning helping out with the kids golf clinic on the driving range and the putting green. In the evening we had fun driving the golf carts around the course taking down tents once the tournament was over. But a word to the wise, watch out for the poles when taking down tents, PHS volunteer, Bruce, will tell you that they don’t feel too good on your head. You can check out all of the pictures on the PHS Facebook page.
HopeKids MN is an organization that provides ongoing events & activities and a powerful, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or some other life-threatening medical condition. Have you heard of HopeKids? Do your kids participate in their events? If so, what has your favorite been? We’d love to hear from you.
Did you know that this Sunday, July 22nd is National Parents’ Day? If you were looking for something to celebrate this weekend, I think you’ve found just the occasion.
Just a few of our amazing PHS parents.
According to the National Parents’ Day Council website, although similar to Mother’s and Father’s day, Parents’ Day focuses on “recognizing, uplifting and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children.” In 1994 President Bill Clinton signed into law a resolution adopted by the US Congress to establish the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents’ Day.
PHS would like to take a moment to recognize all of the parents who care for our amazing patients. You deserve many accolades, likely far more than are typically given to you. You devote yourself to the well being of your child and for that we thank you. I myself, am not a parent to a medically-fragile child, but you better believe that myself, along with everyone here at PHS, are your greatest cheerleaders. You all provide me with inspiration on a daily basis with your courage, determination, intelligence and most of all the love you show your children. I am going to pull a quote from one of my all-time favorite blog posts recognizing parents of special needs children.
“You rock because you involuntarily calculate the thousand different variables in every situation and adjust for them on the fly. Because you are alert for the danger, the triggers, the anything, the everything that might turn everything on a dime. Twenty, thirty, hundreds of times a day. Navy Seals have nothing on you, kid.” ~Jess
