Children’s Way A NEWSLETTER OF THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AUXILIARY | WINTER 2018
THANKS TO YOUR , SUPPORT KIDS LIKE LAUREN HAVE A HEALTHIER TOMORROW
Miracle Ball 2017 An Enchanted Evening
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Friends, As we move into the New Year, I’m inspired by how far we’ve come as an Auxiliary and excited by what lies ahead. Each one of you have played an integral role in be ering the lives of Arkansas’ children. The Holiday Card project under the direction of Aimee Shelby had an incredibly busy year, exceeding our goal and raising more than $56,000. Congratulations. The 550 a endees at this year’s Miracle Ball were wowed by Chairs Marisa and Jake Nabholz. A huge thank you to our Live Auction Chairs Marcy and Mark Doderer and Silent Auction Chair Stephanie Bynum. Thank you to every volunteer who made 2017 so successful. We could not do this without you. Looking ahead to 2018, I’m grateful for the leadership of Kristen Saffa as we near Arkansas á la Carte, and I’m excited to see the faces of the 2017-2018 class of Star ACHievers graduate later this spring with Ann Denis by their sides. Lastly, please remember your 10% discount at Playaway Gi Shop as you think about Easter, Mother’s Day or birthday treats for spring. Many thanks to Jennifer Schueck and the entire Playaway team for keeping the shop fresh and new. Thank you all for your continued commitment to the children of Arkansas. Let’s make 2018 the best year yet! Sincerely,
Marisa and Jake Nabholz hosted an enchanted evening for more than 550 guests at the 2017 Miracle Ball in Children’s Hall on Saturday, December 9. The night raised more than $660,000 for programs and services at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. This year’s Miracle Match raised more than $160,000 to support the purchase of six new patient monitors. Thank you to all our hardworking volunteers especially Marcy and Mark Doderer, the live auction chairs, and Stephanie Bynum, the silent auction chair, for making the night a great success.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS Nabholz Construction, The Nabholz Family Foundation, Jones and Son Diamond and Bridal Fine Jewelry, RebeccaRice & Associates, Blackmon Auctions, Inc., Colliers International, Sharilyn and Brent Gasaway, Glazer’s Beer & Beverage, Landers Visions, Lexicon Fabricators & Constructors, Cindy and Chip Murphy, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Arkansas and Windstream.
Marisa and Jake Nabholz 2017 Miracle Ball Chairs
Empowering The Next Generation Our Star ACHievers have had an incredible year. Led by Ann Denis, the girls have supported several events at ACH and learned a great deal about different job opportunities in the healthcare industry. They even had a hands-on experience where they extracted DNA from a strawberry at ACRI! If you have an incoming ninth grader interested in joining the 2018-2019 class, apply by June 30, 2018 at www.giving.archildrens.org/auxiliary.
Holiday Success! With more than 20 artists participating in this year’s project, including our featured artist Morgan Coven Herndon, our longest running fundraiser, the Holiday Card Project was a great success. Raising more than $56,000 and surpassing their 2017 goal, we are grateful to the planning commi ee and our volunteers for dedicating their time to the project!
We are now seeking 2018 ACH Holiday Card Artists. Mary-Margaret Marks
Deadline is March 30, 2018. Call 501-364-4235 for more details.
Lauren’s Extraordinary
Heart T
BY BLAIR NEEL
hirteen-year-old Lauren Reynolds has an extraordinary heart. In fact, she’s had three hearts, thanks to her team at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. In her young life, the Sheridan teen has undergone five open heart surgeries—including two heart transplants—and 24 cardiac catheterizations. When Jeannie was pregnant with Lauren, she and her husband David never imagined their baby would have a congenital heart defect. The expectant parents were over the moon to be adding to their family. And their 9-year-old daughter Jordan was excited to be a big sister. But when Lauren was just 8 days old, the family’s world turned upside down. Their local pediatrician was worried about Lauren and sent the family to Arkansas Children’s Hospital. By the time they got to the Emergency Department, Lauren was in cardiac shock. Within several hours, they were meeting with the cardiology team. The Reynolds’ precious newborn was diagnosed with hypoplastic le heart syndrome (HLHS), a condition in which the le side of the heart doesn’t form correctly. The first year of Lauren’s life was a blur. She had her first surgery at 4 weeks old. At 6 months her doctors found another defect they weren’t sure she could live with. But Lauren was a fighter, and at 15 months, she was able to have the second of three surgeries that children with HLHS need. It took her two months at Arkansas Children’s Hospital to recover, and her doctors worried that she wouldn’t survive the next surgery. So Lauren lived with the heart she had. Because her heart was weak, she was small for her age and always had blue lips and fingernails, but she thrived…until she was 8 years old.
Lauren’s heart began to fail. She was put on the heart transplant list and a er a scary five days on a heart/lung bypass machine, she received her first heart transplant. “She had been so sick for so long, and once she got her strength she did gymnastics and played soccer— all the things she wanted to try but had never been able,” says Jeannie. Lauren celebrated the one-year anniversary of her transplant in an extraordinary way: 21 random acts of kindness to honor the day, October 21, she received her new heart. She visited residents in a nursing home, paid for a stranger’s lunch, took balloons and candy to patients in the cardiovascular intensive care unit, and more. “She’s really the coolest kid and has the best heart,” says Jeannie. “She never feels sorry for herself. Even when she’s in the hospital and feels terrible and the steroids have taken a toll, she finds a way to get through it.” Two years a er Lauren’s first transplant, the doctors found extensive coronary artery disease—her body was rejecting her new heart. She was at high risk of having a massive heart a ack. For the second time in her young life, Lauren needed a new heart transplant. On her 11th birthday, Lauren underwent her second heart transplant at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Since her last transplant, Lauren’s heart has given her parents a few more scares. But they’re hopeful for a healthier tomorrow so their teen can continue to do the things she loves: traveling, listening to music and meeting her favorite bands, taking photos, and hanging out with her big sister Jordan.
Save the Dates 2018
MARCH 8 MARCH 13 APRIL 10 APRIL 30 MAY 15
Arkansas à la Carte | 6:30 p.m. | Children’s Hall Auxiliary Meeting | 11:30 a.m. | 1906 Beechwood Street Auxiliary Meeting | 11:30 a.m. | Children’s Hall Star ACHiever Graduation | 6 p.m. | Governor’s Mansion Auxiliary Meeting | 11:30 a.m. | Country Club of Little Rock
2017-2018 ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AUXILIARY OFFICERS President
Mary-Margaret Marks
First Vice President
Lindsey Gray
Second Vice President Treasurer
Terry Quinn Katharine Allen Adams
Recording Secretary
Meredith Flanagin
Corresponding Secretary Historian
Sue Frank Bobbi McDaniel
PROJECT CHAIRS Public Relations Hospitality Chair AR à la Carte Chair AR à la Carte Chair Elect
Anne Wallace LaRand Thomas Kimberly Bowman
Race For a Healthier Tomorrow Co-Chairs
Angie Johnson Ashley Parker
Race For a Healthier Tomorrow Chair Elect
Kristen Minton Jennifer Schueck
Playaway Chair Elect
Neal Lea
Star Achievers Chair
Ann Denis
Star Achievers Chair Elect Volunteer Chair Volunteer Chair Elect
For tickets visit www.archildrens.org/alacarte
Sara Beth Hughes
Holiday Cards Chair Elect
Playaway Chair
Savor lite bites from some of the best restaurants in town!
Kristen Saffa
Aimee Shelby
Membership Chair Elect
BENEFITING ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Holly-Beth Willis
Holiday Cards Chair
Membership Chair
JOIN US FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL
Ginger Blackmon
Melissa Schutz-Gonzalez Amanda Daugherty Sydney Blackmon
Bring a smile to a family!
Sign up to serve a warm meal through our ACH Comfort Foods program. To learn more about how to volunteer, call 501-364-4325.