3 minute read
Children's Miracle Network at Hurley celebrated 30 Years
from Kudos Magazine
CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORKCelebrates 30 -YEAR PARTNERSHIP BY JENNIFER BOICE
WITH HURLEY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL I t’s hard to miss the 850-gallon aquarium, complete with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals balloons and the iconic Flint arches, as you walk into the Hurley Children’s Hospital lobby. Gifted to the hospital in 2016 by Animal Planet’s TV show Tanked and Teen Ambassador for CMN Hospitals Alli Simpson, the aquarium is a prime example of how far-reaching Hurley Children’s Hospital’s reputation has become. Hurley was chosen out of 170 CMN hospitals across the U.S. and Canada to receive the gift, an amazing honor and point of pride for the hospital.
This year marks not only a reason for pride, but for celebration, as Hurley commemorates 30 years as a CMN Hospital. This relationship has helped thousands of children from 15 counties across mid-Michigan receive life-saving care, regardless of their ability to pay. For almost half of those years, Linda Tracy-Stephens has served as the CMN Hospitals Director, through the Hurley Foundation. I reached out to Linda to hear more about these two great organizations. “The mission of the Children’s Miracle it’s all about the kids. While the ultimate goal is to raise funds for patient care, the most touching part is meeting the children and their families and seeing what a difference the organization makes.
I can hear the joy in Linda’s voice as she talks about the “miracle kids” and how heartwarming it is to reconnect with them to celebrate birthdays, first day of kindergarten, high school graduation, and even weddings.
HOW CAN I GIVE?
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals rely on donations and community support. If you would like to donate, visit hurleyfoundation.org and click on the Donate Now button. One of the unique aspects of CMN Hospitals' donations is that all the funds stay local. Any money donated in the areas Hurley serves will fund Hurley Children’s Hospital.
“We do Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. that by raising money for Hurley With many children entering the Children’s Hospital.”
Pediatric care can be expensive, especially if the patient is fighting a conditions or illnesses requiring extensive treatments, special services and we give families hope." chronic or life-threatening condition. funded by CMN Hospitals, like the Walmart, Sam’s Club, RE/MAX, Panda
Hurley’s affiliation with CMN Hospitals Child Life program, has a direct Express, Dairy Queen, Rite Aid, ACE helps with the cost of medical care, impact on the young patients’ Hardware, and many others have funding programs and services that experiences. Through donations, joined in to help raise money, often make the patient experience more national partners, and community selling the yellow paper balloons comfortable for not only the child but support, these Child Life specialists sometimes seen plastered to the family as well. are able to make the child’s medical windows and walls of businesses with
When asked if her job is fulfilling, Linda surprised me with her answer, saying she never looked at it like a job. “A ‘job’ is something you work at. There is a starting and ending time,” she clarifies. “Life in the CMN Hospitals world is not like that. This is more of a ‘passion’. I love it!” So, what is life like in the CMN experience as positive as possible. But 2020 has not been without its surprises.
Linda explains that their major fundraisers, such as their Bowlathon, Townsquare Media’s “Let’s Make Miracles” Radiothon, and the DQ Miracle Picnic, have been postponed due to COVID-19, to be rescheduled when it is safe to gather. names proudly are written in marker. ACE has a “round-up” program where customers can round up purchases to the nearest dollar, donating the change to CMN Hospitals. RE/MAX has an honor card program allowing agents to donate to CMN Hospitals on behalf of their buyers and sellers.
