Advocate Children’s Hospital –Joins Caps for Kids As Newest Chapter

Second Illinois Chapter Added in As Many Months

PARK RIDGE, IL. (December, 2012) –Caps for Kids, the international non-profit organization dedicated to providing autographed hats to children who have lost their hair to serious illnesses, is adding Advocate Children’s Hospital as its newest chapter.

Advocate Children’s Hospital is the eighth chapter added to Caps for Kids in 2012. Caps for Kids now has six chapters in Illinois, and it is the second chapter added in the Prairie State in as many months.

“Reaching as many patients as possible is always our goal,” stated Caps for Kids National Executive Director Kathleen McCulla. “Advocate Children’s Hospital will help us put smiles on our Caps for Kids patients.”

Advocate Children’s Hospital is a part of the Advocate Health Care, which is recognized as one of the nation’s top 10 health systems, as well as the largest integrated health care system in Illinois. The system is based in Oak Brook, Il. Advocate treats more pediatric patients than any other hospital or system in Illinois, and they also diagnose and treat cancer more than any other hospital or system in the state. Advocate offers more than 250 sites of care, including 10 acute-care hospitals and two integrated children’s hospitals. Advocate Health Care System has academic and teaching affiliations with all major universities in the Chicago Metropolitan areas. The system was founded in 1995 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ.

The mission of Advocate Health Care is to serve the health needs of individuals, families and communities through a wholistic philosophy rooted in our fundamental understanding of human beings as created in the image of God.

New partnerships, such as those with Advocate Children’s Hospital, help the continued efforts to reach more children and improve their spirits during such a trying time. For children or adolescents diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the support of a hero can help turn their struggles into triumphs.

St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Joins Caps for Kids As Newest Chapter

Seventh Chapter Added in 2012

 PEORIA, IL. (November, 2012) –Caps for Kids, the international non-profit organization dedicated to providing autographed hats to children who have lost their hair to serious illnesses, has added the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate in Peoria, Illinois as its 118^th chapter.

The St. Jude Midwest Affiliate is the seventh chapter added to Caps for Kids in 2012. It also marks the fifth chapter in the state of Illinois.

“We are very excited to add yet another St. Jude Affiliate to our program,” stated Caps for Kids National Executive Director Kathleen McCulla.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the world’s premier pediatric cancer research and treatment center. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude is continuously developing new, improved treatments, with a focus on children who are unlikely to respond well to current standard treatments. It is also a leader in developing treatments with minimal long-term health effects.  St. Jude treats about 7,800 patients annually from across the U.S. and the world.  Founded by entertainer Danny Thomas and opened in 1962, St. Jude is supported primarily by charitable donations from individuals.

There are six total St. Jude Affiliates. St. Jude Midwest Affiliate was established in 1972 and is located in Children’s Hospital of Illinois at OSF-Saint Francis Medical Center. Caps for Kids proudly serves three of the other St. Jude affiliates – LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana; Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and the St. Jude Tri-Cities Affiliate in Johnson City, Tennessee – as well as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

New partnerships, such as those with St. Jude Midwest Affiliate, help the continued efforts to reach more children and improve their spirits during such a trying time. For children or adolescents diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the support of a hero can help turn their struggles into triumphs.

Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta Added As Caps For Kids’ Newest Chapter

Seventh Canadian Chapter to Join the International Non-Profit Organization

CALGARY (October, 2012) –Caps for Kids, the international non-profit organization dedicated to providing autographed hats to children who have lost their hair to serious illnesses, has added Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta as its 117^th chapter.

“It is a joy to work with other pediatric cancer agencies and organizations, such as Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta, that support sick children and their families,” said Caps for Kids National Executive Director Kathleen McCulla.

With the addition of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta, Caps for Kids now has seven total chapters in Canada – four in Alberta. RMHSA the first Caps for Kids chapter to be added from outside of the United States in 2012, and it is the fourth Ronald McDonald House to join the Caps for Kids family.

Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta is a compassionate, safe and affordable home away from home for out-of-town families whose children are receiving treatment in a local Calgary hospital. The purpose of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta is to keep families together and provide a supportive environment while the family member is being treated for their illness. The first RMH in Calgary was built in 1985, with the current location having been constructed in 2007 near Alberta Children’s Hospital – also a Caps for Kids chapter.

There are over 300 Ronald McDonald Houses in over 50 countries, worldwide. The first house was built in Philadelphia in 1974.

New partnerships, such as those with RMHSA, help the continued efforts to reach more children and improve their spirits during such a trying time. For children or adolescents diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the support of a hero can help turn their stuggles into triumphs.

Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital Joins As Caps For Kids’ Newest Chapter

Eighth Chapter In New York to Partner With Caps for Kids In Their Fight Against Pediatric Cancer

STONY BROOK, NY (July, 2012) – The National non-profit organization Caps for Kids is excited to announce that Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital has joined the Caps for Kids family as its newest chapter.

“Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital is a leader in cancer treatment,” said National Executive Director Kathleen McCulla. “We are thrilled to add them to our chapter base.”

Caps for Kids is dedicated to giving hats autographed by celebrities to children, adolescents and young adults who have lost their hair from medical treatments. Caps for Kids has more than 110 chapters across the United States and Canada. New partnerships, such as those with Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, help the continued efforts to reach more children and improve their spirits during such a trying time. For children or adolescents diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the support of a hero can help turn their struggles into triumphs.

Caps for Kids now has eight total chapters in the state of New York. Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital is the first Caps for Kids chapter located within Suffolk County.

Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital, located within the Stony Brook University Medical Center, is Suffolk County’s cancer care leader, serving more than 2,700 newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. With 12 Multidisciplinary Cancer Teams, advanced Diagnostics, Treatment and Technologies, comprehensive Clinical Support Services, extensive Patient Resources, leading-edge Research & Clinical Trials and a long roster of physician specialists, they are widely considered one of the national leaders in education and research.

With 540 beds and 5,100 employees, Stony Brook University Medical Center is the largest in Suffolk County. The Heart Center performs the only open-heart surgery in Suffolk and the Cancer Center and Cerebrovascular Center attract patients from throughout the region with cutting edge diagnostic and treatment facilities. Stony Brook is home to Long Island's first kidney transplantation program which has performed over 1,000 transplants, and initiated the nation's first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. The hospital is also the regional referral center for trauma, perinatal and neonatal intensive care, burns, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation, cystic fibrosis, pediatric and adult AIDS, and is the regional resource center for emergency management. Stony Brook's Stroke program is certified by the Joint Commission and the NYS Department of Health; and, Stony Brook is home to the Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities and Long Island's first comprehensive ALS Center.

BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center Joins Caps for Kids As A Chapter

Second Chapter in South Carolina to Work With Caps for Kids to Put A Smile on the Faces of Children with Cancer

GREENVILLE, SC (May, 2012) – The national non-profit organization Caps for Kids is proud to announce that the BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center, which is part of Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center in Greenville, South Carolina has joined as its newest chapter.

“It is an honor to have such a prominent cancer facility such as BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center join in our efforts to ‘cap’ture more smiles on the faces of such brave children fighting these life threatening battles,” said National Executive Director Kathleen McCulla.

Caps for Kids is dedicated to giving hats autographed by celebrities to children, adolescents and young adults who have lost their hair from medical treatments. New partnerships, such as those with BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center, help the continued efforts to reach more children and improve their spirits during such a trying time. For children or adolescents diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the support of a hero can help turn their struggles into triumphs.

The BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center is now the second Caps for Kids Chapter located in South Carolina. In total, The BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center is the 116^th Caps for Kids Chapter.

Located within the Greenville Hospital Systems Children’s Hospital, the BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center is made up of a 14-bed inpatient unit and outpatient unit with clinical, research and educational components. The center provides comprehensive cancer services to infants, children and young adults living in upstate South Carolina, western North Carolina and northern Georgia. As a member of the international Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the center provides patients with access to the latest clinical trials for all childhood cancers. The center is also currently conducting innovative pediatric cancer research within the Institute for Translational Oncology Research at GHS.

Caps for Kids was founded in 1993 by Dr. Stephen D. Heinrich M.S., M.D., a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans. Over 2,500 autographed caps are sent out to patients across North America each year through the organization. Thousands of students across the country participate in Cap Day programs to help build awareness for pediatric cancer and support the Caps for Kids program. September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. All of the Caps for Kids chapters benefit from the Cap Day campaign. For a complete list of Caps for Kids chapters, please visit WWW.CAPSFORKIDS.ORG