Institute’s Donation to Hospital to Fund Equipment

This is a regular feature on philanthropic activities by Valley-area businesspeople and companies. Will Rogers Institute donates to local hospital The Will Rogers Institute presented Providence Tarzana Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a gift of $49,000. The donation will help fund new equipment for the unit. The donation will fund three ventilators and two machines that monitor carbon dioxide in the infant’s bloodstream. The 21-bed NICU has historically shared equipment with the pediatric ICU or rented it when needed. Dr. James Banks, neonatologist and medical director of the NICU, said the hospital has had to use adult ventilators on babies in the past. “This new equipment is a much gentler system for the lungs, and much better for long- term health of our NICU patients,” he said. The Will Rogers Institute is a national charitable health program, dedicated to researching lung disorders, offering medical training and education materials to hospitals on a national level. Dale Surowitz, chief executive of Providence Tarzana Medical Center, said they were “appreciative of the gift.” “(The Institute’s) assistance will help us greatly improve the care to this very vulnerable population,” he said. CSUN Receives Grant for DEAF Project CSUN’s Deaf Education and Families Project received the $2000 CVS Caremark Community Grant. The project, which began in 2007, provides support to deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. The grant is a part of CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can program which is aimed at making the lives of children with disabilities easier, officials said. Dennis Palmer, senior vice-president with CVS Caremark said the grant will help make an impact on the lives of the children in the Northridge Community and that the DEAF Project corresponds with the overall commitment and mission of All Kids Can. The DEAF Project offers support, resources, education, and activities to families with deaf or hard of hearing children and the professionals who work with them. Rachel Freidman Narr, CSUN special education professor and DEAF Project coordinator, said the grant will go towards educational programs like sign-language classes, family fun days and deaf children play groups. “Through this kind of support we can enhance the outreach, networking, resources and education provided to families with deaf or hard-of-hearing children throughout Southern California,” she said. Karen Ramos, senior manager of community relations for the CVS Caremark Corporation said the company was proud to support what the DEAF project does in the community and they look forward to working with CSUN in the year ahead. Valley Presbyterian Hospital Receives Grant for Breastfeeding Initiative First 5 LA announced that it is awarding Valley Presbyterian Hospital with a grant for $500,000 to encourage the hospital’s initiative in support of breastfeeding. The grant will go towards training, new procedures and other changes aimed at encouraging breastfeeding among new mothers. Some of the plans for the initiative include a breastfeeding hotline and a support group for postnatal breastfeeding. Gustavo Valdespino, president and CEO of Valley Presbyterian Hospital, said he was thankful for First 5 LA’s grant to improve the breastfeeding rates among the Hospital’s patients. “With nearly 5,000 babies delivered at Valley Presbyterian every year, this initiative will help us make significant strides in improving the health of the community, reducing medical costs and strengthening the bonds between mother and child,” he said. First 5 LA is an organization stemmed from California’s Proposition 10, which placed a fifty cent tax on tobacco products to help raise funds for health care, education and child development programs. In 2009, First 5 LA launched a $10.5 million dollar initiative to take part in the Baby- Friendly Hospital program, which recognizes hospitals for their work in educating and supporting mothers of newborns in the process of nursing their babies. Valley Presbyterian is one of nine hospitals chosen to receive a grant that would enable it to be dubbed a Baby-Friendly Hospital. — Compiled by Angela Melero