Possibilities - Children's Hospital Central California

Imagination. Sometimes it seems like a mystical power that only kidspossess. You buy your daughter an expensive toy for her birthday and shefalls in love with the box. That box becomes a castle, a spaceship, a truck,a house – anything. That’s the power of a child’s imagination. The toy youbought is forgotten, the possibility of the box becomes the gift.You remember it, don’t you? You’re holding a basketball in your parent’sdriveway and counting down to the last shot. As you jump and throwthe ball in the air you become Michael Jordan or Larry Bird, the drivewaybecomes the arena, you can hear the fans, the ball swishes through the netand you raise your arms in victory. Or you’re reading Nancy Drew and youget the clue ten pages before Nancy does, and suddenly you’re figuring thewhole thing out, solving the mystery, and in your head, you are Nancy Drew.If you’re anything like me, you miss those days. But folks, let me tell you– that was practice for adult life. Every day we’re asked to turn what weonce called imagination into things we now call innovation, creativity andprogress. In our jobs, our homes and our personal lives we have to visualizeprogress before it can happen.More than fifty years ago five women visualized a hospital that would helpkids. That idea became Valley Children’s Hospital. Forty years later a set ofleaders saw progress as a technological marvel of a Hospital set on theriver bluffs north of Fresno. That idea became Children’s Hospital CentralCalifornia, an intellectual product of all the games those leaders used toplay. That idea, that splinter of imagination, became the building I workin today.Now I sit in my office, a product of vivid creativity, and whatdo I imagine?Well, let’s start with an immediate need. We built a fantastic EmergencyDepartment here, but we never anticipated the growth that would fill it up.Let’s imagine, shall we, an expansion? Why stop short – let’s imagine a bigone. A rebuilt Emergency Department that will see more kids faster, havemore doctors, more rooms, better equipment. Let’s not stop there. Let’s addrooms to our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, so the seriously injured and illkids from the E.R. have someplace to go. Let’s dream up a new heliport forthose critical care transports. Just imagine the possibilities.The Imagination Team:Carol Logan - Art Direction & Design / Marlin Ezell - Writer / Lisa Baldrica - Project AssistanceSerena Smith - Project Assistance / James Gathright - Creative Direction / Kelly Peterson - PhotographyAnd that’s how it starts, every time. That’s imagination’s first step toward becominginnovation. That’s how creativity becomes reality. That’s how an idea becomes a placethat saves kids. In fairness, these ideas belong to a lot of people, but they are what weintend to do in the next few years. That’s right - we’re building a new dream, and weneed your help. In the next few years you’ll hear a lot about our expansion, and I wantthe adult in you to give way to the child and just imagine what we can do together.Why? Because of the kid with cancer who ”imagines” getting better, growing up.Because of the kid with asthma who ”imagines” breathing normally. Because of thefamily who imagines being home, together, without illness hanging over their heads.Imagination is just possibility hidden in the future. Children’s Hospital provides futuresfor kids who might not have them otherwise. We are all about imagination.Our doctors look at an illness or injury and imagine a treatment, a cure. Our nurses lookat a kid in a hospital bed and imagine a well-treated, comfortable child. Our entire stafflooks at a family with a sick child, and imagines them home and happy, together. Thenwe do everything we can to make it happen. And we thank you for helping us with that.When we call, help us fulfill the next stage of the dream. It really is up to you. You’re inthe driveway now, throwing up the shot. You’re Michael Jordan. You’re the hero whocan make our ”imaginary” scenario happen.You know what’s wonderful about being an imaginary hero?It’s just like helping Children’s Hospital. You never – ever – miss.Thanks,Bill HaugPresident and CEOChildren’s Hospital Central CaliforniaAmazing People. Incredible Care.One of the largest hospitals of its type in the country, Children’s Hospital CentralCalifornia has become a champion of quality medicine, benchmarking our servicesagainst those of the nation’s top pediatric centers. Not only do we comparefavorably, we excel. Many of our services see more kids, and see sicker kids, thanother children’s hospitals, and still maintain high outcomes. In layman’s terms, ourwork is often harder but our results are at top levels.This quality is getting noticed nationally. We are the only children’s hospital westof the Rockies to receive the Magnet Nursing Services Award, meeting the highestnursing quality standard in the world.In the midst of this success, we always remember that our Children are not smalladults. Our specialists bring world-class training, experience and technology toevery child, combining state-of-the-art treatment and the brightest people witha hands-on healing approach. We know children’s health because it’s all we do.For more information about Children’s Hospital Central California, please visit ourwebsite at www.childrenscentralcal.org .CHILDREN’S HOSPITALCENTRAL CALIFORNIABOARD OF TRUSTEES 2007Chair, Mendy LavalVice Chair, Greg ColemanTreasurer, Jeff MayerSecretary, Octavia DienerBruce AllbrightJohn Caton, M.D.Dan DooleyGracie Esquivel Aguilar, M.D.John FerdinandiJane FortuneWilliam F. HaugDennis KellerDavid KrauseRobert Kubo, D.D.S.Richard PetersPat RicchiutiJ. Charles Smith, M.D.Bill SmittcampCHILDREN’S HOSPITALCENTRAL CALIFORNIAFOUNDATIONBOARD OF DIRECTORSChair, John FerdinandiVice Chair, George MurphySecretary, Susan BoydTreasurer, Michele WaldronImmediate Past Chair, Bruce Allbright, IIIPresident, William F. HaugMembers:Kim BeckErin BerberianMarty FlamingBob HallKenneth Jue, M.D.Robert Kubo, D.D.S.Jeff MayerPaul McDougalDavid NalchajianDave OlsonDennis PerkinsRichard ShehadeyDebbie Smades-HenesBill SmittcampNad Visveshwara, M.D.Keith WesternKevin WilliamsJody YoungJames Meinert, Ph.D.Vice President, Foundation