Breaking New Ground
Dear Friends,
s we write this letter in mid 2007, the Foundation has just celebrated the launch of a new $300 million fundraising campaign for Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and the pediatric programs of the Stanford School of Medicine. The title of the campaign, Breaking New Ground, could apply just as easily to the Foundation's overall efforts in 2006, a year that marked a change in leadership and the election of several new board members.
Dr. David Alexander, a pediatrician, was recruited as the new president and CEO, bringing experience as the head of children's hospitals and as an advocate for children's health nationally. Dr. Alexander currently is leading a review of the Foundation's strategic plan, and exploring potential new directions for promoting children's health. The results of this planning will be made public on our website, www.lpfch.org.
During this transitional year, our Development staff raised $63.7 million, laying the groundwork for the Breaking New Ground campaign. This exciting initiative will build on our earlier campaign, which brought the Hospital and School to national preeminence. This next phase will fund a much-needed expansion of the Hospital's physical facilities, and also will support training for faculty, as well as translation of basic research into valuable treatments and cures.
Other key achievements in 2006 that were made possible in part by donors included the opening of the only comprehensive Down Syndrome Clinic on the West Coast; the completion of the first phase of a clinical trial for a potential new treatment for cystic fibrosis; and two prestigious national awards for Packard Hospital, recognizing its safety and excellence in care.
On the community front, the Foundation's Grantmaking Program invested $2.7 million in 25 local agencies that serve children in two realms: providing support for parents to reduce the risk of neglect or abuse of young children; and helping preteens develop the skills they need to make positive choices and avoid risky behaviors that can jeopardize their futures.
To keep children's health in the public eye, kidsdata.org reports and tracks data, and provides lists of useful resources for families and those who work with children.
Among the innovative programs that received grant funding were a pilot project to provide professional development and a career ladder for staff of after-school programs, and a project to help local teachers address the emotional and behavioral issues that shape preteens' experience at school.
Through its Information Program, the Foundation continued to promote awareness and action around key children's issues. Our second Parent Survey assessed the topics that most concern parents, finding once again that stress and emotional issues continue to be prominent. The success of our www.kidsdata.org website prompted us to plan a Bay Area-wide expansion, set to launch in fall 2007.
Even as our current programs continue to thrive, we are enthusiastic about the possibilities for expanding the Foundation's impact. As new directions emerge, however, our basic focus will remain unchanged: advancing the health and well being of children. We are grateful for your interest and support.
Sincerely,
David Alexander, MD
President and CEOGeorge Pavlov
Chairman, Board of Directors