The Valerie Fund Blog

The Valerie Fund Children's Centers are home to many healthcare heroes who support our kids during some of the most difficult times of their lives. These caregivers are experts in a variety of practices. We will be showcasing each service provided in our Children's Centers and hearing from the healthcare providers in their own words what they do for our kids and families. In this installment, we are going to learn about the Educational Liaisons.

As many as two out of every three childhood cancer survivors will develop at least one late-onset complication. These situations can require an additional and specific set of responses from a patient's team of caregivers. The Valerie Fund is thrilled to introduce you to one of our newest caregivers who specializes in this group of patients. 

The Valerie Fund Children's Centers are home to many healthcare heroes who support our kids during some of the most difficult times of their lives. These caregivers are experts in a variety of practices. We will be showcasing each service provided in our Children's Centers and hearing from the healthcare providers in their own words what they do for our kids and families. In this installment, we are going to learn about the Child Life Specialists and Social Workers.

Thanksgiving is an important time of year. We are reminded to slow down and focus on what we are thankful for and the blessings that have come our way. For our Valerie Fund families, the healthcare professionals who treat their children are at the top of these lists. At the recent Thanksgiving Ball Gala, we honored our Healthcare Heroes by spotlighting individuals from the different disciplines we provide in our Valerie Fund's Children's Centers. 

Dr. Heather Ginter is a Clinical Psychologist at The Valerie Fund Children's Center at the Goryeb Children's Hospital at Morristown Medical Center. She works with Valerie Fund kids every day but her job changed substantially when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In her own words, she describes this new normal we are in and discusses some of the effects on our families. 

Valerie Fund Social Worker Stephanie Heasman of Morristown Medical Center has seen the power of timely and specially designated financial assistance. She says, “as social workers, we take pride in easing the burden of (a family’s) current situation to allow them to focus on caring for their child. Emergency funds have been crucial to our families, especially during the beginning weeks and months following diagnosis.”

Once a Valerie Fund kid, always a Valerie Fund kid. 

The Valerie Fund prides itself on our commitment to treat children battling cancer and this commitment does not end when the main medical treatment ends. There are many issues that continue to be a factor in a patient's life after treatment and we are proud to continue our relationship with these patients in an exciting program called MAGIC. 

Unfortunately, stress is something everyone can understand. We all have stress in our lives and most likely we would all say we have too much of it. Left unchecked, stress can begin to affect both your mental and physical well-being. October has been designated as National Emotional Wellness Month and this week's blog provides some helpful ways to learn how to slow down and breathe.

While emotional wellness is important for everyone, it is critical for parents and families of children treated by The Valerie Fund. A pediatric cancer or blood disorder diagnosis presents new levels of stress for parents and families and it is imperative that everyone be as healthy as possible - physically and mentally - throughout this process. 

There are so many new words and phrases that a family must learn when they begin a journey through pediatric cancer or blood disorders and it can be difficult to keep track of what they all mean. In the coming months we will try to explain what some of these concepts and practices are and hope it can help make this process just a little bit easier. 

We are starting with a discipline that encompasses many tools and practices under one umbrella. Continue reading to learn why integrative medicine can make a difference when battling pediatric cancer or blood disorders. 

The men and women who work in The Valerie Fund Children's Centers across New Jersey and New York are the backbone of our mission to support comprehensive healthcare services for children with cancer and blood disorders. We wanted to share just how amazing they are so we invite you to learn a little bit more about them.