The Valerie Fund Blog

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The 4^th Annual 5K Rook Run (and walk) hosted over 3,000 walkers and runners on Sunday, October 8^th in Long Branch, NJ at the Great Lawn Amphitheatre. Despite the soggy weather, supporters came out for a day of food and fun and to raise awareness for children with cancer and blood disorders.

Topics: Non-profit, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, pediatric, childhood cancer, sickle cell, 5k, walk, oncology, events, rook, rook coffee, new jersey, fundraising, nonprofit, raffle, world subaru, subaru, 2018 subaru forrester

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The 4th Annual Rook Run (and walk) will be held on Sunday, October 8th, 2017 on the Long Branch boardwalk.

The high energy community event benefits children in our area battling cancer and blood disorders and has already raised over $500,000 to date. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Lead Sponsor World Subaru, a raffle drawing has been added this year and a 2018 Subaru Forester SUV will be given away to one lucky ticket holder on October 8th. 

Joe Wajda, Executive Manager of the Tinton Falls dealership decided to step up World Subaru's charitable efforts at the Rook Run (and walk) after seeing firsthand the top notch care patients were receiving at The Valerie Fund Children's Center located within Monmouth Medical Center.

Topics: Non-profit, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, Charity, childhood cancer, 5k, walk, walkathon, sponsors, oncology, run, events, rook, rook coffee, new jersey, fundraising, raffle, world subaru

For the first time in seventeen years, a new Valerie Fund Children's Center has opened at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson, NJ. The Passaic County-based outpatient facility neighbors the northern New Jersey counties of Morris and Essex where several other Valerie Fund Centers are located. 

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology division at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital was established in 1996, and treats a diverse population of patients. Much like the population treated at The Valerie Fund's Newark Beth Israel Center, English is not the primary language of patients and their families. At St. Joseph's Center, 60% are Spanish speaking and 10% speak Arabic. 

The Valerie Fund immediately enhanced the existing core services at St. Joseph's, their social work and child life programs and hired a psychologist, educational liaison and financial specialist. This team is led by Dr. Jill Menell, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Bill Copeck, Nurse Manager.  

Topics: child life, social worker, educational liaison, Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, pediatric, cancer, sickle cell, caregivers, awareness, oncology, centers, new jersey, nonprofit

New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is renowned for its pediatric healthcare services, and is currently home to the only Valerie Fund Children's Center outside the state of New Jersey. According to U.S. News & World Report, New York-Presbyterian consistently makes the magazine's Honor Roll as one of the best hosptials in the nation. The hospital's pediatric hematology-oncology department is led by Dr. Julia Glade-Bender alongside a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, psychologists, educational liaisons, child life specialists and social workers. Dr. Marie Barnett recently joined The Valerie Fund family as the Center's psychologist. 

Topics: child life, social worker, Blood Disorders, pediatric, cancer, childhood cancer, sickle cell, caregivers, awareness, oncology, centers, new jersey, nonprofit

In 1977, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, was the first hospital to support Sue and Ed Goldstein in their mission to provide comprehensive health care to children in our area with pediatric cancer and blood disorders. Forty years later, their dream has come to fruition with the expansion of seven Valerie Fund Children's Centers.

In their book, "Where They Are Now: The voices that cancer & blood disorders couldn't silence," Sue and Ed reflect, "The Valerie Fund Children's Centers- in New Jersey, New York City and the Philadelphia area- evolved into what we had hoped for: institutions delivering expert medical expertise, unconditional support and loving kindness for the children under their care."

Topics: child life, social worker, Blood Disorders, pediatric, cancer, childhood cancer, sickle cell, caregivers, awareness, oncology, centers, new jersey, nonprofit

Our next series of blogs will feature each of the seven Valerie Fund Children's Centers located in hospitals throughout the tri-state area. With multidisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals, these centers focus on the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the 6,000 patients that are treated each year by The Valerie Fund. This care starts at the time of a patient's diagnosis to well after their treatment has ended. 

Topics: child life, social worker, Blood Disorders, pediatric, cancer, childhood cancer, sickle cell, caregivers, awareness, oncology, centers, new jersey, nonprofit

The Valerie Fund Board of Directors is proud to announce a new Center will join The Valerie Fund healthcare network serving children in our area with cancer and blood disorders. The St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Paterson-based outpatient facility strengthens The Valerie Fund's ability to offer top-notch services and programs for children and their families in other parts of New Jersey. The official date for the inclusion is July 1, 2016.

Topics: Pediatric Cancer, Blood Disorders, hematology, oncology, centers, out-patient cancer, out-patient, new jersey