Miller Children’s Hospital Announces Membership in New National Alliance, Together for Kids, to Meet Growing Needs in Children’s Health

Together for Kids

One of 53 U.S. Hospitals to Form Nonprofit Fundraising Foundation

Childhood Obesity, Accident Prevention Targeted as Priorities

LONG BEACH, CALIF. (September 26, 2007) – Leaders of Miller Children’s Hospital today announced their involvement in a new nonprofit foundation, Together for Kids™, which will raise funds nationally to help Miller Children’s Hospital and other member hospitals cope with dramatic increases in the health needs of children. Miller Children’s Hospital’s announcement was in conjunction with a press conference held today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. for the launch of Together for Kids.

“The children of our region and all across America are facing increasing challenges to their health and well-being—challenges that include the growing numbers of uninsured kids, the steadily climbing statistics on childhood obesity and the staggering toll of accidental injuries,” said Mel Marks, MD, chief administrative officer, Miller Children’s Hospital. “Miller Children’s Hospital is delighted to be part of this exciting new initiative and its mission to rally more resources to improve children’s health in the U.S.”

Children’s Health Problems Increasing, Funding Declining
Dr. Marks pointed to a host of troubling statistics that demonstrate the need to focus more resources on children’s health. “Since the 1980s, the percentage of overweight children has jumped from six percent to 17 percent, the number of children with asthma has doubled, and the number of uninsured children has risen to more than 11 percent of all kids,” noted Dr. Marks.

“While the needs are increasing, funding for children’s hospitals is declining,” Dr. Marks added. “That’s why Miller Children’s Hospital is so glad that Together for Kids has been created to support the critical work of children’s hospitals in caring for seriously ill and injured kids, and to make a focused effort on the issues of childhood obesity and accident prevention.”

This support is greatly needed in Long Beach as a recent survey shows that nearly one quarter of children and adolescents in Long Beach are reported to be overweight and half of caretakers surveyed indicated they do not always use seatbelts or restraints for their children.

Helping Children’s Hospitals Help Kids
Together for Kids consists of 34 children’s hospitals and hospital systems, representing 53 individual facilities serving children in 47 U.S. cities. As a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) public charity, Together for Kids will raise funds through corporate sponsorship, events, grants and other forms of philanthropy, distributing the funds to member hospitals to address the most urgent children’s health needs in their communities.

In April 2008, Miller Children’s Hospital and other member hospitals will participate in Together for Kids’ first annual national fundraising campaign, Come Out to Play!—a month-long series of events around the country to raise funds for hospitalized children and to encourage kids and families to take part in active play that’s healthy and safe.

Targeting Accident Prevention, Childhood Obesity
Pediatric specialists from the Together for Kids hospitals who make up its Physicians Advisory Committee have prioritized the issues of childhood obesity and accident prevention as critical challenges where the member hospitals will work together to make a real difference.

About Miller Children’s Hospital
Located on the campus of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Miller Children’s Hospital is a full-service hospital providing care for children of all ages, as well as expectant mothers. It offers pediatric programs for virtually any medical condition a child may have and is home to the MemorialCare Center for Women, which has consistently been cited as one of the safest places to have a baby and offers services for women at all stages of life.

About Together for Kids
Together for Kids is a national alliance of children’s hospitals and other hospitals serving children, dedicated to building a healthier future for America’s kids. The organization provides an urgently needed national fundraising mechanism for its member hospitals, helping them care for seriously ill children and tackle the toughest health issues facing all kids, with a focus on childhood obesity and accident prevention.