Current
& former patients and families of Children’s
Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) joined community
members, surgeons, nurses, and corporate teams
on October 8 to walk a 5K route through Disneyland
and Disney’s California Adventure theme
park. The 16th annual CHOC/Disneyland Resort
Walk in the Park kicked off at 7AM with a record
breaking 15,000-plus walkers, sponsors and volunteers
all helping to raise 1.4 million dollars for
CHOC. Bands played, Disney characters cheered
and children laughed, all while supporting a
great cause. The annual walk is CHOC’s
largest, most successful fundraiser which has
raised more than $8 million since its inception
in 1991.
Sarina
Rodriguez’s (Cornerstone – Brea,
CA office) son is a true success story. He has
had back, brain and foot surgery at the hospital
and is a true survivor of Spinal Bifida. He
has a state-of-the-art shunt in his head with
no brain damage or developmental challenges
and is walking with the help of special leg
braces. The hospital has been a blessing to
the entire family. “They have helped me
and my family in more ways than you can imagine”
said Sarina. Sarina, her son, niece and sister
all walked the 5K and Cornerstone Systems was
a very proud sponsor of their efforts. Many
walkers carried signs of their children that
said “In memory of (name). Keep fighting
to keep our children alive”. Some children
wore t-shirts that said “I am surviving
cancer. Thank You CHOC.”
Proceeds
from the annual event go toward research, education
at CHOC, CHOC at Mission and also to the Kids
Care Fund, which helps provide medical care
for all children regardless of their family‘s
ability to pay. “The money will help in
the Pediatric ICU, the Neonatal ICU and with
Ronald McDonald housing where families can stay
to be close to their children,” said Sarina.
“It will also help with the pediatric
emergency facilities, the pediatric operating
pavilion and the Child Life program which helps
children and their siblings deal and understand
what they will be going through. It is such
a great hospital for kids and they have a great
support system for the families of the children
that have to be there.”
www.choc.org |
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