Miracles in Motion

Saturday night Brian and I did something we've only done twice since Sadie was born...we went out as adults, without Sadie. In fact, Saturday night we attended the kick-off party for Miracles in Motion.

Miracles in Motion is the name of the fundraiser I have joined up with to raise money for Phoenix Children's Hospital. I am training to run a half marathon (13.1 miles) in January, in fact 3 days before Sadie's first birthday...which is part of what makes this event so special. Saturday night we learned a lot about the Children's Hospital's financial needs and why it is so important that we raise this money (aside from the obvious emotional connection we have to this hospital, who we believe saved Sadie's life).

* Phoenix Children's Hospital was started in 1983 and is now one of the 10 largest children's hospitals in the country.

*Phoenix Children's Hospital has Centers of Excellence in Noenatology, Hematology/oncology, Neurosciences, Cardiac services, Orthopaedics, and Level 1 trauma. They also offer world-class care in 40 sub-specialty fields.

*Phoenix is the nation's 5th largest city and continues to grow. Phoenix Children's Hospital, in preparation for the 1.5 million children estimated to live here by 2030 is building a $588 million expansion.

*This new expansion is in the form of an 11-story tower including private ICU rooms, 12 additional operating rooms, 1500 new parking spaces, 626 more beds, 520 beds in private rooms for children and their families.

* Phoenix Children's Hospital is Arizona's ONLY licensed children's hospital.

*The Bill Holt Clinic at Phoenix Children's Hospital currently serves about 270 children living with HIV.

* More than 550 pediatric heart surgeries took place in 2007.

So, as you can see, Phoenix Children's Hospital is doing great things for children in not just the Phoenix area, but in surrounding areas as well. When we were in the NICU, we heard they were flying in a baby from Las Vegas! I also know that there are many families that come from Flagstaff, Prescott, and various other cities in Arizona. Brian and I discussed the expansion, and while it's great that they are expanding, we found it a little sad as well that it's needed. But we know they are helping a lot of children, and we also know how nice it'll be for families to have private rooms.

Please support me in my efforts to not only run a half marathon, but to raise money for this hospital. They saved Sadie's life by using cutting edge technology, they've declared Sadie seizure free through their epilepsy monitoring unit, we see our pediatrician there, we go there for tests, it is a very important place for us. Any amount will be appreciated.

Thanks