How We Help Children and Families
NETWORKING
Meeting other parents and providing opportunities for you to come together and share your experiences and knowledge is priceless. Through our planned events and/or fundraisers we are creating an avenue for you to make new friends with similar situations and share information that could enhance the quality of life for your brain-injured child and for yourself.
HYPOTHERMIA THERAPY PROGRAM FOR NEWBORNS
BRINGING BIG CITY MEDICINE TO A REGIONAL HOSPITAL NEAR YOU
What a way to start the New Year right than with a dedication of the two cooling caps and two aEEG machines that we purchased in memory of Lauren Flood on January 8th, 2013. It was a wonderful event, which was held at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest campus. Many donors, friends and staff of the hospital were in attendance to see the equipment, which was on display and a representative from Natus Medical on hand to answer any questions throughout the evening.
This project has been the drive of Lauren’s Hope Foundation for over 2 years to bring a comprehensive head and body-cooling program to the Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Lauren’s Hope Foundation became a full partner with the NICU at LVHN and was directly involved with the development of the program, along side many doctors, nurses and various staff members. This type of treatment was not available when Lauren was born, but has shown to offer the benefit of protecting the brain by preventing a metabolic reaction that occurs 6 hours after the initial brain injury. Studies have shown that the sooner cooling therapy can begin, the better the possible outcome. If cooling therapy cannot begin with the first 6 hours of injury, this treatment is not an option. This is one of the main reasons the Flood’s wanted to have this technology available here in the Lehigh Valley. Another important reason to have this program locally, is that it will allow the family support system to remain intact for these families during the stressful time.
During the presentation, attendees heard from Dr. Lorraine Dickey, Chief Medical Director of the NICU; Dr. John Van Brakle, Chief of Pediatrics; Ann and Dan Flood, parents of Lauren Flood and finally, evening was capped with final remarks by Dr. Ron Swinfard, CEO of Lehigh Valley Health Network.
A plaque was unveiled during the dedication of the Hypothermia Program in memory of Lauren Flood. When the evening was over, the plaque was hung on the wall at the entrance of the NICU. It was a memorable and emotional evening for the Flood’s to see this program come to fruition.