2013 Radiothon Use of Funds

 Ventilators -- need 11 at a total cost of $132,000 ($12,000 each):
As technology improves companies make changes to their existing equipment. We learned this year that there will no longer be support for the LTV ventilator we currently use. This means that over the next 2 years we must replace 47 ventilators. To begin the process, with Radiothon, we hope to replace 11 ventilators. The new model offers enhanced technology with improved ease of use for the patient's family.

Backpacks for Feeding Pumps –- need 120 at a total cost of $6,000 ($50 each)

This backpack is for small but mobile children who do not want the hassle of having to carry a pole with a feeding pump attached to it everywhere they go. With these little backpacks, children can carry their feeding pump around on their back, because the feeding pump fits inside. The backpacks used to only come in black but are now also available in camo and floral prints, which our patients love.

Bullet Oxygen Regulators – need 50 at a total cost of $2,000 ($40 each)

This device is used to replace the existing regulator on an oxygen tank. The current device is a ball-bearing regulator which needs to be moved manually and is prone to error. The bullet regulator has large, easy to read numbers and a liter flow that “clicks” into place. Bullet regulators are easier to use, safer and more durable.

Portable Oxygen Concentrator -- need 4 at a total cost of $8,000 ($2,000 each)
These machines are used for patients with chronic or acute respiratory conditions. The machine takes room air (typically about 27% oxygen) and concentrates it to 96% oxygen. The concentrator minimizes the use of tanks, which are more cumbersome and dangerous. The new units are smaller and lighter than current units. They can only be used on patients who meet the requiremnets of the machine. They greatly enhance the mobility of the patient.

CPAP/BiPap units -- need 20 at a total cost of $31,000 ($1,550 each)

Patients who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea should be monitored in the Children’s Sleep Medicine Center to determine the appropriate amount of air pressure for them to receive to help with breathing during sleep. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea involves keeping the throat open to aid airflow by using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which is delivered through a nose mask the child wears while sleeping. The mask is connected to a pump that forces air into the nasal passages at pressures high enough to overcome obstructions in the airway and stimulate normal breathing.

Mini O2 tanks -- need 5 sets at a total cost of $2,000 ($400 each)

Oxygen tanks are used to hold oxygen for patients who require this treatment. Standard tanks are large, bulky and not portable. Mini tanks are portable, allowing the patient to be able to travel away from home when needed or desired. They can easily be carried in a bag or backpack.

14" (extra small) wheelchairs -- need 5 at a cost of $3,850, ($770 each)
A wheelchair that does not fit a child is not only an inconvenience but also a safety hazard. In an ill-fitted wheelchair, a small child can easily fall through the gap in the backing, lose control of the chair on a ramp and or have difficulty maneuvering. Smaller chairs are not mass-produced because of low demand, causing the cost per chair to be higher than a standard adult wheelchair. But these chairs are needed to ensure safety and greater mobility for children who must use a wheelchair. The wheelchairs are for Home Health Care patients.

In Home Health Care, feeding pumps are used to feed babies and children through a tube inserted in their stomach or nose. These children have any one of many conditions where they do not take in enough nutrition orally to be able to grow properly. We currently have more than 400 patients throughout our service area who use this piece of equipment at the child’s home or carried in a small backpack when going out. The feeding pumps that Children’s Hospital Home Health Care uses are small, easy to learn about and easy to use, and therefore very family-friendly.

Phototherapy unit – need 1 at a cost of $3,200

A condition common in newborns is jaundice, more technically called hyperbilirubinemia. When a baby has too many red blood cells, he or she cannot process them and get rid of the waste product quickly enough. This results in the yellow skin color that is associated with jaundice. This portable piece of equipment looks like a suitcase. When opened, it has space for a baby to lie inside to be treated by the unit’s phototherapy lights. The lights help break down the waste product in the baby’s body, which resolves the jaundice and helps the baby feel better.

CarePages Service for hospital patient families – $5,000
The Internet offers an opportunity for families to create simple web pages about a sick or injured relative. The pages can be updated as often as the family chooses, and guests to the page can see the updates about the patient anytime they access the family’s web page. This proves easier to families than having to repeat the same information through phone calls or multiple emails to different family and friends seeking updates. It is, therefore, a help and comfort to these patient families. With funds raised by the Star 102.1 Radiothon, Children’s Hospital offers CarePages for our patient families, who are able to access the service through computers in the hospital’s Family Resource Center or in their own homes. Children’s Hospital licenses CarePages, which is offered free to our patient families.