MERCHANTVILLE, N.J., Aug. 28, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Go4theGoal Foundation announced today funding of the first pediatric cancer Bereavement Program at Children's Hospital University of Illinois, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System. The Bereavement Program will enable the hospital staff to provide families with many resources that will help support them during the most difficult time in their lives.
"When we lose a child to cancer, it is heartbreaking for the entire family and for everyone on our team who cared for the child," said Margaret Szabo, MSW, LSW Pediatric Oncology Social Worker. "Our new Bereavement Program funded by Go4theGoal has given us the ability to provide supportive services and to do something special for the family as they begin to grieve."
The program is designed to help all members of the child's family and extended family, including parents, siblings, grandparents and caregivers navigate the grieving and healing process. "one of the most important goals of this program is to help create and capture memories of their child. Simple things like a hand print molds, photo memory books, and sympathy cards from hospital staff are things that we are hoping to provide to our families. Thanks to Go4theGoal, we will be able to purchase the supplies for these small, but meaningful mementos," added Szabo.
"We are proud to work with the amazing staff at Children's Hospital University of Illinois to create this much-needed program," said Beth Stefanacci, Go4theGoal's Executive Director.
ABOUT GO4THEGOAL FOUNDATION
Go4theGoal Foundation (Go4theGoal.org) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charitable organization founded in 2006 by Dr. Richard and Beth Stefanacci, soon after their oldest child was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Together with funds raised privately and it's many unique awareness and fundraising campaigns, including National Dress 4 Pediatric Cancer Day®, Lace-Up 4 Pediatric Cancer® and Richard's Run® 5K runs, Go4theGoal provides children undergoing cancer treatment and their families with financial assistance, runs fun hospital-based programs, grants special wishes and supplies state-of-the-art electronic products to children and pediatric oncology units in over 40 hospitals across the country. Since 2007, G4G has funded over $500,000 in innovative pediatric cancer research.
Contact: Randy Pickus
Email: randypickus@go4thegoal.org
Tel: (508) 269-8795
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