>> So when I was twenty weeks pregnant, I went for a routine ultrasound and the doctors
knew that something was wrong with Katrina's heart and they told us that we needed to get
to one of the best children's hospitals.
For us, there was an instant connection.
Not just the experience and the confidence which was obvious but just the genuine care
and compassion that they put to us as a family.
So we prepared for the next couple months with the team here.
At the time there was no fetal delivery so Katrina was born next door at University of
Penn and there was a lot of evaluation and imaging.
And for Katrina's best chance, she needed a transplant.
Although it was the first time I heard it, I was never scared being here at children’s
hospital.
At nine weeks old, Katrina was blessed with her heart from her unsung hero and at four
months we were able to go back as a family to DC and that's really what started our journey
for what now is the past fourteen years.
>> CHOP to my family and me is a happy place.
They tell you and explain and sometimes they even show you on little baby dolls of what's
gonna happen; of how the IV's gonna go in.
I really appreciate how they help you and show you what's actually gonna happen.
>> We didn't need to create a family environment.
It was already here.
For us it was the Connelly center.
Just a quiet place to get away.
There's a library and reading material that was there.
For us it became a second home.
>> What we're trying to do is normalize the hospital experience to the best of our ability.
And the importance of including their family in that experience, normalizing that experience,
you know bringing pets in as, you know, part of our pet therapy.
Allowing them to watch anything they want on TV, play video games, interact with other
children.
But those are the types of things that are not reimbursed by insurance or funded by the
government.
But they are differentiators that make CHOP such a special place and they actually help
improve the outcomes of the child's care here.
>> It's really not just the patient that they're treating here at CHOP, but really the whole family.
We had an experience with our children being in the hospital and when you're in that position,
you get reminded how delicate life is and how special it is.
The people at CHOP are exposed to that every day.
And it creates an atmosphere here that is really filled with love.
>> We have tremendous support from our child life and our social workers and our partners
throughout the community to try to help as much as we can to make the experience as good
as it can be.
A lot of the families are great supports to one another.
Having someone that has gone through a similar situation, being able to help out, I think
is wonderful.
The Penney family's marvelous.
They've actually been big supporters of helping us to integrate mobile technology and they
have been just incredibly committed to CHOP, the cardiac center, and to really advance
the care for children with heart disease.
>> We think of how creative and innovative the team really is and just an amazing group.
And so for my husband and I, we wanted to figure out how we really could give back to
benefit both families, patients, and just the innovative technology.
We really just need to keep moving forward.
>> In my particular instance when I had a daughter that was in trouble, it was reassuring and
they took wonderful care of her and actually she works here now as a matter of fact.
It was remarkable to all of us and we've been wedded to the place ever since.
It's hard to say no to kids, particularly kids who are sick and need help.
There's no dearth of things that you can look to where you can raise money and put it to
good use so I’m pleased to be part of that endeavor.