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Sacramento Family’s Toy Drive to Make Kids’ Hospital Stays a Little More Rosie 12-01-2009
When Nicole and George Carollo’s little daughter Rosie was hospitalized at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento due to a rare form of epilepsy, she was cheered up by the toys, movies and activities from the hospital’s Child Life Program.
Because of the tremendous care their daughter received while hospitalized, the Carollos are holding their third annual toy drive as a way to give back to the Children’s Center in memory of Rosie, who passed away two months shy of her second birthday in 2004 after her courageous 15-month battle with West Syndrome, also called infantile spasms.
The toy drive, which will be held from 5-9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, is part of the Carollos’ elaborate Christmas display at their home at 3961 Fair Oaks Blvd. in the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento. New, unwrapped toy donations will be collected to give to the brave children at Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, which is located inside Sutter Memorial Hospital in East Sacramento.
The Carollos began their charitable toy drive in 2007 when they were inspired to give back to the Children’s Center after experiencing first-hand the heartache of having a child hospitalized there. Rosie, their first-born baby, was born June 27, 2002, weighing a healthy 8 pounds, 2 ounces. The Carollos were overjoyed with her arrival, but six months later Rosie began suffering from West Syndrome, a type of epilepsy that occurs most commonly within the first year of life.
After a few months at another local hospital, the Carollos turned baby Rosie’s care over to pediatric neurologist Shailesh Asaikar, M.D. and pediatrician Michael Allen, M.D. at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. Drs. Allen and Asaikar joined the Carollos on their emotional journey with baby Rosie. Unfortunately, since her seizures began so early in life and she was experiencing hundreds daily, her brain wasn’t able to properly develop, and Rosie died on April 10, 2004.
“When Rosie passed away, we wanted to do something in her memory to repay the wonderful gifts we got and to help out other children like Rosie,” said Nicole Carollo.
It is their goal each year with the toy drive to help give back to the Children’s Center, where Rosie fought her courageous battle and where, the Carollos believe, she was given the best care possible.
“We were very impressed with the supplies that the hospital had as far as the cribs, blankets, mobiles, movies and even the activities,” said Nicole Carollo. “The Child Life Program really does an amazing job to cheer up the kids and to make their stay in the hospital as positive as it can be.”
This is the third year the family has graciously hosted this toy drive and they say they are amazed at the community outpouring they have received. In the first drive, December 2007, they received about 600 toys and $200 in cash donations. Last year, they received 700 donated toys and $1,000.
“The first year we did it, we had no idea it would become this big,” said Nicole. “We just thought it would be a little toy drive.”
Now they enjoy the company of hundreds of Sacramentans who gather in celebration of little Rosie’s life and the life of every child cared for at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento.
Guests and their families enjoy the elaborate Christmas lights display along with cookies, hot chocolate and even a special visit from Santa Claus. In addition, Sacramento firefighters will be there giving out official fire department stickers and coloring books. The Carollo family – which now also includes 5-year-old Claire, 2-year-old Grace and 1-year-old Lily – has made it their lifelong goal to spread little Rosie’s story and increase the awareness of infantile spasms. In the future they hope to set up a foundation in Rosie’s name to raise funds for infantile spasm research.
“We have many ideas, really,” said Nicole. “This is just the beginning.”
This year the Carollos say that the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento is in particular need of the following: crib-side soothers like the Fisher Price Aquarium or Precious Planet motion soother; non-fabric infant toys; rattles; toy doctor kits; infant security blankets like “lovies” small enough to be held by hand or snuggle with; and recent Disney movies or ones that include characters like Dora and Spiderman. Gifts of toys and books for children of all ages – from infants to teens – are also needed.
If you would like to be a part of this event but can’t make it out on Dec. 13, the family will gladly accept donations before and after this special night. For further information on how you can help, e-mail Nicole Carollo at N_Carollo@yahoo.com.
“They are doing this for a beautiful reason. The Carollos have found a beautiful way to carry on Rosie’s name with this annual event,” said Amy Medovoy, Child Life Program coordinator at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. “They really want people to know about the excellent care here at the Children’s Center and how much these gifts mean to the children who are hospitalized here all year round.”
The Child Life Program is an important part of each child's hospital experience at Children's Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. Child Life specialists work with the child, parents and hospital staff to make life as normal as possible and to minimize the emotional trauma to the infant, child or adolescent and his or her family. As a member of the health care team in both outpatient and inpatient settings, Child Life specialists provide essential life experiences for gaining a sense of mastery, for play, for learning, for self-expression, for family involvement and for peer interaction. The program also “employs” three full-time canine therapists as part of its Pet Therapy Program.
Sutter's Child Life specialists are educated at the undergraduate and graduate level in child growth and development, specifically focusing on the effects of hospitalization on children. Child Life specialists also go through an extensive certification process through the Child Life Council.
The Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento is a comprehensive children’s “hospital-within-a-hospital” that offers on-site 24-hour pediatric and neonatal care physicians. It provides a patient- and family-oriented approach of more than 50 board-certified subspecialists and a full medical transport team. The Children’s Center is nationally recognized as a center for excellence by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions for its outstanding care for children. Additionally, Children’s Center is approved by California Children’s Services and is the only non-university facility in Northern California granted associate membership with the California Children's Hospital Association. For more information, visit http://checksutterfirst.org/children.
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Because of the tremendous care their daughter received while hospitalized, the Carollos are holding their third annual toy drive as a way to give back to the Children’s Center in memory of Rosie, who passed away two months shy of her second birthday in 2004 after her courageous 15-month battle with West Syndrome, also called infantile spasms.
The toy drive, which will be held from 5-9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, is part of the Carollos’ elaborate Christmas display at their home at 3961 Fair Oaks Blvd. in the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento. New, unwrapped toy donations will be collected to give to the brave children at Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, which is located inside Sutter Memorial Hospital in East Sacramento.
The Carollos began their charitable toy drive in 2007 when they were inspired to give back to the Children’s Center after experiencing first-hand the heartache of having a child hospitalized there. Rosie, their first-born baby, was born June 27, 2002, weighing a healthy 8 pounds, 2 ounces. The Carollos were overjoyed with her arrival, but six months later Rosie began suffering from West Syndrome, a type of epilepsy that occurs most commonly within the first year of life.
After a few months at another local hospital, the Carollos turned baby Rosie’s care over to pediatric neurologist Shailesh Asaikar, M.D. and pediatrician Michael Allen, M.D. at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. Drs. Allen and Asaikar joined the Carollos on their emotional journey with baby Rosie. Unfortunately, since her seizures began so early in life and she was experiencing hundreds daily, her brain wasn’t able to properly develop, and Rosie died on April 10, 2004.
“When Rosie passed away, we wanted to do something in her memory to repay the wonderful gifts we got and to help out other children like Rosie,” said Nicole Carollo.
It is their goal each year with the toy drive to help give back to the Children’s Center, where Rosie fought her courageous battle and where, the Carollos believe, she was given the best care possible.
“We were very impressed with the supplies that the hospital had as far as the cribs, blankets, mobiles, movies and even the activities,” said Nicole Carollo. “The Child Life Program really does an amazing job to cheer up the kids and to make their stay in the hospital as positive as it can be.”
This is the third year the family has graciously hosted this toy drive and they say they are amazed at the community outpouring they have received. In the first drive, December 2007, they received about 600 toys and $200 in cash donations. Last year, they received 700 donated toys and $1,000.
“The first year we did it, we had no idea it would become this big,” said Nicole. “We just thought it would be a little toy drive.”
Now they enjoy the company of hundreds of Sacramentans who gather in celebration of little Rosie’s life and the life of every child cared for at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento.
Guests and their families enjoy the elaborate Christmas lights display along with cookies, hot chocolate and even a special visit from Santa Claus. In addition, Sacramento firefighters will be there giving out official fire department stickers and coloring books. The Carollo family – which now also includes 5-year-old Claire, 2-year-old Grace and 1-year-old Lily – has made it their lifelong goal to spread little Rosie’s story and increase the awareness of infantile spasms. In the future they hope to set up a foundation in Rosie’s name to raise funds for infantile spasm research.
“We have many ideas, really,” said Nicole. “This is just the beginning.”
This year the Carollos say that the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento is in particular need of the following: crib-side soothers like the Fisher Price Aquarium or Precious Planet motion soother; non-fabric infant toys; rattles; toy doctor kits; infant security blankets like “lovies” small enough to be held by hand or snuggle with; and recent Disney movies or ones that include characters like Dora and Spiderman. Gifts of toys and books for children of all ages – from infants to teens – are also needed.
If you would like to be a part of this event but can’t make it out on Dec. 13, the family will gladly accept donations before and after this special night. For further information on how you can help, e-mail Nicole Carollo at N_Carollo@yahoo.com.
“They are doing this for a beautiful reason. The Carollos have found a beautiful way to carry on Rosie’s name with this annual event,” said Amy Medovoy, Child Life Program coordinator at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. “They really want people to know about the excellent care here at the Children’s Center and how much these gifts mean to the children who are hospitalized here all year round.”
The Child Life Program is an important part of each child's hospital experience at Children's Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. Child Life specialists work with the child, parents and hospital staff to make life as normal as possible and to minimize the emotional trauma to the infant, child or adolescent and his or her family. As a member of the health care team in both outpatient and inpatient settings, Child Life specialists provide essential life experiences for gaining a sense of mastery, for play, for learning, for self-expression, for family involvement and for peer interaction. The program also “employs” three full-time canine therapists as part of its Pet Therapy Program.
Sutter's Child Life specialists are educated at the undergraduate and graduate level in child growth and development, specifically focusing on the effects of hospitalization on children. Child Life specialists also go through an extensive certification process through the Child Life Council.
The Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento is a comprehensive children’s “hospital-within-a-hospital” that offers on-site 24-hour pediatric and neonatal care physicians. It provides a patient- and family-oriented approach of more than 50 board-certified subspecialists and a full medical transport team. The Children’s Center is nationally recognized as a center for excellence by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions for its outstanding care for children. Additionally, Children’s Center is approved by California Children’s Services and is the only non-university facility in Northern California granted associate membership with the California Children's Hospital Association. For more information, visit http://checksutterfirst.org/children.
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