A Dedicated Board of Directors
Letter From Founders
Dear Friends of Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition,
When we sat down to write this letter, we could think of no better way to begin than at the beginning. It has been six years since we started pounding the halls in D.C. and Sacramento speaking out on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves because they are too sick and too little.
It all began on the morning of September 11, 2001 in the elementary school parking lot. We had just dropped our kids off at kindergarten and like so many people that day we were unsure what to do next – should we leave, should we stay, would our kids be ok? We found ourselves with a lot of questions and few answers. We both needed to talk so despite the fact that we had just met, we sat down over a cup of coffee and began a conversation that was to change our lives.
Our motivation to do something constructive was charged by the emotion of that day. We were determined to rebuild our faith, our hope and the only way we knew how was to forge ahead for a cause bigger than ourselves – meeting the unique needs of families of children with life-threatening conditions. When we tell their stories, hearts shift. In the last four years, we have built a coalition of leaders and individuals unified in their vision of a medical system that not only works to cure diseases and alleviate symptoms but also nurtures the spirit of compassionate emotional support and honors childhood.
On this website, you can read more about our efforts to alleviate the unnecessary suffering often endured by the children and their families (see Mission Possible); how we can hold on to hope (see Nick’s Story); and ways in which to reach out with compassion to friends who are hurting (see I want to Help, But I Don’t Know How). You can also learn about the Partnership for Children, our local center in Watsonville that creates a strong, cohesive network of communication and support for families of children with life threatening conditions living in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties. It is what the Institute of Medicine calls a “care coordination center,” and the Partnership for Children is the first of its kind in California.
We continue to be renewed and inspired by the compassion for children and the desire from within the walls of Congress, the Department of Health, the State Capitol and of course our community to improve the quality of life for seriously ill children. It is because of the outstanding work of our Partners that we were able to create a communitybased safety net for our most fragile citizens. We hope that you will open your wallet to support the work of Children’s Hospice and continue your ongoing support to each of the worthy organizations within the Partnership for Children – Central Coast Visiting Nurses Association, George Mark Children’s House,Heartland Hospice and Home Health, Hospice Caring Project, Jacob’s Heart, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, Make-A-Wish, Pediatric Services of America, Santa Cruz Visiting Nurses Association, Santa Cruz AIDS Project, UCSF Children’s Hospital, and our local hospitals.
Thank You,
Lori Butterworth and Devon Dabbs
Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors