Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation

"It was the easiest way to ensure I kept my promise,” said Hirvin Paredes. *** When Hirvin was 14, his younger brother was diagnosed with a heart condition. His mother was caring for him and his brothers by herself, and they all worried about how they would pay for the expensive medical bills. "Once we were referred to Children's Hospital Colorado, the doctors immediately helped us without any hesitation," Hirvin said. "That’s when I promised myself when I was old enough to work, I would give back." *** In the years that followed, Hirvin's brother's health stabilized, and Hirvin built a successful career with American Family Insurance — motivated by a desire to support other immigrants and first-generation Americans. He quickly secured life insurance policies for himself and his family, choosing to name the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation as the beneficiary of his policy. "I’m at a place now where I can take care of myself, help out my family and give back," Hirvin said. "Making Children’s Colorado a beneficiary was simple. It was the easiest way to ensure I kept my promise." *** Last year, Hirvin earned his U.S. citizenship and has no intention of slowing down as he approaches his 30th birthday.  “I plan to keep giving back however I can. Every contribution is a reflection of my gratitude, my thanks for the assistance my family received, and a chance to extend that same kindness to other families facing similar challenges.” *** Naming Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation as a beneficiary on your insurance policies or retirement accounts is an easy and meaningful way to create an enduring legacy and give back. Send us a DM to find out how you can help create brighter futures for children. #HereItsDifferent

Do you have a Children's Colorado story? From celebrating birthdays and special occasions to celebrating a medical journey, you can support Children's Hospital Colorado by starting a crowdfunding campaign. Every dollar you raise goes directly to programs and services that deliver life-changing treatments to children in need. With each campaign, you help us expand our reach around the world and enable Children’s Colorado to transform how children are cared for. Get started today: https://lnkd.in/gNWZTM2j

Support Children’s Colorado on DAF Giving Day Oct. 10! At Children's Hospital Colorado, precision medicine is leading to better outcomes for sick kids. While we’re making strides, not every child has access to the genetic testing they need, and many childhood diseases remain undiagnosed. Together, we can change this. This #DAFday, help us transform the future of pediatric care for kids like Jude by requesting a grant from your DAF.

The Eating Disorders Program at Children's Hospital Colorado helped our patient ambassador, Kendall, learn how to have a healthier relationship with food and exercise as well as different ways to cope with her emotions. Today, she is on her high school cheerleading team and is currently fundraising to support the Eating Disorders Program. Thanks for sharing your inspiring story this #WorldMentalHealthDay, Kendall!

Children's Colorado patient ambassador, Sofia, discovered a love for nursing early on in her own medical journey. After dealing with years of pain and health challenges, Sofia was finally diagnosed with gastroparesis and avoidant restrictive intake food disorder (ARFID). When she was admitted to Children’s Colorado, Sofia's care team found she also had several other conditions, which affect many systems in her body. Through the support of her care providers, Sofia worked through her symptoms, both physical and emotional, and started to see a brighter future. "During such a traumatic time, my nurses became my best friends, they saw me as more than just my diagnosis and were truly interested in the things that made me, me. Being able to talk to them about things like Taylor Swift or what books I was reading made all the difference in the world to me because it gave me a break from treatment and provided me with the strength to heal. The nurses at Children’s [Colorado] are some of the most compassionate people I have ever met... I am honored to be following in their footsteps." - Sofia Now, Sofia is attending the Loretto Heights School of Nursing at Regis University, studying to become a pediatric nurse practitioner so she can help children like her navigate the challenges of chronic pain — an example of how nurses at Children's Colorado not only care for their patients but inspire them as well. During Pediatric Nurses Week, we're especially grateful for your support in providing world-class, compassionate care every day. #HereItsDifferent #PediatricNursesWeek

We are grateful for a visionary $4.6 million gift from the Anna & John J. Sie Foundation and Global Down Syndrome Foundation to support the Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children's Hospital Colorado, bringing their lifetime philanthropy in support of the Sie Center to more than $10 million. https://lnkd.in/g9guNvdB Their donation will provide programmatic support and was instrumental in the appointment of Nicole Baumer, MD, MEd, as the new Sie Center Director and the inaugural GLOBAL Endowed Chair for Down Syndrome. #DonorImpact #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth

Support from donors like you is one of the reasons why Children's Hospital Colorado is once again recognized as one of the best children's hospitals in the country by U.S News & World Report. Your gifts and generosity help make the exceptional care our team members provide possible. #HereItsDifferent

Zane, 6, and Zeke, 5, are brothers bound by more than just family ties; they both share a rare cardiac diagnosis: hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Both boys were diagnosed in utero and born in the Colorado Fetal Care Center at Children's Hospital Colorado. Our world-class surgical teams at Children’s Colorado have performed lifesaving operations on both boys, giving them brighter futures. Support from donors like you helps fund surgical innovations that saves lives across 24 different surgery specialties. #HereItsDifferent

Children's Colorado patient ambassador, Zariea, celebrated her last day of chemo at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders this spring! When Zariea was a sophomore in high school, she was diagnosed with suprasellar low grade glioma of the optic tract, a type of brain cancer. Although this was not the news she was expecting, this didn't stop Zariea from standing strong in her faith and excelling in what she loves most—basketball, volleyball and preparing to one day become a doctor. While she was finishing her last rounds of chemotherapy, Zariea found out she was accepted into the Medical Career Collaborative (MC) two-year internship at Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs. This is the first year the internship program is offered to high school students in Colorado Springs, and it will provide 10 high school students with experiences in healthcare to give them a jumpstart on their careers. Your support helps provide advanced treatments and comprehensive care for kids like Zariea. Thank you for joining us in September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to help us move closer to a cure for childhood cancer. #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #DonorImpact

Where your dollars make a difference! Donor-advised funds, or DAFs, are personal giving accounts set up at a community foundation or financial institution that empower you to give to charities you care about. This year, Oct. 10 is DAF Day, a new initiative to encourage donations from these funds. If you have a DAF, consider directing a grant to Children’s Colorado on Oct. 10. From pioneering research to precision medicine and surgery, your contributions will help us provide our nationally leading pediatric expertise to patients like Eve. https://lnkd.in/gnaaaGBb #DAFDay