NASCAR driver Austin Dillon visits children's hospital
“Serious injury claims the lives of nearly 10,000 children in the U.S. every year, and many more children survive that need critical medical attention,” said Richard Childress
Winston-Salem, N.C. (PRWEB) November 12, 2013
In an effort to improve care and treatment for injured children, The NASCAR Foundation and the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma recently partnered to provide a free continuing education course for health care providers at Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Fl., Nov. 11-12.
“Serious injury claims the lives of nearly 10,000 children in the U.S. every year, and many more children survive that need critical medical attention,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and co-founder of the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. “Budget shortfalls have forced health care providers to choose more general types of training, but when medical personnel are appropriately trained to meet the needs of pediatric patients there is a better outcome for injured kids. We are grateful to The NASCAR Foundation for recognizing the importance of funding education for the people that provide care to injured children when they need it the most.”
With the help of funds from The NASCAR Foundation, the Childress Institute facilitated the Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support (PFCCS) course for physicians, physician extenders, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other health care professionals. This program provides the vital tools needed to recognize a child’s need for critical care, especially when a pediatric specialist is not available.
“The NASCAR Foundation is committed to providing enhanced medical care to children in need, particularly in our racing communities,” said Lorene King, executive director of The NASCAR Foundation. “We understand the value and benefit of continuing medical education courses and are proud to provide this training for health care providers that will better the quality of care for pediatric trauma patients.”
The NASCAR Foundation and the Childress Institute have also partnered to produce a co-branded fleece blanket that will be distributed to injured children in hospitals throughout the U.S. The organizations hope to raise awareness about the need to ensure high-quality care no matter how or where a child is injured, as well as provide comfort and support for the children and their families during their hospital stay. Several RCR teams and other NASCAR personalities have offered their support to distribute these blankets at children’s hospitals during the racing season, including a recent visit by RCR NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Austin Dillon to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
The Childress Institute’s goal is to lead national efforts to reduce death and disability following injury to children less than 18 years of age. It is dedicated to improving outcomes for critically-injured children across the U.S. by investing resources in research, education and awareness. The Institute helps injured kids get the best care, when they need it the most.
To learn more about The NASCAR Foundation, visit http://www.NASCAR.com/foundation, http://www.facebook.com/NASCARfoundation, or, follow on Twitter @NASCAR_FDN. To learn more about the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, visit http://www.InjuredKids.org, or find the Childress Institute via social media on Twitter @injuredkids, http://www.facebook.com/ChildressPediatricTrauma and http://www.YouTube.com/ChildressInstitute.
About the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma
The Childress Institute’s goal is to lead national efforts to reduce death and disability following injury to children less than 18 years of age. It is dedicated to improving outcomes for critically-injured children across the U.S. by investing resources in research, education and awareness. The Institute helps injured kids get the best care, when they need it the most. Life-threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children die each year - more than all other causes combined. The Childress Institute invests resources in research, education and awareness to improve the treatment for critically injured children in the U.S. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma was founded at and receives considerable support from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The Institute was established through the generosity of Richard and Judy Childress. For more information, please visit http://www.InjuredKids.org.
About The NASCAR Foundation
The NASCAR Foundation embodies the compassion of the NASCAR family and its commitment to serving communities. The NASCAR Foundation seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support nonprofit charities and charitable causes throughout the nation with an emphasis placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn and play. Since 2006, The NASCAR Foundation has contributed more than $15 Million in charitable support and helped provide medical treatment for more than 24,000 children annually at Speediatrics, fulfilled more than 2,000 NASCAR Dreams, helped provide 1236 summer camp experiences for children with special needs, recruited 12,000 fans to become part of a Volunteer Network and created educational opportunities for school-aged students that help to engage them in science and engineering programs. For more information, visit http://www.NASCAR.com/foundation, or find The NASCAR Foundation on Twitter @NASCAR_FDN and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NASCARfoundation.
