Donor Impact
Philanthropic Support Fuels Our Vision
Bold ideas are nothing without the people who make them possible. And, when it comes to real progress, there is no such thing as a small contribution. The incredible outpouring of philanthropy to support our work is inspiring and breathes life into our quest for health equity, laying the foundation for the important work ahead of us. If all journeys begin with single steps, 2021 represents the first of many great strides toward a world in which all children have a chance to grow up healthy and reach their limitless potential. Words can scarcely express our heartfelt gratitude for the support, generosity and trust our donors and philanthropic partners have placed in us as we seek to change the pediatric healthcare landscape.
A Record-Breaking Year
Words can scarcely express our heartfelt gratitude for the support and trust our donors and philanthropic partners have placed in us as we seek to change the pediatric healthcare landscape. This awe-inspiring generosity culminated in a record-breaking year to support our vision for children’s health. Together, we raised more than $46 million in 2021, with just over $30 million supporting non-clinical services.
In 2021, more than $30 million in philanthropic support helped us go well beyond medicine.
$211,208
Support for Families
Help with transportation, food, diapers, car seats, uninsured prostheses and medical devices, as well as uncompensated care.
$25,669,850
Health Equity
Addressing social determinants of health in innovative ways in the communities we serve through new research and programs including: a mobile medical van to provide health screenings, programs to address food insecurity, community health fairs and events, and essential needs pantries.
$3,271,293
Research
Community foundation and individual support for biomedical, translational and health care delivery research for the benefit of children everywhere.
$549,508
Education
Health education and support for children and families, endowments to ensure specialty care, and medical education programming for residents, fellows, students, nurses and other health care professionals.
$364,734
Child Life and Childhood Experiences
Personnel, materials and programming to help patients and their siblings cope with health conditions and treatments through self-expression. Opportunities and events that allow kids to be kids, from informal experiences like bonding with other kids to childhood milestones like camps and prom, and continued learning through in-hospital STEM education.
$492,782
Creative Arts & Animal Therapies
Evidence-based health services directed through music and art, and our specially trained assisted dog and pony therapy program that supports children’s holistic well-being — socially, psychologically, cognitively and physically; additional funding supports our volunteer-led visiting pet program that provides comfort and positive distraction to kids awaiting care or undergoing treatment.
A $25 million gift establishes the Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity.
In 2021, the wheels were set in motion for a generous investment by Orlando philanthropist Alan H. Ginsburg and the Ginsburg Family Foundation. Their gift of $25 million has established the Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity at Nemours Children’s Health — a first-of-its-kind initiative that will advance health equity for children in medically underserved communities by developing a world-class interdisciplinary program. The Institute will identify and remove barriers to health and collaborate to design and implement innovative projects that enhance population health. It will also prepare a healthcare and scientific workforce to deploy resources into diverse communities, locally and globally, bolster existing programs such as Nemours Children’s community-based mobile medical units, and expand existing efforts to deliver direct services to communities through telehealth platforms.
Part think-tank, part health-pilot incubator, hear Mr. Ginsburg discuss how the Institute will help achieve health well beyond medicine.
The Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity will focus on improving community health and well-being by addressing the systemic causes of health inequity by way of education, research, clinical care and quality improvement initiatives. This innovative medical incubator and training entity will align with Nemours Children’s mission to apply science and discoveries to further education, health care and community service. The Institute will bring together a team of world-renowned pediatric specialists whose research and policy findings will be shared through local, national and international publications and forums to address the underlying social determinants of health (SDoH), and ultimately change how health for children is achieved.
The Institute will bridge traditional subject area and programmatic silos, promote clinician collaboration, and drive excellence by sharing diverse perspectives and areas of expertise. One of the Institute’s critical functions will be as a research and innovation incubator, bringing together the brightest clinician scientists under a single roof to tackle the root causes of noncommunicable diseases, health disparities and the SDoH. Groups of scholars will work directly under an Executive Director, present their findings at an annual International Symposium, and work in tandem with the translational health advocates to turn research and data into tangible evidence-based policy change. Potential areas of study include behavioral health, the intersection of law and medicine, access to health care, and the built environment.
Spurring discovery and innovation to expand child health and well-being
Preventable, noncommunicable conditions such as asthma, obesity, diabetes and behavioral disorders represent an enormous proportion of rising health care costs for children. The SDoH underlying these illnesses in children are often poorly understood, especially in marginalized communities. The Institute will identify and remove barriers to health in medically underserved areas and collaborate to design and implement innovative projects that enhance population health. The mission will also be to prepare a health care and scientific workforce to deploy resources into diverse communities, locally and globally.
On the Leading Edge of Medical Science
Thanks to a generous donation from the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida was the proud recipient of a new da Vinci® surgical robot that will help develop a robotic-assisted laparoscopic program. This leading-edge technology helps conduct minimally invasive surgery for children, dramatically reducing recovery time for certain surgeries, and supports the recruitment and retention of young, academically-minded surgeons.
The da Vinci robot’s spider-like arms are controlled by a trained surgeon from a console, allowing for remote micro-precision incisions while the tiny-wristed instruments move like human hands, but with a greater range of motion. The da Vinci® Vision SystemTM delivers high-definition 3D views of the surgical area, while the instrument size makes it possible for surgeons to operate through one or a few small incisions — essential features, as children require specific surgical needs that are often difficult to meet by traditional techniques.
Installed in December, the robot has already been used to perform surgery on several urology patients. In addition, this investment has had a ripple effect in growing the services offered by the department of urology, including the revitalization of the spina bifida clinic in our Florida hospital. The robotic system that bears the da Vinci name sits at the forefront of medical innovation, expanding the boundaries of existing science and ushering in a new technological future, fusing clinician knowledge with mechanical precision.
Driving Impact for Young Heroes
The Young Heroes Car Parade raised more than $43,000 in September to benefit children and families through research and services in the Nemours Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (NCCCBD).
Some 60 vehicles participated in fundraising and driving two celebratory loops around Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. Event planners encouraged drivers and their teams to decorate their motor vehicles in honor of their young heroes — current or former patients in the NCCCBD. The top fundraising team was #pipershat, named for the young lady who plays guitar at various locations and raises funds for NCCCBD.
Philanthropic support fuels our vision to create the healthiest generations of children in American history.
James “Jim” P. Digan
President, Nemours Children’s Health Alliance
Mr. Digan is responsible for strategic leadership and guidance of philanthropy across the footprint of Nemours Children’s Health. He explains, “Nemours Children’s has developed a resolute strategy to interweave data, policy and philanthropy to create a new framework for children’s health in America, radically shifting the way we understand what it means to be healthy.”