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Family hopes to bring sibling care center to CHOP
In three to five years, there will be a new ambulatory building at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. What will be included in that building is still being decided. One Lansdale family is hoping that it includes a sibling care center.
The Toussaint family could have used such a facility throughout 2007, when their 18-month-old daughter, Adelaide, was often hospitalized for complications related to Neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that allowed tumors to grow along any nerves in her body. She later passed away in September 2007 after spending much time at CHOP. Their two older children, who were 3 and 5 at the time, often had to be left with friends of the family.
They would cry when they would leave them and they weren’t able to understand exactly what was going on, said mother Tricia Toussaint. So, now, the family and friends are trying to raise money for this possible center, as well as awareness of the need for a safe place at the hospital for healthy siblings to be cared for.
Julee Kerr, of Collegeville, met Tricia Toussaint through a class that her son was taking at The Little Gym in Hatfield. When she learned of the family’s tragic loss and campaign for the sibling care center, she immediately wanted.
“I was putting myself in that situation and couldn’t possibly imagine what it would be like,” Kerr said.
Kerr decided to talk to Willow Creek Orchards in Collegeville and find out if she might be able to hold a fundraiser of some sort on their grounds. The orchard owners took it one step further and offered to donate the proceeds from their second annual Mater and Tater Fest to the fund for the sibling care center, which the family hopes to call Adelaide’s Place.
“I was blown away,” Kerr said.
The family-friendly festival is set to be held on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the orchard. It will include a spud car derby, where potatoes will be dug into tiny cars and placed on a track. Main Line Hobbies of East Norriton will donate wheels and car decorations as well as the prizes for the children. There will also be a mashed potato sculpting contest sponsored by Kids and Clay Pottery Studio of East Norriton.
Last year farm market manager Melissa Smith, who along with her husband owns the orchard, made 60 pounds of mashed potatoes for the event; but the event was so successful that she said she may have to double that amount this year.
A spud hunt will also take place, in which children dig for potatoes and receive 50 cents for each purple one they find. There will be a homegrown tomato contest, a potato peeling contest, as well as crafts, games, local vendors and live music by the Cabin Dogs.
Kerr is also organizing a silent auction to take place at the festival and is lining up donors. She said she would like to get six to eight pieces, and so far jeweler David Yurman has offered a piece for the auction.
“We’re very excited about the event,” Smith said.
Last year, the orchard chose to donate the proceeds from the festival to the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, and this year, when Smith heard the story of the Toussaint family, she said she put herself in that situation and knew that’s where the proceeds would go.
The 2007 Mater and Tater Fest raised about $1,000.
“I would love to see that tripled,” Smith said.
The orchard is trying to think of even more ways to make that happen. The Toussaint family and their friends have raised about $18,000 for Adelaide’s Place so far, and they hope to eventually reach a goal of $1 million.
The Toussaints are planning another fundraiser for the end of summer or early fall to commemorate the anniversary of Adelaide’s death. They would like to hold a kid’s fest to include all the members of the family.
“The sibling care center would be a beautiful tribute to the memory of their daughter,” Smith said.
CHOP cannot guarantee that Adelaide’s Place will be a part of the new building, said Toussaint. But she and fellow fundraisers hope that by raising the money for its construction and at the same time explaining why it is so needed, they can make the sibling care center a reality.
As a safe environment for families to leave their other children, the center would alleviate stress for those who are already burdened, Toussaint said, because the other children would feel involved and would be able to visit their sick sibling.
A key feature she would like to see included is a child therapist to talk to the healthy siblings and work through the emotions of jealousy, anger or sadness they may be feeling.
“This resource is much needed,” Toussaint said.
She said she will do everything in her power to make it happen in the memory of her daughter, whom she now calls her angel, Adelaide.
For more information about the festival or to make a donation, call 215-280-7767 or visit http://giving.chop.edu/goto/adelaide.
The Toussaint family could have used such a facility throughout 2007, when their 18-month-old daughter, Adelaide, was often hospitalized for complications related to Neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that allowed tumors to grow along any nerves in her body. She later passed away in September 2007 after spending much time at CHOP. Their two older children, who were 3 and 5 at the time, often had to be left with friends of the family.
They would cry when they would leave them and they weren’t able to understand exactly what was going on, said mother Tricia Toussaint. So, now, the family and friends are trying to raise money for this possible center, as well as awareness of the need for a safe place at the hospital for healthy siblings to be cared for.
Julee Kerr, of Collegeville, met Tricia Toussaint through a class that her son was taking at The Little Gym in Hatfield. When she learned of the family’s tragic loss and campaign for the sibling care center, she immediately wanted.
“I was putting myself in that situation and couldn’t possibly imagine what it would be like,” Kerr said.
Kerr decided to talk to Willow Creek Orchards in Collegeville and find out if she might be able to hold a fundraiser of some sort on their grounds. The orchard owners took it one step further and offered to donate the proceeds from their second annual Mater and Tater Fest to the fund for the sibling care center, which the family hopes to call Adelaide’s Place.
“I was blown away,” Kerr said.
The family-friendly festival is set to be held on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the orchard. It will include a spud car derby, where potatoes will be dug into tiny cars and placed on a track. Main Line Hobbies of East Norriton will donate wheels and car decorations as well as the prizes for the children. There will also be a mashed potato sculpting contest sponsored by Kids and Clay Pottery Studio of East Norriton.
Last year farm market manager Melissa Smith, who along with her husband owns the orchard, made 60 pounds of mashed potatoes for the event; but the event was so successful that she said she may have to double that amount this year.
A spud hunt will also take place, in which children dig for potatoes and receive 50 cents for each purple one they find. There will be a homegrown tomato contest, a potato peeling contest, as well as crafts, games, local vendors and live music by the Cabin Dogs.
Kerr is also organizing a silent auction to take place at the festival and is lining up donors. She said she would like to get six to eight pieces, and so far jeweler David Yurman has offered a piece for the auction.
“We’re very excited about the event,” Smith said.
Last year, the orchard chose to donate the proceeds from the festival to the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, and this year, when Smith heard the story of the Toussaint family, she said she put herself in that situation and knew that’s where the proceeds would go.
The 2007 Mater and Tater Fest raised about $1,000.
“I would love to see that tripled,” Smith said.
The orchard is trying to think of even more ways to make that happen. The Toussaint family and their friends have raised about $18,000 for Adelaide’s Place so far, and they hope to eventually reach a goal of $1 million.
The Toussaints are planning another fundraiser for the end of summer or early fall to commemorate the anniversary of Adelaide’s death. They would like to hold a kid’s fest to include all the members of the family.
“The sibling care center would be a beautiful tribute to the memory of their daughter,” Smith said.
CHOP cannot guarantee that Adelaide’s Place will be a part of the new building, said Toussaint. But she and fellow fundraisers hope that by raising the money for its construction and at the same time explaining why it is so needed, they can make the sibling care center a reality.
As a safe environment for families to leave their other children, the center would alleviate stress for those who are already burdened, Toussaint said, because the other children would feel involved and would be able to visit their sick sibling.
A key feature she would like to see included is a child therapist to talk to the healthy siblings and work through the emotions of jealousy, anger or sadness they may be feeling.
“This resource is much needed,” Toussaint said.
She said she will do everything in her power to make it happen in the memory of her daughter, whom she now calls her angel, Adelaide.
For more information about the festival or to make a donation, call 215-280-7767 or visit http://giving.chop.edu/goto/adelaide.
