East Carolina University (ECU) Baseball player Parker Byrd has stepped up to the plate to lead Homers That Help, a charity initiative supporting families at the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center. Taking over from former player Carter Cunningham, Byrd has embraced the opportunity to expand the program’s impact and continue its mission of giving back.
The idea for Homers That Help was born after Cunningham participated in a career shadowing experience at ECU Health Medical Center in November 2023. Walking through Maynard Children’s Hospital, he felt a deep calling to do something meaningful for the young patients and their families.
Managed by ECU Health Foundation, the funds raised through Homers That Help have had a direct impact on families, covering essential costs like gas and food gift cards to ease their hospital stays. Funds also will be going to other needs of Maynard Children’s Hospital to improve care and the hospital experience for pediatric patients and their families.
To date, Homers That Help has raised over $75,000. To learn more about Homers That Help or to give, please visit give.ecuhealthfoundation.org
Blue and silver Pinwheels for Prevention adorned yards, clinics, daycares and other businesses in Greenville, eastern North Carolina and across the country throughout National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. The pinwheels, meant to represent childlike whimsy and lightheartedness, are a signature display during the month-long campaign to raise awareness around a difficult and important topic.
For team members and supporters at ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University’s Tender Evaluation, Diagnosis and Intervention for a Better Abuse Response (TEDI BEAR) and Mt. Olive Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), the tireless effort to prevent child abuse in eastern North Carolina is a year-round endeavor.
Radio listeners across Eastern Carolina tuned in to make a big impact for a Children’s Miracles Network.
Inner Banks Media says the 28th annual Music for Miracles radiothon raised $113,734 for the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital. Funds raised go directly into the hospital’s state-of-the-art facilities, life-saving equipment, and comforting resources to children and their families.
19 Jersey Mike’s Subs locations across eastern North Carolina broke a giving record during the annual month of giving, benefitting James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital.
This year, $188,375 was raised in support of Maynard Children’s Hospi9tal, the highest amount raised to date. Since 2009, Jersey Mike’s has given more than $1 million to help sick and injured children in eastern North Carolina.
On March 10th, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital celebrated the opening of the Panda Cares® Center of Hope, made possible by the associates and guests of Panda Express®, who foster the spirit of giving to help change kids’ health to change the future.
The Center of Hope inspires hope and promotes healing by providing specially curated programs that address each child’s entire well-being, including their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs. This space is designed to give children the courage and strength to thrive.
Panda Express® guests and their associates in eastern North Carolina have raised over $345,000 for Maynard Children’s Hospital since 2016.
Trinity suffered abdominal injuries after being in a car accident with her mom. But Trinity had many people — and a dog — help her recover.
Thursday you can cool down, and give back to ECU Health’s Maynard Children’s Hospital, all while getting a sweet treat. It’s all a part of Dairy Queen’s annual Miracle Treat Day.
Every one dollar off a blizzard sold, will go back to help Maynard Children’s Hospital. Officials from ECU Health say in the past 20 years, Dairy Queen has raised nearly $200,000 for Maynard Children’s Hospital.
“We fund things from different types of equipment. So big transport trucks, down to little tiny vein finders for NICU babies, to supporting different programs at our children’s hospital like our child life program,” says Elise Ironmonger, Director of Programs for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at ECU Health Foundation.
Locations that are taking part include, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Greenville, Havelock, both Jacksonville locations, Morehead City, New Bern, Pine Knoll Shores, Roanoke Rapids, Sneads Ferry, Williamston and Winterville.
Just being a kid – that’s the goal Camp Hope and Camp Rainbow staff hope to accomplish every summer. Each year ECU Health and the Department of Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology at the Brody School of Medicine make it possible for children with cancer, hemophilia and sickle cell disease to take part in summer camp.
Camp Rainbow is for children with cancer, hemophilia and children who have lost a sibling to one of these diseases, and Camp Hope is for children with sickle cell disease.
“Once the kids get to camp, start participating activities and get to know each other, they leave everything behind and just get to be kids,” said Jacque Sauls, child life specialist at the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic at ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and director of Camp Hope and Camp Rainbow. “That is a blissful moment for all of the health care staff to be able to watch a child we see in the hospital all the time being a kid and having a great time.”
ECU Health and Brody team members develop camping programs to provide pediatric patients an opportunity to learn more about themselves and their illness, participate in fun activities like swimming, canoeing, archery, crafts, music and drama, all while making life-long friendships with other children with similar conditions and experiences. Over 60 campers from 25 counties in eastern North Carolina came this year.
“These kids are often protected and sheltered a little bit because they can’t do all the things other kids can do because of their illnesses, or they’re afraid of infections or normal camps don’t have the health care they need,” said Sauls. “Here, they can do every camp activity. There are no limits.”
While at camp, children receive 24-hour medical care and close medical monitoring by their ECU Health care teams including physicians, nurses, child life and social workers.
“All of the children take medicine because of their conditions, so when they take it together, they realize, ‘You have to do this just like I do,’ and know they’re not alone,” said Sauls.
The vast majority of camp volunteers and counselors are former campers themselves, having experienced sickle cell, bleeding disorders or cancer. This shared background allows them to form a special connection with the campers, having faced similar challenges, treatments and experiences. These volunteers return to camp to ensure that today’s kids receive the same transformative experience they once did.
“It’s one of the most important things we do at camp because they get to meet children going through the same thing they’re going through or have gone through,” said Sauls. “The kids get to have mentors that have gone what they’ve gone through and are now in college. They get to see that just because you have a chronic illness or have had cancer you can’t do all the things you want to accomplish in life.”
This is true for camp volunteer Daniel Everett, who attended Camp Hope starting in 2017. When he graduated high school in 2021, he decided to volunteer at the camp.
“I have sickle cell myself, and for me as a kid to come to camp was a dream,” Everett said. “It was magical. It was a place I could go that I knew I was going to have fun, and it was a place I felt right at home.”
Now as a counselor, Everett makes the same impact on the new campers.
“It’s really awesome seeing the kids enjoy themselves, especially when they come from a background of pain, they may be going through treatment,” Everett said. “It’s just nice to see them come here to take a breather like, ‘I can be myself,’ because they’re accepted here.”
Everett is beginning college in the fall, and Sauls noted how important it is for the campers to see someone with the same disease as them accomplishing their goals.
One volunteer, however, is not a former patient. Dr. Ashish Khanchandani recently graduated from the Brody School of Medicine at ECU and is beginning his residency in Pediatrics at ECU Health Medical Center. Dr. Khanchandani volunteered during his gap between medical school graduation and residency to make sure the campers have fun and to assist in any medical needs the campers may have.
“The goal of us as volunteers is to make sure the kids can go about their day without any major medical issues,” Dr. Khanchandani said. “It has been fun being like a camp counselor. I’ve done all the activities with my kids like paddle boarding, all while making sure they’re doing it safely.”
Sauls said she was especially grateful for Dr. Khanchandani’s expertise when it comes to his group of campers. His group has Daniel Perez, a camper who survived brain cancer at two years old, losing his vision. Perez was diagnosed with bone cancer in his leg at age nine and underwent chemotherapy. Thanks to the help from Dr. Khanchandani and another camper named Esra Lupton, Perez has been able to participate in every single activity.
“Daniel and Esra met at this camp for the first time, and they go everywhere together,” said Sauls. “Esra takes him from place to place. It’s a friendship you would never be able to make somewhere else.”
Perez, like the other campers, has loved his time at Camp Rainbow. He said coming to camp helps him de-stress and forget about the medical stress going on his day-to-day life.
Camp Rainbow and Camp Hope are offered free of charge to children with chronic illnesses and were made possible this year by generous support and donations from the ECU Health Medical & Health Sciences Foundation, Inc., Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals/ECU Health Foundation, the Pamlico Neuse Women’s Coalition, the James and Mamie Richardson Perkins Trust, the Mildred Sheffield Wells Charitable Trust, Riley’s Army, Jaylen’s Nation, Ms. Tammy Thompson, Beau’s Buddies, China Kitchen of Robersonville and other individuals and civic organizations. To learn more, please visit: https://pediatrics.ecu.edu/camp-rainbow/
While most kids are enjoying camp this Summer, there are those that cannot due to cancer, hemophilia and sickle cell disease. However, ECU Health and the Department of Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University is changing that.
ECU Health has issued a press release that they willmake it possible for children with cancer, hemophilia and sickle cell disease to take part in summer camp. Camp Rainbow is for children with cancer, hemophilia and children who have lost a sibling to one of these diseases, and Camp Hope, for children with sickle cell disease.
The camp will be hosted June 16-22 at The Refuge, 1380 Lower Field Road, Ayden, N.C. 28513.ECU Health and Brody team members have developed camping programs to provide pediatric patients an opportunity to learn more about themselves and their illness, participate in fun activities. Activities will include swimming, canoeing, archery, crafts, music, and drama.
During the camp, children will receive 24-hour medical care and close medical monitoring by their ECU Health care teams including physicians, nurses, child life, and social workers.
Both camps are offered at no cost to kids with chronic illnesses by donations and support due to generous donations and support by many people and organizations.
For 39 years now, Eastern Carolina and beyond have shown up to help sick and injured children.
WITN teamed up for another year of fun and inspiration for two days for the 39th Annual Children’s Miracle Network Telethon.
With your donations, we were able to raise $1,258,511 for the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville.
Those dollars help fund cutting-edge technology as well as quality-of-life items for the families and patients being cared for at the hospital.
If you missed our broadcast, no worries! You can still donate by heading here.
You can watch our Miracle Child stories here.