Children’s Miracle Network is thrilled to once again partner with Ampersand Design Studio on a limited edition apparel collection. This exclusive collection features soft-style, light-weight t-shirts and sweatshirts in the hottest colors of the season. Don’t miss your chance to support kids at KU Medical Center while showing your love for our KC community.
The collection will only be available from August 30 – September 30 with orders fulfilled and shipped by mid- October.
Place your order TODAY with this link: https://kumc.ejoinme.org/CMN2024
We are thrilled to celebrate Sara Grigery (RN, BSN, CPN), Proton Therapy Nurse Navigator on being recognized as the University of Kansas Health System Magnet Nurse of the Year, as well as being awarded as the first recipient of the Patient Care Award, presented by the National Association for Proton Therapy.
With 17 years of experience as a pediatric oncology nurse, Sara serves as the nurse navigator for Cancer Navigation and Intake. Her role focuses on supporting the patient from the first referral, throughout the follow-up process. “Oncology treatment has so many variables and providers, so navigators are there to help a family and patient understand and feel empowered during this process”, she says. Sara is the guiding point of contact for patients and families undergoing cancer treatment.
“I work behind the scenes to gather patient information and medical records, provide reassurance and comfort to the patient and their family, and help the physicians understand the patient's needs. I help connect patients to their treatment teams and link them with appropriate support services, such as social work and financial counselors, to help resolve barriers to care. Above all, my goal is to provide highly personalized and compassionate care to our patients and their families”.
No two days are the same in Sara’s world of nurse navigation. From coordinating plans of care with the oncologists and surgeons for each patient to building relationships with the pediatric patients while playing Legos or Barbies with them, Sara is there for the many needs of her patients throughout their cancer journey.
Sara also emphasizes that the goal of their care team is to provide the best level of care that is personalized and focused on the patient as a whole. “For example,” she says, “We are always asking things like, ‘Is there a routine we can create to give a small child independence to get some confidence back? If school is really important to a child, how can we adjust the treatment schedule?’”. For Sara and the Proton Therapy department team, it is about valuing the patient for more than just their diagnosis.
When Sara is not with patients, she is kept busy with her three kids and husband. She spends a lot of time watching her kids’ sports and activities watching them grow up so fast. She also tries to make time for running, reading, coaxing her husband to ride bikes to the local pizza place, or go on walks with their dog, Dolly Popcorn!
Sara even makes room in her personal time to paint and decorate mesh masks for patients to wear during radiation treatments. She paints these masks with the individual patient and their interests in mind. Her radiation mask designs have ranged from Chiefs-themed to Disney characters, to patients’ pets! Sara truly practices what it means to deliver patient-centric care.
Congratulations, on this well-deserved honor, Sara!
Children’s Miracle Network is proud to have provided assistance to the Proton Therapy department to fund supplies for radiation masks, comfort items, and incentive prizes for patients during treatments.
On July 7, Children’s Miracle Network added a new part-time member to our team. Lori Gilgus came to us from a long and successful career in radio, tv, print and outdoor advertising sales. She will be focused on new sponsor and partnership development for the Kansas City CMN market.
Lori is a cycle and strength fitness class instructor in her spare time, enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband and family.
Please help us welcome Lori to our team!
Congratulations to our Extra Life gamers for raising over $10,000 for children at KU Medical
Center during the Extra Life United Tournament! In July, Children’s Miracle Network hosted the first-ever “Ignite: Peer-to-Peer Leadership Conference” in Kansas City, bringing together Extra Life gamers and collegiate Dance Marathon students to reignite their passion for fundraising for children’s health.
The annual Extra Life United gaming tournament featured various video and tabletop games, allowing participants to win prize money for their local member hospitals. Eighteen gamers from KU Medical Center competed, winning $9,950 for KUMC Children's Miracle Network while also raising over $2,000 through personal fundraising efforts that weekend. We’re incredibly proud of their achievements! It was a fantastic weekend in Kansas City!
Congrats to our Extra Life Tournament winners: GeoDude: 3rd Place – Unrailed, 5th Place - Party Animals, Th3irdEye: 3rd Place - Unrailed, 9th Place – Star Realms, Journot: 3rd Place - Unrailed, Gamrman: 5th Place - Golf with Your Friends, *fin: 8th Place – Unrailed, Snerpi: 5th Place – Star Realms, Dan Ryckert: 9th Place – Party Animals, JT Galloway: 14th Place – Unrailed, ExtraLifeBrie: 9th Place – Shifting Stones, futiles: 9th Place – Shifting Stones
Each summer, Walmart & Sam’s Club associates are dedicated to raising funds to Help Kids Live Better. While their campaign may only last 28 days where they ask their customers to join in their efforts to support families at KU Medical Center, associates spend countless hours planning fun activities for associates and customers alike to maximize their fundraising efforts. This year was no different! Every location planned bake sales, wore crazy costumes, held contests and sold rubber ducks to raise as much money as they could during the campaign. Because of their tireless efforts, customers had a variety of opportunities to give throughout the store.
Thank you to each and every associate at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Walmart Neighborhood Market and Walmart Transportation & Distribution Centers! With your help, 2024 is shaping up to be a record-breaking year!
Round Up Ask
January - December
Round Up Ask
August 1 - August 31
Register Ask
August 1 - September 30
July 1 - September 30
Our efforts are made possible through local partnerships and campaigns.
Children’s Miracle Network KC Heartland
P.O. Box 3245
Kansas City, KS 66103
Phone: 913-588-9100
Fax: 913-588-9101