(Port Jefferson, NY) St. Charles Hospital was presented with $36,000 from Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG), a philanthropic organization comprised of real estate professionals from across Nassau and Suffolk counties. LIREG’s funding will assist the hospital in establishing a child life activity center in the hospital’s pediatric ventilator-dependent rehabilitation unit. LIREG presented the check to Marilyn Fabbricante, director, public and external affairs, St. Charles Hospital, during a networking breakfast at Old Westbury Golf and Country Club.
St. Charles will utilize the funds to purchase needed equipment and furnishings for the child life activity center. The educational and recreational area will help pediatric patients on the ventilator-dependent unit visit with family and friends as well as provide them with a break from the clinical environment and to positively adjust to a lengthy hospital stay through socialization and play. The unit is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2014.
“LIREG’s grant goes a long way in helping St. Charles address the complete needs of ventilator-dependent pediatric patients during their extended rehabilitative stay,” said Jim O’Connor, executive vice president/chief administrative officer, St Charles Hospital. “St. Charles was founded the purpose of providing compassionate care for children with complex medical conditions and we are grateful for LIREG’s support in continuing our mission.”
