Columbus, Ga. (March 18, 2019) – To shine a light on the importance of children’s hospitals and how donations help kids get the best care when they need it, The Children’s Hospital at Piedmont Columbus Regional is pleased to participate in the third annual national #ChildrensHospitalsWeek, scheduled for March 18-24. The Children’s Hospital at Piedmont Columbus Regional is one of 170 member Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals across North America participating in the weeklong initiative.

“The Piedmont Columbus Children’s Hospital has been made possible in large part because of the generosity of our CMN sponsors and donors. Over the past five years, gifts to support our local CMN hospital have been used to renovate and expand our care for children and train our pediatric care team so they can provide the best care for our community’s children,” said Aline Lasseter, Executive Director-Piedmont Columbus Regional Foundation. “Miracles are happening every day at Piedmont Columbus Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’ll make sure that care continues for generations to come. We are truly blessed to have such a special place here and I hope everyone will help celebrate Children’s Hospital Week throughout the Chattahoochee Valley.”

The following activities encourage support for children’s hospitals:

• Children’s Hospitals Week will kick-off with the 2019 CMN Champion Medal Ceremony honoring Brody Hester, born in 2018 weighing 1 lb. and 4 oz. and spent 98 days in the Miracle NICU. The ceremony will be held on Monday, March 18, at 3 p.m. in the Miracle Neonatal Intensive Care Unit conference room at the Piedmont Columbus Midtown Campus.  
• Tune in to the #ChildrensHospitalsWeek Live-athon Wednesday, March 20, at 8 p.m. This exciting, live event will feature appearances by various celebrities and 10 kids who represent the 10 million kids treated annually at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada. Catch the action at Facebook.com/CMNHospitals.
• Start a Facebook fundraiser. Help raise critical funds for Piedmont Columbus Regional. Visit https://cmnhospitals.org/how-to-successful-fundraiser/ to get started.

• Wear a bandage to show your support!  By wearing a bandage of your choice, taking a photo, and sharing it with the #ChildrensHospitalsWeek hashtag #for children’s hospitals you can demonstrate how much you care about our local children’s hospital and the amazing miracles the caregivers provide every day!
• On March 20, Dairy Queen® locations across the nation will celebrate the first day of spring with their fourth annual Free Cone Day. Customers who visit a participating Dairy Queen location will receive a free small vanilla soft-serve cone just for coming in. Free Cone Day serves as an opportunity to raise critical funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and their local children’s hospital. Donations will be accepted throughout the day.

“With the third annual #ChildrensHospitalsWeek in 2019, we’re taking the opportunity to honor not only our Champions and partners, but also the hundreds of children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada who impact the lives of millions of children annually,” said John Lauck, president and CEO of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. “We’re reminded daily of the fact that contributions of all sizes add up to provide critical funding for pediatric medical equipment, services, research and charitable care, and that community donations are vital for local kids in need.”

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals treat 62 kids every minute. To make a donation to your local children’s hospital, click here.

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.

About Piedmont Columbus Regional 

Piedmont Columbus Regional is a leading healthcare provider in west Georgia serving the Columbus, Ga. area with a network of health and medical services through its two hospital campuses. Serving 21 surrounding Georgia and Alabama counties, Piedmont Columbus Regional’s Midtown campus is a 583-licensed bed, acute care hospital offering a Level 2 Trauma Center and Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, one of only six perinatal centers in Georgia and the region’s only full-service Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The Northside campus is a 100-bed hospital providing an extensive range of surgical, rehabilitative and other medical services and opened a new 11,000 square feet Emergency Department in April 2018. Piedmont Columbus Regional is also comprised of the John B. Amos Cancer Center, two urgent care centers, a Family Medicine Residency Program, as well as an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists-accredited pharmacy residency program, and an extensive network of respected physicians, surgeons and specialists. Founded in 1836, Piedmont Columbus Regional became part of Piedmont Healthcare in March 2018 – expanding quality health services to the Columbus area and surrounding communities. The mission of Piedmont Columbus Regional is to improve the lives and health of those we touch. For more information, visit piedmont.org/columbus.

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