Life can change in an instant. That diagnoses, that doctor’s visit we weren’t expecting, that life altering change. And, if it does, the last thing we want to think about is the money, the insurance, the cost.
We tend to think that the typical American family is like us – and probably has health care coverage through an employer or is self-insured either through private insurance or the Affordable Care Act (often referred to as Obamacare). And, if a family is financially poor, the children are probably eligible for Medicaid. So why does Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, like other nonprofit pediatric hospitals, look to donors for philanthropic support?
The simple answer is “because Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital cares for all children, regardless of a family’s ability to pay — and insurance does not cover everything a family needs to help a child heal.” Insurance doesn’t pay for gas money, nutritious food, or the mortgage/rent on the house. It doesn’t keep the heat and the lights on, even if those things are critical in caring for a fragile child.
When a child has a life-threatening illness or chronic medical condition, a family’s life is no longer “ordinary.” A household with two wage-earners suddenly becomes, of necessity, a single-income family because one parent has to be a fulltime caregiver. Expenses multiply. There may be significant deductibles to meet and copayments to make for a myriad of medical services. Families may be making long, frequent car trips to get a child to appointments with different specialists. The cost of prescriptions drugs, special dietary requirements and durable medical equipment add to the financial burden.
A typical family can usually handle the ordinary health challenges of childhood. We can cope with bad colds, ear infections, a broken bone, sprain or minor surgery. But when a mother gives birth to a fragile, premature baby or parents are told their child has cancer, their world seems to stop. That’s when families need the support of the community.
Will you be that community? You can help, and have some holiday fun at the same time!
Mary Bridge Children’s Festival of Trees is an iconic holiday event in Tacoma, Washington. For 30 years, the Festival has attracted both community leaders and members of the general public with a display of ornate and imaginatively decorated evergreen trees that sets the stage for a variety of fundraising events and welcomes visitors of all ages. This year, Festival of Trees takes place December 2, 3 and 4 in the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.
Mary Bridge Children’s Festival of Trees is a purely philanthropic event. 100% of the proceeds are used to help care for children at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
Your participation in Festival of Trees supports kids and families when they need it the most. So while you are enjoying the trees, the activities and a little bit of shopping, you are also giving a bit of your heart to help others. It’s what Christmas is all about!
Visit festivaloftreestacoma.org for details and enter to win 4 tickets to the Festival of Trees below!
” ExcerptText=”Life can change in an instant. That diagnoses, that doctor’s visit we weren’t expecting, that life altering change. And, if it does, the last thing we want to think about is the money, the insurance, the cost.
