Providence Tarzana Medical Center receives generous donation from The Chase Foundation to expand pediatric support program

January 25, 2019

Thanks to a recent, generous donation from The Chase Foundation, Providence Tarzana Medical Center’s littlest patients – those in Pediatrics, PICU and NICU, as well as children in pre-op and the emergency department – will benefit from the support of an expanded Child Life Program. The donation has allowed for one of the hospital’s two child life specialist positions to transition into a full-time role, furthering the reach and available resources of the Child Life Program.

Tiffany Mann has accepted the new full-time lead role, excited at the prospect of partnering with fellow specialist Sarah Castiel and pediatric care teams to ease the way for even more patients and their families.

“Hospitals are very frightening places for anyone, but being a child or having a child in the hospital is especially frightening,” shares Natalie Nevin, nurse manager for pediatrics and the pediatric ICU at Providence Tarzana. “The child life specialists really help allay those fears and do their best to help kids just be kids.”

In their integral roles, Mann and Castiel work closely with patients and their loved ones throughout the challenges of hospitalization and illness. They provide information, support and guidance, helping to clarify potentially confusing medical terminology for parents, using medical play to prepare patients for procedures and much more. Their efforts address children’s social, emotional and developmental needs, ultimately improving their experience and outcomes.

In 2016, The Chase Foundation also helped fund Providence Tarzana’s pediatric playroom of the same name, the Chase Place, promoting healing through play and creativity. Susan and Robin Richards started The Chase Foundation to honor their 2-year-old son, Chase Richards, who died of brain cancer. The program supports child life specialist programs with the goal of providing all hospitalized children with access to the specialized support services.

Providence Tarzana is deeply appreciative of The Chase Foundation’s steadfast commitment to its patients and community.

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