UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

From Dan Wilson's incredible catalog of songs and the special stories behind his songwriting, to the powerful prose of Nicholas Kristof and C Pam Zhang, to The Curtis Family C-Notes' unforgettable jams, and the always-inspiring teens from the Oakland School for the Arts - the 15th Annual Notes & Words was one for the books! 💜 🎸 📚 🎶 This year we raised over $1.15 million to help advance children’s health. Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, our young patients at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals can continue to count on us for the specialized care they need and deserve. We are so grateful to have you standing with us in our mission to always put kids first.

When Amir was diagnosed with hearing loss after a bacterial meningitis infection at 10 months old, his care team kicked into high gear, getting him a cochlear implant in record time — and allowing the child to hear his mother's voice again. Amir's excellent, speedy care was the result of a system that started in 1990, when UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland clinicians pioneered providing wraparound care for families of children who were deaf and hard of hearing. “Everything, all the resources, came to me. I didn’t have to go searching for anybody because all these people were coming to me to help him because they wanted him to succeed,” Amir's mom Alisa says. Read Amir and Alisa's story → https://ucsfh.org/4an6Uq8

Thank you and happy National Nurses Week to the incredible, dedicated nurses who take care of the children in our San Francisco and Oakland hospitals, and in outpatient centers. You're the best!

On Friday, our teen patients in both Oakland and San Francisco had an evening full of magical moments at our Wizarding Yule Ball-themed hospital prom! Each year, the amazing Child Life Services team puts on this event so patients don't miss this fun-filled milestone. "For these adolescents, who often miss out on these important rites of passage because of their illness, being able to do something normal and fun, in spite of their medical conditions, is so important for their health and wellbeing,” said Rechelle Porter, director of Child Life Services at Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. With themed food, swag bags and wintry dècor, teens stepped into a magical wonderland for a fun-packed night. Thank you to all who attended, and those who created this special experience! Read more about the event: https://ucsfh.org/44AqZIz

Congratulations Dr. Friedrichsdorf!

UCSF Health CEO Suresh Gunasekaran and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals President Dr. Nicholas Holmes welcomed Assemblymember Mia Bonta to BCH Oakland to discuss our efforts to improve patient outcomes and drive innovation. As Chair of the Assembly Health Committee and as a representative of many of our patients, Assemblymember Bonta is a valued partner in advancing health care across California.

For nearly 5 decades, doctors from UCSF have provided pediatric cardiology care in Humboldt county. Six times a year, members of the program's team travels to Humboldt County to care for young heart patients. “If we didn’t do this all those patients that I’m seeing up here would have to make the trip down and disrupt their work life and family life,” Dr. Anita Moon-Grady, Director of the Fetal Cardiovascular program, says. “It’s a service to the community to try to keep as much of their care here locally as possible.” Coordinating with Humboldt County’s health department, the program ensures children have access to the highest quality care regardless of where they live. https://ucsfh.org/43JJZDK

Thanks for the support, Buster Posey! The world champion catcher is an inspiration on the field and off. Since his time as a pro baseball player, Buster and his wife, Kristen, have visited kids at our hospitals regularly, bringing comfort to pediatric cancer patients and their families.

“I come to work with a significant sense of purpose every day,” Michael Valero says. As a two-year-old, Michael spent three months in our Oakland hospital living in a crib enclosed in a bubble. He had received surgery for a congenital heart defect, and risk of post-operative infection was high. Now he’s back – as a construction project manager, he leads upgrade and expansion efforts so future generations of young patients can receive state-of-the-art care. Michael joined UCSF in 2021 as a project manager for the design and construction department. “When I was given the opportunity to come back to work at the place that is literally responsible for me being alive and saving my life, I jumped on it. It’s a huge chance for me to give back,” he adds. https://ucsfh.org/3voNq6m

Happy National Doctors’ Day to all the exceptional physicians who go above and beyond for pediatric patients every day of the year!