Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach Named Calif. LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project Award Recipient Receives $10,000 Grant

Miller Children’s will receive SuperSibs! Program to help children affected by cancer

LONG BEACH, Calif. – January 12, 2011 –Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach was the only California hospital announced as a LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project award recipient. Miller Children’s was one of 179 qualified hospitals, cancer centers and community organizations in eight regions across the United States, selected to participate in an online voting campaign. Over a two-week period, more than 260,000 votes were cast earning Miller Children’s the award to fully establish the SuperSibs! Program. Miller Children’s is now the only hospital in California to have the full SuperSibs! Program available to patients and their family members.

The SuperSibs! Program will provide ongoing, targeted support to an underserved and often unrecognized cancer survivor population: siblings of children with cancer. “SuperSibs! ensures that these siblings, the “shadow survivors,” do not feel alone, insignificant or forgotten, and can face the future with strength, courage and hope,” says Tammie Mitchell, social worker, Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center (JJCCC), Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. “When families are faced with challenging decisions, and are preparing for a battle against a life threatening disease, everyday things are easily overlooked. That’s why this program is important, so that no child goes without the attention they deserve.

The Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center currently offers the “Support Our Siblings” (SOS) program which is a monthly support group for siblings ages 8-15 of patients with cancer and blood disorders. SOS is a unique sibling program because it offers face-to-face interaction between siblings of cancer patients in the hospital and their care team. It is a group setting that allows kids to talk and bond with others and “shadow survivors.” The siblings can learn from each other and have a place all their own to express themselves, as well as go on outings outside the hospital and have the opportunity to just be a kid. Miller Children’s will use the $10,000 award to expand the current “Support Our Siblings” Program to the full SuperSibs! Program bringing comfort and care items such as SuperSibs! personalized courage trophies, books, journals, Sib2Sib letters and sweet dreams pillowcases to siblings at Miller Children’s.

“We are thrilled and honored to be named as a Community Impact Project award recipient,” says Mitchell. “This award will go a long way and will allow us to continue to bring family centered care to our cancer patients and their families. We want to give special thanks to everyone who voted in support of this program. Together, we’re making a difference in the lives of cancer survivors and their families.”

About Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center
The Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center (JJCCC) at Miller Children’s Hospital provides quality, compassionate care to children with cancer, sickle cell disease and other serious blood disorders. The Center is known for its comprehensive psychosocial programs and multidisciplinary approach to patient care. An emphasis on integrating new research efforts into treatment plans allows patients access to leading therapies.

About LIVESTRONG
Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG fights for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG's mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer. For more information, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.