Making a difference

Caring for Kids - The Carrie Martin Fund is an all-volunteer part of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation and provides flexible, ongoing resources to support clinical care, teaching, or research activities that directly benefit patients and their families.

Our fundraising is making a difference. Caring for Kids - The Carrie Martin Fund has provided grants to send teens with cancer to a weekend retreat, send kids with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis to summer camp, advance diabetes research and send nurses from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and pulmonology physicians to educational conferences to further their expertise. The fund has also given grants to support the “Beads of Courage” program that rewards patients with a bead for every procedure or treatment they must endure during their hospital stay.

The serious illness of a child moves the hearts of everyone. Because of our personal experiences at Children’s Hospital, the “Caring for Kids” initiative began. As we enjoy our grandchildren we are reminded of the beauty and love that children bring to the world. We consider ourselves blessed. It is because of our circumstances that we are more dedicated to helping those families who are less fortunate.

Your generosity is appreciated. You are making a difference in the lives of children.

What happens to the money that is raised?

Funds raised by Caring for Kids - The Carrie Martin Fund go to support patients at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. In accordance with the Foundation’s by-laws, one-half of all new money raised and earnings of the fund are distributed annually. Other money raised is deposited to the Foundation to build earnings for distribution.

Each year, the availability of the “Caring for Kids” fund is advertised throughout the hospital. A voluntary advisory committee reviews the list of requests and determines the distribution of the funds. The grants impact the plight of patients and their families.

Since being established, Caring for Kids - The Carrie Martin Fund grants have provided support to various initiatives and needs within the hospital. The following are some examples of how this Foundation support has been given:

  • Funding to Dr. Lisa Maurer, as she continues to build the Pediatric Cancer Research Program, focused on identifying therapies for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia.

  • Support was given to the Cardiology Department to purchase the artificial intelligence training device “Surgical Sam.” This advanced training system supports the Critical Care Units (CICU, PICU, EDU), cardiothoracic surgeons, the cardiovascular operating room, and the Perfusion and ECMO teams.

  • Purchased a “Biorad Thermal Cycler” for the Department of Neurological Surgery for work with medulloblastoma.

  • To the Department of Cardiac Thoracic Surgery to continue “The Beads of Courage” program (featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

  • Funding to acquire custom-made beds with bilirubin lighting for patients with Crigler Najjar.

  • Support was granted to the Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine to acquire “DRS retinal scanning equipment.”

  • The Division of Allergy and Immunology received funds for diagnostic testing in patients with rare genetic diseases. Whole Exam Sequencing (WES) examines thousands of genes to locate a patient’s often baffling constellation of symptoms to allow for targeted treatments.

  • Funding for the cost of attendance by two fellows and one doctor at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.

  • The Department of Pediatric Surgery received funds for the design and construction of a “distraction” surgical room. (This project is dedicated in memory of Jim Johnston)