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This year's Harvest Ball honored a special family--Tyler, Tiffanie, and their brave son, Tristen. Their journey began when Tristen, just four years old, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The diagnosis turned their world upside down, but with unwavering determination, they faced every challenge head-on.
For over two and a half years, Tristen underwent chemotherapy and hospital stays, showing remarkable strength and resilience. In 2021, the Grahams celebrated his remission with a trip to Disney World, but their joy was short-lived. Nine days before his 8th birthday, Tristen's cancer returned, requiring new treatments and a bone marrow transplant.
Despite the setback, Tristen’s courage never wavered. Supported by the compassionate team at Valley Children’s Hospital, along with the love of his family, he underwent a life-saving bone marrow transplant in July 2023, with his father, Tyler, as his donor. A year post-transplant, Tristen is in excellent health, and for the first time, he started fourth grade cancer-free.
To other children facing similar challenges, Tristen offers these words of encouragement: "You’re brave and strong. It will get a lot easier." His story is a testament to the power of resilience, love, and expert medical care.
This year's Harvest Ball welcomed 500 of Valley Children's most loyal donors and supporters. Thanks to their incredible generosity the event raised more than $500,000. We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made this year’s Harvest Ball a resounding success. Together, we are transforming lives and creating a healthier future for our children.
If you're interested in attending next year's event, please email us at foundation@valleychildrens.org and we'll ensure you are added to our mailing list.
Please enjoy this highlight reel from the event.
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Physicians Honored at Valley Children’s: A Legacy of Excellence
Valley Children’s is proud to recognize two extraordinary physicians whose dedication and expertise have shaped our hospital into one of the nation’s leading pediatric healthcare institutions. We are honored to celebrate the contributions of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Joseph Gerardi and Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist Dr. Vonda Crouse, both of whom were celebrated with the following honors at the 26th Annual Harvest Ball.
Earlier this year, we said goodbye to Dr. Gerardi, fondly known as “Dr. Joe.” His skill and compassion left a lasting impact on the lives of his patients and colleagues. In recognition of his work, Valley Children’s Orthopaedic Program will now be named the Dr. Joseph A. Gerardi Orthopaedic Center.
Dr. Vonda Crouse, founder of the Central Valley’s first pediatric oncology program, has cared for more than 3,000 young patients, supporting countless families along the way. Her commitment to children at Valley Children’s continues today. In her honor, we are proud to announce the Dr. Vonda Lee Crouse Bone Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapy Program.
We invite you to watch the videos below, highlighting their dedication and lasting influence on the children and families we serve. Their work continues to inspire and elevate pediatric care at Valley Children’s.
View Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Joseph Gerardi Video
View Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist Dr. Vonda Crouse Video
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Spirit of Children is a program of Spirit Halloween Stores. The program's goal is to make hospitals less scary for children and their families by supporting the Child Life Department.
Last October, Central Valley Spirit Halloween stores hosted an amazing Spirit of Children's Halloween party for our patients and families at the hospital. Spirit Halloween generously donated all of the costumes, crafts and accessories for our patients to enjoy. We are so grateful for their continued support of our Child Life Program through their in-store campaign. The Foundation Team also celebrated Spirit Halloween recently for passing the $1 million mark in funds raised for Valley Children's!
Be sure to stop by your local Spirit Halloween store in October and show them this coupon to receive 10% off your order, and Valley Children's Child Life Department will receive 10% of the purchase price. Thank you, Spirit Halloween Stores and employees, for your ongoing support!
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On November 15, poker enthusiasts can gather at Club One Casino in Fresno for an evening of fun and fundraising. Hosted by local radio personality Gnarley Charlie, the annual charity poker tournament is part of Extra Life—a nationwide program benefiting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH). The buy-in includes dinner, and participants will have the chance to win prizes for 1st through 5th place. REGISTER IN OCTOBER for a 15% discount - only $85 to buy in! November buy-in is $100. Don’t miss your opportunity to play poker for a great cause! [Register here].
What is Extra Life?
Extra Life is a program that unites gamers, sports fans, and card enthusiasts to raise critical funds for their local children’s hospitals. Whether you're playing video games, board games, or sports like pickleball or bowling, you can participate while supporting Valley Children’s Hospital. Since its founding in 2008, Extra Life has raised over $100 million for hospitals across the U.S., all in honor of Victoria Enmon, who loved video games while bravely battling leukemia.
How You Can Get Involved in Extra Life
You can raise funds for Valley Children's by playing tabletop games, enjoying your favorite sport or playing video games. Form a team of friends, family, or co-workers to play any game you love, or join established community events like the upcoming poker tournament. Local businesses can also join by offering donation matches or sponsoring employee teams. You can have fun while making a difference!
To learn more about Extra Life visit Extra-Life.org.
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On behalf of Valley Childrens and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, we would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported our 26th annual "KISS Country for Kids" Radiothon with 93.7 FM. This year we raised $64,023 for our patients!
Perhaps more importantly, we were able to highlight the stories of some amazing patients, including Mahria, who started her life as one of our littlest patients at only 1.6 lbs and Marilee, who plans to swim in the Special Olympics. There was Rosemary, who bonded with local Miss California pageant title holders, Evan, who rang the "No Mo Chemo" bell on the air, Finley, who had everyone laughing and Sylus, who brought his joke book and got donations for laughs. Norah, Cambria and Gwen closed out the two-day event like true radio professionals, and with George the Giraffe joining, it was a party in the rotunda.
We send a special thanks to the KISS Country crew, our patients, families and staff who participated, our phone bank volunteers and our incredible sponsors for making this two-day event so memorable.
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We all have the power to spark change. And this October, you can too by simply getting that old or unwanted vehicle off your hands. During CARTOBER when you donate your car, truck, motorcycle or boat, the proceeds from your vehicle’s sale go directly to Valley Children's.
Your donation could mean thousands of dollars in support of our work, but there’s no cost to you. We pick up your vehicle for free and provide you with the paperwork for a tax deduction!
Here’s how it works:
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Call 1-844-589-4483 or complete the online donation form at https://cartober.com/nonprofit/Valley-Children's-Hospital. Our Vehicle Donation Support Team is available seven days a week and will happily answer any questions.
- Schedule your free pick-up: We arrange to have a licensed tow company pick up your vehicle at a convenient time - all at no cost to you.
- Receive your tax receipt - When the vehicle sells, we will send you a thank-you letter and any necessary documents you need for your tax-deductible gift.
Donating isn’t the only way to show your support—you can help by spreading the word! Forward this email, or use the hashtag #Cartober2024 to promote awareness of this year’s event.
To learn more, visit Valley Children's dedicated Cartober webpage.
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We would like to thank Walmart and Sam's Club, their hardworking employees, and generous Walmart and Sam's Club customers for an extraordinarily successful 2024 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals campaign supporting Valley Children’s Hospital. The 31 participating Walmart and Sam's Club stores raised more than $486,686 for Valley Children's during their June 2024 campaign. Congratulations to Walmart Sanger Supercenter for being the top fundraising warehouse, raising $31,997 this year! Walmart Porterville and Walmart Neighborhood Market in Visalia were also top earners for their divisions. We are so grateful to all of the Walmart employees who held car shows, food sales and other creative special events to help with the campaign. The innovation and heart shown by the Walmart team was exceptional this year!
Walmart and Sam's Club provide much-needed funds to support patient services, equipment, education, charitable care and research at Valley Children's. Thank you for all you do for Central Valley kids, Walmart and Sam's Club!
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We would like to extend a special thank you to our
26th Annual Harvest Ball sponsors:
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Spirit Halloween Stores
August 30 - October 31
Starting Labor Day weekend, Spirit Halloween will be holding their annual Spirit of Children in-store campaign. Since 2008, Spirit Halloween has helped support our Child Life Program providing our patients and families with education, play and emotional support during their hospitalization. Be sure to stop by and support Valley Children's!
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Papa Murphy's Cause Marketing Campaign
October 1 - 31
Papa Murphy's Pizza is kindly supporting Valley Children's Hospital and inviting customers to donate during their fourth annual icon campaign starting October 1. Please make sure to stop by any one of Papa Murphy's 18 Central Valley locations and grab a take-and-bake pizza to enjoy.
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Tesoro Viejo 5th Annual Sip & Support
Saturday, October 19th
Ready to raise your glass to a great cause? Join us for Tesoro Viejo’s 4th annual Sip and Support Wine and Beer Tasting event, a cherished afternoon dedicated to celebrating and supporting Valley Children’s Hospital Adaptive Sports Program.
The event will feature top local wineries and handcrafted beer, live music, delicious food, desserts, and a silent auction at Tesoro Viejo's Ranch House Clubhouse. Tickets $50 in advance and Designated Driver Tickets are $25.
Click here to purchase a ticket to purchase a ticket.
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3rd Annual Charity Poker Tournament
Friday, November 15th
6:15p.m at Club One Casino in Fresno. Pre-register and buy-in to the tournament for only $85 in October, $100 in November, with dinner included. Re-buys for $20 will be available during the event.
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Stay Connected
Valley Children's Healthcare Foundation
(559) 353-7100
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