Junior Board gifts benefit patients, families, nursing students

Recent donations from the Junior Board of Christiana Care Health System support a new hospital unit specializing in acute care for the elderly, scholarships for nursing students, specialized dental technology and aid for families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

“The Junior Board is committed to enhancing patient care through our work and through our donations,” said Georgianna Riley, president of the not-for-profit corporation that gives its time and talents to support Christiana Care’s mission.

The Junior Board has designated more than $120,000 to be distributed in four areas:

• $75,228 for the new Acute Care for the Elderly Unit at Wilmington Hospital. The money was raised at the 2016 Medicine Ball, the Junior Board’s annual event benefiting Christiana Care.
• $39,624 in nursing scholarships from the Ruth T. Shaw Memorial Fund. The Junior Board is a beneficiary of the trust, which is designated for nursing education.
• $3,500 for rotary endodontic equipment for the The Edwin L. Granite, D.M.D., Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery & Hospital Dentistry Clinic at Wilmington Hospital. The equipment is used in the debridement of root canals, allowing patients to avoid having their teeth extracted.
• $3,164 for the Kitty Esterly, M.D., NICU Special Needs Fund, which helps financially stressed families who are not able to meet the unexpected costs involved with a baby born prematurely or with special needs.

“We are so grateful for the Junior Board’s dedication to Christiana Care,” said President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, at the Junior Board meeting in September. “Time and again, they partner with us to meet the needs of the community we are privileged to serve with trademark enthusiasm and generosity.”

In Fiscal Year 2016, the nearly 300 members of the Junior Board volunteered 15,299 hours of time. Since the Junior Board’s inception, it has donated nearly $14 million to Christiana Care.

Founded in 1888, the Junior Board raises funds for Christiana Care by operating gift shops in Christiana Hospital and Wilmington Hospital, and hosting annual fund-raising events to support patient needs. Junior Board volunteers, wearing their traditional pink jackets, serve in numerous roles throughout Christiana Hospital, Wilmington Hospital and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute to ensure an exceptional experience for patients and visitors.