The Young Friends of Mercy Masquerade is tomorrow night at Palladium St. Louis. And the annual fundraiser is March 3 at St. Louis Union Station.

Mercy Health Foundation is featured in Sophisticated Giving.

Who We Are: Mercy Health Foundation was created in 2004 to serve as a supporting organization for the hospital. Today, the Foundation supports Mercy Hospital and Mercy Clinic to fund health-related needs that directly impact our patients and the care they receive. Mercy’s Mission: As the Sisters of Mercy before us, we bring to life the healing ministry of Jesus through our compassionate care and exceptional service.

What We Do: Mercy Health Foundation is a nonprofit organization built on the idea that people like you can help extend the Mercy mission even deeper into the communities we serve. With your support we can help Mercy bring their unique approach to compassionate health care to more people, improving and saving lives every day.

Why We Are Important: Anything is possible when we work together. Throughout St. Louis, everyone has a story to tell about how Mercy has touched their lives or the lives of those around them. That’s why every donation to Mercy Health Foundation St. Louis stays right here and why we make it easy for you to designate your gifts to the causes most important to you.

How We Impact The Community: In the past three years Mercy Health Foundation St. Louis has supported: scholarships for families who could not afford Autism therapy, behavioral and mental health services for children and teens, eyeglasses for low-income individuals, immunizations, physicals and behavioral health support for inner-city youth, and Child Life Specialists to make the hospital experience easier for kids. The Mercy Masquerade event raises critical funds to support charity care programs at Mercy Hospital. This event has raised more than $6.8 million to help provide health care to the uninsured and underinsured members of our community. The Benefit for Mercy Kids Dinner Auction has raised $8 million for pediatric programs and services at Mercy Children’s Hospital.

How You Can Help: Together, we can build a brighter, healthier future for our community. Mercy Health Foundation St. Louis needs philanthropic support in the following areas:

Personal Story: Meet Dottie

In May of 2016 Dottie was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney cancer. She had surgery to remove the tumor and a kidney. She has undergone radiation and chemotherapy. Dottie is now in the recovering phase. Dottie and her parents can attest it takes more than medicine to heal a child. For kids who spend time in the hospital, our Child Life program makes a world of difference. Child Life specialists help children cope with hospitalizations by planning activities to help normalize the child’s environment, explaining diagnoses, counseling siblings and family members through hard times and doing anything else that makes the visit easier. It’s through play and fun activities that our specialists help the healing process for Mercy’s youngest patients. Mercy is dedicated to meeting the needs of every child, every day.

“I don’t know anyone that would want to have to go through this without having that extra layer of support of people that can take the pain away from your child for just a few minutes. It’s hard to even put into words what they’re doing, but it’s amazing.”- Matt Coriell (Dottie’s Father)

Cancer Care Navigation - Mercy seeks to transform the patient care model to meet the complex medical and life needs of cancer patients by introducing cancer care navigation. Navigators will help patients coordinate appointments, identify care needs, facilitate communication with clinical staff, streamline referrals, increase patient satisfaction and offer survivorship education.

Child Life Program - Child Life Specialists comfort, educate and support the healing of children by providing age-appropriate interventions to empower pediatric patients as they cope with the stress and worry that often comes from having medical procedures. The program includes modern technologies, different learning styles and unique approaches like pet, music and art therapies.

Maternal Mental Health Program - Mercy’s Maternal Mental Health Program will provide new moms with direct counseling, support groups, coping skills and other therapies. This program will make an immediate impact by improving health, wellness and functionality for women, their children and their families. A unique care environment with an integrated health care team will focus on treatment of severe depression and anxiety.

Mercy Health Foundation

615 S. New Ballas Rd.

St. Louis, MO 63141

314.251.1800

mercy.net/stlouismo/giving

Top Executives:

Jeff Johnston-President, Mercy East Communities

Steve Mackin-President, Mercy Hospital St. Louis

Tanya Lieber- Regional Vice President Mercy Health Foundation

Board of Directors:

Chair: Joseph Garea

Vice Chair: John Mozeliak

Allen Allred

Karla Bakersmith

John Buescher

Joe Fresta

Scott Goodman

Glenn Guenther

Wendy Henry

Shawn Hu, MD

Thomas King

Jerry Kiske, Jr.

Kyle Lopez

John Marbarger, MD

Whity Meyer

Tim Niemann

Jennah Purk-Hall

Kirk Richter

Rachel Parker Sealy

Laura Sease

Mary Stieven

Eric Stranghoener

Greg Stubblefield

Tim Tegeler

Sarah Trenary

Laura Wasson