Special to the Times
Mass General for Children (MGfC) will kick-off its 23rd season of Storybook Ball on June 1st at the Boston Harbor Hotel surrounded by longtime supporters of the event.
Storybook Ball is MGfC’s signature fundraiser, at which donor generosity has helped raise more than $34 million since 1999, helping to provide expert care to its youngest patients and their families. Fiona and James Benenson III and Rachel and Bill Motley return as this year’s co-chairs.
At the reception, Ronald E. Kleinman, MD, Physician-in-Chief, MGfC, and Allan M. Goldstein, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief, MGfC, announce Storybook Ball’s fundraising focus: Newborn Medicine.
Annually, nearly 4,000 babies are born at Mass General, where most receive care in the postpartum Newborn Family Unit. Approximately 700 of these newborns require more specialized care and are admitted to the Patty Ribakoff Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or the Special Care Nursery. And nearly 200 critically ill newborns are transported to MGfC from a vast community hospital network. In total, Mass General for Children touches just over 12,000 births, in a growing network spanning from Martha’s Vineyard to Bangor, Maine.
Paul Lerou, MD, chief of the Division of Newborn Medicine, and his team work closely with obstetrical colleagues at Mass General to provide individualized care for new mothers and their families before, during, and after childbirth. For patients needing more specialized care, the team partners with pediatric medical and surgical specialists, nurses, nutritionists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, developmental specialists, and social workers to help babies heal, grow, and thrive.
“Providing state-of-the-art care to newborns in the diverse communities we serve across New England requires the expertise of clinicians in both medical and surgical specialties,” said Lerou. “Our incredible team delivers compassionate care to meet the needs of the entire family and help babies heal, grow, and thrive.”
Storybook Ball is poised to return in person at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston on Saturday, October 1, 2022, in the theme of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, the bestselling American children’s book written by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, where little letters of the alphabet get help from their elders while incurring various injuries attempting to climb a coconut tree.
“After two years celebrating virtually, we are incredibly excited to gather together again, with safety as our top priority,” said Motley. “As we highlight the incredible work that MGfC physicians and researchers are doing in the field of Newborn Medicine, this year’s ball promises to be an impactful one for many.” Visit storybookballboston.org to learn more about the June 1st reception and October 1st signature event