Summer is here and that means plenty of fun…and fundraising. Walmart and Sam’s Club locations in Orange County jump-started this summer with its annual Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals campaign in support of CHOC’s young patients and their families.
Beginning June 13, 2022, Walmart and Sam’s Club customers and associates can easily donate at the register, self-checkout and online. All funds raised stay local and are directed toward CHOC’s greatest needs. These donations make it possible for CHOC to efficiently direct resources where they are most vital and help us alleviate financial challenges, pursue the latest in medical research, get equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and more.
A longtime corporate partnership
Walmart and Sam’s Club are passionate about positively impacting the communities where they operate. On a national level, both organizations have contributed to kids’ health and well-being by raising more than $1 billion for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the United States and Canada. And in Orange County, more than $3 million has been raised for CHOC.
Since becoming a CHOC corporate partner in 2007, Walmart and Sam’s Club has further expanded their philanthropic efforts by donating more than $30,000 towards CHOC’s mental health services, ensuring that patients receive the timely and specialized treatment they desperately need.
They have also made a difference by helping provide a special room in CHOC’s Bill Holmes Tower, where pre-teen patients can hang out, relax, play games and simply be kids. This dedicated space is allowing children to regain their childhood within a hospital setting.
Philanthropy bringing hope and healing for CHOC patients
CHOC could not provide our high-quality and compassionate care without the dedication of corporate partners like Walmart, Sam’s Club and their teams. Their generosity has brought hope and healing for patients like April Arellano who, at 15 months old, was diagnosed at CHOC with septic shock.
In 98% of pediatric cases, septic shock is fatal because many sick children are unable to make it to the hospital in time to get treatment. Fortunately for April, CHOC was close to home and the specialists were able to diagnose her quickly and accurately—ultimately, saving her life.
After the diagnosis, CHOC doctors also determined that April’s blood was not receiving the oxygen it needed. In response, April was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine (ECMO) so that her lungs and heart could be supported. She remained on this life-saving device for five days, with CHOC clinicians monitoring her around the clock to track her progress.
Thanks to the funds from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals campaigns, April was able to use ECMO as part of her treatment. Her parents, Shannon and Antonio, expressed gratitude to donors saying, “There’s no way we could afford the medical bills. The fact people donate money for families like us—a thank you doesn’t seem like enough for saving my child’s life.” Read more about April’s journey toward wellness here.
Today, 10-year-old April is happy and healthy, and she is proudly representing CHOC as our local Children’s Miracle Network Champion. Serving as an ambassador for CHOC, April spends her time championing the philanthropic need of children’s hospitals across the U.S., and she visited various Walmart and Sam’s Club locations during this year’s campaign to share her story. Additionally, during the four weeks of the campaign, customers can “see” April via the multiple cardboard cutouts of her displayed throughout the stores. The 2022 campaign at Walmart and Sam’s Club ends on July 10.
Your company and CHOC’s trusted pediatric care can create a lasting impact on the kids and community we serve.
