Donations That Make A DIfference
A charitable contribution to support life-saving care for children is a gift that touches the future.
Generous friends like you made the dream of opening the first, and only,
Pediatric Trauma Center in the San Fernando Valley come true. Infants and children are transported here for life-saving care by helicopter and ambulance from throughout the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. We must have a full range of specialist available for then 24/7, and we must invest in state-of-the-art technology to ensure that every one of our young patients receives the finest care possible.
Your philanthropic gifts also help us provide the backup facilities necessary to monitor and treat the most critically ill and injured children. Our 22-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit provides sophisticated, high-tech care for sick newborns as does our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for those through age 17.
Alaina Fisher's Story
On the afternoon of March 3, 2010, as 16-year-old Alaina Fisher was crossing a street in West Hills, she was hit by a full-size pickup truck going 40 miles per hour.
“She was thrown clear across the intersection,” says her mom, Michelle Fisher. “She suffered a concussion, a traumatic laceration to the head, and cranial nerve damage. Both of her lungs collapsed. Among her serious orthopedic injuries were three pelvic fractures and a broken arm, collarbone and rib.”
Paramedics arrived on the scene within minutes. “They had to decide whether to fly Alaina to one of the big medical centers in LA or to transport her by ambulance to Northridge Hospital,” Michelle says. “They took her to the trauma center at Northridge—a choice for which I will be forever grateful.”
No parent is prepared for the kind of phone call Michelle received at work that day—not even a parent like Michelle, who has earned her living for years as an EMT (emergency medical technician). “The voice at the other end of the line said, “Your daughter has been in a very serious accident. You need to go to Northridge Hospital right away.’ My panic grew worse with every mile I drove. When I pulled into the parking lot near the ER, the hospital chaplain, the LAPD and a friend of mine who is a nurse were waiting for me.”
Alaina’s condition was extremely critical. A mechanical ventilator was breathing for her. Because there was blood in her lungs, physicians had inserted a chest tube and started transfusions. “Her injuries were so extensive, the doctors were still doing x-rays, CAT scans, MRIs and other tests when I arrived at the hospital,” Michelle says.
“The trauma team worked with incredible skill and speed. Every one of them knew exactly what to do. It was awe-inspiring.” After Alaina was medically stable enough, surgeons worked for hours to repair the damage she had suffered. She spent a total of 17 days in our intensive care and rehabilitation units. Then she was ready to go home.
“The wonderful people at Northridge Hospital gave me back my child,” Michelle says. “They took such good care of her, and of our entire family. It was like a miracle.”
A little over a year after her terrible accident, Alaina Fisher is walking, dancing, and riding her horse as often as she can.
After school, she works with special-needs children. And she is leading a campaign for pedestrian safety in conjunction with the LAPD. Now in her junior year of high school, Alaina is planning to pursue a career as a physical therapist, inspired by the compassionate staff who cared for her at Northridge Hospital.
“They saved my life, and they changed my life for the better in so many ways,” she says. “I can't thank them enough for all they've done for me.”
Your generosity will affect thousands of local families by helping the hospital fund the new Pediatric Trauma Center—the first and only facility of its kind serving the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys.
Equipped with a helipad, it provides the highest levels of emergency care to infants, children and adolescents with life-threatening traumatic injuries 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As a not-for-profit organization, Northridge Hospital relies on philanthropic contributions from friends like you to maintain the highest standards of clinical practice in all of our programs, for patients of all ages.
We are deeply grateful for any amount you're able to give. Your tax-deductible gift supports Northridge Hospital’s life-saving mission. You can donate online now, download a form to mail or fax, or contact the Foundation office for more information at 818-885-5341.
Thank you for your generosity that saves lives.
