The United Foundation for Children's Health (UFCH) newsletter provides updates on their recent work sponsoring medical care for orphaned and impoverished children in China. This includes dental surgery for Hannah, medical training at Shanghai Healing Home, a trip to Jiaozuo Orphanage, cleft palate surgeries at Kaifeng Orphanage, and an announcement of Little Jia's upcoming surgery. UFCH expresses gratitude to its medical partners and volunteers for helping children receive life-changing medical care.
1. Winter 2011, Issue No. 1
United Foundation for Quarterly
Children’s Health Newsletter
http://www.unitedfoundation.org/
Hannah’s Story
UFCH recently sponsored dental work for an
eight-year-old girl named Hannah. Hannah was
abandoned at the age of seven and was sent to live
at New Day Foster Home in Beijing. Upon arrival, she
was very malnourished. She also had a serious heart
condition called “Tetralogy of Fallot,” which is a congenital
defect involving four anatomical abnormalities.
Under the loving care of New Day, Hannah immediately began to gain weight
and be treated for her heart condition. She underwent her first heart surgery in UFCH: New Website
August 2009. Due to the severity of her condition, she also required a second Announcement
heart surgery which successfully took place in May 2010.
In addition to these medical issues, Hannah’s teeth were UFCH is excited to announce
in poor condition as a result of never having had dental our new website. It features
information about our mission,
care. UFCH sponsored her dental care and dental
th an overview of our programs,
surgery, which was performed on December 17 , and beautiful photos of the
2010 in the dental clinic of Beijing United Family children we support.
Hospital.
Hannah’s caregivers report that since the Please visit us online at
completion of her surgeries, she is a “new child.” www.unitedfoundation.org.
She is in good health and can now play with the
And, if you are interested in
other children, instead of merely watching. She
volunteering for UFCH, we
attends preschool at New Day Foster Home, where she would love to hear from you.
is learning colors, numbers, the alphabet, and so much Please contact Maggie Fu at
more. Hannah is a funny, happy little girl. She loves to sing, play outdoors, build +86 010 5927 7285 or at
with blocks, and do arts and crafts. maggie.fu@unitedfoundation.org.
UFCH gratefully acknowledges the competent dental team who performed
Thank you!
Hannah’s dental care and surgery, as well as all of Hannah’s dedicated
caregivers. Thank you for changing the life of this very special child!
UFCH’S Mission
UFCH is in the unique position to provide China’s impoverished children a chance at life by helping provide opportunities for
medical care that they would not otherwise have. UFCH seeks to provide these children, mostly orphans, with the chance to
overcome their medical illnesses and have the chance to be adopted into a loving family.
Healing Brings Hope
2. Winter 2011, Issue No. 1 http://www.unitedfoundation.org/
Jiaozuo Orphanage Trip
Since 2004, UFCH has sponsored children at
Jiaozuo Orphanage in Henan Province. Our
support includes coordinating quarterly trips in
which volunteer doctors and nutritionists visit the the New Hope
orphanage to provide medical care and training. We Foundation. We
also deliver free formula donated by Abbott Labs. were grateful for the
opportunity to visit the
Our most recent visit occurred on November 30, 2010. The team that New Hope Foundation’s sparkling facilities. We
went on the trip included: Dr. Alan Mease, BJU Pediatric Chairman; Yin also enjoyed seeing the new classroom at the
orphanage’s main building, where children from
Fei Fei, China Little Flower Foundation staff; and Maggie Fu, UFCH
the orphanage and COAT come for school and
Operations Manager. We brought along medical supplies such as cleft physical training. Last but not least, it was a joy
palate milk bottles and nipples, colostomy bags and stoma paste, to witness children learning to walk in the
catheters, urine bags, disposable gloves, lubricant jelly, iodine, and physical therapy center – we wish them every
gauze. success!
Our team performed the following procedures: UFCH is grateful to
everyone who made
- Gave special check-ups to kid with pending diagnoses this valuable trip
- Checked formula storage possible. Thank you to
- Provided medical advice Dr. Mease, Yin Fei Fei,
- Visited Eagle’s Wings Foster Home Abbott Labs, and all of the loving staff at
- Measured children’s height and weight to ensure they are thriving Jiaozuo Orphanage for helping to change these
children’s lives for the better!
Yin Fei Fei provided catheter training to the caregivers at the main
orphanage, as well as to China Orphans’ Assistance Team (COAT) and
Shanghai Healing Home
Medical Training
Shanghai Healing Home (SHH) is a medical home specializing in care for children with
cleft lips/palates. UFCH is sponsoring an ongoing series of medical trainings for SHH. We
are developing this series in conjunction with Shanghai United Family Hospital (SHU) nursing staff.
On October 29th, SHU Pediatric Head Nurse Li Yunjiao trained SHH caregivers on feeding babies with clefts. Because the anatomy of
the oral cavity is disrupted, these babies have difficulty feeding. The hole in their mouth leaves them unable to properly seal around the
nipple when they suck and swallow.
Nurse Li Yunjiao’s four-hour training covered 5 areas:
1) Overview of the anatomy of newborns with clefts; 2) Safe feeding techniques; 3) Step-by-step instructions for using special bottles
and correct feeding positions; 4) Basic infant CPR; and 5) a Questions-and-Answer session.
UFCH is pleased to report that the training was a success and is enhancing the children’s daily care. We offer many thanks to Nurse Li
Yunjiao, the caregivers at SHH, and everyone who has helped to organize this valuable medical training series.
For more information about the Shanghai Healing Home, please visit: www.shanghaihealinghome.com.
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3. Winter 2011, Issue No. 1 http://www.unitedfoundation.org/
Kaifeng Orphanage
Sponsorship “Every day the kids
grace the world with
their bright
UFCH recently sponsored cleft palate surgeries for three personalities”
children from Kaifeng Orphanage in Henan Province. Happily,
all of the surgeries were successful and the children
recovered smoothly. Every day the kids
grace the world with their bright
personalities.
Baby Jun is a sweet
nine-month-old
little boy. He
craves being
foods such as bread and cakes. Baby Hao is a well-
surrounded by
behaved child with a very active personality. Already he
people and lights has begun to walk using his walker. If you approach him,
up whenever his he will eagerly reward you with a smile. And if you hug
caregivers play with him. He loves him, he’ll beam at you with delight!
his games and toys, especially hide-and-
seek and his beloved teddy bear. But think twice before you In addition to these three successful surgeries, UFCH
take away his toys, because he may cry! Baby Jun is growing is pleased to report that the Employee Labor Union at
quickly and already boasts four teeth. His appetite is healthy Chindex International (UFH’s parent company) kindly
and he enjoys eating bread and other tasty snacks. Everyone voted to donate 3,000RMB to the orphanage for diapers.
adores Baby Jun’s fun-loving nature. To everyone who has supported the children at Kaifeng
Orphanage, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. Thank
Baby Lu is a gorgeous nine-month-old little girl. Her pretty you to the medical teams, Chindex employees, and all of
eyes shine with energy. Everyone in the orphanage calls her the devoted caregivers. Your tireless love and care live on
“Little Beauty.” Baby Lu smiles and laughs freely. The sillier through the children’s lives you have touched.
the face you make at her, the louder she will laugh! Although
she was born prematurely, and her development is delayed,
Baby Lu has a good appetite and an easy-going demeanor.
She drinks her milk enthusiastically (about 150 at a time),
which brings her caregivers great pleasure. Little Beauty
glows inside and outside.
Baby Hao is a playful eleven-month-old boy. He loves to
socialize with his caregivers, visitors,
and—especially—his little friends.
He was born an adorable baby,
and post-surgery he becomes
even more
handsome every
day. His appetite
is strong and he
relishes solid
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4. Winter 2011, Issue No. 1 http://www.unitedfoundation.org/
Yi Fan’s Announcement
Little Jia’s
Beloved Yi Fan passed away at
th
7:26am on January 18 , 2011
Story
(Beijing time) in Boston,
Massachusetts. She was 6 years old.
Little Girl Jia came into the
world on February 13, 2007, and was abandoned
Yi Fan was a beautiful child who
at birth. Since then, she has been living in a
was born with severe lung disease. foster home run by an orphanage in Gansu
Her parents, Jack Pan and Ping Province. She is a beautiful child with a lively,
Zhou, brought her to BJU to see Dr. Steven Alexander, who did pleasant personality.
everything he could for the little girl until concluding that all diagnostic In June 2010, a physician diagnosed Little
and therapeutic means had been exhausted in China. As a result, Jack Jia with Vigino-Anal Fistula and referred her for
Pan and UFCH raised money for Yi Fan to go to Boston Children’s surgery. First, she needed a colostomy. UFCH
Hospital in the United States. In Boston, she was diagnosed with sponsored this operation, which was performed
pulmonary hypertension and received a lung transplant. Sadly, after the at Shanghai United Family Hospital (SHU) in
transplant Yi Fan suffered several infections and complications, until September 2010. Happily, Little Jia is recovering
well from surgery. She has a strong appetite and
her small body could bear no more. is able to pass her bowels well.
In spite of Yi Fan’s health Little Jia is now awaiting a second surgery to
struggles, she lived a wonderful life. transfer her colon back to her anus. UFCH will
She brought great happiness to also sponsor this surgery, which will take place at
SHU around the time of summer 2011. Little Jia’s
everyone who knew her, and foster family hopes that she will be adopted
especially to her devoted parents. overseas by a devoted family. The successful
Within her little body was a huge, completion of her second surgery will
tremendously boost her chances of adoption.
loving heart. Yi Fan adored her pet
bunny and cherished her parents. Today, Little Jia is just a few months shy of
When she saw children crying in the Sichuan earthquake, she told her four years old. She brings joy to everyone around
father to send her own savings to help. Poetry was one of her greatest her. She loves to play with her toys and watch
passions. As a young child she had already memorized many ancient her favorite television programs, such as “Animal
Chinese poems. Yi Fan’s favorite song was titled “Invisible Wings.” She World” and an assortment of fun cartoons. Her
dreamed of having her own pair of beautiful wings so she could fly. older foster brother has become her most
treasured playmate.
UFCH extends our most heartfelt condolences to Yi Fan’s parents and UFCH extends our deepest gratitude to Little
entire family. We deeply appreciate everyone who cared for Yi Fan, Jia’s foster family, as well as the hospital staff,
including the medical staff at BJU and Boston Children’s Hospital. Also, for their loving support. Each person who has
we are forever grateful to everyone who donated to Yi Fan’s Fund. All cared for Little Jia has played a priceless role in
of your loving care and generous support made a profound difference helping her live a normal, happy life.
in the life of this very special little girl. Thank you all.
Our Partnership with United Family Healthcare (UFH)
Annually, United Family Healthcare (UFH) donates the equivalent of 1% of gross revenue in
medical services to treat orphans and other impoverished children in need of quality medical
care. The children are brought into a UFH facility for free care under this program. Since the
programs inception in 2001, hundreds of children have benefited from UFH’s high-quality
medical services. UFCH is proud to be the administrator of this generous donation.
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5. Winter 2011, Issue No. 1 http://www.unitedfoundation.org/
Thank you!
On behalf of the United Foundation for Children’s Health, I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to all of the volunteers who have helped us over the years. With your support, UFCH
is growing quickly. We have assisted children in Beijing, Tianjin, Jiaozuo, Kaifeng, Shanghai,
Gansu Province, as well as supporting children from orphanages located throughout China.
I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding medical staff at Beijing United Family
Hospital and Shanghai United Family Hospital. Your dedication ensures that the children’s
surgeries are carried out smoothly and always produce excellent, life-changing results. We
especially appreciate the pediatricians and pediatric nursing teams. Whenever the kids need
routine or urgent medical treatment, you always provide wonderful care! Many thanks to the
volunteer physicians who assisted with our quarterly outreach trips: Dr. Xu Zhi Xin, Dr. Alan
Mease, and Dr. Tyrone Bristol. We are also grateful to Dr. Randy Jernejcic and Dr. Jane
Eason, who volunteered to provide check-ups and medical advice to the children at Jiaozuo
Orphanage.
Finally, my deepest thanks go out to all of our partner friends for taking loving care of the
children. We appreciate your efforts in bringing the kids to a UFH facility for care, as well as
your trust and confidence in UFCH. Your support is what makes the children’s treatments at
Beijing United Family and Shanghai United Family Hospitals possible.
With your help, UFCH will help even more children in 2011!
Thank you,
Maggie Fu
Operations Manager
Healing Brings Hope