Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has received a philanthropic commitment from longtime partner Panda Express, and its foundation Panda Cares, to support well-being initiatives and programs that help children grow and thrive.
The gift, an estimated $1.9 million over 10 years, establishes the Panda Cares Center of Hope at Monroe Carell, located in the sibling playroom on the main floor of the hospital. Panda Cares is the philanthropic foundation of Panda Express.
Hospital and Panda Express leaders, along with patients and families, gathered July 10 to celebrate the opening of the Panda Cares Center of Hope, made possible by Panda Express associates and guests, whose generosity helps improve child health.
The Panda Cares Center of Hope at Monroe Carell will focus on four key pillars of pediatric health care programs and services, not only for patients but also for their siblings and caregivers. These four areas put an emphasis on caring for every aspect of a child’s well-being and will include initiatives that address their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs.
“We are incredibly grateful to Panda Express, and its foundation Panda Cares, for its longstanding support of the children and families at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt,” said Meg Rush, MD, MMHC, President of Monroe Carell. “Every day at Monroe Carell we are committed to providing patient- and family-centered care that is exceptional and personalized and that champions a child’s and family’s entire well-being. We could not do the work we do every day to provide hope and healing without the commitment of our community and partners like Panda Express.”
Panda’s commitment will support several areas of Monroe Carell, including programming for the sibling playroom at the hospital, psychology services for children with acute and chronic medical conditions and psychosocial well-being services, music and art therapy, spiritual care, pet therapy, child life services, among other areas.
“We are proud to partner with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to bring the vision of the Panda Cares Center of Hope to life and are humbled to be part of the healing journey for the families and kids at these hospitals,” said Peggy Cherng, co-founder and co-CEO of Panda Restaurant Group. “Children are our future, and through this partnership and curriculum designed to give children the strength to thrive, we will bring smiles and hope to communities nationwide.”
Through the sibling playroom and other support tools, child life specialists at Monroe Carell can use their expertise to help children and families cope with and be successful in their hospital journey, said Janet Cross, MEd, administrative director of Patient- and Family-Centered Care at Monroe Carell.
“When a child goes to the hospital, brothers and sisters can feel afraid, worried or confused. They may hear and see things they don’t understand, may have changes in their routines, or may be separated from their parents,” Cross said. “With their specialized education and training, child life specialists are able to assist siblings and families by offering suggestions for coping and developmentally appropriate education to help siblings understand and process. The generous support for the child life program provided by the Panda Cares Center of Hope will help us support the well-being of the often ‘forgotten’ sibling during a child’s health care journey.”
The Pediatric Psychology division at Vanderbilt addresses a rising need for psychology services for children with acute and chronic medical conditions who are served throughout the department and Monroe Carell.
“Through the Panda Cares gift, along with others, we are able to expand critical psychological services and provide exceptional care to children who experience chronic or acute medical issues and their families,” said Sarah Jaser, PhD, director of the Division of Pediatric Psychology. “We know that children in pediatric care and their caregivers can experience stress, depression and anxiety. Our goal as pediatric psychologists is to proactively support children and families to promote optimal coping and support children’s emotional health during treatment. We are grateful for the support that allows us to make these services possible.”
The Panda Cares Center of Hope builds on a longstanding relationship between Monroe Carell and Panda Express. Since 2007, the Panda Restaurant Group has supported Monroe Carell through its partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
