Our Inspiration

Transforming medicine to help more children and their families

Philanthropy has never been more important at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, nor has the need been so great. Thanks to philanthropic events like Holiday Boutique, new diagnostic tests, innovative research and life-changing treatments are providing answers for families and changing the future for countless young patients we serve.

Many of our discoveries have profoundly changed pediatric medicine, while other game-changing projects are just getting started. Some of these programs and outreach opportunities are funded through the Women’s Committee grant process and supported by funding from the Holiday Boutique, including the following:

Baby Eagle Project: Early Access to Genetic Information

Genetic diagnoses play a significant role in infant morbidity and mortality – affecting as many as 3 out of 4 babies in NICUs. While standard diagnostic testing is often costly and time-intensive, rapid genome sequencing has emerged as a promising single-platform test providing analysis for a wide range of genetic disorders. The Baby Eagle Program at CHOP includes clinicians from genetics, neonatology and genomic diagnostics who collaborate to offer rapid and targeted analysis of a sick baby’s genome. As part of the groundbreaking program, KJ (pictured) received rapid genomic testing within 24 hours of his arrival at CHOP leading to a personalized CRISPR gene-editing therapy that corrected his CPS1 mutation and guided life-saving treatment decisions.

Helping Vulnerable Children Find Their Voice

When a child wakes up in a hospital, disoriented and unable to speak due to a medical procedure or trauma, the role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) becomes paramount. The SLP becomes a beacon of hope who helps bridge the gap in effective communication between the child, their family and care providers. Funding from Holiday Boutique helped CHOP’s Center for Childhood Communication to purchase advanced augmentative and alternate communication resources to improve communication with these vulnerable patients.

Meeting the Menstrual Needs of Teens in Homeless Shelters

CHOP’s Homeless Health Initiative (HHI) has supported teens and families in local emergency housing shelters since 1988. HHI’s mission is to provide high-quality medical and dental care, deliver health education and advocate for children’s health in shelters. In 2021, HHI identified an unmet healthcare need – period poverty, characterized by lack of access to menstrual products and education. The CHOP Menstrual Health Equity Initiative was launched to provide “period packs” with menstrual supplies to teens, allowing individuals to attend school, work and activities with dignity.

Advanced Screening for Kids with Food Allergies and EoE

Food allergies affect 1 in 13 children in the U.S., leading to increased ER visits, higher healthcare costs and reduced quality of life. While some children may develop tolerance to their food allergens, others face persistent allergies and a risk of anaphylaxis. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) offers an alternative to strict allergen avoidance but is not appropriate for all patients and may lead to GI symptoms or eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). To address this concern, CHOP launched a clinical trial to screen children for EoE before starting OIT, with the goal of enhancing patient care.

Learning Though Play: the LEGO Robotics Education Program

The Lego Robotics Education Program at CHOP offers programming to uplift the spirits of patients and families during a hospital stay through science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) education and hands-on LEGO experiences. The program enables children to build and program LEGO robots at the bedside and in group settings. Since the program’s launch in 2023, it has seen rapid growth and become a patient favorite. Funding from Holiday Boutique will allow the program to expand and support 3,000+ patients annually.