Guest blogger, Lisa Robertson, author of the Babes in Disneyland blog and book, and mommy of three, shares her tried and true tips on how to start a CHOC Walk team.

Last year, I laced up my sneakers and walked in the twentieth annual CHOC Walk in the Park held at the Disneyland Resort. It was my first walk and I decided to go for it by not just participating in the walk but by forming and leading a team of walkers.

Whether you are a first-time walker or a long-time CHOC Children’s supporter, forming a team is a great way to become involved in the walk. In order to form my team and raise money for CHOC, I reached out to friends, family members and the readers of my blog and very quickly formed a team of almost 20 walkers who raised more than $2,200.

This year, my team currently has nine registered walkers and we are on track to raise $1,000 and maybe more. If you or someone you know are thinking about forming a team for the CHOC Walk in the Park, here are my top tips for managing your team:

1. Recruit and raise money using social media. I use Twitter and Facebook to reach out to those I know and those I don’t to let them know about my efforts.
2. Get creative! Last year, my youngest son and I created the video below to help raise money for our CHOC Walk efforts:

3. Keep your team members up to date with frequent emails or create a special Facebook event or group page with the latest on your group’s meet-up the morning of the walk, check-in information and lodging information for those who are not local. A page is also a great place for your team to discuss whether or not you want to create signs, shirts or hats for the walk or designate a place to meet up and have breakfast after the walk is over.
4. Encourage members who are local to the check-in for the event in person. If all of your members cannot check-in ahead of time, be sure to set a deadline for each of your team member’s $50 pledges so that they are all paid before you or a member of your team checks in for everyone.
5. Set a meeting spot for your team for the morning of the race and bring something to identify your group. Last year, I brought a huge bundle of red balloons. In theory, this was a great idea…except for the fact that a lot of other groups brought red balloons as well. This year, I’ll be bringing a sign and balloons.

Walking for CHOC is very important to me because I believe in the amazing work done at CHOC and take great comfort in knowing that should my children ever need the expertise of CHOC’s talented doctors, nurses, surgeons or other specialists, that they will be there at the ready. CHOC provides families hope and comfort and patients the opportunity to still feel like kids while dealing with the very adult issues of being sick.

If you are looking for a fun team to walk with at the CHOC Walk in the Park, I happily invite you to join my team, Babes In Disneyland. If you still aren’t sure if the CHOC Walk is right for you, check out my team’s video from last year!

We recently talked to Paul-Dean Martin, a Follies cast member and director of the PDM Young Actors Workshop, an after-school program, about the upcoming show.

Q: How did you first get involved in the Follies?

A: I got involved last year and have been a fan ever since. I have two children, Phoebe, 7, and Max, 2, who are both CHOC patients, and thought here’s a way to give back to CHOC while doing something I’ve always enjoyed. This year I’ll be playing the role of Klaus Bruteman, an Austrian personal trainer.

Q: Why is this fundraiser so important?

A: The community should support this event for the fact that the proceeds go directly to the hospital.  I’m humbled by the people I’m surrounded with in this show.  They give so much of their time and support to such a great cause.

Q: What can we expect at the show?

A: The show is loosely based on the original and portrays various time periods. It’s very funny, entertaining and filled with talented performers; it’s put on by true professionals.

 The CHOC Follies will be held on March 31-April 2 at Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here:

 http://www.choc.org/events/event_detail.cfm?eid=730

Send a Heart eCard and make a donation to the CHOC Heart Institute!

For more information about the CHOC Heart Institute, visit http://www.choc.org/heart.

The sudden death of a child and/or athlete is a tragic yet rare occurrence that causes significant concern in both the general public and medical community.  Strategies to prevent these catastrophes have become a prominent public health debate. To address this critical topic affecting our young athletes, a symposium on the diagnosis, therapy and prevention of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in children and adolescents is being planned at Disney’s Grand California Hotel and Spa in Anaheim for January 14-15, 2011.

We spoke to Dr. Anjan Batra, medical director of electrophysiology at the CHOC Children’s Heart Institute, about the importance of this event:

Q: What will be presented at the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Symposium?
A: Topics will include clinical syndromes associated with the risk of sudden death, arrhythmias in the young, use of automated external and implantable defibrillators in children, and screening, with an emphasis on defining levels of evidence and areas of controversy in management decisions. It will be open to pediatricians, pediatric cardiologists, electrophysiologists and affiliated professionals involved and interested in the care of young people, including the general public.

Q: What message do you have for Orange County families about this topic?
A:  Orange County has an estimated population of just over 3 million, making it the second most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County. It is also the county with the highest per capita of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Olympic athletes.  This may be one of the reasons for what appears to be a heightened awareness for the prevention of sudden cardiac death in young athletes in Orange County. 

Q: What warning signs should parents look for that suggest their young athlete may have a heart problem?
A:  Certain symptoms can suggest that your child or teen has a heart problem that needs a doctor’s attention. This is especially true if symptoms occur during sports or other activities. It’s important to ask if your child has:
* Been dizzy or light-headed?
* Passed out, or nearly passed out?
* Had chest pain or pressure?
* Felt like his heart was racing or skipping beats?

Talk with your doctor if your child experiences any of these symptoms, which may put your child at risk. Keep in mind that these signs do not necessarily mean that your child has a heart problem. For example, a child who faints during sports may have low blood sugar or other temporary problems. A doctor can help find the cause. For more tips, check out this Kids Health article: http://www.choc.org/publications/articles.cfm?id=P00303&aid=512.
 

For details about the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Symposium on January 14-15, please click here: http://www.choc.org/events/event_detail.cfm?eid=666

For information on the LEAPS Conference (Life Threatening Events Associated with Pediatric Sports) on January 13, please click here: http://www.choc.org/events/event_detail.cfm?eid=725

In our continued recognition of National Prematurity Awareness Month, we asked one of our NICU moms to answer a Q & A regarding her current journey. Janelle agreed – hoping her responses would help another family experiencing the same thing.  Her daughter Isabella Rose was born at just 28 weeks gestation in August 2010, weighing two pounds, two ounces.  This strong, beautiful baby girl is still growing in our NICU – with the support of her loving family and CHOC staff.
What brought your child/your family to the CHOC NICU?

After about a week of feeding in the HOAG NICU, Isabella’s tummy was distended, and an X-ray revealed a diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious infection of the intestinal wall. She was transferred to CHOC Children’s Hospital that same night, in case she would need to have immediate surgery.

Briefly describe your experience dealing with a child in the NICU.

Bella is my first child, and her early arrival was a complete surprise during an otherwise perfect pregnancy. In the beginning, I was in shock, I had a hard time talking about what had happened and even getting out of bed to go see her the first few days, it was all too surreal. Once I was able to see her face and hold her, though, the bond was instant.

They call the first couple weeks the “honeymoon phase” and she did so well that the nurses were calling her a rockstar and telling me she would likely go home early. I was, of course, excited but also holding my breath a little for any upcoming surprises in the long road ahead.

I wish I could say that made what happened next easier, but it didn’t. I don’t think there is any way to prepare for having your tiny, but growing and healthy baby suddenly end up in a critical “touch and go” status.

During the next three months at CHOC, our daughter would go through one hurdle after another. Her vitals would fall steadily for days, then the doctors would do something to help her turn the corner, and she would recover faster than I really ever thought possible, more than once. She was on multiple types of ventilators, had three surgeries, half a dozen blood transfusions and she fought through it all with such grace and strength, it took my breath away.
What are things you’ve done to cope with having a child in the NICU?

I began a journal about the experience, dedicated and written to Isabella, so that when the time is right, she can hear about her dramatic entrance into the world from my perspective. Perhaps it will be when she becomes a mother herself, or maybe I’ll use it as a reason for why she can’t date until she’s 21.

I combined this journal with photos and video we’ve taken of her and put together a website to keep friends and family updated on her status. I’ve also gotten much more spiritually involved in my community.
What kind of support have you received from the NICU team?

The nurses and doctors became part of my family, and the rest of the hospital staff from the valets, to the security guards, to the receptionists became my best friends. Everyone is there for your child, and you feel truly lucky not only to be living in this country, but on top of that to be living in this area and have an establishment like CHOC on your side.

What advice would you give to other NICU families?

Everyone will tell you it’s a roller coaster, but you can’t imagine really what that means, and, on top of that, you never want to think that there are more free falls ahead.

One thing I wish I knew ahead of time is how resilient these babies are. They almost seem designed to withstand more than we can as adults, which was a completely foreign concept to me when I looked down at my two pound baby girl.

In the NICU, no one can provide the answer to the one big question: “When will my baby be okay and ready to come home?” The answer to every question will be “it depends on the baby.” But don’t let that frustrate you. Do your research and ask the challenging questions. Every course of action has a potential benefit and risk associated with it. Make sure you know what these are.

You know your child better than anyone, and the CHOC team respects your opinion as a valuable member of your child’s team. You are your kiddo’s strongest advocate, so fight for them.

There is no doubt that this experience changes you forever, as a person and as a parent; your perspective will never be the same. However, it helps to think of it as a crash course of the hardest part of parenting – the worry, the feeling powerless and wanting only what’s best for them. As one experienced mom put it to me – welcome to the club, this is just the beginning – wait until she’s driving!

Check out this video:

Thank you to all the CHOC supporters who made this event such a huge success – your contributions allow CHOC to continue protecting the health and well being of our community’s little ones!

If you weren’t able to attend this year’s CHOC Walk, you can still support CHOC by visiting www.chocwalk.org.

Team Babes in Disneyland is new to the CHOC Walk this year and captain Lisa Robertson enlisted the help of her adorable son Connor to encourage people to donate.

Check out this video:

Did you or your team make a video for this year’s CHOC Walk? Or are you planning to make one at the Walk on Sunday? Don’t forget to share it with your friends on Facebook and YouTube!

Then, visit Babes in Disneyland for insider tips on visiting Disneyland with young children, as well as ongoing coverage of this year’s CHOC Walk.

1.  It’s the 20^th Anniversary of the CHOC Walk in the Park, presented by the Disneyland Resort!

2.  On October 17th, a crowd over 15,000 Walkers will be strolling with YOU down Main Street, U.S.A.

3.  Watching the sunrise at Disneyland is amazing.

4.  This CHOC patient: 

5.  It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year—bringing over $1.6 million to CHOC Children’s last year.

6.  Walking through the Disneyland Resort before it’s officially open is cool.

7.  This bear:

8.  You never know which Disney friends you’ll see there, cheering you on. Alice at the Mad Tea Party…Cinderella on King Arthur’s Carrousel…

9.   Meet some great VoluntEARS.

10.  This mouse:

11.  Get inspired by our amazing patients and their families.

12.  This little girl:

13.  This team:

14.  And this team:

15.  Our patients here at CHOC Children’s Hospital:

16.  Our new patient-care tower:

17.  Supporting cool technology that makes for safer medicine.

18.  You are sure to meet some pretty funny characters:

19.  Research that advances cares and cures.

20.  We’re making giant strides for tiny toes:

Want to learn more about the 2010 CHOC Walk? Click here.

Become a fan of CHOC on Facebook.

Click here for a recap of the day’s events, and see Suz chat with Ryan Seacrest about why he loves CHOC.