For the Children

A PUBLICATION FOR THE FRIENDS OF CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S | FALL 2012forthechildren

8Improving Life After CancerCincinnati Children’s provides life-long care for pediatric cancer survivors, like Hannah. The Cancer Survivor Center is improving the cure and quality of life for the patients of today and tomorrow.

6Lasting Impact of EducationA new educational partnership between Cincinnati Children’s and Israel sparks innovation and discovery to improve child health across the globe.

forthechildrenEditorJenn Sennett

ProjEct ManagErLiz Sidor

art dirEction & dEsignRuttle Design Group, Inc.

WritErsKaren Ecker Kratz Katie ScheidtLiz Sidor

PhotograPhyLen Kaltman PhotographyLyons Photography, Inc.Rick Norton PhotographyRyan Kurtztm Photography

For the Children is published to recognize the friends of Cincinnati Children’s and to showcase the many ways their support helps provide hope and healing to the children and families entrusted to our care. Produced by the Department of Development, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, MLC 9002, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026, (513) 636-4561.

Michael FisherPresident and Chief Executive Officer

James SaporitoPresident, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Foundation

Shannon StudebakerDirector, Development Communications

Cincinnati Children’s is a nonprofit hospital and research center dedicated to bringing the world the joy of healthier kids.

www.cincinnatichildrens.org/ftc

If you do not wish to receive For the Children or if you would like to receive it by email, contact us at [email protected].

©2012 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

features

inside 4 In the News

5 Caring for Kids

15 Creating Your Legacy

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12Learning to HealThe holistic approach to treating mental illness at Cincinnati Children’s puts College Hill patients on a path to success.

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2 | forthechildren | Fall 2012 www.cincinnatichildrens.org/ftc

sincerelyyours Join

Amity, Ron, Ella, Avery (in yellow) and the family’s newest addition, baby brother Rankin, at this year’s Cincinnati Walks for Kids.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20 AT CONEY ISLAND

Visit www.cincinnatichildrens.org/walk for more information.

“Before Avery was born, we didn’t know that anything was wrong, but one of her heart valves was almost completely closed. We didn’t have a chance to do any research on cardiologists. We were so lucky to have Cincinnati Children’s. It was the best place for Avery.” – Ron, Avery’s Dad

Fall 2012 | forthechildren | 3

Make Cincinnati Children’s a part of your social network.

In the NewsArmstrong’s Legacy Fuels Next Generation of Discovery

With the passing of Neil Armstrong, our nation lost one of the most important figures in the history of scientific discovery. In partnership with the Armstrong family, Cincinnati Children’s has created the Neil Armstrong New Frontiers Initiative at Cincinnati Children’s to honor the legacy of this great pioneer and help fund the next generation of

discovery to improve child health. Memorial contributions can be made at www.cincinnatichildrens.org/armstrong.

Thanks to You – We Did It Again! U.S. News & World Report recently released its annual list of Best Children’s Hospitals, and Cincinnati Children’s once again received Honor Roll recognition.

We were named one of the top three children’s hospitals in the nation, with our neonatal care recognized as the best. We also placed in the top 10 for every specialty evaluated.

Thanks to your partnership, we’ve built a medical center of which we can all continue to be very proud.

New Tower to Advance Discovery Construction has begun on the new Clinical Sciences Building at Cincinnati Children’s, also known as Location T. The new facility will help accommodate the dramatic growth in scope and impact of our research activities – advancing discoveries to improve treatments and care for children around the world. Upon completion of the 15-story building, Cincinnati Children’s will have the largest pediatric research facility in the country.

You’re Invited47th annual cincinnati art & antiques FestivalOct. 18-21, 2012Sharonville Convention CenterShop collections from renowned art and antique dealers from across the nation and abroad. Whether you are a novice or an avid collector, you’ll enjoy this fundraiser hosted by the Association of Volunteers of The Convalescent Hospital for Children. Learn more at www.cincinnatiantiquesfestival.org.

37th annual Kinderklaus MarktNov. 9-10, 2012EnterTRAINment JunctionBring your family for a weekend of gift shopping, children’s activities, raffles and auctions hosted by Kindervelt, the largest fundraising auxiliary of Cincinnati Children’s. Find event details at www.kindervelt.org.

north Pole ExpressNov. 17, 2012Lebanon Mason Monroe Train DepotEnjoy this holiday train ride through Lebanon and Mason which includes a narration of the classic tale The Polar Express. Kindervelt organizes this holiday activity each year. Learn more at www.kindervelt.org.

OFFICIAL NASA PHOTO


caringforkids

“Why?” his father asks. Cincinnati is a long way from their home in New Hampshire.

“I want to be normal.”Josh has special needs, and he doesn’t feel normal in very

many places. However, looking around Cincinnati Children’s and seeing some of the more than 60 employees with disabilities gives Josh a glimpse of the life he envisions for himself.

These employees are graduates of Project SEARCH, an internationally recognized job training program for people with developmental disabilities. The program was founded at Cincinnati Children’s more than 15 years ago by Erin Riehle, MSN, RN, when she was the clinical director of the emergency department.

Around the same time she was having an issue with staff turnover, Erin saw a gap in the workforce at Cincinnati Children’s. “I noticed that so many of our patients had a developmental disability, yet none of our employees represented this significant group of people.”

Soon after, Erin began training and hiring employees with disabilities, and Project SEARCH was born.

Project SEARCH partners with schools and a diverse group of employers to transition students with special needs from high school to meaningful employment. The program opens new doors for its graduates and allows them to establish independence and build self-esteem.

Mary Bodle (pictured above) is a Project SEARCH graduate and has worked as a patient escorter for more than

10 years. As a past patient, Mary is able to empathize with and comfort patients as she transports them through the medical center. Her salary and benefits enable Mary to be more independent and rely less on government benefits, but more importantly, she is very proud of her role at Cincinnati Children’s. In fact, Mary is known for her “I Love My Job” pin.

“Project SEARCH is based on a business model that makes sense for companies and hospitals,” Erin explains. “But the best part is that we are also changing perceptions.”

Employees like Mary hold the same titles and job responsibilities as their colleagues in departments and divisions across the medical center. Their managers and coworkers value them as employees and friends.

Project SEARCH receives generous operating support from The Convalescent Hospital for Children, an affiliate of Cincinnati Children’s, each year. The Project SEARCH staff works diligently to secure additional funding for the program’s expansion and replication efforts.

Today, Project SEARCH has more than 200 programs in hospitals and businesses in 42 states and two countries, and it will soon expand to five more countries. More than 2,500 students participate in the program worldwide each year, with approximately 67 percent obtaining full-time employment by graduation.

“Our doctors, nurses and staff improve medical outcomes,” Erin says. “Project SEARCH changes the outcome by opening doors to employment and independence.”

OpeningDoorsWhile walking through the medical center, Josh turns to his father and says,

“I want to work here when I grow up.”

Erin Riehle, MSN, RN, (center) with Project SEARCH graduates Eric Johnson, Paul Wilson and Mary Bodle (l-r).


“Education is lasting. It is not a one-time event. It is not a burst of flame that goes away,” says a long-time Cincinnati Children’s donor, David Wolf.

David and his wife Nancy share Cincinnati Children’s mission to improve child health, and they believe education is the key. The Wolfs made a generous gift to create formal training programs for some of Israel’s brightest researchers, clinicians and medical students as part of the Israel Exchange Program (IEP) at Cincinnati Children’s.

The goal of the IEP is to improve clinical care and advance scientific research and technological breakthroughs by fostering the exchange of knowledge and expertise between Cincinnati Children’s and world-class medical, academic and research institutions in Israel. Cincinnati Children’s clinicians and researchers work with visiting physicians, scientists, nurses, students and other healthcare professionals to bring cutting-edge practices to patients in Israel and spark an exchange of innovation in research and technology between experts in both countries.

“By working together, we can help foster advances in pediatric healthcare – benefiting children around the globe,” Nancy explains.

sharing our Passion“A special passion exists at Cincinnati Children’s,” David says. “Nancy and I have seen it in every doctor, nurse and staff member. We want doctors and researchers from across the world to experience that passion and carry it on to their patients.”

Over the course of three years, the David and Nancy Wolf Israel Exchange Training Program will expose 12 Israeli medical students, one post-doctoral researcher and clinical fellows to this passion. Only the top candidates will be accepted into the program, and the ripple effect will impact an exponential number of patients. These future leaders will be able to share the

Lasting Impact of Education

Nancy and David Wolf invested in the expansion of the Israel Exchange Program. Their gift will fund educational collaborations between Cincinnati Children’s and Israel.

Miri Dotan, Lior Goldberg, Yasmin Abu-Ghanem and Hadas Zamir (l-r), medical students visiting Cincinnati Children’s from Israel, participate in a community Seder with Rabbi Matthew Kraus (far right).


Sharing Knowledge: Improving Care and Advancing Discovery

Cincinnati Children’s continues to expand our collaborations with medical centers throughout the world. These partnerships allow us to not only share our expertise and bring hope and healing to more children across the globe, but they also provide the opportunity for our experts to learn from other world-class institutions.

Our strategic partnership with Israel is improving care for children in that nation while allowing Cincinnati Children’s to benefit from Israel’s expertise in:

• Technological leadership – Over the last 20 years, Israel has become widely recognized for its advances in technology, particularly in telecommunications, information technology, electronics and the study of life sciences.

• Scientific focus – Israel’s commitment and investment per capita in scientific research and development is among the most significant in the world.

• Emergency preparedness – Israel hosts the International Conference on Healthcare System Preparedness and Response to Emergencies and Disasters. Staff members from Cincinnati Children’s have attended this year’s conference and have invited experts to join disaster drills in Cincinnati.

To learn more about the IEP, contact tracey Kastelic at (513) 636-8758 or [email protected].

knowledge gained at Cincinnati Children’s with their colleagues back in Israel to provide better care and better outcomes to children and families in their country and beyond.

The first four students, who arrived this past spring, spent a month observing and working with Cincinnati Children’s doctors and researchers in some of our most complex specialties and services. Due to the smaller size of their country, medical students in Israel do not see a large volume of complex cases. Cincinnati Children’s provides the opportunity for the visiting medical students to increase their exposure by working with specialists in areas such as rheumatology, surgery, cardiology and others.

“While observing at Cincinnati Children’s, I saw how subspecialists can improve the outcomes for patients based on their expertise,” says Hadas Zamir, one of the first students to participate in the program. “I also saw how much research is appreciated and how important it is here. Research will eventually be responsible for the major breakthroughs that will transform care for patients in Cincinnati, Israel and around the world.”

Lasting Friendships, Productive Partnerships“I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Cincinnati Children’s,” says Lior Goldberg, who was among the first group of exchange students. “I met a wide and diverse range of patients while interacting with inspiring physicians whose devotion and passion are their way of life.”

In addition to the time they spent with experts at Cincinnati Children’s, the exchange students also received many opportunities to connect with the Cincinnati Jewish community. Area families hosted the students at community events and family dinners.

These friendships – both within the walls of the medical center and out in the community – will open doors for further partnership between Cincinnati and Israel.

The Wolfs hope to inspire others to support the IEP – resulting in improved clinical care for Israeli children, more expertly trained doctors and research partnerships that will benefit children everywhere.

“Cincinnati Children’s is already on the map in this country,” David says. “My wife and I wanted to help grow the medical center’s impact internationally.”

“As our training program demonstrates its success, we hope other donors will want to join us and carry on the momentum,” Nancy adds. “Together, we can make an even bigger impact.”


Improving LifeAFTER CANCER


Seven year-old Hannah sat with an enormous smile on her face as her mom cut into the cake with a big 5 on it. Hannah’s family didn’t get the number wrong – it wasn’t her birthday they were celebrating, but a milestone that is just as important.

Hannah and her loved ones were ringing in the five-year anniversary of conquering a rare form of leukemia. Just 50 CCs of donated cord blood – less than four tablespoons – replaced the bone marrow in her body and gave Hannah the opportunity for a healthy life.

“We always said at five years we’d have a big celebration,” says Mei Ling, Hannah’s mom. “We wanted to thank everyone who supported us through her treatments and the 170 nights we spent in the hospital. We wanted to celebrate that she’s cancer free.”

Long-term careHannah will continue to see specialists at Cincinnati Children’s for years to come – because our care doesn’t stop when the treatments do. The expert care of Cincinnati Children’s Cancer Survivor Center will be there for Hannah, and thousands of other cancer survivors, long into adulthood.

As medical advances help more and more children survive cancer, the need for long-term care and research to improve outcomes also grows. The effects of disease and treatment on the body can create later health problems, including an increased risk for heart, lung and kidney disease, intellectual challenges, endocrine and fertility issues or secondary cancers.

For more than 20 years, our Cancer Survivor Center has been helping pediatric cancer survivors thrive. One of the first centers of its kind, it is the largest and most comprehensive cancer survivor program in the country. We now care for more than 1,000 survivors who range in age from 5 to 60 years old. Patients do not need to have been treated by Cincinnati

Children’s to receive follow-up care. The center’s multi-disciplinary team of experts provides life-long care, consultation and research to empower survivors to lead long, healthy lives.

“Our Survivor Center is unique,” says Karen Burns, MD, MS, director of the Cancer Survivor Center. “We follow patients long-term into adulthood. We accept any patient who has survived pediatric cancer, who is at least five years out from their treatment, regardless of age. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that each patient is receiving the care they need based on their previous cancer and treatments.”

specialized Education and supportAn expansive array of specialists, including an adult-trained physician, work with the patients cared for by the Survivor Center. Patients check in regularly not only with their oncologists, but also with endocrinologists, gynecologists, radiation oncologists, geneticists, neuropsychologists, social workers, nutritionists, cardiologists and more.

The team works to create an individualized care plan for each patient based on past treatments and helps identify risks for future health problems. All patients receive a treatment summary to help them understand their initial diagnosis and the care they received so they can share that information with

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure that each patient is receiving the care they need based on their previous cancer and treatments.”

Continued on page 10.

Dr. Rajaram Nagarajan has treated Hannah since she was first diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia five years ago. She’ll continue to see “Dr. Raj” and his team into adulthood through the Cancer Survivor Center at Cincinnati Children’s.


Improving Life After Cancer Continued from page 9.

giving limited amounts of chemotherapy and avoiding radiation based upon how the tumors respond to the therapy to avoid long-term issues.

Hannah’s treatment was also improved because of research.“When she was diagnosed, we thought she had a very

common form of leukemia,” Mei Ling says. “But they did genetic testing and found that she actually had a very rare, aggressive form called near-haploid Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). If she didn’t have a bone marrow transplant, it would come back.”

Because doctors and researchers mapped out the specific genetic code of this type of leukemia years before, Hannah’s care providers knew to treat her cancer aggressively. Instead of allowing the cancer to return, they used bone marrow transplantation as a first line of defense.

doctors they may see outside of Cincinnati Children’s. This is especially important for survivors who were treated when they were very young and who may not remember much about their experience with cancer.

“The center doesn’t act as a patient’s primary care provider, though,” explains Rajaram Nagarajan, MD, MS, Cancer Survivor Center physician and one of Hannah’s favorite doctors. “Instead, we provide the oversight needed to help ensure the patient receives appropriate survivor care.”

Through regular visits, open communication with the patient’s primary care provider and targeted preventative tests, the center helps educate patients to advocate for the healthcare they need today and long into the future.

improving the cures of tomorrowInformation gathered from the more than 20 years of care provided through the Survivor Center at Cincinnati Children’s, as well as partnerships with other programs across the country, enables doctors to track what kind of late effects can occur from a particular cancer or cancer treatment. Being able to look ahead at what specific problems a patient may face later allows doctors to better target individual treatments from the very beginning.

For example, the chemotherapy and radiation that is used to treat cancers like Hodgkin’s Lymphoma sometimes leads to issues with the heart and fertility. Doctors are now looking at

“We will always come back… This is important. They know Hannah’s history and they know what to look for.”

Hannah received less than four tablespoons of cord blood that replaced her bone marrow.

Hannah was taken to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) due to complications from chemotherapy treatment.

Hannah recovers from her bone marrow transplant.

Hannah’s Journey at Cincinnati Children’s


Improving the Cure

When children survive cancer, what does the future hold for their health? This is a vital question for the 250,000 cancer survivors under age 30 in the United States.

For decades, physicians and scientists at Cincinnati Children’s have been working to advance knowledge about survivorship and speed the transfer of that knowledge from the laboratory to patient care.

Stella Davies, MBBS, PhD, MRCP, director of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency at Cincinnati Children’s, is leading national studies to improve the lives of childhood cancer survivors.

Using DNA collected from more than 14,000 childhood cancer survivors across the country, the Davies Lab is researching genetic markers to predict susceptibility to treatment side effects, secondary cancers and other long-term health complications. Her research will help improve personalized cancer treatments based on a patient’s genetic profile, as well as follow-up care for aging survivors.

Specific research underway in our Cancer and Blood diseases institute focuses on:• The identification of patients who are at high risk for late complications or secondary cancers

• The causes of early heart and lung disease in cancer survivors

• New approaches to improve fertility outcomes

• The evaluation and treatment of neurological and psychological side effects

• New ways to prevent secondary cancers and other complications associated with cancer treatment

To learn more about the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, contact Beth sims at (513) 636-5285 or [email protected].

Hannah’s mother, Mei Ling, brings Hannah to the Cancer Survivor Center each year for follow-up care.

As Hannah gets older and continues her annual visits to the Survivor Center, specialists will provide treatment based on her previous therapies and track her progress. They will also use what they learn to continue to improve care for the patients who come after her.

“There are risks involved with all treatments,” says Dr. Nagarajan. “We have to think about the best approach to treat their cancer and then think about long-term implications.”

While doctors gather this information, they still set their sights on what is most important: the patient. That is why Mei Ling is so reassured by the care her daughter receives at Cincinnati Children’s.

“We will always come back,” she says. “Even if we move away from Cincinnati, we will make a trip back each year. This is important. They know Hannah’s history and they know what to look for.”

For now, Mei Ling and Hannah have a special ritual for their visits to the Survivor Center, but Hannah has other plans for when she’s older. “When we go to the hospital, my mom brings me and then she takes me out to lunch,” Hannah says. “But when I’m a grown-up, I’m going to drive us to Cincinnati Children’s and I will take my mom out to lunch.”


Tong Yu is one of the on-site teachers at the College Hill Campus. She is specially trained to teach patients with behavioral and mental health issues.

Learning to HealEducational Achievement Aids Recovery

Adolescence – under the best of circumstances, it is a challenging time. Teetering between the comfort and security of childhood and the excitement of a more independent, more adult life is a difficult balancing act. It’s a period of self-discovery that is riddled with enormous pressure, life-altering decisions, major milestones and, often, self-doubt.

Imagine trying to get through the ups and downs of those years while also battling clinical depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, aggression or another serious mental illness.

For many teenagers, this is their reality.


Cincinnati Children’s is committed to bringing hope and healing for those suffering with mental health issues, whether they are entering pre-school or graduating from high school.

We offer a full continuum of services at multiple locations throughout the region, including our College Hill campus, which offers a wide range of care for patients with mental health problems. Our staff is uniquely skilled to care for patients with complex mental health issues or for those who are also managing a physical condition, such as diabetes.

From outpatient services to our 33-bed residential program for long-term care, Cincinnati Children’s is helping to meet the needs of this at-risk and underserved population.

Partnership Fuels ProgressThe Spaulding Foundation has been a transformational partner in this work. “Mental healthcare is not a glamorous area to fund, which is why it’s typically underfunded,” says John Prather, the foundation’s president. “Our hope, and why we tend to focus on children and adolescents with mental health issues, is to interrupt their behavioral patterns before they are hard wired. We hope to change a life, and Cincinnati Children’s has a history of success.”

Residential patients can spend anywhere from a few months to years at the College Hill campus, so an all-inclusive care approach is vital to their healing. By providing educational support, patients can stay on track, or get back on track, with their schooling. This aspect of our holistic care contributes to our patients’ success when they go home.

The College Hill campus offers a complete educational program thanks to a partnership with the Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS). The Spaulding Foundation provided the funding needed to purchase instructional materials, books and computers to outfit the school at College Hill, which is staffed by certified CPS teachers. “We believe education is an important part of a teen’s treatment and success,” John says.

Those successes can be life-changing. Three years ago, a ninth-grader arrived for residential treatment. After her educational assessment, it was determined that her reading

Complete Spectrum of Mental Healthcare

Cincinnati Children’s offers a wide range of services to help our community care for patients with mental health needs.

Pediatric intake response center (Pirc) – 24/7 hotline that responds to more than 110,000 calls each year from children, parents and community physicians needing guidance for children and teens with mental health issues.

outpatient care – convenient treatment options at three locations for children and adolescents whose illnesses can be managed without inpatient care.

inpatient care – 82 beds dedicated to stabilizing and caring for children and adolescents in crisis situations. The average length of stay is eight days.

residential care – extended care for children and teens who suffer from chronic mental health problems. The average length of stay is four months.

Partial hospitalization Program (PhP) – a day program for children ages 12 to 17 that allows them to go home to their families each night.

Eating disorder care – individualized treatment for adolescents struggling with unhealthy eating behaviors. Partial hospitalization and inpatient care are available for patients suffering with an eating disorder through our partnership with the Lindner Center of HOPE.

dual diagnosis – specialized inpatient treatment program for children and adolescents ages 8 to 17 with both a mental health issue and a secondary diagnosis, such as intellectual disabilities, fetal alcohol syndrome or autism.

To learn more about our mental health services, contact sarah sullivan at (513) 636-5664 or [email protected].

Continued on page 14.

“We hope to change a life, and Cincinnati Children’s has a history of success.”


Learning to Heal Continued from page 13.

and math skills were at a fifth-grade level. After 13 months at College Hill, not only was she well enough to be discharged, the patient was also completing math and reading assignments at her grade level, thanks to her on-site teacher, Tong Yu.

“She called me this past June to say she had finished high school and was going on to college,” says Tong, one of three CPS teachers assigned fulltime to College Hill. “I am so proud of her. I am so grateful Cincinnati Children’s allows me to make a difference for these children.”

an integrated approachAs patients arrive for extended treatment, they enroll in a class taught by Tong or one of her colleagues who are dual certified in general and special education. After the students complete an initial assessment, their teacher at College Hill works closely with their school to gather records and map out educational goals during their treatment.

“Even though students are here for medical care, we don’t want them to fall behind academically,” Tong says. “They can become frustrated if they are not keeping up with their classmates. Being up-to-speed can help with their treatment as well as their transition back to school.”

Because the students at College Hill have additional needs, providing them with specially trained educators is critical to their success. Tong’s experience as an educator, coupled with her training in teaching students with behavioral and mental health issues, establishes her as a valuable member of the care team.

“Cincinnati Children’s understands that I play an important role in the students’ care,” Tong says. “Each week, I participate in treatment discussions about each of my students with everyone involved in their care, including therapists, nurses and the chaplain.”

This integrated approach helps the students make important strides in their recovery and in academics. Their academic achievements build self-esteem, which is a major asset in their

overall treatment. It arms them with the tools they need to sustain their success when they go home.

“As my students see their successes in the classroom, I witness their confidence building,” Tong says. “Each milestone brings them closer to their goals.”

Bright FuturesIn her College Hill classroom, Tong is able to provide more personal attention than students might receive in a traditional school setting. This kind of instruction helps them to catch up, keep up and, in some instances, even surpass their classmates back home.

Recently, a pre-teen came to College Hill unable to read. “After working with me for six months, she came into class

exclaiming, ‘Mrs. Yu, Mrs. Yu! I read my compliment cards from my care team on Friday,’” Tong recalls. “Seeing this kind of impact is why I teach here.”

“We believe education is an important part of a teen’s treatment and success.”

At a time when many providers were cutting their services or closing their doors, Cincinnati Children’s opened the College Hill Campus to address the underserved mental health needs of children and adolescents.


creatingyourlegacy

Everyone who knew sisters Emma Bradshaw and Rose Abrecht noticed the way they looked after each other – and anyone else who needed them. Even now that they have both passed away, Emma and Rose are continuing to care for others, including the children and families of Cincinnati Children’s.

The Cincinnati natives “were very close,” says their attorney James K. Rice. “They were very family-oriented and took care of each other. What one had, she gave to her sister.”

The sisters lived together virtually their entire lives. When Emma wed Leroy Bradshaw, the couple moved into the same apartment building as Rose, who never married. When Leroy passed away, the sisters shared an apartment well into their 90s. As Emma’s health started to decline, the sisters were forced to look at their future.

Emma and Rose put a plan in place so even in death they could show their love for each other. They established trusts that would pay annual income to the surviving sister for life.

When Emma passed away in 2005, at age 97, her trust provided funds for Rose. When Rose passed away in 2011, at age 99, the remaining money in both trusts went to predetermined charities, including Cincinnati Children’s.

Sharon Roberts and her husband were the sisters’ landlords for many years, and they became good friends. She was not surprised to learn that Emma and Rose made a plan to take care of the surviving sister and to partner with deserving nonprofits.

“They were the kindest, most generous people you could ever meet,” Sharon says. “They would take care of themselves and others who needed it.”

“There was a woman who lived in the apartment building who was older and in poor health,” Sharon remembers. “Rose would give her money so she could have what she needed. They were just like that. They would help you any way they could.”

The compassion Rose and Emma showed during their lifetimes continues to grow as their gifts help to improve the outcome for sick and injured children at Cincinnati Children’s and their families.

Sisters Support Each Other, Cincinnati Children’s

how can i balance my charitable goals with my family responsibilities?I frequently hear this question – and the answer may be that you can have it all, just not all at the same time.

What may seem to be competing interests can often be solved with a trust that arranges for your property to first be used to support your loved ones and then later to advance the mission of your favorite charitable interests.

The story of the Abrecht sisters (right) is a perfect example of balancing family responsibilities and charitable goals.

A good estate planning lawyer can draft a trust document that instructs the trust manager (the trustee) to provide income payments to your loved ones for life. When the trust ends, the remaining assets become a gift to one or more charitable interests of your choosing.

Learn more about this and other planning ideas by giving me a call or checking out our website, www.cincinnatichildrens.org/gift-planning.

Please contact Karen Ecker Kratz, JD at (513) 636-5683, or via email at [email protected], for more information.

Your Planned Giving Questions Answered

askkaren

Sisters Emma Bradshaw (left) and Rose Abrecht (right) established trusts to care for each other and the patients and families at Cincinnati Children’s.


for a great day of family fun to benefit Cincinnati Children’s

SATURDAY, OCT. 20, 2012 AT CONEY ISLAND

Register today atwww.cincinnatichildrens.org/walk

Join Us!

Scan the QR tag with your smartphone to register today!

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9002Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026

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