Child Life Specialist, Shaundra McCarter, with Valerie Fund patient, Vanessa

Dr. Jill Menell with Valerie Fund patient, Johansel

In July, St. Joseph's became the newest member of the Valerie Fund family. Already one of the largest pediatric cancer and blood disorder healthcare programs in the country, the catalyst for growth was the opportunity to care for another 1,000 deserving children in the tri-state area suffering life-threatening diseases. The Passaic County-based outpatient facility neighbors the northern New Jersey counties of Morris and Essex where several other Valerie Fund Centers are located. This setting strengthens The Valerie Fund's capacity to offer a significant number of additional oncology, sickle cell and other assorted hematologic patients access to important psychosocial services not covered by insurance. The ten year-old Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Division at St. Joseph's mirrors The Valerie Fund model where family members are included during the treatment process to ensure the well-being of the patient and the entire family unit. The similarities of philosophies and multi-disciplinary team approach at both St. Joseph's and at The Valerie Fund Centers means their interface will support the integrity of The Valerie Fund mission and organically benefit everyone. The Valerie Fund immediately enhanced the existing core services at St. Joseph's, their social work and child life programs, and recently hired a psychologist, educational liaison and financial specialist. 

Jill Menell, MD, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital has been looking forward to the collaboration. "We are so excited that our patients will have the benefit of being a part of The Valerie Fund family. We provide excellent medical care for our patients, but the psychosocial piece is equally as important to the well-being of the child and the entire family unit. With The Valerie Fund's generosity, we can support these positions, as well as several new team members, to ensure that the diseases they have and treatments they receive will not limit their success in school and in life."

Bill Copeck, RN, Nurse Manager in the Center for Pediatric Cancers and Blood Disorders is excited about the power in the partnership that benefits so many. "It has been such a great opportunity for St. Joseph's Children's Hospital to become a part of The Valerie Fund family. Expanding our current psychosocial services to provide more educational assistance, financial guidance and counseling services will be a benefit to our patients and their families. There is so much more to treatment of disease than medicine and nursing; child life and social work also play a very important role in successfully caring for patients. The Valerie Fund's generosity will go a long way towards expanding these services. We are all thankful for this new relationship."

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Center for Pediatric Cancers and Blood Disorders: The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Division was established in September, 1996 and the team works closely with other pediatric disciplines to provide all-inclusive care. Also, like the diverse population treated at The Valerie Fund's Newark Beth Israel Center, English is not the primary language spoken in the homes of many of the 1,000 patients who receive outpatient care at St. Joseph's Center. In this case, 60% are Spanish speaking and another 10% are Arabic.

The Pediatric Cancers and Blood Disorders Center at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital hosts approximately 5,000 outpatient visits each year. Current staff is made up of five physicians, board certified in pediatric hematology and oncology. Rounding out the team is a dedicated nursing staff – 2 PNPs and 2 RNs with expertise in administration of chemotherapy and other therapies and a psychosocial team that includes that includes a social worker and child life specialist, and three newly added positions: an Educational Specialist, Neuropsychologist, and Financial Counselor. Three integrative therapists administer acupuncture, acupressure, aromatherapy and massage therapy---popular and effective treatments that have been proven in a high percentage of cases to reduce the pain and stress of illness.

Between 20-30 new oncology diagnoses present each year. Assorted hematologic cases make up the balance and include 100 sickle cell patients, 15 patients with thalassemia intermedia/major and approximately 100 patients with coagulations and platelet abnormalities. These patients can be treated from birth through adolescence/young adulthood.

The center established a Long Term Follow-up program in 2013. It is run by one of the physicians, a nurse practitioner and a part-time counselor who provide medical interventions and screening, vital education and psychosocial support to childhood cancer survivors.