The Chase Foundation matches generous gift from Lorraine and Gary Abrams

Through a generous gift from the Chase Foundation and Lorraine and Gary Abrams, Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center has received $200,000 for a new child life specialist to assist our pediatric patients who are admitted to our emergency department. Lorraine and Gary Abrams have generously committed a $100,000 gift toward this position, and the Chase Foundation is matching this gift with an additional $100,000.

“All children deserve the chance to be kids,” says Robin Richards, founder of the Chase Foundation and Providence Tarzana Foundation board member. “The Chase Foundation is happy to provide child life specialists to help ease the way for some of the youngest patients and their families. We’ve been doing this for 30 years and are proud to be a part of enhancing pediatric care right here in the Valley.”

A professional child life specialist would serve as a compassionate advocate to find resources to help “kids be kids” while hospitalized. They provide accurate and age-appropriate information to patients and parents, identify potential sources of stress, and plan and practice coping strategies. child life specialists also work with patients and their families to help create a safe space where kids can play, smile and just be kids.

This child life specialist role is a part-time position and will be based in the emergency department in the new Friese Family Tower of the medical center. If there are evenings when the emergency department has low in-patient intakes, the child life specialist will assist patients in the pediatric unit as needed.

The addition of this new child life specialist position will continue to enhance Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center’s Pediatric Medical Program and serve an even larger and younger population here in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas.