Aug. 8 2018 11:29 AM

Simulation lab at Children’s Hospital to be named in group’s honor

The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

On Saturday, July 28, Dairy Cares of Wisconsin announced it had surpassed $1 million in donations to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. The total was reached after community sponsors and donors raised more than $200,000 at the eighth annual Dairy Cares Garden Party.To honor the support and commitment to Wisconsin children, Children’s Hospital will rename the simulation lab as the Dairy Cares of Wisconsin Simulation Laboratory.

“Behind every program Children’s Hospital offers is the support of donors and volunteers like Jim and Annette Ostrom and Dairy Cares of Wisconsin. It is an honor to rename the simulation lab in honor of this amazing group,” said Meg Brzyski Nelson, president of the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation. The group’s donation to the simulation lab will provide tools for Children’s Hospital doctors and nurses to perfect the skills and teamwork needed to save the lives of kids at a moment’s notice.

Jim and Annette Ostrom are two of the founding members of Dairy Cares. The group started in 2011 as a small group of Wisconsin dairy farm families who wanted to give something back. “Our focus was to bring friends together to improve the lives of kids,” said Jim Ostrom. “Looking back, it’s amazing to see how much has been accomplished. We are humbled to have the opportunity to support Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and help change the odds for kids and families facing tough challenges.”

The group’s garden party event in De Pere welcomes more than 400 people into the Ostroms’ home to enjoy gardens and an evening of food and fireworks. Last year, Dairy Cares expanded its efforts by adding a run/walk to benefit Children’s Hospital, “Kickin’ It with the Cows.” Initially anticipated to attract 300 runners, the inaugural event drew more than four times that many participants. This year, the event saw 1,500 participants and raised nearly $20,000 for Children’s Hospital.

Dairy Cares of Wisconsin started eight years ago and brings together a group of professionals in the dairy and agricultural fields. It is registered non-profit organization that hosts fundraisers that shine a light on the impact Children’s Hospital has on kids and families in northeast Wisconsin and across the state. The funds it has raised have supported critical care services for kids facing serious medical conditions; the transport team that brings neonatal and pediatric critical care to kids in need, wherever they are; and the hospital’s simulation lab, where providers practice life-saving skills.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF WISCONSIN
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is the region’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. The hospital, with locations in Milwaukee and Neenah, Wisconsin, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It is ranked in eight specialty areas in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018-19 Best Children’s Hospitals report. Children’s provides primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. In 2017, Children’s invested nearly $103 million in the community to improve the health status of children through medical care, advocacy, education and pediatric medical research. Children’s achieves its mission in part through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations and is proud to be a member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. For more information, visit the website at chw.org.