Month: October 2013

In 1996, while Debi Faris had one eye on dinner and the other on the evening news, she heard a story that would change her life. She stood frozen as she listened to the reporters account of the tragedy a newborn baby boy had been stuffed into a duffel bag and tossed from a speeding car along a freeway. She couldn’t move, she just kept thinking about this child and wondering how we could have become a society that just throws their babies away as if they were a piece of trash.

Debi contacted the authorities and with the blessing of my family, asked the Coroner’s office to release the baby to her family for burial. While waiting for the investigation to end on this child, she learned that there was another newborn baby boy that had been found in a dumpster, and a little girl about two years of age, who was found washed up on a beach.

On August 26,1996, her family had their first burial service for the three children. They were given the names of Matthew, Nathan and Dora. Each name means the same; a Gift of God.

In the beginning, this was an act of love from her family. However, as the word of what they were doing for these little ones spread, they knew that it was not enough for these children to touch just our hearts they were being shown that God wanted their tiny footprints to touch the hearts of many more. Garden of Angels came into existence.

She knew the answer was to educate and help young mothers and their children before it was too late.

SAFE SURRENDER FOR NEWBORNS IS CREATED

Debi began the Safe Surrender for Newborns program when she contacted Sen. Jim Brulte and asked him to write legislation that would decriminalize ‘safe’ abandonment. Safe Surrender for Newborns (SB 1368) was created to honor all babies who have lost their lives to newborn abandonment. The Garden of Angels works passionately to prevent the tragedy of newborn abandonment through our educational and outreach programs.

California law SB 1368 allows the parent of a newborn infant – within 3 days – to legally surrender their baby, anonymously and without fear of prosecution to any employee at any hospital emergency room or other designated fire station in California.

In addition, SB 1368 allows for a two-week “cooling off” period, allowing the parent the opportunity to reconsider the decision, and work to reclaim their child. Since this law took effect January 1st, 2001, more than 300 babies have been safely surrendered.

The Garden of Angels and our Safe Surrender for Newborns program is committed to the prevention of newborn abandonment.

We have launched an educational campaign which includes public service announcements and print ads, plus a fifteen minute educational video designed to reach out to our young people in our schools, as they discuss health, life issues and teen pregnancy in their classroom.

We feel that it is through educating the students of today that this tragedy will turn around, and it is up to us as parents, teachers, counselors and religious leaders to open the lines of communication with them. To share the story of the children in the Garden with our teenagers, and to reaffirm with them that no matter what the circumstances in their lives – that together we can work through it.

Nathan Adelson Hospice was founded over 35 years ago following the death of Nathan Adelson. Mr. Adelson was a beloved hospital administrator who cared deeply for his patients and employees.  Following a long painful battle with stomach cancer, sadly Mr. Adelson passed away.  Family and friends close to him realized the need for healthcare specific to pain management and responded to that need.  In 1978, Nathan Adelson Hospice became Southern Nevada’s first home care hospice. Nathan Adelson Hospice is the only non-profit hospice in Southern Nevada, and provides hospice and palliative care to more than 350 patients each day.  Known as an industry leader, the organization has a reputation for providing exceptional end-of-life care.  In 1983, Nathan Adelson Hospice opened the area’s first inpatient hospice and today we are nationally recognized as a model for superior hospice care. Nathan Adelson Hospice is proud to be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.  In 1999, the organization opened a second inpatient hospice facility, and Nathan Adelson Hospice now has 38 inpatient beds. In addition to having two inpatient units and a home care program, Nathan Adelson Hospice provides care to residents of Pahrump and other outlying communities.

Mission Statement: Nathan Adelson Hospice is the hospice of choice, employer of preference, training center of excellence and the community’s trusted partner for comprehensive end-of-life care.

Vision Statement:  No one should end the journey of life alone, afraid, or in pain.

Nathan Adelson Hospice is privileged to have served over 58,000 people since its inception.  During the past three decades, it has been an honor to provide the most comprehensive hospice care to all in our community, regardless of their ability to pay.

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It was founded in 1967 by Irwin M. and Suzanne Rosenthal, William D. and Shelby Modell, and Henry D. Janowitz, M.D.

Since our founding over four decades ago, CCFA has remained at the forefront of research in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Today, we fund cutting-edge studies at major medical institutions, nurture investigators at the early stages of their careers, and finance underdeveloped areas of research. In addition, our educational workshops and programs, along with our scientific journal, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, enable medical professionals to keep pace with this rapidly growing field. We are very proud that the National Institutes of Health has commended us for “uniting the research community and strengthening IBD research.”

Crohn’s disease is an ongoing disorder that is associated with inflammation of the digestive tract, also referred to as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

It can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but is more commonly found in the end of the small bowel (ileum) and the beginning of the large intestine (colon).

The damaging inflammation resulting from Crohn’s may cause pain and may make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea and other Crohn’s disease symptoms.

 

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic, or ongoing, disease that affects the colon and rectum, together known as the large intestine. The innermost lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed, and ulcers, which are tiny open sores, could form on the surface.

It’s the inflammation in the lining of the large intestine that causes the painful symptoms commonly associated with UC. Inflammation causes the large intestine to empty frequently, leading to diarrhea that — because of the ulcers — can sometimes be bloody.