Mission Statement

The Children's Miracle Network at Duke Children's raises unrestricted funds for Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center through the Children's Miracle Network. These funds help support research, clinical care, advocacy and family support programs to help children and families heal both physically and emotionally. At Duke Children's, we treat 176,000 patients each year and provide research findings that touch millions of lives worldwide.

Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center is nationally ranked among the best pediatric health care programs. Caring for children is our number one priority, from routine check-ups and immunizations to the treatment of life-threatening injuries and illness. At Duke Children's, we provide hope and the most advanced health care available.

At Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Children Always Come First

This is our Children's Miracle Network promise, and it is the core of who we are.

Children's Miracle Network is the alliance of premier children's hospitals in North America. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kids by raising funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America. Since 1983, these non-profit hospitals have provided the finest care, research and community outreach to help millions of children with diseases and injuries of every kind, raising more than $2.1 billion.

Every year, the 170 children's hospitals associated with Children's Miracle Network treat more than 17 million children with all types of illnesses, including cancer, heart and muscular diseases, birth defects, cerebral palsy and AIDS.

Locally, Children's Miracle Network raises funds for Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center. Since 1984, Duke Children's Miracle Network has contributed significant resources for the programs and services of Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center. We are proud to be a part of the Children's Miracle Network and value our association with its sponsors' programs.

Who We Are

Just like the children we care for, Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center is continually growing and changing. But one thing never changes--and that's our passionate commitment to doing everything we can to help children enjoy long, happy, healthy lives.

Who We Treat

With Duke Children's position as a regional referral center for advanced pediatric care, 89 percent of our patients are from counties across North Carolina. Duke Children's focuses on the care of complex illnesses and is poised as an international referral center for specialty care with the remaining 11 percent of children referred to Duke from all parts of the globe.

The Duke Difference

Duke is an international center for bench-to-bedside research as evidenced by the development of these flagship programs:

• Cord blood transplantation to treat various cancers, immune deficiency disorders, and metabolic diseases where no other treatment is available.
• Enzyme therapy--the first effective treatment for Pompe' disease.
• ECMO (extra corporeal membrane oxygenation) as a treatment to save a child suffering a sickle cell crisis and another suffering from a near-drowning.
• Thymus transplantation to successfully treat children with DiGeorge Syndrome.
• Sickle cell screening program being used nationally.
• AZT therapy for pregnant women to prevent the transfer of HIV to their unborn children.

How Your Donations Work for the Children

When treating sick kids, every penny counts...

• Because one smile from a young patient who's been given a whole new chance at life is all the proof we need that what we do is the very best work there is.
• Because care is about a lot more than treatment.
• Because even healthy kids need good care to stay that way, Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center also provides complete primary care and preventive health services for children.
• Because children's illnesses won't go away until we make them.

CARE. ADVOCACY. RESEARCH. EDUCATION
All because we CARE.

Kids Care Grants

2008 Kids Care Grant Instructions and Application Forms [PDF, 34 KB]

The following are just a few areas where the dollars raised make a significant impact on the lives of sick children--areas that have no other funding sources except valuable Children's Miracle Network contributions:

• Make 'em Smile entertainer program to provide weekly visits to both the inpatient and clinic settings.
• Preoperative educational brochures, teaching dolls and videos for children undergoing anesthesia and surgery.
• Reach Out and Read program to promote early literacy skills among children at highest risk for school failure; age-appropriate books provided at well-child visits and volunteers available to read to children in the waiting areas.
• "Tell Me About My Operation" coloring book in English and Spanish and pocket reference books to help physicians translate medical terms to Spanish.
• Parent support program for the Intensive and Transitional Care Nurseries, including library materials, and weekly parent education and support group meetings.
• Craft supplies for the Child and Adolescent Life program.
• Auditory stimulation toys for hearing-impaired children.
• Meal and parking passes to assist indigent and low-income families with local needs while their children are at Duke.
• Magazine subscriptions, toys, and games for clinic areas.

For application forms, instructions, and for further information about Kids Care Grants, contact Karen McClure at (919) 667-2574 or karen.mcclure@duke.edu.

For more information about CMN or to become a CMN partner, contact us at 919-667-2560 or dukekids@notes.duke.edu.