Becky Long and Ken Hirsch already appreciated Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, since all three of their daughters were born there, and Becky is a longtime volunteer in the NICU.
But they didn’t know how much they would come to rely on Packard Children’s Hospital until their youngest daughter, Kate, had a major ski accident at age 15 during a family trip to Lake Tahoe. At first, Kate was taken to the nearest trauma level 2 hospital, where she stayed three-and-a-half weeks and underwent four procedures to treat her internal injuries.
Becky and Ken had to wait for the extreme winter weather to abate and Kate’s condition to improve before she could be transported to Packard Children’s Hospital. They were anxious for their daughter to be closer to their home in Portola Valley and at a level 1 pediatric trauma center—one of only five in California.
“Coming home, to Packard, gave her a sense of progress,” Becky says. “She could have her sisters visit more easily. It boosted her spirits, and her recovery sped from there. The whole team gave her this sense of confidence and optimism that helped in her recovery.”
Two weeks later, after undergoing a complicated fifth and final surgery, Kate went home. “Today, she is a totally healthy, thriving junior in high school,” Ken says.
Kate’s good health is not something her parents take for granted. Recently, Becky and Ken made a generous gift to fund research that will further enhance surgical quality and value at our hospital, and potentially impact pediatric surgical care nationwide.
“Our decision to make this gift was really an outgrowth of our high regard for what Packard represents and how lucky we are to have it in our backyard, because when you need it, you really need it,” Ken says.
Wanting to help others too, Kate has launched her own charitable effort. She donates small stuffed penguins, or “Comfort Critters,” to children at local hospitals, including Packard Children’s, to ease stress and anxiety.
Thank you, Becky and Ken, for ensuring that other children will receive outstanding surgical care and support when they need it most.