Children's Emergency Department is now located in Children's Tower: 1001 E. Marshall Street.

Learn more
View alerts close
Wishes

Wishes

Children's hospitals are special for many reasons. Beyond the expert clinical care that is provided, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU is able to provide its patients with special experiences and activities designed just for kids. Our Foundation supports that work through our annual holiday campaign, Holiday Wishes, which raises money for the Children's Activity Fund from October to December each year.

Make a donation to support the activity fund today

The Children's Activity Fund

The Children's Activity Fund provides the patients of Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) with life-changing and memory-making experiences. These experiences improve patients’ quality of life and allow them to enjoy the fun activities of childhood. For our patients, these experiences and the memories they create are much more impactful than any other donated gift they could receive.

The contributions raised through the 2018 annual holiday campaign will support the patients who reside in the hospital's long-term care unit, as well as patients at the Healthy Lifestyles Center and Center for Craniofacial Care.

Long-Term Care Unit

The Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at CHoR provides long-term care for children with ongoing medical conditions, focusing on the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of children and their families. In addition to weekly field trips to places like the pool and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (to name just a few), daily art projects, games, and other entertainment, the Children’s Activity Fund gives our patients several other special opportunities throughout the year.

A long-term care patient enjoys the sun and sand during the annual TCU Beach Trip.

Virginia Beach Trip

For many of the children on the TCU, the annual trip to Virginia Beach is an opportunity of a lifetime. Due to their medical conditions, many children have never before had the opportunity to go the beach—an activity that many children and families take for granted. During the day trip, wheelchairs are left on the boardwalk in favor of beach seats and towels. Staff and volunteers assist the children to the shore, where many kids are able to sit in the water, enjoying the sun, sand and surf.

Summer Camp

The weeklong Camp W.A.V.E.S. (Wheeling Around Virginia Enjoying Summer) gives TCU residents the chance to enjoy daily morning outings to places like Jamestown Settlement, Mesa Vista Farm, Harrison Lake and Great Wolf Lodge for fun activities including historical tours, therapeutic horseback riding, fishing, gem mining and water activities. At the hospital, Camp W.A.V.E.S. brings a variety of afternoon programs such as crafts, massage therapy, zoo education, puppet performances and more.

Center for Craniofacial Care

The Center for Craniofacial Care at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU is Virginia’s premier facility for treating children with craniofacial abnormalities. Children with a cleft, craniofacial or vascular malformation can require corrective surgery, and the Center’s multidisciplinary specialists recognize that children with complex needs and their families may require additional specialized services.

Girl's Night Out and Boy's Night Out

Twice a year, the Center for Craniofacial Care arranges special group activities that encourage its patients to get together with their peers who have had similar life experiences. The girls enjoy an evening of pampered treatment at a local salon, including new hairstyles, manicures, facials and makeovers. The boys are invited to go indoor rock climbing, play laser tag, or attend a sporting event together. Each event is paired with a pizza party or dessert table to help break the ice, and then the children are treated to several hours of fun with no medical talk allowed.

Spring 2017 Girls Night Out

Healthy Lifestyles Center

The Healthy Lifestyles Center at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU aims to stem the rising tide of childhood obesity by promoting healthy weight management, eating, exercise and lifestyle habits that can last a lifetime.

Nutritional Cooking Classes

Throughout the year, the Healthy Lifestyles Center organizes classes that focus on healthy cooking and nutrition for its patients and families. Each class is organized for 10-20 people and focuses on a specific aspect of healthy eating, encouraging participants to get involved and learn easy and helpful skills that they can transfer back to their home cooking routine.

Cooking class

Healthy cooking class at Mise en Place cooking school in Shockoe Slip

Make Your Gift Today

If you would like to make a gift online, please click here, or mail your check (made out to Children’s Hospital Foundation with Holiday Wishes in the memo line) to Children’s Hospital Foundation, 2924 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23220. Please contact Sarah Irby at sirby@chfrichmond.org or 804-228-5920 for more information.

Consider making a gift in a family member or friend’s honor this holiday season and we will send them an acknowledgment of your gift along with pictures of the patients who are benefiting from your support.