2013 annual report

Our Many Thanks To YouRichmond Office 7201 Glen Forest Drive, Suite 304 • Richmond, Virginia 23226 • 804.282.8830

St. Louis Office P.O. Box 9227 • St. Louis, MO 63117 • 314.317.8809

VisionEvery child, regardless of geography, should have access to quality,

critical care, so they can live full and productive lives.

MissionWe heal critically ill children and build indigenous healthcare

capacity in developing nations.

(Front cover photo) Honduras plastic surgery mission

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Persistence PrevailsInside this annual report you will find stories of mothers, children, fathers, doctors, nurses, and friends from different parts of the world. These stories are not average—they are stories of tenacity, daunting challenges, and fierce faith. And though the characters each have their own story, there is a single strand that ties them together: persistence. This persistence propelled mothers and fathers to hold on to hues of hope for their sick children—even when there seemed to be no solution. It’s what fueled our pediatric specialists and hospital partners to take courageous actions and work tireless hours. And it is persistence that shines through your unyielding support and generous contributions. Because of your support this past year, we have been able to heal children, change futures, and strengthen hope. It is your compassion that has helped to give a basic human right to all children: the access to the healthcare they deserve.Thank you.

Susan Rickman, President

Our Many Thanks To You

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A Rewritten StoryAs a three-year-old, Sofia’s days should have been filled with drawing crayon masterpieces.

Instead Sofia couldn’t walk, grasp her milk cup, or even hold a crayon.

She couldn’t do any of these things because she lived with a rare condition called Apert syndrome, a disorder that causes malformations in the skull, face, hands, and feet. What’s more, Sofia had severe pressure in her brain, impacting her developmental and cognitive ability.

Happy-go-lucky Sofia, whose smile could light up a room, had no idea her life could be drastically different. How would she?

But WPP volunteer pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Gary Tye knew.

After undergoing WPP sponsored reconstructive surgeries and months of rehabilitation, Sofia’s story was completely rewritten.

For the little toddler the months of daily rehabilitative physical therapy sessions were grueling. Still, Sofia’s spunky attitude radiated as she recovered, even overheard saying “Mommy, today I get new hands and feet!”

Sofia will need her WPP friends for additional surgeries in the future, but today she is one of the top students in her kindergarten class and is becoming more independent day-by-day.

But what is her most special accomplishment? Proudly holding a crayon and drawing pictures for the first time in her life.

Healing Children of Today

5Healing Children of Today

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The Little WarriorIt wasn’t supposed to happen this way.

Instead of a joy-filled day, Joshua’s birth was clouded with uncertainty. Soon after delivery, Joshua was diagnosed with severe hydrocephalus and spina bifida. The circumstances became even more horrifying when doctors informed Joshua’s family that he likely had only a few weeks to live.

But tiny Joshua and his family had something else in mind: to give spina bifida a run for its money—despite the impossible odds.

With dogged determination and the help of the World Pediatric Project family, Joshua and his family did just that.

When WPP’s orthopedic bracing team arrived in Belize, they found the curvature of his spine so severe it was squeezing his heart and lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe and sit upright on his own. To avoid an organ shutdown Joshua desperately needed a torso brace, something that had never been created in Belize.

With Joshua’s new future in mind, the WPP team constructed the contouring brace that gave Joshua the relief he needed.

Together, Joshua and his family are now fitting the pieces of possibility together. As part of WPP’s ongoing commitment, he continues to receive medical support through WPP’s annual orthopedic clinic. Though Joshua still meets daily challenges, he is finally able to attend school—a mighty accomplishment for a 10-year-old who was only given a few weeks to live.

6 Healing Children of Today

7Healing Children of Today

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Superheroes in TrainingNurses are said to be superheroes in disguise.

They are, after all, the backbone of successful patient care. But what happens when these brave superheroes don’t have the proper hospital equipment, sufficient training, and up-to date knowledge of best practices?

For the tiny premature babies in the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the result was sometimes deadly.

That is, until World Pediatric Project teamed up with Dr. Bharati Datta, head of pediatrics at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in St. Vincent, and St. Louis-based neonatologist Dr. Rob Fleming. Together, as a team, they designed a multi-year program to greatly improve advanced care provided to babies who spend the first days of their lives in a Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Their goal was simple, but noble: to improve patient care outcomes for the tiniest citizens of St. Vincent.

The hands-on program, now in its second phase, provides intensive nursing and physician education, along with ongoing consultation to improve local provision of newborn care. In addition to bridging education and training, the program has also acquired critical equipment needed for nurses to monitor and care for patients.

What exactly does all this mean? It means empowered doctors, confident nurses, and relieved mothers. It means less fear and more hope. It means much higher chances of survival for tiny babies.

And it means there are now even more qualified superheroes crusading for the tiny babies of St. Vincent. Healing Children of Tomorrow

9Healing Children of Tomorrow

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New Lease, Same SmileThis is our friend Kerwin with his family. Our friendship began when his mother, Lavern, realized something was wrong with her son’s heart, eventually leading them to WPP’s yearly cardiology clinic in St. Vincent.

Despite his contagious smile, Kerwin, then three-years-old, literally had a broken heart due to a severe life-threatening congenital heart defect.

So, our stories entwined as Kerwin came to us for open heart surgery. As the two prepared for surgery, we couldn’t help but notice their seemingly family trait–a blindingly bright and tenacious smile.

It seemed our new friends had an often rare gift–a larger outlook, more spirit, and the ability to keep pressing on.

With your help, the WPP family has given Kerwin a healed heart and a renewed lease on life. Our relationship has now spanned nine years and has included two heart surgeries and yearly check-ups during WPP’s annual cardiac St. Vincent clinic.

With each passing year we follow Kerwin and his family’s lives and are heartened by Kerwin’s continued medical progress and advancement in school.

And each year, we’re rewarded with Kerwin’s sunny smile.

Healing Children of Tomorrow

Healing Children of Tomorrow 11Kerwin, 3, and his mother Lavern during their first visit to Richmond

Kerwin, 12, and his family at their St. Vincent home in 2012

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Triumph by TwoSixteen years ago Desrita began dreaming and fighting—desperately—for her daughter Chequana.

For Desrita, the stakes were high and losing wasn’t an option: she was championing for her disabled daughter’s future.

But disappointment gripped her when informed her daughter, wheelchair bound as a result of spinal muscular atrophy, would not be allowed to attend a St. Vincent public school because there was no handicapped access. Not attending public school meant her daughter couldn’t fulfill her dream of attending college.

Imagine the overwhelming fear that held Desrita when she learned from WPP doctors Chequana’s difficulty in breathing meant her heart and other vital organs were in danger of failure—a result of the pressure from the scoliosis-induced curve of her spine.

Still, Desrita pushed through. To her, the challenges were temporary. After all, with years of fighting, she had finally succeeded in landing her daughter in public school. And hadn’t she come back to the clinic year after year until it was medically appropriate for her daughter to receive help? Yes, to Desrita, every challenge was a temporary obstacle.

Her persistence finally paid off when Chequana received the complex spinal fusion surgery needed to correct her spine.

What’s more, Chequana is now the first physically disabled student in the island nation of St. Vincent to graduate public school and leave the island to attend college.

Healing Children of Today

Healing Children of Today 13

2%6%

92%

Program

Fundraising

Management& General

2013 Expenses

2012-2013 Financial Summary

Complete audited financial statements are available at www.worldpediatricproject.org

Gifts-in-kind$14M

Contributions$3.14M

18000

16000

14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Every dollar contributed mobilizes more than $4 in pediatric specialized services.

Total SupportNumbers shown in millions

Statement of ActivitiesYear Ended June 30, 2013

Revenues and gains: Auction and special events income $ 1,147,994 Contributions 1,867,484 In-kind contributions 13,980,037 Interest and dividend income 5,818 Unrealized investment gains 10,069

Total revenues and gains 17,011,402

Amounts released from restrictions Amounts released from restrictions —

Total revenues, gains, and other support 17,011,402

Expenses: Program services 15,487,423 Management and general 401,519 Fundraising 949,221

Total expenses 16,838,163

Change in net assets 173,239

Net assets, beginning of year 1,231,556

Net assets, end of year $1,404,795

4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0

2001-2002

2002-2003

2003-2004

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-201

1

2011-2

012

2012-2

013

This year, we have provided more than3,500 services, with more than 50,000 children

being impacted through WPP initiatives.

Total Services Provided Per Year

“No matter…the challenges I faced during my run,

I always knew they paled in comparison to

the challenges faced by the children in need…”- Zoë Romano

The road less travelled—but so worth the journey.She ran 2,000 miles in 64 days for 12 hours a day. And that makes her number one in our hearts. We offer our immense gratitude to Zoë for her incredible endeavor in running the Tour de France to help World Pediatric Project save more lives. With each persistent step she helped us raise funds, raise awareness, and raise hope.

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RICHMOND OFFICE

Susan Rickman, PresidentSue Farley, Senior Vice President of DevelopmentMichael Grow, Chief Operating OfficerMeredith Bailey, Development Administrative AssistantLaila Chatelain, Director of Annual CampaignGerid Buckshire, International Teams Program ManagerMarcia Collier, Special Events/Program CoordinatorJenna Garber, International Teams Program ManagerRuth Houck, BookkeeperSarah Iracane, Senior Program DirectorLaTangela Light, Development Operations DirectorPatrick Nicolas, Patient Care CoordinatorEmily Robertson, Patient Database ManagerCorey Staley, Director of CommunicationsTreva Thomas, Development DirectorPilar Waters, Volunteer CoordinatorRocio Watson, US Referrals Program Manager

ST. LOUIS OFFICE

Katherine Corbett, Executive DirectorKarina Benabe Packer, Program AssistantA’Biel Hammonds, Development Administration SpecialistNatalia Rosales, Program Director

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

Milagro Garel, Belize Country RepresentativeLuciann Ann-Marie Gill, Administrative Assistant

to the Eastern Caribbean Regional RepresentativeJacqueline Browne King, Eastern Caribbean

Regional RepresentativeKhandice Tillett, Project Manager, Belize

2012-13 BOARD LEADERSHIP

John Kemper, ChairmanDavid Lanning, M.D., Ph.DNed Ruffin, Secretary/Treasurer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Karen Booth AdamsMarti BellerLennart FreemanMike GarnerPhilip GoodpastureThomas GottwaldTom HortonAllan KahaneRusty KeeleyJulian Metts, Jr., D.D.S. FounderAnn RamseySara ReedKirk SchroederJohn SeibertChester Sharps, M.D.John Van Der HydeJohn Wick, IVRon Wilkins

ADVISORY BOARD

Jeff Gallagher, ChairmanClayton AllenDonna Brown, M.D.Chris CarneyGene DesvernineFreddie Gray Mary Horton

John LancasterTom MackellKinloch Nelson, M.D.Fred Rahal, M.D.Lynn SlabaughJohn Ward, M.D.David Wilson

2013 ANNUAL REPORT DESIGN

Mailing Services of Virginia, Graphic DesignPhilip Bermingham, Mallory Benedict, Doug Buerlein, Tom Veazey, Photography

HOUSING PARTNERS

Hospital Hospitality House, Richmond

Ronald McDonald House, Richmond, St. Louis and Charlotte

ST. LOUIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Co-ChairmanMike GarnerRusty Keeley Board of DirectorsTed BriscoeA.J. ChivettaBob CorbettJorge Del CidJim HolbrookMeredith HolbrookPreston FancherJulie KeeleyTom KienzlerBrian SchlerethJan Torrisi-Mokwa

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www.worldpediatricproject.org

Dr. Adrian Sandler during an annual urology and spina bifida mission to Belize.