health & wellness >>
Helping Children
Local philanthropist helps expand
pediatric hospice program statewide.
Barbara Lewis I Contributing Writer
A
It may be beautiful on the
outside but it's what's on th
inside that counts
REGEN STREET
ASSISTED LIVING
regentstree
tbl
ield.com
Call us today at (248) 683-1010.
4460 Orchard Lake Road
West Bloomfield, MI 48323
Ask about our dedicated Memory Care Lin'
48 November 26 2015
JN
lransformative" gift from a
local Jewish woman has enabled
Hospice of Michigan (HOM) to
expand its pediatric services statewide.
Jo Elyn Nyman, a Birmingham psycho-
therapist who specializes in treating ado-
lescents, used funds from a foundation
established by her parents, well-known
Detroit philanthropists Samuel and Jean
Frankel.
The donation will enable Hospice of
Michigan, which serves most of the Lower
Peninsula, to make a significant start on a
planned $25 million expansion of its pedi-
atric services, said Marcie Hillary, vice
president for resource development.
The programs, collectively called the
Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for
Children, include:
• The James B. Fahner Pediatric
Hospice, named for the Grand Rapids
pediatric oncologist who started it.
• Compass Palliative Support for
Children: for children, adolescents and
young adults with serious illnesses who
are continuing curative care and thus not
eligible for traditional hospice care.
• Perinatal Hospice Care, which sup-
ports families anticipating life-threatening
conditions for their unborn child.
• The Center for Pediatric Research
and Education, which will be under the
umbrella of the HOM Institute. It will
be the first research center in the nation
dedicated to exploring and teaching about
the unique end-of-life issues faced by chil-
dren and families.
An earlier gift from Nyman helped
expand the Compass program, which
started in Western Michigan, to the
Southeast part of the state. The social
work-based program provides support
services for children and families that are
typically not reimbursed by insurers.
Hospice of Michigan opened the state's
first pediatric hospice program in 1995,
but closed the Southeast Michigan service
10 years later when other local hospices
started offering pediatric care. HOM
continued offering pediatric services in
Western Michigan.
One by one, the other Southeast
Michigan hospices stopped handling
pediatrics, Hillary said. "It's very special-
ized, very expensive"
The Anchors program was a long time
coming. Nyman first reached out to HOM
four years ago to say she wanted to do
something to help children.
Jo Elyn Nyman with pediatric oncolo-
gist Dr. James B. Fahner
Hospice of Michigan researched the
need and then presented Nyman with a
program description, a 20-year plan and
$25 million budget.
Dr. Kenneth Pituch, medical director of
pediatric palliative care at the University
of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's
Hospital, will chair HOM's expanded
pediatric service.
Nyman has funded other child
health programs, including the Frankel
Psychotherapy Training Program and the
Frankel Psychotherapy Access Initiative at
the University of Michigan Health System,
designed to improve access to help for
youth and families struggling with mental
health issues.
"We are deeply indebted to Jo Elyn
Nyman for her incredibly generous finan-
cial support, which will allow Hospice of
Michigan to expand our services and offer
pediatric palliative support and hospice
care to families across the state said
Robert Cahill, HOM president/CEO.
"Her vision will allow us to better meet
the needs of Michigan families facing the
toughest of challenges: the serious illness
or death of a child."
Nyman is reluctant to talk about her
philanthropy.
"I give mostly anonymously. I like to
be in the background:' she said. "I do this
because I'm passionate about children
who can't advocate for themselves. I'm
just the vehicle.
"There wasn't a program like this in
Southeast Michigan and now there is, and
that's what matters." *
Hospice of Michigan was the first and is now the larg-
est hospice in the state, caring for more than 1,700
patients daily. For more information, call (888) 247-
5701 or visit www.hom.org.