The “Faith & Mercy” event was conceived by Tiffany Roberts, wife of KC CAN! Board member, Mike Roberts, in gratitude to the hospital for saving the life of their day-old daughter who was born with a congenital heart defect.  The Roberts family gained a profound appreciation for the hospital’s importance as a resource for all children in our region requiring pediatric specialty care and for the fact that, like all families that come to Children’s Mercy, care was provided to their child without any questions as to their insurance status or ability to pay.  KC CAN! is pleased to launch this event which recognizes the unique role that Children’s Mercy Hospital plays in our Kansas City community, and across the states of Missouri and Kansas , in providing the very best in specialty medical care to our children.

This community drive will benefit the Child Life Department at Children’s Mercy.  Certified Child Life specialists promote a positive environment for patients and families, in part by providing materials and guidance for developmentally appropriate play and preparing and supporting children for medical experiences.  Child Life services all inpatient and intensive care units. Whether children are at Children’s Mercy for only a few hours, or for an extended period, Child Life specialists ease their anxiety, making their hospital experience a more positive one and resulting in better medical outcomes.