Children’s Hospital and Medical Center is a nonprofit health center that is dedicated to the lives of children. Their goal is to improve the life of every child that comes through their door. They are the only full-service pediatric health center in the entirety of Nebraska. Originally known as Children’s Memorial Hospital, it opened its doors on March 14th, 1948, and has been serving families in Nebraska for over 70 years. They provide primary, urgent, and specialty care for children of all ages.

What really sets Children’s apart is its Level IV (4) NICU, or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Children’s is the only Level IV (4) unit in Nebraska, and has the most advanced care in the state, being able to treat the most serious health issues in newborns. They were awarded the highest possible certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the Beacon Gold award, in 2017 for their intensive care units.

Children’s has been ranked as one of the top children’s hospitals for cardiology for the past 10 years. The hospital offers the highest level of care for children and adults with heart issues of all types, and they are one of the few programs in the country accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association.

Not only are they dedicated to healing, but they are also dedicated to research. In partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), they created The Child Health Research Institute (CHRI). CHRI aims to fund pediatric research, focusing on health services, heart disease, lifespan disease, global health, pediatric cancer, genetic and developmental disorders, and exposures, and injuries.

Children’s also has multiple medical education programs for those getting their medical degrees and undergrads. From their Pediatric Honors Program to their Summer Undergraduate Research Program, they provide multiple avenues for students who want to study pediatric medicine and research. There is also the program Grand Rounds, which gives medical providers the opportunity to study the newest techniques in pediatric medicine.  Children’s Hospital believes that we should all grow together to improve the health and lives of children in need and encourages education in all facets.

If you would like to donate to Children’s, you can go to their website at childrensomaha.org and click ‘Give’ at the top of the page. To donate through the mail, you can send a check to “Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Foundation, 8404 Indian Hills Drive, Omaha, NE 68114”. You can also donate by phone at 402-955-6851. This number can also be used if you would like to donate food or supplies to them as well.

You can also consider volunteering at the hospital. Volunteers assist by working in the gift shop, helping with events, working at the information desk, and providing support for family members waiting at the hospital. They have volunteer programs for adults and teens. If you have interest in being a volunteer, you can go to their website at childrensomaha.org/get-involved/how-to-volunteer, or by calling 402-955-4010.  

For more information about Children’s Hospital, you can go to their website at childrensomaha.org, or you can check out their Facebook at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.