George Mark Children's House -- First Freestanding Pediatric Hospice and Respite Care Facility in U.S. -- Hosts Opening Event and Launches Volunteer Program.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

SAN LEANDRO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2003

The House Will Provide Care for Children with Life-Threatening or

Terminal Illnesses and Their Families

George Mark Children's House (GMCH), the first freestanding residential pediatric hospice and respite care facility in the United States, will celebrate its opening by hosting a community picnic on Saturday, October 18, from noon to 4:00 p.m. for GMCH supporters and their families. The festivities will include the official ribbon cutting, House tours, and family-oriented events with music, clowns and other special guests.

To prepare for accepting its first children and families by February, GMCH has launched a volunteer program to recruit, train, and staff a cadre of up to 125 volunteers in the first year of operations. GMCH volunteers will read, play games, supervise crafts and do homework with both patients and siblings. There are volunteer opportunities appropriate to a wide range of skills and interests, including food preparation and cleanup, gardening, massage, pet management, art, stories, journal writing, music and sand play. Volunteers are also needed to help with fundraising and community outreach, as well as to provide clerical, data entry and public speaking expertise.

Student Peer Volunteers (16+ years of age) will be integral to the volunteer team and many will earn hours toward their community service obligation. A select group of Family Volunteers will complete a 30-hour training program to equip them with the skills to provide practical ,emotional and bereavement support for families.

George Mark Children's House is an innovative and beautiful pediatric hospice caring for the special needs of children with life-threatening or terminal illnesses. Additional support is available to all family members including siblings. The House will fill the service gap between home care and the acute care hospital setting by providing new services that represent important additions to the continuum of care for children and families of Northern California: residential respite support (round-the-clock), transitional care (between hospital and home) and hospice (end-of-life) care. All care is based on the principles of palliative care, which aims to relieve suffering associated with chronic, life-threatening or terminal illness by providing comfort care, preserving the dignity and integrity of the child and family, and achieving the best quality of life possible. An ultimate goal is to help families remain intact and functional and able to achieve the most of their time together in the midst of these extreme circumstances. This child-focused, family-centered process is defined in partnership with the family and is consistent with each family's individual culture and values.

GMCH is a haven for all medically eligible families regardless of race, religion, national origin or ability to pay. While families from all backgrounds will choose to come to GMCH, common sense and experience indicate that those with the least means will find its resources most necessary and welcome. For the neediest families, GMCH's care will likely make an enormous difference. George Mark's multidisciplinary team of specialists, including several who are bilingual, will work to honor and respect each family's cultural traditions and individual care choices.

The House will be staffed by a specialized team that includes pediatric physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual care counselors, home health aides, volunteers and bereavement specialists. The facility features: 8 children's bedrooms, each with a capacity to sleep a family member; 2 family suites; extensive communal and private garden areas; pet accommodations; indoor/outdoor structures for all levels of mobility; a school room area; a computer room; music, art, speech, hydrotherapy, occupational, and physical therapy activity areas.

About the GMCH Board of Directors

GMCH is governed by a six-member board responsible for ensuring that the GMCH mission is achieved through oversight of its construction, operations, compliance with fiduciary licensing and regulatory requirements, strategic planning, and fundraising.

About George Mark Children's House

George Mark Children's House broke ground in 1999 to build the first freestanding pediatric hospice and respite care home in the United States. Modeled after similar facilities in England and Canada, many of which have been in place for more than two decades, GMCH will provide an important addition to the continuum of care for children with life-threatening or terminal illnesses and their families in Northern California.

GMCH is named in honor of George and Mark Nicholson. George succumbed to cancer at age 30. Mark died in an automobile accident at age 16. Their sister, Dr. Kathleen Nicholson Hull, founded the children's hospice and dedicates it, with much love, to the memory of these two young men.

The facility is located on five acres in the foothills above San Leandro, offering a quiet, safe atmosphere close to public transportation. Resembling a large family home, GMCH has eight children's bedrooms and two family suites in its 15,000 square-foot, three-wing building. For more information, visit GMCH at www.georgemark.org.

** Photo Opportunity -- The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 2:15 p.m. In addition, there will be opportunities to photograph the house and grounds.