Grateful family gives $1 million gift to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia
A $1 million gift was delivered Thursday to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. It's the first-of-its-kind donation for St. Christopher's and it came from a grateful family.
Dale and Steve Berkley spent countless hours at the hospital as their granddaughter, Sloane, was being treated for neuroblastoma, a cancer in nerve cells.
"There are no words to express how grateful we are to all her nurses and doctors. We love all of them," Steve Berkley said.
Sloane was diagnosed at age 2 and has been through a variety of treatments. Her grandparents say she's 4 now and doing much better.
"She's a happy, lovely, beautiful, spunky, spirited girl right now," Dale Berkley said.
To show their appreciation, the Berkleys, who live in Yardley, donated $1 million to St. Christopher's Oncology Unit.
"What a great day for St. Christopher's and for the children that we serve," Robert Brooks, the president and interim CEO at St. Christopher's, said.
It's the first seven-figure gift to St. Christopher's from a patient's family. The money will help advance research and enhance patient care.
"We are equally grateful for your generosity and the impact your donation will provide for our future patients," Brooks said.
The Berkleys say beyond the clinical treatments, they're especially grateful for the kindness from the hospital staff that made the experience less frightening.
"Well, given the care that Sloane received, we realized that there were children before her that enabled her to achieve her health," Steve Berkley said. "And we just thought it was our responsibility to pay forward."
Part of the donation will be used to create the Sloane's Squad Fund, which will be used by oncology nurses and social workers for specials patient-focused programs.
