Local Haddonfield nonprofit Help Women and Children Now’s mission is to help spread the word and fund research for pediatric heart disease and premature births. To spread the word to families and children, HWCN decided to do it in a fun, family-friendly way with its annual Kidzfest, coming up this Sunday.
Kidzfest will go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Challenge Grove Park in Cherry Hill, located at 100 Bortons Mill Road, rain or shine.
Kidzfest will have activities such as bowling, crafts, giant bounces, balloon animals, pony rides and more for kids to enjoy while also spreading the word about HWCN and pediatric heart disease and premature births. The net proceeds from Kidzfest will be donated toward research of these issues.
“It’s a Sunday; they will be entertained; and it’s really fun and for a great cause. Pediatric heart disease and premature births are the №1 killers of babies. A lot of people are affected by it, more than we realize,” HWCN President Lisa Hurly said.
HWCN was started in 2006 to honor newborn Stephen Michael Hurly who passed away after only five weeks due to complications of heart disease and premature birth. The group’s first fundraising effort was Kidzfest, a family festival that ended up raising thousands of dollars and providing education and visibility to the important issues.
Over the past 10 years, HWCN has continued to hold the festival and worked hard to raise funds to help in the fight against pediatric heart disease and premature births.
“We want people to come, celebrate the day and see what we are all about. Maybe we’ll have someone who went through (pediatric heart disease or a premature birth) join in the organization in the future,” Hurly said.
The events include an area specifically designed for toddlers, and most other activities are great fun for children up to about age 12.
This year, some of the entertainment lineup includes: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Hero’s Alliance visits with Batman, Ironman and Captain America; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., sharing some laughs and fun with the clowns from Polka and Dot; 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., singing along with Debra Jacobs; 12:15 p.m., a Mackenzie & Yates Karate demo; 1 p.m., a Little Sport demonstration; and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., a Fitness Guru Jim Bompensa demo.
“It’s a really fun day for a great cause. You can’t go wrong,” Hurly said.
At the event, HWCN will be collecting gift cards for a family whose house burned down.
HWCN is staffed entirely by volunteers and all of its net proceeds go directly to research and community outreach.
“We’re 100 percent volunteer. No money goes toward our organization or people,” Hurly said.
HWCN fundraising benefits the ongoing research efforts of Dr. Ronald Librizzi, of Virtua’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Center, who has made it his personal mission to prevent premature birth. With the creation of The Reproductive and Intrauterine Institute, Librizzi’s vision is to conduct research that may help doctors and families to one day predict the risk of preterm labor and miscarriage.
HWCN donations are also contributed to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to aid in its continued efforts to research and support families at-risk for and experiencing the premature birth of their babies.
As HWCN has expanded, it has started new efforts such as Home Makeovers and $10 from 10,000. HWCN does home makeovers for families in medical crises, creating medical areas in homes or working on updating or finishing rooms. The $10 from 10,000 is a video, giving information about pediatric heart disease and premature births and asking viewers to “become a 10.”
To become a 10, people are asked to donate $10 to HWCN and share the video or create a challenge video of their own.
“The video gives a lot of good information about pediatric heart disease and premature births, and hopefully (the $10 from 10,000) will start to help cure these causes,” Hurly said.
For more information on Kidzfest, HWCN or to donate toward research for pediatric heart disease and premature births, go to helpwomenandchildren.com.
