ST. LOUIS — Sept. 25, 2019 — Alsco St. Louis, a branch of Alsco Inc., the premier linen and uniform rental services company, recently donated to the Krieg Gianino Family Foundation. The Krieg Gianino Family Foundation was created to raise awareness of and develop an ongoing source of funding for the SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital FootprintsSM program.
“We need to pay it forward because we know firsthand how necessary it is to help the FootprintsSM program meet as many children and families in need as possible,” said Bill Gianino, Krieg Gianino Family Foundation board member.
Footprints℠ is a program unique to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. This program and its staff are dedicated to improving the quality of life for children living with pediatric cancer and other complex medical illnesses as well as families being cared for at the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute. This team of board-certified SLUCare Physician Group of pediatric specialists, registered nurses and support staff are committed to supporting your journey, providing the comfort, advocacy and support that a family needs to cope and thrive.
The FootprintsSM program team works with families on an ongoing basis to identify challenging issues that arise while caring for their child. With the families’ help, the program team prepares a comprehensive plan centered on the comfort of the child while respecting the values and beliefs of the family.
“We admire the efforts put forth by Bill, Heather, and the Krieg Gianino Foundation to fund the FootprintsSM program,” said General Manager Matt Egger of the Alsco St. Louis branch. “Their hard work and generosity provides hundreds of families with specialty care, respite and relief. To them goes all the credit — we at Alsco are simply honored to have supported their cause these last three years. We look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come!”
About the Krieg Gianino Family Foundation
Meet the Krieg family: Mom Cheryl, Dad Dennis, big sister Heather and Holly. Holly had health challenges from birth that were unique and did not fit into any one diagnosis. Her family was able to navigate her medical issues with the help of many well-trained physicians and care providers, but at the time, there were few, if any, existing support systems to help the family journey through the emotional and stressful turmoil of day-to-day caregiving. Their deep love for Holly allowed her to thrive and become a loving and strong person who was an inspiration to all who met her. The Kriegs had the opportunity to meet with Sister Judy Carron, a Sister of Mercy chaplain and member of the Hospital’s Ethics Committee. Sister Judy could listen to and hear the challenges Holly’s family members were facing and help them individually on their journey. However, at the same time, she could share with them that the Hospital Ethics Committee was studying how to improve care for all families like themselves who needed help beyond just the medical care for their child. As a result, the Krieg family played an integral role in identifying what these needs looked like for comfort, support and advocacy. A small team from the Hospital’s Ethics Committee collected that information and submitted a grant to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in hopes of beginning a Pediatric Palliative Care program. They were awarded $650,000 and the FootprintsSM program was born, and it was funded for three years.
After Holly’s passing in 2002, her older sister, Heather, wanted to honor Holly by providing funds to help sustain the program. It was a chance for the Krieg family to pay it forward! With the help of many volunteers, and with generous support from her employer, Bill Gianino and Gianino’s Restaurant, Heather organized a golf tournament. The first year, the tournament raised $3,000, and the roots of the Krieg Gianino Family Foundation began. The FootprintsSM program is able to provide comfort, advocacy and support beyond just medical care. They define with the family members what “Living Well” should look like for them and for their child. The funds raised for the FootprintsSM program can help with uncovered medical expenses, day-to-day living expenses and when the time comes, if necessary, funeral expenses. All of these benefits contribute to the well-being and support families need when caring for their sick children, and they are a fitting tribute to Holly’s unwavering determination to survive and thrive!
About SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
A leading academic medical center, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital is a 195-bed inpatient and outpatient children’s hospital staffed by the SLUCare Physician Group of Saint Louis University School of Medicine providing pediatric care to communities throughout Illinois, Missouri and beyond. With more than 200 specialists in more than 60 medical and surgical subspecialties, (including neonatology, cardiology, fetal surgery and cancer care), our physicians, surgeons and nurses are regarded as some of the leading pediatric experts in the country. Through our doors, you’ll find state-of-the-art clinical facilities like our Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and Level IV NICU. Plus, discover family-friendly amenities like our Tranquility Healing Garden, Rally Squirrel Playground and the Ronald McDonald Room. At SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, we care for children and offer services beyond that support the overall well-being of our patients. We are committed not only to healing children today, but finding new ways to help them stay healthy in the future. To learn more or to donate, go to https://www.ssmhealth.com/locations/cardinal-glennon-childrens-hospital.