Phoenix Children’s Hospital has received a $5,000 CVS Caremark Community Grant. The Community Grants Program was created by CVS Caremark as part of its commitment to helping people on the path to better health by creating greater access to health care and health education for at-risk and underserved populations.
The support from CVS Caremark will help Phoenix Children’s Hospital provide nutrition education to at-risk children and families that will help fight obesity and encourage healthier eating and lifestyles. Through nutrition education, the Hospital works to prevent children from becoming patients and suffering from the results of unhealthy lifestyles and the health-related consequences of obesity.
The Cardiometabolic Risk Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Program at Phoenix Children’s is Arizona’s only multidisciplinary program committed to preventing and medically managing premature, obesity-related health problems in children. Through the CARE Clinic, children and adolescents receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation and medical management for premature cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, or other obesity-related medical conditions. To improve patient outcomes, CARE conducts research and projects to advance prevention, diagnosis and medical treatment of obesity-related disease among children.
“The incidence in obesity has tripled since 1980. Unfortunately, Arizona has experienced the largest state-wide increase within the last ten years at 45 percent,” said Dr. Donald McClellan, Division Chief of Endocrinology at Phoenix Children’s. “Obese children are more likely to grow up to be obese adults, which can lead to lifelong health problems. The CVS Caremark grant will greatly impact our ability to reach these families and make a tremendous difference in their health and lives.”
The program also provides medical management and follow up services that are used to evaluate the program’s success, including Body Mass Index measurements, blood pressure, and other risk factors for chronic disease.
Phoenix Children’s was selected to receive a grant through the CVS Caremark Community Grants 2013 application process. Grants were awarded to organizations that support CVS Caremark’s commitment to enhance the health and well-being for at-risk and underserved populations by offering quality health and rehabilitation services and health education. The goal of the CVS Caremark Community Grants Program is to provide relief for both adults and children who lack medical insurance and help ensure they receive the proper medical care they need.
“As a pharmacy innovation company, we are committed to helping people on their path to better health and supporting organizations that reduce barriers and increase access to quality health care services to at-risk and underserved populations,” said Hanley Wheeler, senior vice president, WEST operations. “We are proud to support the work that Phoenix Children’s Hospital does in the community and we look forward to working with them in fulfilling their program’s mission.”
