Annual Kids Day event canceled over rapidly spreading coronavirus concerns
Kids Day, a 33-year tradition started to help sick children in Central California, was called off Thursday morning due to concerns over the rapidly spreading coronavirus.
The decision to cancel this year’s fundraising effort — which was scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, and puts hundreds of volunteers at Valley intersections to sell copies of The Fresno Bee in an effort to raise money for kids — was announced by Zara Arboleda, spokeswoman for Valley Children’s Healthcare.
“After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, this year’s Kids Day will be canceled in order to protect the health and safety of the more than 8,000 volunteers who signed up to participate and the tens of thousands of generous Valley residents who buy the special edition Fresno Bee sold on street corners from one end of the Valley to the other,” she said.
More than 97,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 3,300 deaths as of March 5, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 160 confirmed cases with 11 deaths in Washington and California.
Said Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation President Rob Saroyan: “Every Kids Day, the support of our volunteers and donors has directly resulted in improving the care we give to some of the most critically ill children in our region. We are so thankful to the communities for helping us provide hope and healing. This year, we’re asking everyone to help us in a different way – by doing everything they can to protect the health of their own families.
“We thank the sponsors and volunteers who were already gearing up for Kids Day, understand their disappointment and look forward to seeing them on Kids Day next year.”
Kids Day fundraising
Sponsored by The Fresno Bee and ABC30, Kids Day has raised more than $9.8 million since 1987. More than $634,000 of that was raised in 2019.
Through the years, Kids Day dollars have helped the hospital aid valley children most in need.
In 2019, the Valley Children’s Healthcare System fielded 305,725 outpatient visits, 108,335 emergency room visits and performed 21,781 surgeries.
For several years in a row, Valley Children’s Hospital has ranked as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Five departments were recognized for their outstanding care: pediatric diabetes and endocrinology, pediatric gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, pediatric orthopedics, and urology.
Hospital visits limited
Valley Children’s also announced a change to its visitors policy because of concerns of the coronavirus.
Only parents/guardians and direct caregivers of patients are allowed to visit for the time being. Other visitors and non-essential vendors will not be allowed in the hospital.
The rule took effect Wednesday.
Patients and visitors will be screened at all entrances and questioned regarding their health and recent travel history.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 11:39 AM.