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Who We Are

Who We Are

The Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Pediatric Family Advisory Council strives to ensure that every child and family receives positive, nurturing care.

We have been there—we are parents and families who have firsthand experience with hospital stays and illness. Our experiences have brought us together to help other children and families in their time of need. Our goal is to partner with families and health care professionals and to help best meet the unique needs of each child and family.

Meet Our Council Members 

How We Are Involved
The Pediatric Family Advisory Council serves as a resource and sounding board when new programs are created at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. We also suggest new ideas and opportunities for family-centered care.

Project DOCC 
Project DOCC—the first of its kind in Michigan—helps families of chronic care patients connect with pediatric residents who might be able to offer a new perspective on caring for sick children.

Family Care Bags
The Pediatric Family Advisory Council implemented the Family Care Bag campaign, a program that provides all inpatient pediatric and neonatal families a care bag filled with toiletries, amenities and informational material after admission.

Neonatal Parent-to-Parent Partnership 
This service provides information and support from parents "who have been there" to parents of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Parent-to-parent support is available upon request and is provided while the baby is in the hospital, as well as after discharge. Our coordinators work to match families who have experienced similar situations.

Family Resource
The Family Resource Guide is exactly that: a resource for all families who have a child being admitted to the hospital.

Family Chair Massage
We offer chair massages to families with inpatient children. Ask your nurse how to sign up for a free, 10-minute massage. Massages are offered the second Wednesday of every month (except July) from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Kid-Friendly Menu (PDF, 769KB)
The kid-friendly choices and "fun meal" lunches were developed with the advice of the Pediatric Family Advisory Council.

New Hospital Design Input  
Our council represented families by sharing ideas on design and safety needs for the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.