This summer, 68 local Walmart and Sam’s Club stores demonstrated their commitment to Levine Children’s Hospital in a monumental way, raising a record-breaking $460,000 (and counting) during their annual “Help Kids Live Better” campaign.
This is the first year that Walmart and Sam’s Club accepted donations both in-stores and online to maximize their support for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The companies were expected to raise less this year due to the economic impact of COVID-19. Despite this year’s challenges, local store associates, customers, and members showed their continued support of Levine Children’s pediatric patients by raising 43% more than in 2019.
Funds raised from this campaign will directly support innovative, state-of-the art medical technology, treatments and patient resources that enable Levine Children’s to offer the best care possible to children, like Sofia, this year’s Children’s Miracle Network Champion.
Sofia’s fight for a better future:
After complaining of intermittent leg pain for months, with no clear diagnosis in sight, Sofia was referred to Levine Children’s Hospital. There she received extensive testing which confirmed the worst – Sofia had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and would need to begin treatment immediately. She spent most of 2016 fighting for her life at Levine Children’s, but she didn’t have to do it alone. Sofia was backed by an expert medical team and a family who went the extra step to bring her the best care for a brighter future. Despite all of the setbacks and obstacles she faced, Sofia remained courageous and optimistic throughout her treatment. In 2018, she ended her treatment at Levine Children’s Hospital with the ceremonial ringing of the bell. She is healthy and thriving today in large thanks to her family and friends, her world-class medical team, and the philanthropic support of companies like Walmart and Sam’s Club which fund essential childhood cancer programs at Levine Children’s Hospital.
On behalf of Sofia, a few of our former CMN champions, and the thousands of kids treated at Levine Children’s Hospital each year, we would like to extend our deepest thanks to Walmart and Sam’s Club store associates, customers, and members for continuing to “Help Kids Live Better.”
