Committee for a children's hospital faces uphill battle

Hospitals may object

By Nathan R. Huff

As supporters of a children's hospital in the Los Gatos area move forward with organizing and fundraising efforts, they are also preparing for the inevitable: defending themselves from some of the heavy-hitters in the local medical scene.

The parents and doctors behind the children's hospital drive are cautiously optimistic. They have already received support from Los Gatos Mayor Steve Blanton and an estimated $120,000 in stock and cash donations. However, they face the daunting task of finding a site and raising at least $80 million for the construction of a new facility.

"It's not insurmountable," Dr. Richard Fox said during a Jan. 19 meeting at his home. "But clearly we're not going to raise that type of money with cookie sales."

Area hospitals that stand to lose pediatric patients will probably oppose the project, Fox said.

Members of the fledgling group distributed preliminary information on the vision, objectives and cost of a children's hospital. A public relations committee will put together a more complete information packet, which will include actual hospital plans and personal stories.

One site on which the group continues to focus is the North Forty, an area framed by Highway 85, Highway 17, Lark Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard. Most of the land is owned by the Yuki family, who Fox said is interested looking at the group's plans.

While the supporters assembled at Fox's home are still in the process of organizing fundraising committees and developing a detailed plan to present to potential donors, they have already recruited several charity groups. The Los Gatos Community Foundation is acting as an umbrella organization for donations to the hospital.

Those at the meeting spoke about the group's need to communicate the "threat" parents face living in an area without a facility specialized in the treatment of children. "There is an illusion of safety because we're living in an affluent area," Linda Durnell, director of the private Chariot Foundation said.

Supporters said that the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto is too far away for Silicon Valley children with medical emergencies, particularly during rush hour. They also said the institution's teaching orientation results in less-than-optimal care for children.

"Stanford is a fine hospital," said Mike Dodd, whose daughter died of a respiratory illness. "But patients are caught between clinical and research settings." Dodd added that he can't help wondering where his daughter would be if a children's hospital had been available.

Karin Keneller, whose son died at Good Samaritan in March, spent three months at UCSF, another research and teaching hospital. "Every week, we got a new doctor," she said. "Just as we developed a relationship, we had to start over." Keneller added that while the people at Good Samaritan were excellent, they lacked the facilities to treat children's special needs.

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