Pediatrician eyes North Forty for children's hospital

By Nathan R. Huff

Kathleen King's son Robert would most likely die today if he came down with the adult respiratory distress that almost took his life several years ago.

With her son and children like him in mind, King has joined forces with Dr. Richard Fox--the pediatrician responsible for saving Robert's life--and dozens of other local parents and children's specialists to campaign for a Silicon Valley community children's hospital.

King and Fox were among the nearly 20 parents and doctors who attended the Los Gatos Town Council meeting Dec. 6 to ask council members to change the North Forty Specific Plan to allow medical uses. The council later agreed to wait until the General Plan revision is completed before making any decisions about the North Forty Specific Plan.

"We cannot provide the care to our children that is available to children in other metropolitan areas of this country," Fox told the council. He added that, although San Jose is the 10th largest city in the nation, it's the only one in the top 50 that lacks a children's hospital.

Fox was one of several speakers at the meeting, the most compelling of which may have been King's 10 year-old stepdaughter, Marie Starks, who gave a well-rehearsed speech on behalf of her brother, Robert.

Councilman Joe Pirzynski, who spoke with Fox briefly before the meeting, said the proposal was very interesting. Pirzynski said the use went outside the framework of the now-defunct North Forty Specific Plan, but fit in well with the public's push for including other uses the area--particularly those centered around children--such as soccer fields or a recreation complex.

Fox, a long-time crusader for a children's facility, said the reason for the current drive for a children's hospital is twofold: Many local hospitals are cutting back on child services for financial reasons, and thus pediatric specialists spend their days driving from hospital to hospital to see patients. The area also is in the midst of economic prosperity, and the time is right for fundraising.

Although the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital operates at Stanford, it is a long drive for South Bay residents, particularly those enduring a life-threatening medical emergency. It's also a teaching facility.

"When we've gone there, we see an intern for 50 minutes and a doctor for 15," King said. "There are 650,000 kids in this valley, and they have no hospital to call their own."

Supporters say community children's hospitals differ greatly from children's units in general hospitals. Children require specially trained nurses and more of them. They also require special equipment and more extensive post-operative care, something for which most adult hospitals don't have the resources.

Children's hospital supporters are in the process of forming an organized movement to make their idea a reality. A group of doctors and parents gathered Nov. 30 at Dr. Fox's home in Los Gatos to talk about how to move forward. Committees with responsibilities ranging from fundraising to membership to program development are being formed. King said 35 to 40 volunteers have already signed on.

"My heart and soul are in this project," said Kelly Baldal, a membership committee member whose 10-year-old child has lung and gastrointestinal problems. "I'm just a concerned parent who will show my support in whatever way I can."

Baldal's story is a common one. Her daughter, Megan, sees four different specialists on a regular basis. "She has excellent doctors, but no facilities for them to work together in," Baldal said.

Fox, whom the Baldals credit with saving Megan's life, said the lack of a dedicated children's facility results in the scattering of skilled pediatric specialists and services across the valley and the inability to attract new doctors to the area.

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