Pascale’s pals and the New Pascale’s Pals Park!!

Pascale’s Pals is a not-for-profit organization that was developed to assist children and the families of children who are diagnosed with cancer or any type of chronic illness. The goal of Pascale’s Pals, Inc., is to ease the burden of the family and provide happiness to the children during their stay in Children’s Hospital at University of Missouri-Columbia. This organization was developed by the parents of Pascale White. Pascale was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 18 months. Pascale received two and a half years of extensive treatments: relapsed 5 years later, underwent more chemotherapy; and was finally able to undergo a stem cell transplant. Today, she is a health 10 year old. The road she has traveled has been very difficult; it is truly a miracle that she is with us today.

During the many years that Pascale and her family spent in the hospital, they felt very blessed to have a lot of support from friends and family in Columbia. Many of the families that they encountered did not have that same support. They saw a huge need for an organization that could make life a little bit easier for these children and their families while they were going through these difficult times. With this in mind, Pascale’s Pals, Inc. was founded. The first year, Pascale’s Pals started raising money by having bake sales at the hospital, totally approximately $1,200. Each year, we have grown by leaps and bounds. On April 21, 2005, at the 7th Annual Benefit Auction and Dinner, over $60,000 was raised! Pascale’s Pals has no over-head expenses, so all of the funds go directly to the children and families of the children in need.

The funds are used in many different ways. Thirty televisions and VCR’s have been purchased for Children’s Hospital. Other donated items include videos, video games, Gameboys, books, toys, trains, phone cards (cell phones can not be used in many parts of the hospital), emergency clothing and toiletries for parents, meals, food and funding for families who have to travel to receive treatments. Two parent rooms were built in the NICU, so parents can stay close to their babies. Each newly diagnosed child is given a Pascale’s Pal basket, which is filled with items specially requested by the child diagnosed. We also have a prayer chain and have many people who pray for your child everyday.

If you are in need of something that Pascale’s Pals can assist you with, ask for a social worker at Children’s Hospital, or contact Pascale’s pals at (573) 446-2242. E-mail: carpe18@mchsi.com or contact Gayla Paulus, RN, at paulusg@health.missouri.edu.

Over the last four years, Pascale’s Pals has been working very hard to raise the funds to build a special playground for the children at Children’s Hospital. It has finally become a reality, with the university Hospital wonderfully donating all the ground work for this project. May 25, 2005, was the Grand opening of Pascale’s Pals Park on the grounds of University Hospital. Along with a joyful crowd of friends from the community and hospital, UM President Dr. Elson Floyd, Director of University Hospital Cynthia Grueber, and Chair of the University of Missouri Health Care Department of Child Health Dr. Ted Groshong, joined Pascale White and her Mom Sylvie Carpenter in the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the vision and the opening of this new playground for children in the hospital.