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Providence Tarzana Foundation Links to the Community with Inaugural Golf Tournament

The newly formed Providence Tarzana Foundation will hold its inaugural event, a Nov. 2 golf tournament, to help enhance the renowned pediatrics program at Providence Tarzana Medical Center.
          A team of physicians and hospital officials is organizing the tournament and awards banquet, which will be at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana. Proceeds will help Providence Tarzana upgrade and equip the newborn and pediatric intensive care units. The goal is to raise $100,000.
          David Asplund, Providence Tarzana’s associate administrator and a member of the planning committee for the tournament, said the pediatrics department treats youngsters from throughout the San Fernando Valley, Simi Valley and the Conejo, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys. Providence Tarzana serves children of all income levels and backgrounds. No child is ever turned away.
          “We hope to partner with the community to keep this excellent program on the cutting-edge. These little patients deserve nothing less,” Asplund said.
         Providence Tarzana has 18 beds specifically for children, plus seven pediatric intensive-care beds and 21 Level 2 neonatal ICU beds. In addition, the medical center’s Emergency Department is certified by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services’ Emergency Medical Services Agency.
          On the department’s wish list are equipment for cooling newborns at risk of brain injury and new state-of-the-art monitoring systems for critically ill children and newborns.
          “While we do a very good job of taking care of children, there are a lot of projects we would like to do to make our pediatric ward much more comprehensive,” said tournament co-chairman Cesar Chavarria, M.D., who specializes in pediatric critical care medicine at Providence Tarzana. “We hope to acquire equipment and to upgrade our program to better treat both medical and psychological needs of children who, unfortunately, have to be in the hospital.”
          While Providence Tarzana is seeking to advance its pediatric care, more than 65 California hospitals have either closed or eliminated pediatric units in the past decade, a loss of more than 800 hospital beds for children.
          The formerly private for-profit Tarzana Regional Medical Center faced potential closure a year ago until its acquisition by Providence Health & Services, which has taken great strides in upgrading the hospital and now is seeking help in the form of community partnerships. Among the first opportunities are various sponsorships being offered for the Nov. 2 Providence Tarzana Foundation Golf Classic.
          “Now that Providence Tarzana is a nonprofit hospital, we are really very excited,” Dr. Chavarria said. “There’s a new energy in the pediatrics department, a lot of activity and a lot of people working in the right direction to make things better for our young patients.”
          Patty Williams, executive director of the Providence Tarzana Foundation, is hoping local businesses and community leaders will get on board to contribute to this first fund-raiser.
         “We’re excited to be hosting our first big event, especially for such a worthwhile cause,” she said. “The community already has shown an interest in partnering with us to enhance our hospital. The golf tournament will be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a day of golf with friends and help us improve the care we provide for children.”
          For information about the Providence Tarzana Foundation Golf Classic, contact Patty Williams at (818) 757-4384.