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The Markie Foundation Donates $50,000 Towards Children's Hospice

Achievement of first year goal reflects support of many donors

CONCORD, CA, February 20, 2001--Upon achieving its first year fundraising goal, The Markie Foundation presented a check for $50,000 to Comfort for Kids, a children's hospice organization in Concord, California. This amount will fund an additional full-time pediatric hospice nurse, so that Comfort for Kids can extend its services to more families in need instead of turning them away because of limited staff. The Markie Foundation set its goal in 2000 specifically for this purpose.

"We are grateful to the Markie Foundation for their generosity and support. With it, we have added another nurse to the Comfort for Kids team," said Cindy Siljestrom, CEO of Hospice and Palliative Care of Contra Costa, which oversees Comfort for Kids. "But most of all, we are extremely impressed with the level of commitment this foundation, its founders, and Board members have brought to ensuring that pediatric hospice is an option for any family who needs end-of-life care for their child."

The Markie Foundation achieved its goal through successful fundraising programs--including its first annual golf tournament, Baseball Bucks, and online shopping--and significant corporate and private donations.

Huge Thanks to Donors
"We are extremely proud of this milestone and, most important, happy to be making a difference in the lives of terminally ill children and their families," said Janis Wuelfing, co-founder of The Markie Foundation. "We could not accomplish this without the tremendous support and contributions from our donors, who we thank very much."

"We are overwhelmed by the backing that we've received in our efforts to support pediatric hospice," said Wuelfing. "It is a hard subject to talk about--dying children. Yet it happens, and the families need someone to lean on to receive services for making their child as comfortable as possible. Children deserve to die with dignity. We had an amazing hospice experience, and I cannot imagine any family having to do without the support of child hospice."

Making a Difference
Comfort for Kids team members work with families and empower them to confidently care for their children in surroundings that are familiar. Services are offered to children and their families regardless of ability to pay. Funds raised through community support and organizations such as The Markie Foundation help offset costs not covered by insurance

The Markie Foundation is extremely happy to partner with Comfort for Kids to bring this special form of care to families in need. "It is extremely important that donations to The Markie Foundation have a direct impact on child hospice care," said Wuelfing. "We are honored to be linked with Comfort for Kids, an organization that shares our values and commitment to children's hospice."

About Comfort for Kids
Comfort for Kids is a palliative care program for children with life threatening illnesses that allows the children to stay at home, reduces hospitalizations, and enables families to spend more time together. Serving children since 1995, Comfort for Kids provides: 24-hour on-call pediatric nursing; interdisciplinary case management; intensive support for parents and other children in the family; and specialized bereavement services.

About The Markie Foundation
The Markie Foundation was established in July 1999 to honor baby Mark Warren Wuelfing, who died at four months of age from a severe neurological disorder. Its purpose is to raise money for children's hospice programs so that families can receive the support and services needed while caring for a terminally-ill child at home.

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