A helicopter from Airlift Northwest landed at our new helistop today (March 27). The test flight allowed the airlift team to evaluate the landing site and simulate transferring a patient from the helicopter to the new Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit inside Building Hope.
Airlift Team Completes Test Flight
Thnx 4 the memories
Building Hope will open soon. That means my work here is done – at least for now. I was busy packing for a new adventure when my cell phone started playing Gangnam Style. Awesome ringtone, huh? It was a text message from Lisa Brandenburg. She’s the president of Seattle Children’s. “Hey Waldo. Thnx 4 all ur help the last 2 yrs. B4 u go, I want 2 invite u to 1 of r Building Hope celebrations.” I texted back right away. “Luv 2. C u there!” The celebration was a ton of fun. We took lots of pictures that I will carry with me wherever I go! All I can say is, :-).
Thanks For Helping Us Celebrate
Building Hope opens in less than a month. Like proud parents, we couldn’t wait to show it off, so we invited the community, our supporters and our staff to help us celebrate at a variety of special events last week. To everyone who came, thank you. We’d also like to give a shout out to our neighbors. Your patience with the extra activities and traffic was greatly appreciated.
Etched Benches Make Lasting Statement
We recently installed two benches outside the emergency entrance to Building Hope. That wouldn’t ordinarily be big news, but these are no ordinary benches. They’re lasting symbols of our commitment to sustainability and our appreciation for our supporters.
Dynamic New Building Creates Healing Environment – A Message from Susan Heath, Sr. VP, chief nursing officer
Building Hope’s journey from vision to reality is coming to an end. I’ll miss watching each step of the construction process unfold through my office window. But the end of construction is just the beginning of something even more exciting. In a few weeks, Seattle Children’s will welcome the first patients and families to the new building. This is what we’ve dreamed about and worked toward ever since we broke ground – and then some.
We can’t thank our neighbors enough for the cooperation and understanding they showed throughout this large and important project. When Building Hope opens its doors, we’ll be able to help more of the children who need us most – those who need cancer care, critical care and emergency care.
Improvements Expand Transportation Choices
Seattle Children’s is a daily destination for hundreds of people. And the surrounding neighborhood is home to many more. As our campus grows, we’re committed to making local streets safer and providing more transportation choices for staff, families and our neighbors.
We recently completed work on a redesigned intersection at Sand Point Way NE and 40th Avenue NE – a busy spot where it wasn’t possible to safely walk or pedal from one side of Sand Point Way to the other. We also completed a new sidewalk and cycle path in front of the hospital along the east side of Sand Point Way that links up with the redesigned intersection.
The intersection includes a new traffic signal, left-turn lanes and crosswalks. The project improves traffic flow, protects pedestrians and cyclists and better connects the Laurelhurst neighborhood and Seattle Children’s on the east with the Bryant neighborhood and Burke-Gilman Trail on the west. The sidewalk and cycle path run from Penny Drive to 40th Avenue. The cycle path includes separate lanes in each direction.
Distracted Walking – Be Careful Out There
You’ve heard of the dangers of distracted driving, but did you know that distracted walking can also be risky? A recent study by researchers at the University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Hospital shows it’s true. People using mobile devices for phoning, texting, or listening to music put themselves in harm’s way more often than pedestrians who are simply walking. Text messaging was the riskiest behavior. Pedestrians who were texting took longer to cross the street. They were also four times more likely to do unsafe things like failing to look both ways before crossing or disobeying traffic lights.
Putting the phone away while you are in motion is always the safest bet. If you must multitask while walking, don’t do so while you’re crossing the street.
Remember these basics:
- Do not exchange text messages when crossing the street.
- Obey traffic signals and cross at crosswalks.
- Remember to look left, right, and left again before crossing.
- Make eye contact with drivers in vehicles as you make your way across lanes.
- Keep your full attention on the task of crossing until you reach the other side.
- Model safe mobile device behavior for the children in your life. They learn by watching you. And talk about distraction and pedestrian safety with them.
Learn more about a recent study
Tips for teaching young children about pedestrian safety
Community Open House and Family Fest
You’re invited to help us celebrate Building Hope’s pending opening at a Community Open House and Family Fest on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the main campus of Seattle Children’s in the Building Hope Tent.
Take a tour of the new building, check out a working ambulance and listen to local musician Johnny Bregar perform. Kids can bring their favorite stuffed animal for a check-up at the Teddy Bear Clinic. We’ll also fit children ages 1-18 for a free bike helmet.
Drilling Completed A Day Early
We finished drilling three soil samples near the Burke-Gilman Trail on Feb. 28 , so we cancelled a second day of drilling previously scheduled for March 1. The drilling is part of the permitting and final design process for a new connection to the Burke Gilman Trail near the Hartmann Building. Improving access to the trail is a key goal of our Livable Streets Initiative, which supports the 20-year master plan for our campus approved by the Seattle City Council in 2010.