Fund-A-Need
Fund-A-Need
2025 Fund-a-Need
From crisis to comfort: Expanding the Pediatric Emergency Department
A child-focused priority within the Strong Expansion Project to support Golisano Children’s Hospital (GCH) and help our region’s children receive the most advanced emergency care—in a setting customized for their specialized needs and comfort.
Your generosity will create a Pediatric Emergency Department that is:
Your generosity will create a Pediatric Emergency Department that is:
- Bigger: Seven times larger, with 39 individual treatment rooms.
- Better: Trauma-ready, family-centered, and designed with children in mind.
- Calmer: Spaces that reduce fear and support recovery as much as treatment.
No matter your level of support—a leading fund-a-need gift of $100,000, or one in the $50 to $5,000 range—your support will make a difference now, and for years to come.
The region's only level I pediatric trauma center
Our team at Golisano Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Emergency Department (Peds ED) at the University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital, is prepared around the clock to deliver emergency care for children across the Finger Lakes Region—whether they face life-threatening injuries, serious behavioral health crises, severe burns, breathing problems, or other complex medical conditions.
We need your help.
Our team delivers exceptional care, but the physical environment has not kept pace with today’s standards. When the Peds ED opened in 2001, it was a state-of-the-art facility designed for about 18,000 visits a year. Today, more than 32,000 children rely on it annually—far beyond its capacity. The space is too small, lacks modern features that support healing, and often leaves families waiting in crowded areas while staff work in tight quarters. These limitations make it difficult to provide the calm, family centered experience every child deserves.
The expanded Peds ED will be nearly seven times larger than the current space. Features will include:
- Soothing environment: Color-changing, dimmable lighting shifts from bright for emergencies to soft and calming once a child is stable. Acoustic sound panels quiets background noises
- Child-friendly décor: Ceiling murals and wall art give children a positive distraction, allowing them to focus on imagination rather than fear or pain.
- Added comforts: Ceiling projectors, interactive tablets, and comfort items like blankets and stuffed animals; built-in family zones are available with reclining chairs, charging stations, and privacy screens.
- Dedicated pediatric trauma bays with pediatric-specific equipment: Airway tools, monitoring devices, and stretchers designed for infants through teens.
- Trauma Bays with integrated portable imaging: Bedside X-ray and ultrasound allow critically injured children to receive care without being moved.
- Silent, child-specific monitors: Reducing frightening noise and alarms while still providing accurate, life-saving data.
Funding opportunities
TRANSFORMATIONAL ENHANCEMENTS:
- Pediatric resuscitation equipment ($75,000)
- Built-in Family Comfort Zone ($15,000)
- Child life technology ($12,000)
- Custom murals and wall art ($10,000)
- Communication displays ($8,000)
- Soundproofing panels ($7,500)
- Easy-clean surfaces ($5,000)
For more information, on how you can support this project and learn about other life-saving opportunities for children in our region, please contact Scott Rasmussen at (585) 766-2993 or srasmussen@admin.rochester.edu.