Children's Hospital begins fund drive

The possibilities are growing at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which is moving in May.

That was the message on Thursday as the Children's Hospital Foundation announced the start of the public phase of its $100 million capital campaign for the construction of its $625 million hospital in Lawrenceville.

Foundation officials said they had already raised $65 million through private fundraising. During a ceremony in the outpatient waiting area, foundation President Roger Oxendale choked back tears as he spoke about the community support needed to help the thousands of children who now visit Children's in Oakland every year.

"We'll do everything in our power to care for these kids," said Oxendale, flanked by foundation Chair Catharine Ryan and PNC Bank President and CEO Sy Holzer. PNC contributed $1 million toward the waiting area.

The ceremony's most poignant moment came when Hailey Puleo of Chappaqua, N.Y., spoke about the small bowel and liver transplant that saved her daughter's life. Acacia Puleo was 1 year old in 2002 when doctors told her parents she'd lost 98 percent of the function of her intestines and would die within five months.

Hailey and her husband, Paul, learned about Children's on the Internet and, within a year, Acacia received a life-saving transplant. She is now a vivacious first-grader who likes tae kwan do and soccer.

"When we got here, we found a glimmer of hope," Hailey Puleo said. "We are eternally indebted to Children's Hospital."

The Puleos pledged $60,000 to the capital campaign. Their donation will help pay for a plasmapheresis machine, a high-tech treatment similar to dialysis used in patients with end-stage kidney failure.

Asked to say a few words, Acacia spoke clearly: "Be safe and sound in this big, beautiful hospital."