The grateful parents of a pediatric patient have created the Glogau Teddy Bear Rescue Fund to provide toys, hotel vouchers and other amenities for needy children and their families at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Dr. Richard Glogau, a dermatologist and clinical professor at the UCSF School of Medicine, and Dr. Pamela Baj, a nursing professor at San Francisco State University, established the fund to show their appreciation for the excellent care their son received.
Their son, Gordon, was born in 1989 with severe orthopedic problems, underwent two surgeries, several casts, braces and physical therapy. Today, he is an investment banker living in San Francisco and Dr. Baj and Gordon meet with parents of children born with similar orthopedic conditions to share their experience and positive outcome. “I am so grateful for the excellent care my son received,” Dr. Baj said. “We had a fantastic experience.” Gordon now also serves as Director of young adults involvement for the Glogau Teddy Bear Rescue Fund, encouraging teenagers to participate in fund raising activities.
While their son was hospitalized, Dr. Baj and Dr. Glogau met many families who traveled long distances for the specialized treatment provided at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. These families incurred expenses including parking fees, meals and hotel costs during prolonged hospitalizations of their children. The Glogau Teddy Bear Rescue Fund is intended to assist needy families with these small but important amenities.
The fund got its name from an incident in which a child arrived at the hospital without his teddy bear and needed a toy to hug on his way to the operating room.