“Children’s Dream Racer” Unveiled at Local Children's Hospital

NEPTUNE, NJ. – July 17, 2019 – This week, board members of the New Jersey Association of Health Underwriters (NJAHU) joined with leaders and clinical staff at Hackensack Meridian Health K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital to unveil the “Children’s Dream Racer” (CDR) that was donated to the hospital for pediatric patients.

A Dream Racer is a child-sized version of a NASCAR racecar. Built by retired NASCAR car builder and CDR founder Mark "Smitty" Smith, the car is made with the same materials as a real NASCAR racer and features a flat panel TV, CD/DVD player, PlayStation®, and IV stand/oxygen bottle trunk.

The racer will be located at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital to help keep kids entertained during their outpatient visits.

“The NJAHU fell in love with the concept of the Dream Racer,” NJAHU State President Rob Saphow said. “We are thrilled to be a part of something so important to the children who are being treated at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital. We would like to thank the Horizon Foundation, the FNA Insurance/HUB team and the other companies who helped make this donation a reality.”

“The Dream Racer is a wonderful addition to K. Hovnanian and will bring joy to the children who visit for outpatient care,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, Hackensack Meridian Health regional president, southern market. “Our pediatric teams take pride in delivering expert and safe care but also realize it’s essential to support children emotionally, provide distractions to alleviate stress associated with illness and ultimately allow children to be children.”

U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the combined cancer program at Hackensack Meridian Health’s two children’s hospitals – K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital and Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, NJ, #44 in the U.S. and the only cancer program in New Jersey to be ranked among the top 50 in the nation.

Annually, more than 20,000 children visit the pediatric emergency department and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center at K. Hovnanian, over 1,000 are admitted to the hospital and more than 3,500 children receive lifesaving or life improving surgeries. Additionally, more than 900 infants and children receive care in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, and more than 1,000 children receive their cancer treatments at the children’s hospital.

Photo Caption: At the unveiling, from left, is Vito Buccellato, chief hospital executive, Jersey Shore University Medical Center; Harpreet Pall, M.D., MBA, CPE, Chair of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief; Beth Ann McKeown, BSN, R.N., CPN, pediatric nurse manager; Marianne Connelly-Semenuk, R.N., BSN, MA, CPNP, CPON, pediatric Hematology/Oncology; Jessica Scerbo, M.D., section chief, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology; Kelly Chaknis, director, Women’s and Children’s Services, Hackensack Meridian Health South Region; Rob Saphow, president, NJAHU; Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, Southern Market, Hackensack Meridian Health; Ann Marie Conte, R.N., senior manager, patient care, NICU; Carolyn Andress, vice president, HUB International and FNA Insurance Services and Renée Woodside, senior program officer, Horizon Foundation for New Jersey Corporate Social Responsibility. At front, from left, is Imani, Na-Liah and Zoi Brown and Child Life Specialists Kellie Maas and April Slowenski.

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ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH JERSEY SHORE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

Located in Neptune, New Jersey, Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center is a not-for-profit teaching hospital and the only Level II Trauma and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Monmouth and Ocean counties. It is home to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital – the first children’s hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties. With more than 1,200 physicians and dental staff in 60 specialty areas, Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s team provides quality care in a patient-centered, environmentally-friendly setting.

The team’s commitment to excellence has earned Jersey Shore University Medical Center numerous accolades, including being named the #4 hospital in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report for 2018-2019. The medical center’s clinical research program and longstanding commitment to medical education is evident through an affiliation with Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University and a new affiliation with St. George’s University School of Medicine. Jersey Shore University Medical Center serves as an academic center dedicated to advancing medical knowledge, training future physicians and providing the community with access to promising medical breakthroughs.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s programs and services have received numerous national recognition, including designation as high-performing in cardiac, stroke, surgical and oncology services.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s HOPE Tower – a $265 million 10-story medical office building provides a new healing outpatient experience. Guided by a patient-centered approach towards care, and informed by the latest medical breakthroughs, HOPE Tower includes advanced imaging services, a clinical academic center, innovative stimulation laboratory, state-of-the-art amphitheater, specialty physician offices, a nine-level parking garage, and a 58,000 square foot cancer facility. The cancer facility features a range of comprehensive treatment options, including surgical specialties, medical oncology, and the most advanced radiation therapy and minimally invasive interventional therapies. Nurse navigators guide patients through every step and provide an extra layer of support and coordination.