Young Leadership Alliance
The Young Leadership Alliance (YLA) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a select group of individuals dedicated to changing the landscape of pediatric healthcare through active, engaged philanthropy. With a minimum annual investment of $5,000, members advance CHOP’s mission by leveraging collective giving in support of projects that will make a direct and meaningful impact on CHOP patients.
Passion. Philanthropy. Purpose.
Each year, YLA members hear directly from CHOP researchers and scientists about cutting-edge solutions to high-priority problems, and then — through a live vote — select which project to fund. Recent project proposals have aimed to address the mental health crisis among children and teens; aggression, bullying and racial tension in schools; and post-pandemic economic difficulty facing low-income families. After careful “shark-tank-style” consideration of a variety of components, including but not limited to budget, proof of concept and opportunity for widespread impact, in 2023 members selected the following project.
Selected Projects
2024
2024 Selected Project
Children with Medical Complexity Medication Study Team (CMC MoST)
Lead: Chris Feudtner, MD, PhD, MPH, Chief, Division of General Pediatrics
Team:
- Kevin Downes, MD, Attending Physician, Division of Infectious Diseases
- Nicholas Bamet, MD, MSCE, Attending Physician, Division of Neonatology
- Frank Balis, MD, Louis and Amelia Canuso Family Endowed Chair for Clinical Research in Oncology
- Stephen Master, MD, PhD, Division Chief and Director, Metabolic and Advanced Diagnostics
- Lauren Karel, PharmD, Clinical Specialist in Drug Information
Summary: At CHOP, a quarter of hospitalized patients are considered medically complex. They depend on many medications – sometimes up to 15 each day – to stay alive. These medications are often delivered through stomach and intestinal tubes. Based on how they are administered, we have no data on how well the medicines are absorbed by the body. The CMC MoST Team aims to conduct a study to obtain this data and learn vital information that will enhance CHOP’s ability to provide personalized care and radically improve outcomes for all children with medical complexity.
Amount Awarded: $202,000
2023
2023 selected project
Remote Patient Management: The Future of Pediatric Healthcare
Lead: Bimal Desai, MD, MBI, FAAP, Assistant Vice President and Chief Health Informatics Officer
Team:
- Kathryn Fuller, Virtual Care Portfolio Leader
- Sarah Hadley, Digital Therapeutics Portfolio Leader
Summary: This project aims to create a world-class Remote Patient Management (RPM) Program, powered by mobile applications and connected medical devices, along with text messages, to support medically complex patients and their caregivers in the transition from hospital to home.
Amount Awarded: $131, 300
Why I joined
Adam and Samantha Heller
“We are passionate about patient care and medical research. We want to support causes that can make a big impact, and we believe that there is no more important stage than the beginning of life. As we begin our own family, we want to help other families in the Philadelphia community in which we were born and raised.”
Francois Duris
“I chose to become a member of the Young Leadership Alliance to find an innovative approach to help improve our community. I believe that every community’s foundation is its children, and I cannot think of a more impactful organization in pediatric health than CHOP.”
Leah Kramkowski and Jason Morganroth
“We have been passive supporters of CHOP for years now and welcome the opportunity to get more involved in the hospital’s research and programs. We think it’s a great idea to bring together a group of peers who have similar interests in supporting the future of CHOP.”
Young Leadership Alliance 2023 Selection Night
