Winner: Children's Miracle Network Hospitals—Champions for Children's Hospitals
The Champions Ambassador Tour is part of an annual program designed to generate awareness of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals), the important work of its 170 hospital members and the reliance of children’s hospitals on donations. The week-long, multi-city event is used to inspire and generate increased support from corporate partners, government officials and the general public—on both a national and local level.
A child from every state and territory, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., was selected to serve as CMN Hospitals’ Champions. Pediatric patients were chosen to represent the 10 million kids the hospital members treat each year, by selecting children with a variety of illnesses, injuries, ages and ethnicities. This allowed awareness to be raised in local markets by emphasizing the fact that CMN Hospitals donations remain in the communities in which they are given to help local kids.
CMN Hospitals worked closely with each Champion’s hospital to identify how CMN Hospitals’ donations have benefited the Champion specifically and used tangible examples wherever possible. They created a book with each child’s bio, a photo and a statement about how CMN Hospitals’ donations helped them. These were given to attendees, media, legislators, celebrities and others throughout the Ambassador Tour.
CMH prepared the Champion family for speaking opportunities and media interviews throughout the Tour and coached them on how to share their personal medical journey—and how local donations were used at their CMN Hospital to help them.
In November 2014, the Champions and their families gathered for a week-long Ambassador Tour that began in Washington, D.C.—and included a visit with the First Lady—and concluded in Orlando, Fla., where they visited Disney World.
Overall, the Champions program resulted in nearly 200 online articles and more than 400 broadcast clips. Many hospitals also featured their Champion in external newsletters, internal publications and social channels.
Honorable Mentions:
• Girl Scouts of the USA - Girl Scouts Adds a ‘Byte’ to Its Iconic Cookie Program
• Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board - Home Away from Rome Campaign