UVA Children’s Hospital

Posted: March 23, 2010

We're getting the first look at floor plans for a new building at the University Of Virginia Children's Hospital.

Hundreds turned out Tuesday night to see plans for the new Children's Outpatient and Rehabilitative Center. It's a space the Medical Center's CEO, parents, and a very special former patient hope will transform the way kids get care.

UVA Children's Hospital unveiled its multi-million dollar plans to expand Monday night. Former patient and paralympian Josh Sundquist kicked off the celebration talking about his triumphs on the slopes and his battle against cancer at just 9-years old. Sundquist says, "The doctors found cancer in my leg, they told me that I had a 50-percent chance to live."

The 7-story battle building planned for the intersection of West Main Street and JPA will house outpatient and rehabilitative care for children.

UVA Children's Hospital volunteer Michelle Flynn says, "It's like taking your kids to a place where they can be kids even though they are sick and that makes all the difference in the world."

The 200,000 square foot building will create neighborhoods of care where kids will get all the services they need under one roof.

UVA Medical Center CEO Ed Howell says, "We have the physicians and the nurses and the therapists all come to the neighborhood and deliver the coordinated care that involves all the experts that make up the world class care that we provide here."

Fundraisers are now tackling the final $15 million of the $179 million needed to make those neighborhoods happen. Howell says, "We can reach our goal to make those dreams a reality, for the community, for the region, and for all the patients who need our care."

Patients like Sundquist who skied towards his dreams, cancer-free thanks to the UVA Children's Hospital. "I am literally alive now because of UVA Children's Hospital", he says.

The new space will bring more than 100,000 patient visits now handled across Charlottesville to the same building. It's slated to open in 2013.

Reported by Keith McGilvery, NBC29 News