Through the parent’s eyes

Children’s Miracle Network helps families with hospital stays

By HOLLI SUNDERLAND, Sentinel reporter, hsunderland@lewistownsentinel.com
MIFFLINTOWN — When a child enters the world, sometimes a parent’s world shifts.

With all the charities possible to give support toward, something specific to one charity ignited Kerry Hummel’s attention.

Hummel and his wife, Angie Hummel, are parents to Tyler Hummel, 17, and Anna Hummel, 13.

With the birth of a second daughter, the world shifted for this family, sparking a passion in this father of three for this particular cause.

Kaitlyn Hummel, who is 3 years old now, was born prematurely, he said.

Premature births can push families into spending more time in places like hospitals. Time spent in the hospital allowed Hummel to see things he didn’t notice before, like the labels on pieces of equipment.

“When my daughter was in up there, a lot of the equipment stated that this piece was purchased from Children’s Miracle Network,” Hummel said, noticing the labels tagged to pieces of equipment.

“If anyone ever gets to take a tour up there at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, you can actually see where all the money’s going,” he said, about the children’s hospital in Danville.

His family wasn’t alone. Other families have their own experiences that cause a shift in the world.

“Derek’s children were born up there,” Hummel said.

Derek Ritzman also works at Zimmerman Truck Lines. Ritzman and his wife, Dianne Ritzman, have three children, Ellie Ritzman, 7, Grant Ritzman, 5, and Leah Ritzman, 2.

As life would have it, the couple’s oldest daughter would require the services of the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.

“She was in the NICU for two weeks when she was born,” Ritzman said, referring to the neonatal intensive care unit.

“She has cerebral palsy. We still go out there to two to three doctors several times a year,” he said.

There are a lot of kids (and) employees’ kids who benefit from having this facility close to a rural area, he said.

As last year, their daughter, Ellie Ritzman, held a bake sale during the annual Kid’s Funfest.

“She had one on her own last year,” her father said. “She’s in first grade at Fayetteville.”

In State College, a mother didn’t know her world also would be tilted on its edge.

“I guess the thing for me is you never know when you’re going to need the services of a children’s hospital. ... I thought we were going to have a healthy baby,” Tara Shaffer said.

“Wyatt was born in the beginning of May. Within the first day or two that he was born, the doctor wanted to check out his heart,” Shaffer said. “A pediatrician ordered the test. She said ‘I’m pretty sure Wyatt had a heart condition.’ It was also Mother’s Day weekend.”

Shaffer was transferred to the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, where the hospital confirmed that her son had a heart condition, but couldn’t have surgery until he was a little older, she said.

“He was a very normal baby, but we weren’t to let him cry,” she said.

When he was 4 months old, her son had open-heart surgery.

“When he was 4 months, he went to Danville for the surgery,” she said. “Handing him over to the doctors and not knowing if we’re ever going to see him again was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“When you’re in the hospital, the hours go so slow. You get so tired. It’s draining on you,” Shaffer said. “It (The Children’s Miracle Network) just makes the process a little simpler.”

Shaffer, Hummel and Ritzman were two fathers and a mother who were grateful. Shaffer said she was thankful for the people at Zimmerman’s Truck Lines, as well as the Children’s Miracle Network, who made her family’s life a little simpler.

Hummel also expressed his gratitude to people.

“I really want to thank everybody — the surrounding community, the employees, everybody — for their generosity and support. Our drivers here, they donate upwards of thousands of dollars toward this,” he said.

Kerry Hummel has been a dispatcher at Zimmerman Truck Lines since 1999. Three years ago he had a daughter, and three years ago he helped begin the first Kid’s Funfest in Mifflintown.

On Saturday, May 17, the third annual Kid’s Funfest will take place. The purpose of the day’s activities is to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Hummel provided information about the children’s festival that will include Ellie’s bake sale. Admission will cost $2, and kids 12 and under may enter for free. Along with food, truck rides and clown entertainment, Hummel estimated that about five large inflatables will be blown up for kids to play. In addition, gift certificates from prize drawings, like coveted gas cards or a 13-inch TV/DVD combo and remote control trucks, were donated as giveaways for the event.

“Hopefully, if they are available, Life Flight will be here,” he said, adding that the Mifflintown fire truck also is expected to come and give rides.

Children’s Miracle Network at Geisinger estimated that the company raised more than $22,000 in the past two years, according to information from Jennifer Young, of the public relations and marketing office at Geisinger Health System.

“Their generosity has extended beyond that as well, with donations of hundreds of teddy bears for kids at Geisinger's Janet Weis Children's Hospital,” she wrote. “Kerry has put an incredible amount of time and energy into these efforts, and we're very grateful. His commitment has really helped to make a difference for local children treated at Janet Weis Children's Hospital.”

If interested in donating a baked item to Ellie’s bake sale, donations may be made any time after 10 a.m. on May 17.

For more information or to make a donation for The Children’s Miracle Network, call (800) 997-2707.