Press Releases

	[Enlarge Image] Claire Tow Pediatric Day Hospital at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Twenty-eight treatment bays and a recliner area offer comfortable, private, state-of-the-art accommodations for outpatients and families who may spend four to ten hours in treatment. Custom-designed footwalls in each bay respond to the needs of both patients and staff and include a multi-media entertainment and Internet access at every bed.

"The beautiful new Pediatric Pavilion is an integral part of a Center-wide effort to upgrade key clinical areas," said MSKCC President Harold Varmus. "Some of our other recent projects include the Sidney Kimmel Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers that opened for outpatient care in 2002; the ongoing floor-by-floor renovation of inpatient units of our hospital; new facilities in our network at suburban sites in New Jersey and Long Island; and the construction of 21 new operating rooms set to open in 2005," he added.

The use of natural light, color, art, and technology can be found throughout the family-centered Pediatric Pavilion. In recognition of philanthropic donations from Leonard Tow, honoring his wife, Claire, the new facility is named the Claire Tow Pediatric Pavilion. The outpatient unit, within the Pavilion, is the Claire Tow Pediatric Day Hospital. "We are extremely fortunate to have the support of Claire and Leonard Tow, who are among our most visionary and generous donors," noted Dr. Varmus. A recently announced gift brings the Tows' total commitment for the project to $25 million.

[Enlarge Image] MSKCC Pediatric Pavilion Inpatient Unit 33 beds or cribs in 17 single and 8 double rooms, with parent accommodations at the bedside. State-of-the-art rooms feature multi-media entertainment, including flat-screen TVs and VCR/DVD players, as well as Internet access, allowing patients to maintain contact with family, friends, and school.

Approximately 90 percent of all pediatric cancer care at MSKCC is provided on an outpatient basis. With more than 24,000 outpatient visits each year, the new Claire Tow Pediatric Day Hospital is the primary setting at MSKCC for the treatment of young patients with cancer.

The 28,600 square-foot Day Hospital was designed around a piazza concept with the light-filled Recreation Center at the heart of the unit. The focal point of the design is a 20-foot high glass sculptural wall that contains built-in benches and extends up into an expansive skylight. This jewel-like centerpiece is comprised of more than 8,000 pieces of glassware, hand placed and carefully balanced in a stainless steel framework. Interactive devices hidden in the glass structure react when children and visitors approach or touch certain areas, setting off pinpoints or whirligigs of light.

The Day Hospital also includes state-of-the-art teleconferencing; a school program with five full-time teachers that is certified by the New York City Board of Education; a "teens only" lounge; and exam rooms, treatment units, and waiting areas that all have the flexibility for privacy while incorporating the presence of integral family members. In addition, there is an original Art Program and a gallery of work created by children, many of whom are family members of pediatric department staff.

	[Enlarge Image] Pediatric Inpatient Family Center The Family Center houses both the Activity Center and the Family Lounge. The Activity Center serves as the hub for inpatient recreation, while the Lounge is a quiet space where families can socialize or relax in a soothing environment.

A computer-generated Welcome Wall greets patients and visitors on arrival with special messages and listings of events and activities, and an interactive touch screen enables patients to explore items ranging from "Meet the Staff" to food service menus to New York City attractions.

Children who require inpatient admission reside in contiguous space on the same floor. The inpatient unit has 33 beds, 17 of which are single rooms and all of which have parent accommodations at the bedside. Also on the same floor is the three-bed Laura Rosenberg Pediatric Observation Unit for more intensive inpatient care. Inpatient rooms feature state-of-the-art, multimedia entertainment and computer systems at the bedside to allow patients to participate in group activities from their beds and maintain contact with family, friends, and local schools. An Activity Center for patient recreation, containing books, movies, toys, and computers, is part of the Family Lounge, which also offers a quiet, warm, and soothing space for patients and families. A Family Kitchen provides an area where home-like meals can be prepared by families in consultation with dietary staff.

Today, nearly two-thirds of all children diagnosed with cancer are cured. Memorial Sloan-Kettering was the first hospital in the US to establish a Pediatric Day Hospital in 1969, and the Center's physicians and scientists have pioneered many of the therapeutic approaches that have helped to make remarkable progress in the treatment of pediatric cancers. MSKCC staff treats more children with cancer every day than any other center in the world.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the world's oldest and largest institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research and education in cancer. Our scientists and clinicians generate innovative approaches to better understand, diagnose and treat cancer. Our specialists are leaders in biomedical research and in translating the latest research to advance the standard of cancer care worldwide.