Latest news with #MakeMarchMatter
CNN
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Dr. Robby from ‘The Pitt' is the TV hero we need right now
Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch is the doctor you want standing over you in an emergent situation – calm-mannered, determined, with soulful eyes and a good looking beard. He may be a fictional character on a scripted television show, but the hype around this golden-hearted physician serving on the frontlines in a Pittsburgh emergency room on Max's 'The Pitt' is very real. 'I'll say from a fan girl, I think he exudes this quiet, calm sincerity,' Dr. Janet Semple-Hess, an emergency department doctor at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, told CNN of the character played by actor Noah Wyle. 'Not only is he knowledgeable, but he cares and he wears that care on his face. You can see the care and what's going on in his mind. We all have those days where we have those faces, too.' Semple-Hess will retire after 33 years of service at the end of April. The weight of stepping back was made even more emotional when the cast of 'The Pitt,' including Wyle, recently visited CHLA during their Make March Matter campaign, which raises money for the hospital. In a social media video that went viral, Semple-Hess can be seen in tears meeting the actor. A post shared by Children's Hospital L.A. (@childrensla) 'I would watch ('ER') when I was a young attending and full of a lot of energy and hope for the world and the desire to do good,' she said. 'And now, after 33 years, this is kind of the end for me. It's not the end for Noah Wyle by any means!' When she first watched Wyle on TV in his breakout role on 'ER,' where he played Dr. John Carter for 15 seasons, she was a first-year attending. As she saw Wyle's Carter grow from an intern into an expert physician, she too grew in her career. Watching Wyle as Robby, she said, has felt like something of a bookend to her career. She described the cast's visit as uplifting, because 'all those things kind of just bring a feeling of we're being seen.' 'Looking at the careers of emergency medicine physicians and how much they give and how much the ER nurses give, you can tell that the whole cast of 'The Pitt' give all that they've got every day,' she said. For a person in a medical emergency, nothing means more than having your concerns, worries and anxieties acknowledged by the person tasked with helping you. On 'The Pitt,' a harrowing show that doesn't censor the audience from the realities of emergency room medicine, the doctors — most of them, anyway — do exactly that. Robby, especially, sets a tone in his emergency room that values honor — honoring a patient's struggle, honoring the people left behind when tragedies take loved ones and honoring - if even for a moment - the emotional impact of losing a patient before the job requires you to quickly move on and help more. In one scene, amid a panic attack that leaves him pale and crumpled on the floor after a mass casualty event, Robby recites the Shema prayer, which in Jewish tradition is said in the morning and evening. In his darkest moment, he turned to his faith - though he has seen enough tragedy to openly question it. Earlier in the season, which ends with an episode that will be available for streaming on Thursday evening, Robby had his staff gather for what was called an honor walk, where they lined up to pay tribute to a patient whose parents agreed to donate his organs when the young man showed no signs of brain activity. 'I do think we're looking for a certain kind of humanity in people,' executive producer John Wells told CNN of why Robby has resonated as a character. 'Everything since Covid, everyone's very stressed and angry. There's lots going on. It's a very stressful time. And (Wyle) has this remarkable presence as an actor and as the character that I think you just want to walk into a hospital and hope that he's the doctor who walks through the door.' He added: 'That's a real testament to the way the character's written and to Noah's performance as the character.' Dr. Bradley Goldberg, who like Semple-Hess is an emergency room physician at CHLA, agreed, saying he connects with Robby's ability to juggle the action of the ER with authenticity. 'In the emergency department, we're experts at triage, so that's constantly what we're doing. We're triaging problems, triaging patients. And you can see Dr. Robby doing that on the show. He's being pulled in so many different directions all at once, and there's never an eye roll or like a sarcastic sigh,' he said. 'You can see it in his eyes, when someone needs his attention and he feels bad that maybe he can't be there in that moment, whether it's just a glance across the room or an acknowledgement. And I think we feel that in our work, too.' Much has also been said of 'The Pitt's' attention to real life issues – like hospital staffing shortages, anti-vaccine sentiment and every day dangers with horrible consequences. 'Sometimes there's a public service message in that all – let's prevent drownings or public safety or things like that. And they're very powerful messages for the people that watch the show,' Semple-Hess said. Goldberg called the show invaluable as an education tool, especially because of its accuracy. Goldberg doesn't watch a lot of medical shows. (Semple-Hess admitted she only watches 'The Pitt' on her days off. Otherwise, 'I come home and watch people selling houses and moving to interesting countries.') But 'The Pitt' – like 'ER' when he would stay home from school and watch endless reruns – is special, he said. Procedures are correctly depicted. The protocol is properly followed. Even the doses that are prescribed are appropriate for the situations, he said. More importantly, Goldberg said, the struggles faced by a 'safety net hospital,' are properly highlighted. 'You see, um, all walks of life coming through the doors – children, adults, the unhoused, the affluent, and that's our experience, as well,' he said. 'It's not a depiction of a glitzy surgical center in Miami. It's real life, and the challenges that we face every day.' To be seen and heard – it may not be a cure for every problem, but in crisis, it's certainly a step toward feeling better.
CNN
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Dr. Robby from ‘The Pitt' is the TV hero we need right now
Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch is the doctor you want standing over you in an emergent situation – calm-mannered, determined, with soulful eyes and a good looking beard. He may be a fictional character on a scripted television show, but the hype around this golden-hearted physician serving on the frontlines in a Pittsburgh emergency room on Max's 'The Pitt' is very real. 'I'll say from a fan girl, I think he exudes this quiet, calm sincerity,' Dr. Janet Semple-Hess, an emergency department doctor at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, told CNN of the character played by actor Noah Wyle. 'Not only is he knowledgeable, but he cares and he wears that care on his face. You can see the care and what's going on in his mind. We all have those days where we have those faces, too.' Semple-Hess will retire after 33 years of service at the end of April. The weight of stepping back was made even more emotional when the cast of 'The Pitt,' including Wyle, recently visited CHLA during their Make March Matter campaign, which raises money for the hospital. In a social media video that went viral, Semple-Hess can be seen in tears meeting the actor. A post shared by Children's Hospital L.A. (@childrensla) 'I would watch ('ER') when I was a young attending and full of a lot of energy and hope for the world and the desire to do good,' she said. 'And now, after 33 years, this is kind of the end for me. It's not the end for Noah Wyle by any means!' When she first watched Wyle on TV in his breakout role on 'ER,' where he played Dr. John Carter for 15 seasons, she was a first-year attending. As she saw Wyle's Carter grow from an intern into an expert physician, she too grew in her career. Watching Wyle as Robby, she said, has felt like something of a bookend to her career. She described the cast's visit as uplifting, because 'all those things kind of just bring a feeling of we're being seen.' 'Looking at the careers of emergency medicine physicians and how much they give and how much the ER nurses give, you can tell that the whole cast of 'The Pitt' give all that they've got every day,' she said. For a person in a medical emergency, nothing means more than having your concerns, worries and anxieties acknowledged by the person tasked with helping you. On 'The Pitt,' a harrowing show that doesn't censor the audience from the realities of emergency room medicine, the doctors — most of them, anyway — do exactly that. Robby, especially, sets a tone in his emergency room that values honor — honoring a patient's struggle, honoring the people left behind when tragedies take loved ones and honoring - if even for a moment - the emotional impact of losing a patient before the job requires you to quickly move on and help more. In one scene, amid a panic attack that leaves him pale and crumpled on the floor after a mass casualty event, Robby recites the Shema prayer, which in Jewish tradition is said in the morning and evening. In his darkest moment, he turned to his faith - though he has seen enough tragedy to openly question it. Earlier in the season, which ends with an episode that will be available for streaming on Thursday evening, Robby had his staff gather for what was called an honor walk, where they lined up to pay tribute to a patient whose parents agreed to donate his organs when the young man showed no signs of brain activity. 'I do think we're looking for a certain kind of humanity in people,' executive producer John Wells told CNN of why Robby has resonated as a character. 'Everything since Covid, everyone's very stressed and angry. There's lots going on. It's a very stressful time. And (Wyle) has this remarkable presence as an actor and as the character that I think you just want to walk into a hospital and hope that he's the doctor who walks through the door.' He added: 'That's a real testament to the way the character's written and to Noah's performance as the character.' Dr. Bradley Goldberg, who like Semple-Hess is an emergency room physician at CHLA, agreed, saying he connects with Robby's ability to juggle the action of the ER with authenticity. 'In the emergency department, we're experts at triage, so that's constantly what we're doing. We're triaging problems, triaging patients. And you can see Dr. Robby doing that on the show. He's being pulled in so many different directions all at once, and there's never an eye roll or like a sarcastic sigh,' he said. 'You can see it in his eyes, when someone needs his attention and he feels bad that maybe he can't be there in that moment, whether it's just a glance across the room or an acknowledgement. And I think we feel that in our work, too.' Much has also been said of 'The Pitt's' attention to real life issues – like hospital staffing shortages, anti-vaccine sentiment and every day dangers with horrible consequences. 'Sometimes there's a public service message in that all – let's prevent drownings or public safety or things like that. And they're very powerful messages for the people that watch the show,' Semple-Hess said. Goldberg called the show invaluable as an education tool, especially because of its accuracy. Goldberg doesn't watch a lot of medical shows. (Semple-Hess admitted she only watches 'The Pitt' on her days off. Otherwise, 'I come home and watch people selling houses and moving to interesting countries.') But 'The Pitt' – like 'ER' when he would stay home from school and watch endless reruns – is special, he said. Procedures are correctly depicted. The protocol is properly followed. Even the doses that are prescribed are appropriate for the situations, he said. More importantly, Goldberg said, the struggles faced by a 'safety net hospital,' are properly highlighted. 'You see, um, all walks of life coming through the doors – children, adults, the unhoused, the affluent, and that's our experience, as well,' he said. 'It's not a depiction of a glitzy surgical center in Miami. It's real life, and the challenges that we face every day.' To be seen and heard – it may not be a cure for every problem, but in crisis, it's certainly a step toward feeling better.
CNN
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Dr. Robby from ‘The Pitt' is the TV hero we need right now
Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch is the doctor you want standing over you in an emergent situation – calm-mannered, determined, with soulful eyes and a good looking beard. He may be a fictional character on a scripted television show, but the hype around this golden-hearted physician serving on the frontlines in a Pittsburgh emergency room on Max's 'The Pitt' is very real. 'I'll say from a fan girl, I think he exudes this quiet, calm sincerity,' Dr. Janet Semple-Hess, an emergency department doctor at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, told CNN of the character played by actor Noah Wyle. 'Not only is he knowledgeable, but he cares and he wears that care on his face. You can see the care and what's going on in his mind. We all have those days where we have those faces, too.' Semple-Hess will retire after 33 years of service at the end of April. The weight of stepping back was made even more emotional when the cast of 'The Pitt,' including Wyle, recently visited CHLA during their Make March Matter campaign, which raises money for the hospital. In a social media video that went viral, Semple-Hess can be seen in tears meeting the actor. A post shared by Children's Hospital L.A. (@childrensla) 'I would watch ('ER') when I was a young attending and full of a lot of energy and hope for the world and the desire to do good,' she said. 'And now, after 33 years, this is kind of the end for me. It's not the end for Noah Wyle by any means!' When she first watched Wyle on TV in his breakout role on 'ER,' where he played Dr. John Carter for 15 seasons, she was a first-year attending. As she saw Wyle's Carter grow from an intern into an expert physician, she too grew in her career. Watching Wyle as Robby, she said, has felt like something of a bookend to her career. She described the cast's visit as uplifting, because 'all those things kind of just bring a feeling of we're being seen.' 'Looking at the careers of emergency medicine physicians and how much they give and how much the ER nurses give, you can tell that the whole cast of 'The Pitt' give all that they've got every day,' she said. For a person in a medical emergency, nothing means more than having your concerns, worries and anxieties acknowledged by the person tasked with helping you. On 'The Pitt,' a harrowing show that doesn't censor the audience from the realities of emergency room medicine, the doctors — most of them, anyway — do exactly that. Robby, especially, sets a tone in his emergency room that values honor — honoring a patient's struggle, honoring the people left behind when tragedies take loved ones and honoring - if even for a moment - the emotional impact of losing a patient before the job requires you to quickly move on and help more. In one scene, amid a panic attack that leaves him pale and crumpled on the floor after a mass casualty event, Robby recites the Shema prayer, which in Jewish tradition is said in the morning and evening. In his darkest moment, he turned to his faith - though he has seen enough tragedy to openly question it. Earlier in the season, which ends with an episode that will be available for streaming on Thursday evening, Robby had his staff gather for what was called an honor walk, where they lined up to pay tribute to a patient whose parents agreed to donate his organs when the young man showed no signs of brain activity. 'I do think we're looking for a certain kind of humanity in people,' executive producer John Wells told CNN of why Robby has resonated as a character. 'Everything since Covid, everyone's very stressed and angry. There's lots going on. It's a very stressful time. And (Wyle) has this remarkable presence as an actor and as the character that I think you just want to walk into a hospital and hope that he's the doctor who walks through the door.' He added: 'That's a real testament to the way the character's written and to Noah's performance as the character.' Dr. Bradley Goldberg, who like Semple-Hess is an emergency room physician at CHLA, agreed, saying he connects with Robby's ability to juggle the action of the ER with authenticity. 'In the emergency department, we're experts at triage, so that's constantly what we're doing. We're triaging problems, triaging patients. And you can see Dr. Robby doing that on the show. He's being pulled in so many different directions all at once, and there's never an eye roll or like a sarcastic sigh,' he said. 'You can see it in his eyes, when someone needs his attention and he feels bad that maybe he can't be there in that moment, whether it's just a glance across the room or an acknowledgement. And I think we feel that in our work, too.' Much has also been said of 'The Pitt's' attention to real life issues – like hospital staffing shortages, anti-vaccine sentiment and every day dangers with horrible consequences. 'Sometimes there's a public service message in that all – let's prevent drownings or public safety or things like that. And they're very powerful messages for the people that watch the show,' Semple-Hess said. Goldberg called the show invaluable as an education tool, especially because of its accuracy. Goldberg doesn't watch a lot of medical shows. (Semple-Hess admitted she only watches 'The Pitt' on her days off. Otherwise, 'I come home and watch people selling houses and moving to interesting countries.') But 'The Pitt' – like 'ER' when he would stay home from school and watch endless reruns – is special, he said. Procedures are correctly depicted. The protocol is properly followed. Even the doses that are prescribed are appropriate for the situations, he said. More importantly, Goldberg said, the struggles faced by a 'safety net hospital,' are properly highlighted. 'You see, um, all walks of life coming through the doors – children, adults, the unhoused, the affluent, and that's our experience, as well,' he said. 'It's not a depiction of a glitzy surgical center in Miami. It's real life, and the challenges that we face every day.' To be seen and heard – it may not be a cure for every problem, but in crisis, it's certainly a step toward feeling better.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Children's Hospital L.A. Celebrates 10 Years of Making March Matter
Renowned for its medical and mental health services, therapies, research and specialized care programs for children and teens, Children's Hospital Los Angeles is also unique in that it's the only top 10 children's hospital in the country that provides care regardless of a family's ability to pay for Children's Fund is designed to help those who aren't covered by insurance or whose insurance may not cover everything a child may need, and it's gotten a significant boost thanks to its annual month-long fundraising campaign known as Make March Matter ( — which has raised over $14 million by partnering with local businesses and national brands since it began in 2016.'Any family that comes to the hospital, regardless of their financial situation, will be treated the same as someone who comes with private insurance because we have the support of the community and the businesses that give us funds to keep providing care,' says Dawn Wilcox, the hospital's Vice President of Development & Corporate Partnerships, who spearheaded the March initiative. Wilcox says that 73% of CHLA's patients are low income or on Medi-Cal, so a high percentage of patients need this aid, and concentrating their efforts for one month with a branded initiative has had a huge impact. CHLA does fundraising all year long but March is particularly exciting because business owners big and small, and their customers, can get the hospital saw some protests recently due to its announcement that it was pausing gender-affirming care in the wake of the Trump administration's anti-trans executive orders in late January, it reversed the decision last month after reviewing what federal judges were ruling on the issue. A commitment from California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to protect its patients was also a like Delta Air Lines and Panda Express have been supporting all of the hospital's work for years, the latter asking customers if they'd like to round up their food totals with the difference going to CHLA (a painless way to garner donations).But smaller businesses are making a difference, too. Randy's Donuts, Porto's Bakery and Alfred Coffee for example, have their own promotions for the month. There's a full schedule of events — including a Jimmy Choo shopping party, an L.A. Kings game and a Dairy Queen 'Dip it for Kids' gathering to raise money and amplify the cause. There's also a big celebrity contingent, and Meghan Markle, Natalie Portman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Pine and Demi Lovato are just a few of the notables who lend their names, increase awareness on social media and visit pediatric patients at the hospital during the drive. 'Everybody comes together, whether it's donating blood or getting a coffee or running the L.A. Marathon,' says Wilcox. 'All of these things come back into CHLA to support our mission offering the services and programs for children and families that need us.'
Associated Press
01-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
LA Toy Store Partners with Donors to Bring Easter Baskets to Hospitalized Kids
Marking its second year, Adventuretown Toy Emporium, aided by community contributions, seeks to donate 375 Easter baskets to children at Children's Hospital LA. 'Making a difference, even for a day, for the children spending Easter in the hospital is something that anyone can do when they donate $5.' — Annamarie von Firley LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 1, 2025 / / -- The children at Children's Hospital Los Angeles are in for a special treat this Easter, thanks to Adventuretown Toy Emporium. For the second consecutive year, the store is raising funds to ensure each child staying at CHLA during Easter receives a heartfelt Easter Basket to brighten their day. Adventuretown has long been a supporter of CHLA, contributing to the Make March Matter campaign for the past five years. As part of this effort, the store donates 20% of all March sales to help the hospital reach its $2 million fundraising goal. Since launching in 2016, the campaign has brought together local businesses and corporate partners, raising over $10 million to fund essential medical care for children in Los Angeles. This Easter, Adventuretown is going the extra mile engaging the community to help deliver baskets to those who will be spending the holiday in the hospital. Adventuretown Toy Emporium set an ambitious goal last year to raise funds for 375 Easter baskets to bring joy to the patients at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, which has 380 beds. Although the full target was not reached last year, the store made significant strides, raising enough to deliver Easter baskets valued at $1400 that ensured most of the children received a special Easter gift. This year, Adventuretown is confident that they can surpass last year's number of donations by inviting community members to donate $5 towards the purchase of Easter baskets valued at $30. The impact of each donation will brighten the lives of children spending Easter in the hospital. 'Last year's Easter baskets were a huge hit with the kids,' says Adventuretown Founder and President, Annamarie von Firley. 'Knowing that these gifts brightened the lives of the children makes us want to do more for them. Spending time in the hospital is stressful for everyone, especially for young children. Making a difference, even for a day, for the children spending Easter in the hospital is something that anyone can do when they donate $5.' Every Easter basket features a sensory toy with an Easter theme, specially chosen to help ease the anxiety that children often face during extended hospital stays or before surgery. Additionally, each basket includes another engaging activity, carefully selected based on the child's age. For children under 7 years old, they will receive a compact Easter-themed coloring kit. Children 7-12 years old will receive 9 feet of puzzles and games in the same compact format. Children 12-21 years old will receive an Easter origami activity set. Sourced from the Czech Republic, these compact kits are designed to keep children busy during their hospital stays. Each 3 x 4-inch box unfolds into 9 feet of creative projects—a feat made possible by a specially reengineered printing process that produces one continuous 9-foot sheet. The hands-on activities not only help pass the time but also promote the development of fine motor skills and enhance problem-solving abilities. Adventuretown invites the community to support this meaningful cause by making donations through their website at Donations are accepted in $5 increments, with each $30 covering the cost of one Easter basket. In addition, 20% of all March sales through their website will be donated to CHLA. The baskets will be delivered to the hospital on Saturday, April 19th, ensuring they reach children on Easter Sunday. The total number of baskets distributed will depend on the funds raised. For any inquiries, see the contact information below. Annamarie Von Firley +1 213-640-7181 Visit us on social media: YouTube TikTok Legal Disclaimer:
