The development will create more than 700 jobs in construction and related industries

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is in the midst of a $2.6 billion expansion of its campus.

Mayor Michael Nutter, elected officials and representatives of the city’s business community joined Dr. Steven Altschuler, CEO of CHOP to celebrate the development of CHOP’s Ambulatory Care Center.

The ambulatory care center, which is currently under excavation on Civic Boulevard, will consist of a 500,000 square foot development that will provide children who need to see multiple specialists with enhanced care. The development will create more than 700 jobs comprised of direct and indirect construction jobs.

“Our ongoing expansion will create a significant number of construction and health care sector-related jobs, additional economic and community benefit to the city and most importantly, improved access to state-of-the-art, high quality medical care for children and their families,” Altschuler said during a press conference held at CHOP’s Colket Translational Research Building.

“We’re grown rapidly because the demand for patient services has continually exceeded our capacity to provide care in the most clinically-appropriate and cost-effective way possible.”

A part of CHOP’s expansion includes the newly opened Ruth and Tristram Colket Jr. Translational Research Building, which overlooks the expansion site. The $500 million facility houses pediatric research labs for cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, blindness and hemophilia.

CHOP’s new developments will extend beyond its traditional campus. CHOP plans to break ground on a new $30 million primary care facility on October 6 at 48th and Market Streets in West Philadelphia.

Mayor Nutter hailed CHOP for its commitment to the Philadelphia region.

“It means something to all of us to truly be able to say we have the best children’s hospital in the United States of America right here in the city of Philadelphia,” said Nutter.

“Two billion dollars over the course of the next four, five years is just spectacular. It will put people to work, bring better health care to this city but it also is a indication again that this is a smart city and they’re making a smart choice by investing in Philadelphia.”

During the event, Livingston White, a contractor and West Philadelphia resident discussed working on CHOP’s expansion projects since 2000.

“I feel very fortunate and thankful to have maintained employment during a time with so much economic pressure on society and unemployment at an all-time high,” White said.

With 13,000 employees, CHOP is Philadelphia’s fifth largest employer and Pennsylvania’s 21st largest employer. According to Atlschuler, CHOP added 7,000 new jobs since 2002 and has contributed $14 million per year in wage-tax revenue.

Last year, 30,000 patients were admitted to CHOP and CHOP’s network facilities received 1.6 million outpatient visits.

Law enforcement authorities have arrested and charged a suspect in the brutal slaying of a young doctor whose strangled and burning body was found in the basement of her home Monday afternoon.

Jason Smith, 36, from Crescent Lane in Levittown, Pennsylvania, was charged with murder, arson, abuse of a corpse and related offenses in the slaying of Dr. Melissa Ketunuti, 35. Smith was taken in for questioning by police at his home. His silver Ford pickup truck was also confiscated by investigators looking for evidence. Authorities said that on Thursday morning, Smith confessed to killing Ketunuti during an argument.

According to investigators, Smith was on a service call at Ketunuti’s home in the 1700 block of Naudain Street and the two were in the basement when the argument ensued. Captain James Clark of the Homicide Unit said there were no signs of sexual abuse. Investigators also believe that Ketunuti had never met her killer before.

“They got into an argument, and it went terribly wrong,” Clark said during a press conference at Philadelphia Police Headquarters. “He struck the victim and knocked her to the ground. He jumped on top of her and started strangling her with a rope. She passed out and then after binding her hands and feet he set her body on fire to cover up any DNA evidence.”

Clark said that police received an emergency call from Ketunuti’s dog walker around 12:30 p.m. regarding the fire in the basement. When firefighters arrived they extinguished the blaze and discovered the body.

Detectives examined the surveillance records from cameras in the vicinity, particularly several businesses, and learned that the victim had run errands before returning to her home. Several cameras showed Smith following Ketunuti to her home and leaving her residence after about an hour. Surveillance records also showed Smith circling her home before leaving the area. At one point during the investigation, a $33,500 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect.

“I would first like to send my thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and neighbors of Melissa Ketunuti,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “I know their pain must be enormous, and I hope that today’s arrest will help ease some of that pain. I also want to commend the Philadelphia Police Department’s homicide detectives who worked tirelessly to solve this case. I think too often we forget to show our gratitude to these hardworking men and women who are true heroes and whose main priority every day is to bring justice to victims and their families.”

Ketunuti had been working at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for five years, serving first as a pediatrician, according to a statement released by Dr. Paul Offit, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases.

“The entire community of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Dr. Melissa Ketunuti, a second-year infectious diseases fellow and researcher at CHOP. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time. Melissa was a warm, caring, earnest, bright, young woman with her whole future ahead of her,” said Offit. “But more than that, she was admired, respected and loved by those with whom she worked here at CHOP. Her death will have a profound impact on those who worked with her, and we will all miss her deeply.”

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has marked another major milestone.

CHOP celebrated the 1000th delivery in the world’s first birth facility exclusively for mothers carrying babies with known birth defects.

Babies who are delivered in CHOP’s Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit are prenatally diagnosed with birth defects such as spina bifida or congenital heart disease and will either undergo fetal surgery to treat the condition before birth or need immediate specialized care after birth.

The 1000th delivery was a newborn prenatally diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Kathy Banks of New Britain, Pa., was nine weeks into her pregnancy when she and her husband Andrew learned they were expecting twins. Their 20-week ultrasound raised some concerns about one of the twin’s hearts, and their doctor referred the Banks to CHOP’s Fetal Heart Program for further evaluation. CHOP’s team found that although Banks’ daughter was developing normally, their son had Tetralogy of Fallot, a serious structural malformation of the heart.

“I was immediately devastated. My first thought was, ‘What is the mortality rate?’” Banks said.

“They were able to tell me it was fixable and he would need open heart surgery. It’s just scary for a newborn to have that procedure.”

However after CHOP’s team gave her the details about the procedure, Banks said she had no reservations about delivering at CHOP and having the baby undergo surgery.

“I’m just happy about the level of expertise that I am able to get at CHOP. It was really refreshing to know that I could deliver and he’d be nearby,” says Banks.

Obstetrician Jodi Slepian and her team performed a cesarean delivery in the early hours of March 20 and the babies were born eight weeks early. Angela Rose and Liam Andrew Banks were born within seconds of each other, both only weighing a little over three pounds. Liam was born pink and active. He undergoes heart surgery at CHOP in a few weeks.

Dr. Jack Rychik, director of the Fetal Heart Program, said babies diagnosed with birth defects in utero and their moms need specialized obstetrical services, including prenatal and delivery care.

“Without the Special Delivery Unit and the immediate care offered by experienced specialists in pediatric cardiology and neonatology all under one roof, the Banks’ outcome could have been much different,” Rychik said.

According to Dr. Julie S. Moldenhauer, CHOP Maternal Fetal Medicine/Reproductive Genetics specialist and medical director of the Special Delivery Unit, approximately one in 33 babies are diagnosed with a birth defect each year.

“Traditionally these mothers will give birth in one hospital and their newborn will be transferred to a specialized pediatric hospital shortly after delivery. The Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit changed that by allowing for mother and baby to be simultaneously cared for at one institution by a team with great experience and expertise,” Moldenhauer said.

The Special Delivery Unit opened in 2008 and is a delivery arm of CHOP’s Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, which has been providing care for women expecting babies diagnosed with fetal conditions for more than 16 years. Established in 1995, the center has welcomed more than 12,000 expectant parents and received referrals from all 50 states and more than 50 countries.

The eight-bed labor and delivery unit was the first of its kind to exclusively care for babies born with a wide range of birth defects, genetic conditions and fetal conditions unique to complicated twin pregnancies.

“When we opened the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit, we anticipated that this unique, multidisciplinary approach would improve outcomes for mother and baby before, during and after birth,” said Dr. N. Scott Adzick, surgeon-in-chief at CHOP and medical director of the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment.

The Special Delivery Unit is named after the Garbose Family. In 1988, during a routine pregnancy ultrasound, Lynne and Bill Garbose learned that their first baby, Emily, would be born with a very rare and fatal heart defect. She would require sophisticated care, and the Garboses were told that their only option would be for her to deliver the baby in a hospital near their home in Washington, D.C., and then have Emily transported to the pediatric hospital 30 minutes across town. Three days after she was born, Emily died in her father’s arms.

When the Garboses returned to Philadelphia and met with Adzick and Lori Howell they learned about their vision to create a delivery unit within CHOP’s Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment. They provided the lead gift to create the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit.

“On the occasion of the Special Delivery Unit’s 1000th delivery, we are so proud to be associated with the dedicated, multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses and other staff who work there,” said Lynne Garbose, a CHOP board member.

“We remember vividly the afternoon many years ago when Dr. Adzick and Lori Howell laid out their thoughts and plans for the world’s first special delivery unit. We and thousands of parents and their children are so grateful for their team’s vision, dedication and perseverance.”

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at (215) 893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

A new beacon for the health and well-being of children has opened in the heart of West Philadelphia.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has opened the doors to the $27 million Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pediatric Care Center at 48th and Market Streets.

The 52,000-square-foot facility brings high quality pediatric care and community programs to children and families in the surrounding community.

CHOP officials, politicians, philanthropists and community members recently turned out for the center’s grand opening celebration.

“It’s already clear that the Karabots center has made a positive impact on the community, and I think it will do this for generations to come. It will improve countless lives, open up new worlds of possibility and offer more people the hope that CHOP gives patients and families every day,” Dr. Steven M. Altschuler, chief executive officer of CHOP said during the grand opening event held February 6.

“As we think about health care in the future, centers like this will really be an important part of how we think about improving the lives of children. It’s not only about healthcare, it’s about furthering development and positioning children for success in the future.”

Designed to serve more than 64,000 outpatient visits annually, the center is equipped with 56 examination rooms and rooms for radiology, hearing and vision testing and a phlebotomy laboratory.

The Karabots Center goes beyond providing basic healthcare services to provide families with community programs offered by CHOP including the Community Asthma Prevention program and the Homeless Healthcare initiative. Families can also tap into family planning services, domestic violence education, language services and medical home and care coordination.

CHOP’s Pediatric and Adolescent Care Centers at 39th and Chestnut Streets and 3550 Market Streets will relocate to the Karabots Center.

The facility was bolstered by a $7.5 million gift by Nicholas Karabots and his wife, Athena, through the Karabots Foundation. As chairman of the Spartan Organization, Karabots went from being a shoeshine boy to rising to prominence in the printing and publishing industry.

The Karabots have supported projects at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Montgomery Hospital.

“People continually ask me why the Karabots Foundation has focused its energies and capital on projects such as this West Philadelphia facility. My response is that I grew up in South Bronx which was not at all different at that time than some of the underserved and troubled neighborhoods here in West Philadelphia, where our youth face similar if not greater challenges than I did in my troubled youth,” Karabots said.

“Like many here we had to survive and as a result I could not go on to higher education but with the help of institutions such as those we support today, I found a different life with opportunities open before me. Such opportunities both then and now, for our youth, were and still are difficult to achieve without redirection of their youthful drive.”

Mayor Michael Nutter hailed the Karabots for making such a significant investment and thanked CHOP for bringing the new facility to West Philadelphia.

“This center is the tipping point for people to understand that West Philadelphia is a place where you want to invest and more importantly a place that cares about children, that cares about family, that cares about people who live and work right here,” Nutter said.

The Karabots Center will also serve as a core location for CHOP’s medical education program. Every year, 139 residents will rotate through the center as a part of their graduate training.

The new site also serves as the hub for CHOP’s Reach Out and Read program. The national program prepares young children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage children to read together. Reach Out and Read is held at CHOP’s multiple pediatric and adolescent care practices in the CHOP Care Network, including four in West Philadelphia, one in South Philadelphia and one in Burlington, N.J.

For 10 year-old Tian Brittingham-Kershaw, the Karabots Center represents a place that both provides her with health care and cultivates her love for reading. Brittingham-Kershaw has been treated by a CHOP pediatrician and participating in Reach Out and Read since she was a baby. On the day of the grand opening, she was spotted in the center’s Rosenberg Reading Room. The reading nook is outfitted with shelves of children’s books.

“I read a lot. Most of the books that are here I’ve read,” said Brittingham-Kershaw as she held a copy of the childhood classic, Charlotte’s Web.

When she attended Mitchell Elementary School, Brittingham-Kershaw was often called on to read to other children. She’s currently a part of her school’s 100 Book Club.

Her mother, Tia Brittingham is proud of her daughter’s progress in reading and her ability to assist other children.

“I’m very happy that she wants to expand her mind and read. I’ve always encouraged reading. Knowledge is power. I’m very proud of her. I’m very excited that she gets to help other children,” Brittingham said.

She also appreciates having access to a new health center for her three children.

“I think it’s absolutely wonderful to have a facility like this right in the heart of West Philadelphia. I know the neighborhood needed something like this really bad. It’s nice to see such a wonderful facility provided for this area,” Brittingham added.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at (215) 893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

As September marks “National Sickle Cell Awareness Month,” volunteers and benefactors, “Ambassadors for Hope” for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) hosted their 12th Annual Blue Tag Gala on Saturday Sept. 8 to support the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at CHOP.

The Blue Tag Gala, previously known as the Jazz Event, was held at the grand ballroom of the Hyatt at the Bellevue at 200 South Broad St. The fundraiser gala brought a large crowd for cocktails, dinner and dancing in support of the Sickle Cell Center. All proceeds from the event support children with sickle cell disease.

Guests mingled, dined, danced to a live performance and listened closely as the program proceeded. The Rev. Charles W. Quann, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, provided the invocation and guests were welcomed by CHOP’s CEO, Steven M. Altschuler M.D.

Masters of Ceremonies Joyce Evans, news anchor and reporter for WTXF’s Fox 29, and E. Seven Collins, director of urban marketing and external relations at Radio One Philadelphia, carried the program through.

Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, M.D., founder of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, is professor of pediatrics at CHOP and president of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana. As a carrier of sickle cell himself, Dr. Ohene-Frempong is dedicated both to his work at CHOP and his home country, Ghana, where he conducts research and clinical support. He spoke to the room sharing his experiences both at CHOP and Ghana and the passion he has for his work.

Featured speaker, Kim Smith Whitley, M.D., the director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell center and clinical director of the Division of Hematology of CHOP, shared what the impact of the disease has on a person’s life, the importance of blood donors and the progression of CHOP’s program. Early in her speech she noted, “Chop serves 1,100 children with sickle cell disease — when I came in 1992, we provided care for 325.”

“Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood condition, you’re born with it. We’ve come so far to improve the quality of life, but it’s still not enough,” she said. “They’re still unfortunately dying at early ages.”

Dr. Smith-Whitley, associate professor of Pediatrics, focuses her clinical and research on sickle cell survivorship.

Many guests wore the color blue, as it was encouraged, in honor of the “Blue Tag.” The “Blue Tag” is significant because when blood donors donate, they can ensure their donation goes to help patients with sickle cell, by asking for the “Blue Tag.” This will notify the American Red Cross the donation is specifically designated for sickle cell efforts.

When Nana Kwabena Tuffuor was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at two years old, his family moved to Bucks County from Cleveland, Ohio to be near the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center.

Tuffuor took a unique approach to his speech and asked the guests to do an “exercise.”

“I’m going to ask you guys to close your eyes for a minute and take a deep breath in,” he instructed the crowd. “With every breath you inhale becomes peace and tranquility, for every breath you exhale, stress and worry leaves our body.”

The exercise was aimed to have guests identify with how Tuffuor felt at his younger brother’s bedside, when he was dying from sickle cell disease. Tuffuor has been a patient at CHOP throughout his years, and both he and his brother suffered from sickle cell disease. He shared the strained relationship he had with his brother and how they made amends before he passed away. He also expressed the close relationship he had with the CHOP doctors and his positive experiences there.

Tuffuor, now living in New York City, uses his musical and artistic talent to spread awareness for sickle cell disease.

“I went to Penn as an undergrad pre-med, I’m not doing anything pre-med-related right now—one of my burning passions is music,” he said. “I’m a music producer and right now I’m working on John Legend’s album - but beyond that I look at myself as being an art activist—not art for art sake, art for a tangible change.”

Lynn Johnson-Porter, executive director of development for Clinical Support and Major Gifts of CHOP Foundation, felt this gala brewed a lot of enthusiasm.

“I think it was inspiring and enlightening,” she said. “It’s the largest audience ever and we’re looking to build on the enthusiasm.”

When Malakiyah Johnson was constantly throwing up for a week, his family knew something was wrong.

Subsequent testing would later reveal that the three-year old had pediatric hepatoblastoma, a cancer of the liver. Since his diagnosis in April, Johnson has undergone a surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to remove two-thirds of his liver. Now he is getting ready to start his fourth round of chemotherapy. Hepatoblastoma is a childhood cancer that primarily affects children from infancy to about five years of age.

Malakiyah’s mother Shana Yee feared the worst when she learned that he has a one in 10 chance of survival. Thus far, he’s faring well. Sept. 11 marked his third birthday. While Malakiyah is too young to realize what is going on, Yee says he does find being poked with needles traumatizing.

“Everything is looking up so far. He’s beating the odds — so far,” says Yee.

Yee is sharing her story as a part of CHOP’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month campaign. CHOP has launched “30 Days, 1 Cause,” an advertising and social media campaign to bring the issue of funding for pediatric cancer research to the forefront.

Yee is appreciative of CHOP’s efforts to raise awareness around the issue of childhood cancer.

“Anything that helps people be aware, I’m all for it. It just helps to get our story out there. It needs to get out there because people need to be aware of the things that could happen and they need to keep a closer eye on their kids,” says Yee, who is a Montgomery county resident.

“I knew that cancer was out there. I knew that it could affect anybody, but I never knew that cancer affected kids the way it did, until I started coming to CHOP.”

Cancer is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 15. While significant progress has been made in the last 50 years, 20 percent of children diagnosed with cancer still die from the disease. Children diagnosed with cancer are often treated with drugs developed more than 30 years ago, which may cure their cancer but may harm developing healthy cells. To that end, CHOP researchers are working to find new therapies. The push for new therapies comes at a time when funding allocations from the National Institutes of Health are shrinking due to the challenging economic times.

“We can’t move things forward without really significant research, and the research costs a lot of money. Children need different kinds of treatment than adults with cancer. There’s been an explosion in new kinds of cancer drugs out there but we really need the research funding and the ability to do the research to see which of these drugs are appropriate for the children’s cancers,” says Dr. Ann Reilly, medical director, oncology at CHOP.

“In addition to looking for new therapies we are always looking for therapies that are better tolerated, with less side effects so that as children grow up, they grow healthier with less long term problems.”

According to Reilly, CHOP treats approximately 450 children who are newly diagnosed with cancer per year. While brain tumors are the most prevalent among children, CHOP specialists are also treating solid tumors of the organs, leukemias and lymphomas.

The “30 Days, 1 Cause” campaign encourages the community to support pediatric cancer research and survivorship programs by taking steps such as donating to the Cancer Center at CHOP or by participating in the Four Seasons Philadelphia Parkway Run/Walk on September 30.

For information about the campaign, visit www.30days1cause.org.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at (215) 893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

A national safety education program has been expanded to Philadelphia.

In response to the disproportionate risks that African American and Hispanic children face in motor vehicle-related crashes, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Toyota have teamed up to bring “Buckle Up for Life,” a national community-based injury prevention initiative to the city.

“We are pleased to see CHOP’s partnership with Toyota expand to include the Buckle Up for Life program developed by our colleagues at Cincinnati Children’s,” said Dr. Steven Altschuler, chief executive officer, CHOP.

“Our number one priority is to keep children safe and help save lives. Together with Toyota, we hope to make a real difference in Philadelphia and increase awareness of the need to be properly buckled up.”

Research analyzed by Cincinnati Children’s shows that due to multiple factors, African Americans and Hispanic children are significantly less likely than non-African American and non-Hispanic children to be buckled up in seat belts or properly installed car seats.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates seat belt use was lower among African Americans than all other race or ethnic groups in crashes involving fatalities in children under 14.

By working with local hospitals and church partners, “Buckle Up for Life” addresses the economic, cultural and where appropriate, language barriers to motor vehicle safety.

CHOP officials are in the process of forming partnerships with area churches. They plan to partner with three African American and three Hispanic churches. CHOP officials plan to have all partnerships finalized by the end of the year. The programming is expected to be up and running by 2013.

“Essentially what the program allows us to do is to have a presence with these churches and the families at the churches,” said Gina Duchossois, Injury Prevention Program supervisor at CHOP.

Over a six-week period, the program’s medical experts and trained specialists work closely with participants of all ages to deliver vital safety information in an engaging, culturally sensitive and memorable way. Participants are eligible to receive free car seats, and they are matched with certified child passenger safety technicians to help install these car seats and ensure that children are properly restrained.

“Studies have shown that when the parents buckle up, the kids are much more likely to buckle up as well. We want to make sure that the families realize that this is a family initiative, and it’s not just the kid, but it’s the entire family,” said Duchossois.

Thus far, CHOP has partnered with the Redeemed Christian Church of God in West Philadelphia. Felicia Adeoye, the community liaison for Redeemed Christian Church, sees the need for the program to be brought to the community.

“In this area of West Philadelphia, people are making choices between eating, bills and other things of that nature. Things like car seats and safety almost becomes secondary to what their primary needs are,” said Adeoye.

“The biggest thing is information. Research that has been done hasn’t been dissimilated as quickly as before. We definitely see the need for the education.”

The expansion of Buckle Up for Life to Philadelphia is a part of an effort by Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s to double the program’s reach. The new partnership with CHOP joins other “Buckle Up for Life” programs in Las Vegas, Houston and Orange County, Calif. The initiative is already in place with local hospital partners in Chicago, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and San Antonio.

“At Toyota, we are strongly committed to the belief that everyone deserves to be safe,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of National Philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation at Toyota Motor North America. 

“Through our educational outreach, Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) and numerous partnerships with leading hospitals, nonprofits and research universities nationwide, Toyota is engaged extensively in programs that help ensure that drivers and passengers are safe at every stage of life.  “Buckle Up for Life” is a vital commitment for Toyota, and we are proud to be working with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to expand its reach.”

Buckle Up for Life was developed by trauma specialists at Cincinnati Children’s and vehicle safety experts at Toyota. Since its inception in 2004, more than 45,000 participants have completed the program and more than 20,000 car seats have been distributed.

According to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the number of children buckled up nearly tripled among families who participated in one of Buckle Up for Life’s pilot cities.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at (215) 893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The mother of a Croatian child being treated at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia said that the flap surrounding the price of treatment is a misunderstanding.

Dana Atanasovka Situm, who took her 5-year-old daughter Nora Situm to Children’s for a last-ditch experimental therapy for leukemia, apologized for the misunderstanding.

On Wednesday, the hospital made international headlines - and was denounced on Facebook by Croaitan supporters as “cruel” and “heartless” for appearing to tack on hundreds of thousands of dollars to the original price of treating Nora.

According to published reports, Situm said the hospital’s bill was for $575,000 and that $262,000 was added to cover five years of post-treatment care.

Situm said that there was a misunderstanding with hospital officials and pleaded with supporters to stop writing bad comments on the hospital’s Facebook page.

“I have to point out that during this large-scale humanitarian action, which lasted only for a few days, many e-mail addresses have been involved so that we didn´t even know whom the hospital sent a mail with the total amount needed for our Nora´s medical treatment,” Situm posted to CHOP’s Facebook page.

“Therefore, I apologize that due to all this hurry an omission occurred related to an unread mail concerning additional funds which was sent to the association. Therefore, I would like to ask all of you, for the sake of my child´s well-being, not to write any more bad comments on the hospital pages.”

CHOP would not discuss the specific case due to patient privacy issues. However, CHOP issued a statement regarding its policies around international medicine.

“CHOP’s process estimates the costs of treatment in advance and seeks payment at the time treatment begins. Additional follow-up clinical treatments are sometimes necessary and can be administered over several years, either at CHOP or back in the patient’s home country,” the statement read.

“CHOP does not charge for this follow-up clinical treatment at the time of initial treatment.  If the child is not further treated at CHOP, CHOP will never charge for the follow-up treatment.  However, CHOP attempts to explain those potential costs to patient families at the outset so they understand the financial issues they may be facing. We try to ensure that all international families understand the difference between the initial costs of treatment charged by CHOP, which does not change, and the potential future costs which will depend on future clinical treatments.

The experimental care is a gene therapy treatment developed by University of Pennsylvania researchers.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at (215) 893-5747 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .