Ron Marino, DO, MPH

Out of the need to help children with health problems, Ron Marino, DO, MPH, FAAP, created a fundraising program that serendipitously showed how to help healthy children learn about community involvement and aiding others.

Dr. Marino will talk about how he helped start that program nine years ago and how it has grown when he presents "Children Do Well by Doing Good in Their Communities" (P4046) during the October 5 NCE plenary.

"What we have done is gotten kids involved in doing a healthy activity in support of their local health care institution," said Dr. Marino, associate chairman of pediatrics at Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York.

"My three big points are: 1, pediatricians can be leaders in their communities to catalyze positive experiences with kids; 2, kids who participate in community service activities personally benefit from their participation in that activity; and 3, mobilizing the community in an event like this creates connections that benefit everyone."

The program is the Winthrop University Hospital Pediatric Swimathon, which is presented for four hours on a weekend morning in early spring at the Hofstra University indoor swimming pool. It was started when the hospital was trying to raise funds to build a new pediatric unit, Dr. Marino said. The new unit has since been completed, but the swimathon continues to support the hospital's Child Life program to help provide a better experience for children who are hospitalized.

"When they were raising money for the pediatrics unit, I said ‘I'd love to write you a check for $25,000, but I'm a pediatrician and I can't do that.' So, I combined my own passion for swimming with some creative thinking," he said. "Many hospital fundraising events are big-ticket items — a golf outing or a black-tie dinner with a ticket that is $200 or $500. This is $10, and come on in. You can also cast a net asking friends and family to support the effort. You don't have to be rich to participate in this. You learn that whatever little you do is important and great. It is great as a self-esteem builder, and for getting to know your community and the health care professions."

Children are part of the planning committee that maps out the annual event, which features high school bands, swim coaches, crafts, massage therapists and a raffle. The real focus, though, is swimming, with lifeguards and other swim teachers, including a teacher from the national Total Immersion Swimming program, teaching people of all ages how to swim better.

"Swimming is a healthy activity, and some kids have made goals, like swimming 100 laps, losing five pounds or getting stronger," Dr. Marino said. "I am going to share the model of how we did this and how we mobilized the community, and I am going to share vignettes and stories in a video. The video introduces children, parents and octogenarians, and how a collaborative community event becomes a positive for everyone to feel good about themselves and, at the same time, do something nice for a very important program at a hospital."

The event started in an affluent community, but it has been expanded to include neighboring school districts with more diverse populations.

"You don't just see affluent kids participating, but also kids from all socioecononmic levels. Once you take off your clothes and jump in a pool, it doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, have a degree or no degree, you are all the same," Dr. Marino said.