If a child you love lives in the Homestead-Florida City area, you'll love Homestead Hospital's services for children. Speediatrics at Homestead Hospital is a pediatrics unit designed with a motorsports theme thanks to the vision of Betty Jane France, NASCAR Foundation chairwoman and founder of Speediatrics.

"We are very proud to unveil the Betty Jane France Pediatric Center at Homestead Hospital," said Curtis Gray, President of Homestead-Miami Speedway. "Speediatrics has not only filled the need for more pediatric care in the south Miami-Dade area, but it also makes the stay of every child at the hospital more enjoyable through its racing-themed design. Helping the community is a huge priority for the Speedway, and Speediatrics represents one of the most worthwhile projects Homestead-Miami Speedway has ever been a part of."

The Speediatrics team is comprised of an experienced medical staff of area pediatricians, specialists, unit nurses, respiratory therapists and support staff who are specially trained in pediatrics and Pediatric Advanced LifeSupport.

Speediatrics is designed to make children feel as comfortable as possible during a hospital stay. The unit's new waiting room, hallway walls, nurse's station, patient rooms and playroom are decorated with a motorsports theme that includes race cars, checkered flags, and cartoon characters named "Curves," "Traxx," "Six-Speed," and 'Clutch."

Speediatrics' cheerful atmosphere can make a difference in the spirit and recovery of sick children as documented at the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where Speediatrics opened in 1999 with the backing of Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR.

To date, Homestead-Miami Speedway has been instrumental in raising nearly $1 million for Speediatrics. Some of the annual fund-raising events that support children's services at Homestead Hospital include the Pineapple Gala, the Hot Rods and Reels Charity Fishing Tournament, Homestead-Miami Speedway's Charity Golf Tournament and the Lucerne-Gossman Memorial Backcountry Fishing Competition. .

"We salute Homestead-Miami Speedway for initiating Speediatrics at Homestead Hospital," said Ms. France. "As proven in Daytona, Speediatrics can make a difference in the care of children. With the completion of this project, children won't just see a hospital when they arrive at Homestead's Speediatrics unit; they'll see pit road or victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway."

THE NEED:

South Miami-Dade has attracted many new young families in recent years, bringing the need for expanded pediatric services at Homestead Hospital. Homestead Hospital, part of Baptist Health, is the only hospital in the area and has the only Emergency Center for 18 miles in all directions. More than 12,000 children are cared for each year at the Children's Emergency Center alone.

In addition, more than 1,500 babies born at Homestead Hospital each year. Today's babies are tomorrow's pediatric patients and medical emergencies.

 HOW YOU CAN HELP:

To make a donation to the Betty Jane France Pediatric Center, Speediatrics please mail to:
Attn: Speediatrics
Homestead Hospital Foundation
975 Baptist Way
Homestead, FL 33033

www.baptisthealth.net