Providence Child Center Will Honor Bill Schonely

“Bill’s Kids Fund” will benefit only 24-hour pediatric-skilled nursing facility in Northwest.

Bill Schonely Photo courtesy: wayoutwestoregon.com

SALEM, Ore. - For years, he was the legendary voice of the Trail Blazers. Now, Bill Schonely is lending his voice in a new way to the medically fragile children at Providence Child Center.

Providence has established “Bill’s Kids Fund” to honor Schonely’s longstanding dedication to and compassion for the medically fragile children who call the center home. Providence will host a pre-game reception to introduce Bill’s Kids Fund from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Memorial Coliseum’s US Plywood Room on March 23. Fans will have an opportunity to purchase group tickets through the Child Center by calling 503.215.2471, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the fund, which will be introduced to fans in attendance during the evening’s halftime activities.

Bill's Kids Fund will help endow the Center for Medically Fragile Children at Providence Child Center, ensuring the provision of complete and compassionate care.

"The staff's dedication, compassion and teamwork in caring for our most vulnerable children and their families is, quite honestly, why Dottie and I continue our personal relationship of supporting Providence Child Center today and well into the future," Schonely said.

The center is the only 24-hour pediatric skilled nursing facility in the Northwest dedicated exclusively to children with profound disabilities and complex medical needs. The center’s 58 beds are designated for children who need long-term chronic care, short-term respite care and other services. Many families describe the center as a second home for their children.

Children at Providence Child Center receive treatment and education essential to their well-being. The center’s interdisciplinary care team assesses and treats complex medical conditions, including monitoring symptoms, administering medications and providing leading-edge therapies.

The cost of providing care for Providence Child Center residents is never a burden to families because support from the community bridges the gap between Medicaid and private insurance coverage, and the actual cost of this specialized care.

Children who need this level of care are admitted to Providence Child Center without regard for ability to pay.

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