Maize Family Supports Chase Child Life Services Golf Day Fund Raiser

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The Rochelle and Richard Maize Foundation have rallied to the support of the Chase Foundation's Child Life Program a non-profit organization which addresses the social, emotional, and developmental needs of children dealing with the stress of illness and hospitalization.

The program was originally established by the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital nearly 40 years. In 2000 it was renamed in honor of Chase Richards who died from cancer at the age of two-years-old. His parents, Susan and Robin Richards, co-founded the Chase Foundation with the aim of ensuring that the Child Life Program was available at no cost to patients under the age of 21 and their families.

Through the Chase Foundation Annual Golf Tournament, held for the past 12 years to raise funds in support of the Chase Child Life services, the Maize family has generously participated in the sponsorship effort.
This year's tournament was held on November 9 at the El Caballero Country Club. Thousands of dollars were raised to ensure that every child admitted to Los Angeles Children's Hospital will be able to participate in and benefit from its Child Life program.

Richard Maize commented: "We were honored to be able to support the efforts of the Chase Child Life Services through our participation in this fun event...the event may be fun, but the intent behind it is deadly serious - We are talking about improving the lives of hospitalized children and their families"

According to Susan and Robin Richards, the Chase Foundation’s sole mission is to support the Chase Child Life Program which operates on the principle that the best medical care alone isn’t enough. The Child Life Staff addresses the emotional, social, and developmental needs of children. The Chase Child Life Program strives to promote optimum development of children and their families, to maintain normal living patterns and to minimize psychological trauma.
Their moving story is related in their web site: (http://www.chasefoundation.org)
"We lost our son, Chase, shortly after his second birthday. Cancer relentlessly took his life, but his last few weeks were spent in a hospital where, remarkably and thankfully, he was given the chance to be a child. In between procedures, Chase and his siblings met with Child Life Specialists who helped them learn how to deal with this terrible situation. They were able to play, draw, be with other children and forget about his illness, even if for only a few minutes, thanks to the Child Life Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. After Chase passed, we learned that only a fraction—about 25% of the hundreds of children at the hospital each day—had access to the program due to limited funding. We were determined to help secure the financial resources to see that every child at the hospital gains access to the Child Life Program and its art, play, therapy and interactive programs. We started a nonprofit organization—The Chase Foundation—to generate significantly more financial support for the Child Life Program and to create better play spaces for the children on every patient floor.

"When we founded the Chase Foundation there was one playroom and two specialists working with the kids. Because of our foundation's support there are now six playrooms, one Teen Lounge and 20 specialists. We will always remember how the children enjoyed playing at the hospital, and are determined to see that more children each year gain a few more moments of peace, fun and childhood in their incredible young lives and incessant battles with illness."

The Rochelle and Richard Maize Foundation is a philanthropic organization that supports and contributes volunteer and financial resources to local and worldwide causes. By providing financial support to focus on art, culture, family services and healthcare, the Rochelle and Richard Maize Foundation helps ensure that those in need and their families can live more fulfilling lives.

The Rochelle and Richard Maize Foundation generously supports foundations and causes such as the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, the American Cancer Society, Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, Hurricane Katrina, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Board of Governors, and the Jewish Maccabi Games, one of the world’s largest annual summer sporting competitions for Jewish youth.