$20,000 gift makes a splash for children’s water safety program

Dr. Daniel Dosoretz of 21st Century Oncology, Paula DiGrigoli of the Safe & Healthy Children’s Coalition of Collier County and Dr. Allen Weiss of NCH Healthcare System. COURTESY PHOTO 21st Century Oncology is diving into a water safety initiative in Collier County with a donation of $20,000 to support drowning prevention programs through the Safe and Healthy Children’s Coalition of Collier County.

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children under age 4 in Florida, and every year thousands of children are treated in emergency rooms for drowning-related incidents.

In Collier County, the NCH Healthcare System emergency rooms treated 70 water-related incidents involving infants and children in 2010. Nineteen children were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care or Pediatric Step Down Unit, with six of them requiring intubation.

Physicians Regional Healthcare System saw seven water-related incidents involving infants and children that required treatment at their emergency room between 2009-2010.

21st Century Oncology’s contribution will help 500 disadvantaged children in Collier County learn water safety through the SWIM Central program offered by the Safe & Healthy Children’s Coalition, according to Dr. Todd Vedder, chairman of the coalition and chief of pediatrics at NCH.

“Surrounded as we are by water, it is critical that every child growing up in Southwest Florida has a basic understanding of water safety and what they can do to keep themselves safe,” says Dr. Daniel Dosoretz of 21st Century Oncology, adding, “Our physicians and staff are proud to be a part of this water safety initiative.”

Through the SWIM Central program, certified water safety instructors and lifeguards provide 10, 30-minute swim lessons over a two-week period. Curriculum based lessons focus on floating, calling for help and being able to jump, kick and return to the pool wall.

For information about the Safe and Healthy Children’s Coalition of Collier County, call Paula DiGrigoli at 252-5361 or visit the coalition on Facebook. ¦