PARTNERING FOR CHANGE

Published by Mercy Care on Nov 26, 2018

Mercy Care LogoMercy Care and Feeding Matters have a lot in common. We both got our start in Arizona: Mercy Care in 1985 and Feeding Matters in 2006. We both provide care and services for children and their families. We both specialize in serving people with complicated health conditions. And when it is difficult or impossible for a child to eat, drink, or digest food normally, we both recognize a complicated health condition called pediatric feeding disorder, or PFD.

Mercy Care has partnered with Feeding Matters for years, providing financial support in the form of sponsorships and other resources to support research and awareness efforts addressing PFD. For example, Christi Lundeen, our chief innovation officer, helped draft the original business plan for Feeding Matters, back when their original name was P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. Today, Christi sits on Feeding Matters’ board of directors and provides information between our two organizations that helps families of a child with PFD get the therapies and other services they need. Mercy Care clinicians have provided guidance and information to Feeding Matters as they have developed their approach to service delivery and advocacy for families.

PFD can impact a child’s mental, emotional and developmental progress, in addition to their physical growth. Mercy Care serves thousands of members with developmental disabilities throughout Arizona. We’re familiar with the needs of families navigating PFD. That’s why we’ve also participated on the planning committee for Feeding Matters’ annual community luncheon, which raised more than $276,000 this year. We’re also sponsoring the 6th International Pediatric Feeding Disorder Conference (IPFDC) in January 2019.

Mercy Care is proud of our collaboration with Feeding Matters and the work that is underway to raise awareness of this often misunderstood diagnosis. We encourage other companies to also get involved. Healthier kids mean healthier communities, for all of us.