HAMPTON—The Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute’s (HUPTI) pediatric gift-giving program, HUPTI Smiles, recently received a $10,000 grant from the Chartway Promise Foundation (CPF) for use in the 2023 calendar year.
The donation will be used to buy gifts for the pediatric patients HUPTI treats in 2023 as the center works to update its children’s lounge to be more accessible and accommodating.
HUPTI Smiles, founded in 2021, is an ongoing charitable program designed to address the emotional needs of pediatric cancer patients and their families. This initiative is a project where children and young adults being treated at HUPTI receive a new, wrapped toy or gift card during their treatments.
HUPTI has collaborated with leading medical centers such as the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD), Portsmouth Naval, Virginia Commonwealth University, The University of Virginia, and others, to ensure young patients are recognized and feel special during their treatments, which can range up to 44 consecutive visits.
“HUPTI Smiles is an important part of achieving our mission of easing human misery and saving lives because providing a positive outlet for children and their parents during an unbelievable time can give them just enough motivation to keep going,” said Tiffany Rodgers, director of marketing at HUPTI, in a press release. “We understand how meaningful this project can be in helping the children and their families. I would like to thank Chartway Promise Foundation for providing organizations like ours with opportunities to provide a smile for our little ones battling cancer.”
