Fondazione dell’Ospedale Pediatrico Anna Meyer
The Meyer Children's Hospital [https://www.fondazionemeyer.it/], located in Florence (Italy), is an official member of the European Network of Health Promoting Hospitals of the World Health Organization. Founded in 1884, the Hospital was one of the first medical institutions in Italy exclusively devoted to child health care from birth to adolescence. The original structure has subsequently been enlarged to accommodate the numerous additional services activated over the years. In 1995, Meyer's Hospital, along with the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Florence, due to recognition of its role as a highly specialized pediatric institution, became an independent health institution of the National Health System. Many of the hospital's services have been identified as specialized referral units not only domestically but also internationally.
The AOU Meyer is a highly specialized pediatric hospital and is the national reference center for complex cases spanning from type 1 and type 2 diabetes to rare subtypes such as MODY, LADA, Wolfram syndrome, transient and permanent neonatal diabetes, diabetes in genetic syndromes, cystic fibrosis–related diabetes (CFRD), cancer, etc.
The Meyer Pediatric Hospital Foundation was established on July 14, 2000, exclusively to support the communication, marketing, and fundraising activities of the medical center.
The Meyer IRCCS University Hospital (Institute for Hospitalization and Care of a Scientific Character) represents health excellence, and the Foundation supports it with key actions aimed at enhancing its technical-scientific point of view and helping the reception activities of children and families in the hospital.
The Foundation contributed to the creation of the "New Meyer" in 2007 and is currently alongside the hospital by financing Meyer+ (the hospital's expansion project), welcoming families, scientific research, health excellence projects, and the technological updating of the equipment, not least the game as a tool to support therapies and treatments.
All contributions collected by the Meyer Foundation allow the continued support of the many important activities and necessities for the Pediatric Hospital's lasting success. In addition to financing ongoing scientific research projects, the Foundation sustains the purchase of advanced equipment to improve the technical level of the hospital.
The Foundation also operates to make the hospital environment more pleasant with child-appropriate colors, furniture, and special play areas, while at the same time, financing projects such as in-house clowns, professional musicians, art exhibitions, playroom activities, garden and pet therapies
Many people contribute to this Foundation that Florentines are so proud of. To illustrate, taxi drivers generously provide free rides for children and their families traveling to Meyer for oncological tests. Reflecting back to 2008/09, during my time at the International Institute Machiavelli-Capponi, our school participated in a strike against the proposed Gelmini Law, which aimed to cut funds for education nationwide. As part of our student-led activities, I spearheaded the initiative to create special t-shirts emblazoned with a slogan, designed by myself, to raise funds for the cause. Three of my classmates joined me in organizing and executing this project. The proceeds from the t-shirt sales were donated to the Meyer Foundation, with receipts of the donation prominently displayed throughout the school. Whenever I have the opportunity to advocate for charitable causes within the companies I am affiliated with, I always prioritize supporting Meyer and its commendable efforts, both nationally and internationally, in saving children's lives
