Longtime Children’s National Supporter Honored as “Heroine of Washington”

This year, Children's National is proud to call a longtime supporter a “2017 Heroine of Washington.” On Nov. 2, longtime supporter and volunteer Lisa Friedlander was honored with the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Heroine award by the March of Dimes for her commitment to community service, specifically for her leadership with Children's National's annual Heartsongs event.

Heartsongs has raised more than $1.1 million since its inception 15 years ago, helping fund parent sleeper chairs and sofas, music and art therapy supplies, incubators for premature babies and other pieces of medical equipment, renovations to waiting rooms, an apartment for families who travel to Washington for medical care, and many additional items to help patients and families at Children’s National. Heartsongs honors the legacy of Mattie Stepanek, a well-known patient and acclaimed author and speaker who lost his battle with muscular dystrophy at the age of 13.

“Sometimes we feel that as individuals, we can’t do much to change the world, but one act of kindness, like supporting Heartsongs and Children’s National, always has a ripple effect,” Lisa said.

Lisa’s connection to Children’s National began 17 years ago, when her oldest daughter was born prematurely, weighing only 1.5 lbs. Jaclyn spent 87 days in the NICU, and Lisa credits the doctors and nurses at Children’s National for saving Jaclyn’s life on multiple occasions.

With a concurrent mission and close relationship with Children’s National, the March of Dimes is also near to Lisa’s heart with its mission to help prevent premature births. Additionally, Lisa’s mother was recognized for a March of Dimes award for her work for the homeless. Lisa credits her mom as “the reason why giving back to our community was instilled in me for my entire life.”

The March of Dimes’ annual Heroines of Washington event was held at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Va. Awards were presented to the 24 “Heroine of Washington” finalists in the categories of healthcare, professional services, public sector, real estate, and technology, including Lisa's Lifetime Achievement award. Congratulations, Lisa!

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