The MGH recently was selected from an international group of 343 hospitals to receive the Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH) 1999 Award for Excellence for the hospital's participation in Children and Health Care Week. The award is given for creativity and scope of activities and events during the week, which took place the third week of March.

Mary Lou Kelleher, MS, RN, of MGH Pediatrics, chairperson of the Children and Health Care Week committee at the MGH, attributed this year's success to the energy and enthusiasm of the multidisciplinary team of employees who worked on the weeklong series of events. The MGH hosted more than 700 children and more than 600 adults during the week, which was created to bring attention to the special health care needs of children and their families.

The ACCH also has chosen the MGH to host the ACCH conference in the year 2000.

The 30 members of the Children and Health Care Week committee work all year to plan and raise money for the week through a variety of events. The committee's next fund-raising event will be a book fair held under the Bulfinch Tent June 21, 22 and 23, from 9 am to 4 pm.

Kelleher receives award from
Donald Brunnquell, PhD, LP, president of ACCH.