The Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Big Hearts for Little Hearts Desert Guild invites you to Hope Shines Under the Stars at Agua Caliente on Monday, March 13, 2023. Together, we can build hope for brighter, healthier futures for the children of the Coachella Valley. Over the past twenty-one years, the Desert Guild has prioritized the well-being of children right here in the Coachella Valley—providing hope and strength to families and caregivers through a variety of projects. This year, we’re focusing our efforts on raising funds for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer. Will you join us?

When a family learns a child has been diagnosed with cancer, more than anything, they need to know they’re not alone. By supporting research and treatment, we can offer these families strength, hope, treatment solutions and answers.

Current research at Loma Linda University Health demonstrates that pediatric patients respond more quickly than adults to treatment and reveals the hope that a cure for cancer is on the horizon. In response, the Desert Guild has committed $200,000 toward its goal of raising $1,000,000 for pediatric cancer research and treatment. With your support, we’ll be one step closer to finding a cure. (Sponsorship opportunities are outlined below.)

In the past two decades, the Desert Guild’s commitment to children and families of the Coachella Valley has resulted in the following:

● A much-needed Children's Clinic in the Coachella Valley: Loma Linda University Children's Health Indio, Jill and Barry Golden Pavilion which opened in 2017, and now serves more than 13,000 young patients.

● The establishment of the $1.5 Million Woolley-Pettis Pediatric Chair at Loma Linda University School of Pediatric Medicine to help assure the rigorous education of bright young doctors focusing on pediatric medicine.

● The Ken and Kathleen Venturi Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Pharmacy at the Children's Hospital to improve outcomes for our tiniest patients.

● Loma Linda's Flight for Life and Pediatric Care Transport Team so Coachella Valley children can be treated by the incredible doctors at Southern California's number one Pediatric Trauma Center at Loma Linda.

● Numerous pieces of life-saving equipment at the Hospital and the Indio Clinic, including raising $70,000 for a CATSmart, the Continuous Autotransfusion System, used to clean a patient’s blood in the operating room.

● As well as the thousands of teddy bears, blankets, warm socks and other comforting gifts distributed to patients and parents through the Desert Guild's Build-A-Bear Program, the Santa Stroll and the Bunny Hop at the Children's Hospital.

Won’t you join us under the stars to create hope and healing for the children and their families in our community? Together, we can support our neighbors and friends who may be experiencing the toughest diagnoses of their lives.

[DOWNLOAD] Sponsor Letter

[DOWNLOAD] Sponsorship Opportunities