Robert Fabrikant, donor and former Children's Specialized Hospital patient
At the height of the polio epidemic, Robert Fabrikant was just six years old and living in Elizabeth, NJ, when he woke up one morning and couldn’t move his left leg. As his parents feared, Robert had contracted polio.
He spent the next eight months of his young life at Children's Specialized Hospital (then known as Children’s Country Home) recovering. It was a scary and emotional time for Robert and his family, but looking back, he’s incredibly grateful for the expert care he received at Children's Specialized Hospital.
Now 80 years old, Robert is a lawyer and professor who lives an active and adventurous life. He has three children and seven grandchildren. He attributes much of his positive outlook and good health today to the miraculous care he received at Children's Specialized Hospital.
“In some ways,” Robert shared, “I was lucky to have polio. It forced me to become a kinder and more thoughtful person.”
He has clear memories of his doctors and nurses at Children's Specialized Hospital and recalls fondly their positive, thoughtful attitudes. He is also grateful for the innovative treatment that helped to shape his life—rather than lying still and resting, his doctors encouraged him to exercise and move his leg, a departure from the way polio patients had previously been treated. To this day, Robert works out at least an hour a day and he became a ping-pong champion.
“Children's Specialized Hospital is an important part of my history, and 75 years later, I feel indebted to my doctors and nurses for the expert and loving care I received,” said Robert. “I’m happy to be able to give back to this special organization and help ensure all children receive the kind of life-changing care I received.”
Since the end of the polio epidemic, Children's Specialized Hospital has grown exponentially to continue to meet the special healthcare needs of New Jersey’s children.
To learn more about how your financial plans can impact the future of Children's Specialized Hospital Foundation and continue its legacy of care, please contact Elena Herskowitz at 1-201-618-3133 or 1-888-CHILDREN ext. 55462 or eherskowitz@childrens-specialized.org.