FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital recognized Child Abuse Prevention Month by joining Child Advocacy Services to support the nationwide Pinwheels for Prevention campaign. Team members from across the ministry came together to plant pinwheels to support the annual awareness campaign.
“Child abuse and neglect can have long-lasting and harmful effects on a child's physical and emotional health, as well as their overall development,” said Shaun Kemmerly, MD, chief medical officer and interim president at FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health. “Children and families are our future. The ‘pinwheel gardens’ planted across our ministry are visual reminders that we all play a role in ensuring happy and healthy childhoods for children everywhere.”
Pinwheels for Prevention is part of a national movement to change the way people think about child abuse prevention. The campaign emphasizes the importance of learning about healthy child development, reinforcing positive parenting practices, and acting on behalf of the children and families in our communities. Blue is the designated color to bring awareness to child abuse prevention, and the pinwheel is the official symbol of the month-long observance. The blue and silver pinwheels represent the happy, healthy childhoods all children deserve.
Local Resources to End Child Abuse
If you suspect child abuse or neglect, immediately call the Louisiana Child Abuse Hotline at (855) 452-5437 or the National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 4-A-Child.