Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Partners with National Organization to Promote Child Safety

Falls Church, VA – (May 8, 2008) — In recognition of National Missing Children’s Day on May 25th, Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) are partnering to promote ways to keep children safe. Patients at the hospital will receive a special visit on Friday from Clicky, NCMEC’s NetSmartz spokesrobot. Members from NCMEC will also be on hand to help parents create Child ID kits.

WHAT:
Take 25, Promote Child Safety

WHEN:
Friday, May 9; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE:
Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children
5th Floor Child Life Room
3300 Gallows Road
Falls Church, VA

The goal is to promote Take 25, a national child safety campaign that encourages parents
to take time to talk to their children about ways to stay safe. Created by NCMEC, Take 25 promotes an ongoing dialogue between children, families, and communities about child safety.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC’s congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 546,600 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 138,400 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 121,500 children. For more information about NCMEC and the issue of missing and exploited children, call its toll-free, 24-hour Hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678) or visit www.missingkids.com.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit health care system based in Northern Virginia
that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency and urgent care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.