Annual tree-lighting ceremony to benefit UCSF Children's Hospital
Macy’s will illuminate thousands of holiday lights on its 85-foot-tall Union Square fir tree on Friday, November 24, with each twinkling light representing a donation to programs for children facing life-threatening illness at UCSF Children’s Hospital.
For the fourth year the hospital will be the beneficiary of the popular celebration that marks the official start of the holiday shopping season in San Francisco. The donation for sponsoring a light is $10. Donors receive a commemorative tree-lighting pin in return.
The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. UCSF Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Mark Laret will address participants, accompanied by honorary chair the Honorable Willie Brown, Jr., former mayor of the City of San Francisco, as well as children who are patients at UCSF Children’s Hospital. Participants also will enjoy a holiday program, musical entertainment and a special visit from Santa Claus, who will lead thousands of holiday revelers in a spirited countdown before throwing the switch that lights the tree.
Last year, donations raised through the tree lighting ceremony garnered more than $205,000. Donations can be made by phone by calling 888-689-UCSF or online by visiting Tree.
Proceeds from the tax-deductible donations go directly to the UCSF Children’s Hospital palliative care program, known as Compass Care.
Compass Care offers families and children a multi-disciplinary approach to palliative care, which is care provided at the latter stages of life. The program brings specially trained doctors, nurses, social workers, child life specialists, spiritual care staff and pharmacists together as a team to ensure that each child’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs are addressed at all stages of care.
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Federated Department Stores, Inc., has more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Macy’s operates through seven regionally based retail divisions - Macy’s East, Macy’s Florida, Macy’s Midwest, Macy’s North, Macy’s Northwest, Macy’s South, and Macy’s West - and an online store at macys.com. Supporting Macy’s for this San Francisco holiday tradition are Jet Blue Airways, Noddy, Starbucks, San Francisco Examiner, 7X7 and California Home & Design.
One of the nation’s top children’s hospitals, UCSF Children’s Hospital creates an environment where children and their families find compassionate care at the healing edge of scientific discovery, with more than 150 experts in 50 medical specialties serving patients throughout Northern California and beyond. The hospital admits approximately 5,600 children each year, including the 1,600 babies born there.
UCSF is a leading university that advances health worldwide by conducting advanced biomedical research, educating graduate students in the life sciences and health professions, and providing complex patient care.