One of the most experienced pediatric orthopedic programs in the nation, with the states only pediatric-based sports medicine program.

The hospital uses its Domestic Affiliates Program to form this partnership with the other pediatric programs.

It is expanding its pain-management center and establishing a psychiatric unit, and will consolidate its pediatric programs in the new children's hospital.

The organization works to develop and support pediatric programs for medically underserved children in the United States.

Of those, 179 have involved live donors, with the pediatric program starting in 1993 and the adult program in 1998.

MPRI's pediatric program is affiliated with Riley Hospital for Children, which is ranked among the top 30 children's hospitals in the nation.

But FDA's pediatric program, backed by federal laws, has helped propel more clinical trials to be conducted in children.

Donations help the hospital provide a wide variety of pediatric programs, research, state of the art equipment, medical and nursing education, and assistance to families in crisis.

"There is a definite need," Ms. Logreira said, adding that neither town had pediatric programs.

Since 1977, she had been director of the pediatric program at Elizabeth General Hospital.