The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) awarded Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center its inaugural Impact Award for the hospital’s A Common Thread of Exceptional Care communications campaign. The award was presented on March 18 at the NACHRI/N.A.C.H. 2008 Creating Connections Conference in Miami, FL.

“Le Bonheur’s multi-media campaign is exceptionally ‘uncommon’ in its ability to evoke confidence, emotion and pride for its services and patients,” said Jackson Bain, Vice President of Public Affairs at NACHRI. “A Common Thread of Exceptional Care has set high standards for future Impact Award entries.”

Le Bonheur Children’s President and CEO Meri Armour said, “It’s an honor to be recognized by our peers at NACHRI. The overwhelming support for the Common Thread of Exceptional Care campaign at a local, regional and national level is powerful. We’re proud to be recognized for our success in building community awareness for the need to support children's health care in our community. "

A Common Thread of Exceptional Care is a multi-media communications campaign that relied on the talents of Academy Award winning actor and Mid-South native Morgan Freeman and the music of Nat King Cole to build support for the hospital’s capital campaign. Images of the hospital’s patients paired with a simple strand of red yarn paid homage to the sewing circle that raised funds to open the hospital in 1952, During the course of the campaign, the yarn provided a versatile and nimble platform to build the hospital’s case for community support, taking the form of jump ropes, hair ribbons, kite strings and "reminders" tied to the fingers of children who have benefited from hospital care.

The NACHRI Impact Award recognizes excellence in public relations, communications and marketing campaigns for children’s hospitals and child health programs. Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center was one of nine finalists selected to present entries at the NACHRI conference by a panel of public relations, marketing and communications professionals at children’s hospitals.

The Common Thread campaign was also named best in show by Healthcare Marketing Report’s Healthcare Advertising Awards, Marketing Healthcare Today’s Aster Awards, Tennessee Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations PRISM Awards, Arkansas Public Relations Society of America’s PRISM Awards and the Public Relations Society of America, Memphis Chapter’s Vox Awards.