1. family and parenting
2. children

CHILDTIMES
Produced for Friends of Children’s Medical Center • 2007, Issue 1
To our readers
Dear Friends,
As we brought 2006 to a close, all of us at Children’s were reminded of
those who have so generously supported our mission and vision progress
over the last year. We continue to be grateful for and inspired by our
community’s dedication to our mission to make life better for children.
Thanks to your generosity and investment, great things are happening at
Children’s. As you will read in this issue, we are pleased to have opened the
Ambulatory Care Pavilion in Dallas and we look forward to providing the
same outstanding outpatient specialty care in a new facility with easier
access for families. In addition, we celebrate the fact that Children’s has
been named one of the country’s Top 25 pediatric hospitals and Top 10
pediatric cardiac programs by Child magazine — a testament to the passion
and commitment to excellence in research, patient care and education of
our medical staff and employees.
Featured in this issue are the stories of how cardiac surgeons on our
medical staff implanted the first ventricular assist device to sustain a
patient’s life until a heart transplant could be performed, and of the success
of our Dean Foods LEAN Families Program designed to help children and
families support the development of life-long habits of good nutrition and
healthy activities. We hope that you enjoy reading about these and other
examples of our groundbreaking clinical work.
Thank you again for your support of Children’s.
Best wishes to all of you and your families for
a happy, healthy new year.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Durovich
President and Chief Executive Officer
Contents
Features
Treats for the Imagination 15
The Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade rolls through the
streets of Downtown Dallas for the 19th consecutive year, ringing in the
holidays with a colorful combination of pageantry, fantasy and fun for
thousands of people lining the parade route and millions watching at
home on television.
On the cover
To Be the First 18
Michael Gonzales, 15, makes medical history at Children’s by becoming
the first pediatric patient in Texas — and only the third in the United
States — to receive a liver, heart and kidney transplant.
Early Discoveries 20
Part I of a two-part series
Thanks to advances in fetal diagnostic capabilities, cardiac experts on
the medical staff at Children’s were prepared to provide specialized
care for Ryan and Reece Robertson — twins diagnosed before birth with
identical heart defects — to sustain their lives until a delicate surgical
repair could be performed.
Something Lost, Something Gained 22
The Searle family develops healthy eating habits after successfully
completing the Dean Foods LEAN (Lifestyle Exercise And Nutrition)
Families Program, administered through the Clinical Nutrition
department at Children’s.
Departments
Children’s News 2
Children’s kicks off the New Year with the opening of the Ambulatory
Care Pavilion in Dallas while the hospital’s cardiac care program earns
a Top 10 ranking in a national survey conducted by Child magazine.
Medical News 4
Two of the hospital’s physician leaders receive national honors, the
Sleep Disorders Center expands and a recent study led by an oncologist
on the Children’s medical staff discovers new risks for childhood
leukemia and brain tumor survivors.
Philanthropic News 6
A $1.5 million gift from the Hoblitzelle Foundation provides Children’s
with a new epilepsy monitoring unit, Kohl’s contributions reach the
$1 million mark and LegacyTexas Bank deposits $800,000 for
Children’s Legacy in Plano.
Thanks to minimally invasive surgery available only at Children’s, two tiny
scars on 12-year-old Hannah Borg’s abdomen are the only visible signs that
she has spent any time at the hospital. The healthy sixth-grader enjoys
playing soccer and spending time with family and friends. At age 10, she
began enduring recurrent kidney infections, and X-rays showed a partial
blockage of the drainage system of the kidney. Dr. Linda Baker, a pediatric
urologist on the medical staff at Children’s and associate professor of
Urology at UT Southwestern, discovered that Hannah also had the birth
defect called horseshoe kidney, which affects about one in 500 children.
During fetal development, as the kidneys move into their normal position,
horseshoe kidneys fuse together at the lower end, forming a “U” shape.
Dr. Baker performed a laparoscopic pyeloplasty operation to repair the
blockage in Hannah’s horseshoe kidney. Dr. Baker and Dr. Duncan Wilcox, a
pediatric urologist on the medical staff at Children’s and associate professor
of Urology at UT Southwestern, are two of only a few physicians in the nation
capable of performing laparoscopic surgery for pediatric Urology patients.
Community News 24
Children’s leads an enrollment drive for the Children’s Health
Insurance Program at four area YWCA facilities, the hospital sponsors
an Allosaurus and the Children’s Clean Team gives away 80,000 hand
wipes at the State Fair of Texas.
Volunteer News 26
Nancy Wenning is inspired by the level of care she sees daily at
Children’s, teen Courtney Ludwig sees volunteering as a career move
and former patient Margaret Pond knows how to relate to patients.
ChildTimes is published quarterly by the Marketing & Public Relations
department of Children’s Medical Center Dallas, 1935 Motor Street, Dallas,
Texas, 75235. If you have comments or questions, please call us at
214-456-5314 or email us at [email protected].
For more information about Children’s, visit www.childrens.com.
Ambulatory Care Pavilion in
Dallas opens for patient care
Children’s News
hildren’s opened its new Ambulatory Care Pavilion in Dallas on Jan. 2,
ushering in the New Year with a new level of care and convenience for
the children of North Texas.
The facility focuses on outpatient care, for which the hospital saw more than
200,000 visits in the past year. Outside, a resurfaced parking lot just off the
access road to I-35 and
Motor Street allows
visitors to park directly
in front of the building.
Available valet services
add to the convenience.
Inside, the six-floor,
130,000-square-foot
Pavilion houses more
than 140 exam rooms,
a large physiThe Ambulatory Care Pavilion in Dallas is located for
cal/occupational thera- easy access just off Stemmons Freeway.
py gym, six audiology
booths and various diagnostic and therapeutic programs.
The clinical space has been designed using a “neighborhood” concept,
placing outpatient services in clusters to improve the efficiency of care delivery
and to reduce stress for patients and their families, said Chris Dougherty, vice
president of Ambulatory Services.
Fourth floor neighborhoods:
•Endocrinology, GI, Urology, Genetics/Metabolism, Nutrition
•Plastic Surgery, Orthodontics
Fifth floor neighborhoods:
•ENT, Audiology, Speech
•Allergy, Immunology, Asthma, Pulmonary, Cystic Fibrosis, Pulmonary
Function Lab
•Neurology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rheumatology, Surgery,
Trauma, Pain Management, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy,
Adaptive Seating program
“Our goal is that every patient
will spend at least 50 percent of his
or her entire ambulatory encounter
receiving the clinical care he came
for,” Dougherty said. “That entire
clinical encounter includes parking,
wayfinding and all the processing
and waiting that can occur during
the visit.”
The Dallas Pavilion features a
dedicated patient education area on
the fourth floor. The large conference room, which can be divided in
The Dallas Pavilion features 130,000 square feet of space housing
two, can handle large patient educa140 exam rooms.
tion classroom activities such as diabetes education programs. Several smaller consultative areas for smaller group
educational activities also are available.
The benefits include better settings to educate patients and families outside
clinic times and the ability to expand educational services.
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C
Children’s ranked
among nation’s Top 25
The February issue of Child magazine
solidifies the place Children’s holds
among the country’s top
pediatric healthcare institutions.
Child magazine ranks the hospital as
one of the top 25 providers nationally
for overall pediatrics, and the
Children’s cardiac program is listed
among the top 10. Only one other
hospital in the state — Texas
Children’s Hospital in Houston —
earned top 25 overall status.
“We are honored to be recognized
by Child magazine as one of the leaders in our industry,” said Christopher J.
Durovich, president and chief
executive officer of Children’s. “All of
our employees have played a
significant role in reaching this status
by virtue of their daily commitment to
the children that we serve. We are
extremely proud of our cardiac team
for its top 10 ranking, and I know that
each of us will use this ranking as
motivation to continue
striving toward this
achievement in
many more lines
of service.
Together we can
start the year
with a renewed
commitment to
expanding our base of
knowledge, to implementing better
systems and processes and to
providing better customer service —
all of which indicate preeminent care
for the children of our region.”
The rankings were based on an
exhaustive, nine-month investigation
of pediatric hospitals that are full
members of the National Association
of Children’s Hospitals and Related
Institutions. The hospitals were
assessed on vital medical information
(survival rates, the number of
complex procedures and intricate
surgeries conducted, volume of
research studies, efforts to reduce
medical errors and training for
doctors and nurses) as well as
child-friendliness, family support and
community involvement.
Patients, families place notes
of gratitude on Thanksgiving Tree
T
hanksgiving comes but once a year, but Volunteer Services gave patients and
families at Children’s nearly a week to express thanks for the care they
Campaign highlights
commitment to safety
We accessorize. We talk back.
We I.D.
Ask Me Why.
receive at the hospital.
Linda Golden, a volunteer with 3,000 hours of service to Children’s, initiated
this year’s Thanksgiving Tree as a way for patients and staff to write words of
thanks on leaves that are taped to the branches. Gillian Norris, a community
No two employees
at Children’s may
respond alike.
volunteer, also helped with the project.
“The holiday season is a time for giving, and we wanted to provide the
patients and their families an outlet to express their emotions,” said Cassie
Collins, director of Volunteer Services.
“The notes people
attached to the
Thanksgiving Tree
are humbling and
remind us of the
essential role
Children’s plays in
the lives of so many
young people.”
— Cassie Collins,
Director of Volunteer Services
“The notes people attached to the
Thanksgiving Tree are humbling and
remind us of the essential role
Children’s plays in the lives of so
many young people.”
“Because my badge
tells others who I am
and what my qualifications are.”
“Because it’s important for me to read back verbal and
telephone orders.”
“Because I need to properly identify a patient before
providing any care.”
More than 130 leaves were
attached to the tree while it was
mounted on a window near the
Whistle Stop from Nov. 18 to Nov. 24.
The tone of the notes ranged from
appreciative, “I am thankful for my
princess, Lizette” to somber, “You were
my twin. Will miss you so much.”
But while the responses may differ, the underlying
answer is the same: Because patient safety is the top
priority at Children’s.
During National Healthcare Quality Week, Children’s
kicked off the “Ask Me Why” campaign to demonstrate
a commitment to safety and to remind others that
everyone can play an important role in patient safety.
The campaign uses posters with clever slogans to
encourage patient family interaction with caregivers
about safety.
In addition to the posters, staff and employees are
wearing buttons that read “Ask Me Why” to urge
parents and visitors to ask questions. The campaign
covers everything from hand hygiene and proper
identification to privacy.
“By educating families and inviting them to ask questions
about the care their child is receiving, they become
involved members of the safety team,” said Dr. Fiona
Levy, vice president of Quality at Children’s. “We want
to empower parents and visitors to find out what
physicians, nurses and hospital staff are doing to
protect their child.”
La-Kemya Ross and her sons, 3-year-old L’Kyron, and 5-year-old Oncology patient ZiKarryus, place a leaf on the Thanksgiving Tree.
The “Ask Me Why” campaign continues long past
Quality Week, Dr. Levy said. New messages will be
distributed on a continuing basis to address safety
topics for visitors, families, employees and medical staff
members.
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Physician leaders receive
prestigious national honors
o remain a fixture among the country’s most respected pediatric
hospitals, Children’s relies on the leadership of its administrators
and outstanding medical staff. Recently, two of Children’s most distinguished leaders were honored for their achievements and impact within the
national medical community.
Medical News
T
Chief of Pediatrics at Children’s
elected to Institute of Medicine
Dr. George Lister, chief of Pediatrics
at Children’s and chairman of the
department of Pediatrics at UT
Southwestern, was one of only 65
members elected to the Institute of
Medicine in 2006, one of the
country’s highest honors for
medical researchers.
The IOM is a component of the
National Academies, an independent
organization that advises the federal
government on issues affecting science, engineering and the practice of
medicine. Election to active membership is one of the most prestigious honors
a physician can achieve.
At UT Southwestern and Children’s, Dr. Lister leads 15 academic divisions.
His research has focused on how to care for children with heart or lung
problems. He also led a national research group to study the utility of home
monitoring for infants at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The results
of these studies changed our national policy for care of these infants.
Buchanan named 2007 Distinguished
Career Award winner
Dr. George Buchanan, chief of HematologyOncology at Children’s and professor of
Pediatrics at UT Southwestern, received
the 2007 Distinguished Career Award
presented by the American Society of
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
The ASPHO Distinguished Career
Award is given annually to a senior
physician who during his career has
made a major impact on the subspecialty,
through some combination of research,
education, patient care and advocacy.
Under the leadership of Dr. Buchanan, the Center for Cancer and Blood
Disorders at Children’s has become an international center of excellence in
patient care, education, clinical and laboratory research and advocacy.
4 G 2007, Issue 1
Sleep Center expands
to accommodate
more patients
The Sleep Disorders Center at
Children’s has opened a new five-bed
unit offering the full array of services
and specialties to accurately diagnose
and fully treat every medical, psychological and behavioral sleep disorder.
With three board-certified
physicians on the medical staff and
significantly reduced wait times, the
Children’s sleep service now is able to
see a greater number of patients in a
shorter amount of time. Led by
medical director Dr. Kamal Naqvi, an
assistant professor of pediatrics at UT
Southwestern, the center is a
nationally recognized, fully accredited
dedicated sleep disorders center and
is affiliated with UT Southwestern.
The program, which is the only
one of its kind in the Metroplex, offers
inpatient and outpatient sleep studies
to accommodate the full spectrum of
conditions from standard sleep studies
for healthy outpatients to severe
pulmonary or neuromuscular disease.
The wait time for sleep studies is two
to three weeks, reduced from four
months, with emergency cases seen in
as little as 24 hours.
Sleep studies are state-of-the-art,
18-channel recordings incorporating
all respiratory, cardiac, gastrointestinal
and neurological parameters. The
studies are beneficial in diagnosing
patients who present a number of
symptoms. Screening to determine
whether a patient needs a sleep study
can be done by asking a few simple
questions.
Procedures include multiple forms
of polysomnograms tailored to specific
conditions such as Multiple Sleep
Latency Test for narcolepsy and
Maintenance of Wakefulness test for
daytime sleepiness. In addition, the
multidisciplinary sleep medicine staff
includes pediatricians, neurologists,
pulmonologists, child psychiatrists and
child psychologists.
Procedure helps widen
damaged airways in
premature infants
Children born prematurely (between 25 and
36 weeks gestation) have not developed
sufficient lung capacity to adequately
breathe on their own.
As such, doctors must intubate those
patients (place a tube in their throats) to
allow a ventilator to breathe for them
until they are ready to be extubated about
one to three months later. Some need an
artificial tube, called a tracheotomy tube, to
be placed in their windpipe through their
neck to wean them from the ventilator and
get them home.
But prolonged intubation can scar a child’s
voice box to where surgery is required
because of a restricted airway. The procedure, called laryngotracheal reconstruction,
widens the windpipe so the child eventually
won’t have to further rely on a tracheostomy to breathe.
Bowers leads study showing increased
stroke risk for survivors of childhood
leukemia, brain tumors
r. Daniel Bowers, an oncologist on the medical staff at Children’s and associate
professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern, is the lead author of a recently
published study that shows that long-term survivors of childhood leukemia and brain
tumors are at increased risk of stroke years after their cancer treatment has ended.
The research, conducted as part of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, was
published in the November edition of the
Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“It is important for
“This is the first study to show that
childhood leukemia and brain tumor sursurvivors and their
vivors are at an increased risk of stroke,”
doctors to know
Dr. Bowers said. “These strokes can occur
that the impact of
10 to 20 years after diagnosis, when most
some of these longpeople believe they are no longer at risk for
new side effects of treatment.”
term effects can be
Leukemia and brain tumors together
reduced
through
account for 53 percent of all cancers
careful follow-up
diagnosed in children younger than 15.
Current five-year survival rates are nearly
screening and care,
80 percent for leukemia and 74 percent
and education to
for brain tumors.
help survivors stay
Treatment for both diseases involves
healthy long after
therapy that targets the central nervous
system; brain tumors usually require
their treatment
moderate- or high-dose radiation therapy,
has ended.”
known as cranial radiotherapy. Leukemia
— Dr. Daniel Bowers,
treatments include drugs injected directly
Oncologist
into the spinal fluid.
D
In most cases, a portion of cartilage from
the patient’s ribcage is used as molding to
reconstruct the airway. Doctors make an
incision in the neck, open the voice box
without injuring the vocal cords and rid the
area of excess scar tissue.
Dr. John McClay, a member of the medical
staff at Children’s and an associate professor
in Pediatric Otolaryngology at UT
Southwestern, said the hospital conducts
10 to 12 of these operations each year.
The goal, he said, is to create a center at
Children’s that can take care of all airway
problems in children.
“Children’s has some of the best equipment
and is the best facility in North Texas to
take care of kids with complex airway
problems,” Dr. McClay said. “We understand that each child has his/her own
unique issues to deal with, and we continually try to formulate the best treatment
options for these complex kids.”
Dr. Daniel Bowers, who specializes in childhood brain tumors, visits with a patient.
Dr. Bowers led a recent study showing that survivors of childhood leukemia and
brain tumors are at an increased risk of stroke.
“It is important for survivors and their doctors to know that the impact of some
of these long-term effects can be reduced through careful follow-up screening and care,
and education to help survivors stay healthy long after their treatment has ended,”
Dr. Bowers said. “This study shows that we’re not there yet. These efforts must be
increased and improved.”
Children’s is the only North Texas institution participating in the National
Institutes of Health-sponsored Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.
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Philanthropic News
Annual tennis tournament raises more than
$130,000 for cancer research, treatment
early 600 tennis players ages 8 to 18 from
around the region descended on the High Point
Tennis Center in Plano Sept. 16-17 for the 16th
annual Children Helping Children Junior Singles Tennis
Tournament presented by Capital One.
This year’s tournament raised more than $130,000,
with half of the proceeds going to support the Center for
Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s and half going
to the hospital’s After the Cancer Experience program.
Since 1991, the Children Helping Children event has
raised more than $1.8 million for vital clinical research
and treatment programs at Children’s aimed at fighting
pediatric cancers.
Players participated in super championship,
championship and regular singles matches sanctioned
by the United States Tennis Association and the Texas
Tennis Association.
For Pam and Ken Sumrow, the tournament is the perfect way to combine the family’s love of tennis with their
desire to help other families facing the challenge of caring
for a child with cancer.
N
Above: Pam Sumrow, event co-chair, congratulates Chelsea
Young of McKinney for being one of the top fund-raisers.
Right: Hudson Akin, executive vice president of the
Children’s Office of Development, thanks Tyler Womack a
four-year tournament participant from Hurst for sharing the
powerful story of his cousin, whose heart was donated to a
Children’s patient after he was involved in a fatal accident.
6 G 2007, Issue 1
Kent Eastman, Dallas-Fort Worth president and commercial banking manager for Capital One, and Ken Sumrow,
event co-chair.
Ken is director of the High Point Tennis Center, while
Pam serves as the tournament’s co-chair. Their son, Clint,
was treated at Children’s for cancer at an early age.
“When we first started this I didn’t know how kids
would react to this tournament,” Ken said. “They
obviously have done a wonderful job.”
Clint recently graduated from the University of Texas
at Austin.
“Obviously this is a special event to us,” Pam said.
“Children’s was so important to our son’s life. They helped
him get healthy and helped him through his recovery. We
always wanted to give something back.”
Tournament is more than just
a sporting event for players
or the top male and female fund-raisers in the 2006 Children Helping
Children tennis tournament presented by Capital One, it’s not the
sport that motivates these players — it’s the opportunity to support the
search for new cures and treatments for pediatric cancers.
Nina Quirk, a 12-year-old player who attends Renner Middle School in Plano,
entered the tournament for the first time in 2005. At the kickoff party
before the first day of play, she heard a patient from the Center for
Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s tell his story.
“Then I understood the medical reason for the tournament,” she said.
“Tennis was kind of a bonus.”
In her first year of fund-raising, Nina
went door-to-door to raise $250. This year,
she launched a fund-raising Web page
through www.childrens.com. As a result,
Quirk surpassed her goal of raising
$2,000 and reached almost $3,000.
For Jeffrey Feldman, raising funds to
support pediatric cancer research took on
new meaning when one of his classmates,
whom he had known since kindergarten,
lost her battle with cancer.
The 15-year-old sophomore at The
Shelton School has played in the tennis
Jeffrey Feldman raised nearly
tournament for five years and has been
$11,000 for cancer research.
fund-raising for the past two. In August, he
began sending letters to family and friends to raise pledges and then
thanked each contributor with a personal phone call.
He raised almost $11,000 — eclipsing his 2005 total of more
than $8,000.
“When you win a tennis match, it’s not that big of a deal in reality,”
Feldman said. “But when you raise money for a cause, that’s serious;
you can actually help other people.”
F
From left, Tom, Theresa, Jamie and Nina Quirk of Plano are congratulated
by Christopher J. Durovich, president and chief executive officer of
Children’s, for Nina being the top female fund-raiser.
2006 Children Helping Children
Junior Singles Tennis Tournament
Sponsors
Presenting
Capital One
Exhibition
UnitedHealthcare
KTVT-TV Channel 11
Championship
Fossil
Head/Penn
The Prince Sports Group
Wilson
Ace
Dallas Stars
Jones Soda
Llano Utility Services, Inc.
Northcut & Associates:
Investments and Insurance
The Shops at Willow Bend
Sundog Eyewear
Advantage
Central Market – Plano
Don Grimes, Real Estate Appraiser
Firehouse Subs
Metrocrest Orthopaedics
and Sports Medicine
Metroplex Tennis League
Pro Staff Personnel Services
Tournament Friends
Department 56 Sales, Inc.
Domino’s Pizza
Global Views
John Newcombe Tennis Ranch
Lufthansa Airlines
Six Flags Over Texas
Sodexho Health Care Services
Southwest Airlines
Swiss American Products
Tom Thumb
Whataburger
Children’s extends a
special thanks to its 2006 court sponsors.
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Philanthropic News
Estess honored for three decades of service
to Children’s, community at large
andra Estess has been named the 2006 Outstanding Volunteer
Fundraiser by the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Association of
Fundraising Professionals. The award was presented at the 21st annual
awards luncheon on Nov. 2 celebrating National Philanthropy Day.
Estess has devoted more than 30 years to the advocacy of quality healthcare and education for all children and in service to the community. She has
been a key advocate for Children’s since the 1970s when she was a volunteer
in the Social Work department. Over the years she expanded her work with
Children’s to include membership on the boards of Texas Health Services,
Children’s Medical Center and the Children’s Medical Center Foundation
Board of Trustees.
In 2005 Estess received the Distinguished Service to Children’s Award
from the hospital in recognition of her volunteer leadership of the successful
$150 million wePromise Campaign for Children’s Dallas.
The wePromise Campaign was the most ambitious and successful
fund-raising effort in the history of Children’s, ending one year early and
surpassing the goal to raise $160 million. The campaign allowed Children’s to expand patient care floors, towers and
buildings, as well as enhance clinical programs and recruit physician sub specialists.
Currently, Estess serves on the boards of Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Children’s Health Services of Texas and the
Children’s Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees. She also is a member of the Foundation’s executive committee.
S
Luncheon, letter-writing campaign kick off
Circle of Friends fund-raising efforts for Red Wagon Fund
Almost 3,000 letters were signed at the annual September
the number of individual donors who give a minimum of
luncheon to begin the 2006 Circle of Friends Committee
$1,000 annually.
fund-raising initiative. The letter-writing campaign is
Last year more than 800 contributors responded to the
focused on raising gifts of $1,000 or more to support the
committee’s letter campaign. Their names are inscribed
Red Wagon Annual Fund at Children’s.
on a wagon-shaped display in the lobby of the hospital.
This year the committee of more than 30 volunteer
“We have a wonderful committee this year that is
community leaders is seeking to obtain 100 percent
genuinely committed to Children’s,” said Caren Kline,
committee participation while substantially increasing
2006 chair of the Circle of Friends committee. “I am
From left, Barbara Stuart, Margaret
Hancock and Debbie Francis discuss ways
to make this year’s campaign even more
successful.
confident their efforts over the next year will be
extremely successful.”
The Red Wagon Fund, named after the red wagons
used to transport patients in the hospital, is a general
fund that provides vital assistance to Children’s. The
fund’s undesignated gifts can be applied quickly
where they are needed most.
The Circle of Friends Committee
originated in 1998 under the leadership
of Randi Halsell.
Home giveaway raises funds
for children in North Texas
Donated by Meritage Homes and worth an estimated
$500,000, the All-Star Miracle Home was raffled to one
lucky winner Feb. 28. The raffle was expected to raise
needed funds for Children’s, Cook Children’s Medical
Center in Fort Worth and the Dallas Mavericks
Foundation.
Hoblitzelle gift brings latest
technology to epilepsy patients
hanks to a $1.5 million gift from the Hoblitzelle Foundation, Children’s is
the proud home of a state-of-the-art epilepsy monitoring unit.
The EMU is located on the sixth floor of the hospital. The 3,600-square-foot,
six-bed unit is staffed by nurses, technicians and two full-time physicians on the
medical staff with expertise in epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
T
The two-story, 4,000-square-foot All-Star Miracle
Home is located in Carrollton. The home is completely
furnished, courtesy of Ashley Furniture Homestores,
fully landscaped and features a deluxe swimming pool
courtesy of Anthony & Sylvan Pools. The home is open
every day from noon to 5 p.m. for complimentary tours
hosted by RE/MAX agents.
Founded in 1996 in Phoenix, The Home of Miracles,
now called the All-Star Miracle Home, is a nationally
recognized home giveaway program that has resulted in
more than $8 million raised for charity and six home
winners to date.
Hudson Akin, executive vice president of Development
at Children’s, leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony
and grand opening celebration for the All-Star
Miracle Home.
For years, Meritage Homes, a national home builder,
has hosted the program by donating a fully furnished
home and raffling it off to one winner. This year, through
a relationship with Children’s Miracle Network, Meritage
Homes is hosting the program in the Metroplex.
By purchasing a $100 entry, participants had a chance to
win a luxury home while making miracles happen for
children in the community. For more information, call
877-564-7225 or visit the Web site at
www.allstarmiraclehome.com/dfw, where you can view
floor plans, take a virtual tour and see photos of the
home.
Douglas Lowe looks over his 7-year-old daughter, Elaina, during her stay in the new
epilepsy monitoring unit.
Advances in technology mean patients on the EMU now can leave their rooms
and play in a staffed playroom while continuing to be monitored. Five rooms in
the critical care unit also are networked to the EMU, allowing professional staff
to maintain 24-hour records on patients’ post-epilepsy surgical conditions.
This networking allows interpreting physicians at the hospital to read the
electroencephalogram from any computer at any time, on or off campus.
“Cutting-edge video-EEG monitoring will be utilized to make and confirm
diagnosis in some patients, while in others it will provide information for us
to choose a better treatment plan,” said Dr. Susan Arnold, director of the
Pediatric Epilepsy Program at Children’s and associate professor of Neurology
at UT Southwestern.
With the expansion of the EMU, the hospital now is better suited to serve
epilepsy patients who need a more comprehensive evaluation of their disorder to
determine proper treatment.
2007 Family Night at Six Flags set for April 13
On Friday, April 13, Family Night at Six Flags will celebrate its 39th year of fun and
fund-raising for Children’s. The event will take place from 5 to 11 p.m. and will feature
special entertainment during the evening on various stages throughout the park.
Family Night at Six Flags is sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s. Tom
Thumb Food and Pharmacy has returned as the presenting sponsor. All proceeds
from the evening will go to fund the Women’s Auxiliary 12th Floor Critical Care Unit
at Children’s.
Advance tickets for Family Night at Six Flags can be purchased for $25 each and
are available at the customer service desk of all Tom Thumb, Tom Thumb Flagship and
Simon David stores. Tickets will be available at the gate the night of the event and by
calling 214-456-8371. Children ages 2 and younger will be admitted free.
ChildTimes
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9
Coming full circle
Philanthropic News
Children’s Circle of Care members make a difference for children – including their own
compelling firsthand account at the fall reception for the
2006 Children’s Circle of Care conveyed a powerful
message to the group that their support of Children’s
touches the lives of all families — including their own members.
Kelly and Steve Gruber, current members, shared the story
of their 1-year-old daughter, Sadie, who was diagnosed with
Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. For the
Grubers, having access to world-class medicine, physicians and
research at Children’s will make a crucial difference in their lives
and to Sadie’s.
The annual reception, hosted in the home of Children’s Circle
of Care members Alan and Randy Engstrom, honors the
generosity of individuals who make gifts annually of $10,000 or
Former Children’s CEO James Farnsworth and wife
Betty with Children’s Trustee Ken Klaveness.
more to Children’s.
“We are so grateful for the members’ dedication to Children’s each year,” said Hudson
Akin, executive vice president of Development.
“Their commitment to give at this level
expands our ability to develop the best patient
care and to treat the thousands of children who
In the beginning of their membership in the Children’s Circle of
seek our help.”
Care, the support of Children’s simply aligned with Kelly and
Children’s is one of 22 pediatric hospitals
Steve Gruber’s personal philosophy of community philanthropy.
in North America that participate in the
The couple became involved with the Children’s Circle of
International Children’s Circle of Care organiCare through some friends. Gruber is a founding partner of the
zation. Founded in 1995, the group’s mission is
law firm Blumenthal & Gruber.
to advance philanthropic support and advocacy
Steve was a believer in the hospital’s mission, but with two
for the health and well-being of children by
healthy children at home, he had never experienced it. Then,
educating and recognizing leading benefactors
last October, Sadie was born. During a routine checkup, the
of participating children’s hospitals.
pediatrician recognized symptoms for Beckwith-Wiedemann
Individuals who gave
Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes an overgrowth of
$10,000 or more in 2006
cells. The disorder makes Sadie highly susceptible to tumors or
are recognized by the
aggressive pediatric cancers.
Children’s Circle of Care
“It was a bad and confusing
and are invited to the 2007
time,” Gruber said. “And we had
Leadership Conference &
another problem; with such a
Gala, May 2-4 in Boston.
rare syndrome, where could we
For more information
find help?”
about giving, call the
The answer was at Children’s.
Office of Development at
Dr. Gail Tomlinson, director of the
214-456-8360.
After the Cancer Experience (ACE)
Program in the Center of Cancer
Above: Children’s Circle of
and Blood Disorders at Children’s
Care Reception hosts
and associate professor of Pediatrics
Randy and Alan Engstrom.
at UT Southwestern, is a pediatric
Steve and Kelly Gruber
Right: Coco and Tony Good
oncologist experienced in treating
of Alliance Data.
children with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome.
Sadie will have to be screened for cancer every six weeks until
the age of 5. “But if cancer does happen, I know we will find it,
and it will be taken care of,” Gruber said.
“What does it mean to have a hospital that attracts
preeminent pediatric specialists? It means everything,” Gruber
said. “I had to tell everyone about the good things that were
happening at Children’s.
“I went from being a believer to a disciple.”
10 G 2007, Issue 1
A
Couple’s support for
Children’s goes both ways
Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon
raises money, awareness for Children’s
Kohl’s contributions to hospital
reach $1 million with latest gift
The fifth annual Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon, held Sept. 79, raised more than $370,000 for the first time this year. The event
was broadcast by The New 103.7 lite fm.
Proceeds from the radiothon will be divided between Children’s
and Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth.
The Radiothon aired a number of miracle stories and profiles of
children who survived life-threatening illnesses and injuries, as well as
interviews with caretakers at Children’s and Cook Children’s. Stories
also covered information about services offered at both pediatric hospitals.
Children’s Miracle Network is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children by raising funds and awareness for
170 children’s hospitals throughout North America. Proceeds raised in
each region go directly to support children’s hospitals in that region.
A recent gift of more than $250,000 to Children’s through
the Kohl’s Cares for Kids program has lifted the Wisconsinbased retailer’s combined giving to Children’s to more than
$1 million over the past six years.
The $252,950 donation from Kohl’s Department Stores will
support the hospital’s Sports Injury Outreach Program.
Organization donates funds for family
great room at Children’s Legacy facility
Love for Children, Inc. recently presented a check to Children’s for $195,000,
marking the third consecutive year the organization has given the hospital.
Recently the group, in conjunction with the Dallas Stars Foundation, pledged
$500,000 to fund a 1,282-square-foot family great room at Children’s Legacy. The
room will be subdivided into a play area, a study space and a family room. This
year’s gift is the largest that Love for Children has donated to Children’s. Hudson
Akin, executive vice president of Development, accepted the check on the behalf
of Children’s.
At Ameriquest Field in Arlington during a Texas Rangers game,
Joe Cardaropoli, district manager for Kohl’s North Dallas Region,
enlists the help of Texas Rangers’ mascot, Stampede, and Connor
Waggoner, who threw the first pitch of the game, to present a check
to Children’s. Hudson Akin, executive vice president of Development
at Children’s, received the check on behalf of the hospital.
“Kohl’s is proud to join with Children’s and support its
involvement in the community as it provides vital services
to children and families,” said Julie Gardner, senior vice
president of marketing for Kohl’s Department Stores.
“Kohl’s is committed to improving pediatric health, and we
know our gift to Children’s will make that happen.”
Kohl’s Cares for Kids is a nationwide program that raises
funds for pediatric hospitals through the sale of special gift
items. The net profits support children’s health and educational opportunities. Children’s is the local beneficiary.
“We at Children’s are thankful for the extraordinary commitment from Kohl’s over the years,” said Hudson Akin, executive vice president of Development at Children’s. “Their gifts
play a valuable role in helping us to pursue our mission.”
From left, Stacy Hicks, vice president of Love for Children; Jennifer Jones,
secretary and treasurer of Love for Children; Hudson Akin, executive vice
president of Development at Children’s; and Michelle Fraser, president of
Love for Children.
The Sports Injury Outreach Program of Children’s educates
coaches, parents and children who participate in youth
sports about the potential for sports-related injuries and how
to prevent them. Physicians, nurses and dietitians from the
hospital conduct educational clinics for basketball, softball,
baseball, football, soccer and track. Since 2003, the program
has reached more than 20,000 coaches and 240,000 children.
ChildTimes
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Philanthropic News
LegacyTexas Bank contributes $800,000
for Children’s Legacy in Plano
ne of Collin County’s most storied and
civic-minded institutions has joined forces
with Children’s to help bring the best
pediatric healthcare services to the ever-growing
North Texas community.
LegacyTexas Bank, a locally owned bank that has
served the residents of Plano for more than 40 years,
has announced it will contribute $800,000 to support
the construction of Children’s Medical Center Legacy.
Patrick Shelby, chairman of the board at
LegacyTexas Bank, said his organization always has
remained grounded as a community bank and as an
upstanding corporate citizen in the city of Plano.
“Community-minded is how we started out over 40 From left, Patrick Shelby, chairman of the board, and George Fisk,
chief executive officer of LegacyTexas Bank.
years ago, and it’s how we’re going to continue to be
in the future,” he said. “Children’s coming to this
region is probably one of the best things that could possibly happen, and we’ve tried to be involved since its inception.
As Children’s continues to establish its roots in Collin County, we’ll be there to help in anyway we can.”
The gift from LegacyTexas Bank will help fund the construction of the garden level at Children’s Legacy. The garden
level will house critical areas for the hospital, such as the clinical laboratory, the pharmacy laboratory, sterile processing,
engineering and the dining area.
Children’s Legacy is scheduled to open in 2008. The 72-bed hospital will include an urgent/emergency care center,
four operating rooms, full-service laboratory and comprehensive radiological services. Children’s Legacy primarily will
serve patients from Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin and Grayson counties.
O
United Way citywide campaign
begins at Children’s
From left, Christopher J. Durovich, president and chief executive officer of
Children’s; Gary Godsey, president and chief executive officer of United Way
of Metropolitan Dallas; Cynthia Nunn, Center for Nonprofit Management;
Joel Allison, president and chief executive officer of Baylor Health Care System
in Dallas; and P. Scott Ozanus of KPMG unveil United Way’s goal of more
than $53 million.
12 G 2007, Issue 1
In 2006, Children’s received more than $1 million in support from
the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.
On the morning of Sept. 14, Children’s showed its support of the
United Way by hosting the kickoff celebration for the organization’s
2006 fund-raising campaign in North Texas.
Channels KDFW-Fox 4 and KTVT-CBS 11 joined The Dallas
Morning News to cover the standing-room only event in Moore
Auditorium, where the United Way announced its goal of raising
more than $53 million for Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and a portion of
Denton counties.
After the event, hospital employees filed through Moore
Auditorium to turn in United Way pledge cards.
The United Way is the largest private funding source of health
and human services in North Texas and supports many programs at
Children’s, including the At Risk Children’s Center, the Dental
Clinic, The Cystic Fibrosis Clinic, the TexCare Outreach Program
and the Dean Foods LEAN Families Program.
Little
Children’s Medical Center
Planned Giving Council members
Chairman:
Richard D. Trubitt
Lane, Gorman & Trubitt, L.L.P.
Larry Anders
Summit Alliance Companies
Lise E. Anderson
Anderson & Brocious, P.C.
Eric W. Bennett
Tolleson Wealth Management
John F. Bergner
Winstead, Sechrest & Minick, P.C.
Bruce E. Bernstien
Bruce E. Bernstien & Associates, P.C.
Richard Bernstein
Bernstein Conklin & Balcombe
John D. Bounds
Secure Directions
Jon M. Bradley
Weaver & Tidwell, L.L.P.
R. Craig Brubaker
Bluffview Wealth Management
Bill E. Carter
Carter Financial Management
Edward A. Copley
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
William J. Corbellini
Merrill Lynch Private Banking &
Investment Group
Deborah Cox
JPMorgan Private Bank
Children’s Medical Center
Planned Giving Council
Reasons
to give
hildren’s has an influential group of advocates known as its Planned Giving Council.
This group is made up of professional advisors, such as attorneys, bankers, accountants and insurance specialists who counsel many of the hospital’s contributors.
These experts work with Children’s to provide information about gift opportunities with
the hospital that best serve their clients’ philanthropic and financial goals.
The Planned Giving Council consists
of highly respected professionals who
support the planned giving program at
Children’s by:
•Learning about and experiencing the
programs at Children’s and serving as
ambassadors for the hospital in the
community
•Recognizing charitable planning
opportunities that may benefit
Children’s.
Jayne Grimes, planned giving officer, and John Bounds •Sharing experience and expertise in
planned giving matters with the Office of
and John Harris, planned giving council members.
Development.
•Giving personal philanthropic support to Children’s by naming Children’s in their
will, by making an annual gift of $1,000 or more or by supporting the hospital’s special
event initiatives.
A Leadership Committee of the Council meets an additional two times per year to provide strategic direction. Committee members include John Bounds, Craig Brubaker, Bill
Carter, Kathy Henkel, Mike McCullough and Richard Trubitt (chairman).
C
We are grateful to all of these busy individuals who give their time and talent on the
Planned Giving Council in support of our mission to make life better for children.
Morris Gregory
Sykes, Gregory & Company, P.C.
Sam Guerin
Wells Fargo Bank/Trust and Private Services
James B. (Jim) Harrell
John W. Harris
Jordan, Dunlap, Prather & Harris L.L.P.
Kathryn (Kathy) G. Henkel
Hughes & Luce, L.L.P.
Pat Lacy
Patrick Lacy, P.C.
Stephen Maus
New York Life
Davidson joins Children’s Office of Development
Ann Davidson joined Children’s Oct. 16 as
director of Development. Davidson will be
responsible for working with major and
planned giving donors and projects to obtain
charitable gifts for the support of Children’s.
Prior to joining Children’s, Davidson
worked eight years in trust banking and investment management with First National Bank of
Abilene. She worked nine years in development as assistant vice president for principal
and planned gifts at Rice University in
Houston. She served one year as director of
development for Fossil Rim Wildfire Center in
Glen Rose, funded by a grant from the
Meadows Foundation and one year as director
of development for the College of Engineering
at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Davidson has a bachelor of business
administration degree from McMurry
University in Abilene, Texas.
Paul McClung
Northwestern Mutual Life
P. Mike McCullough
Thompson & Knight, L.L.P.
Kathy Muldoon
Carter Financial Management
Terry L. Simmons
Thompson & Knight, P.C.
Can we help?
Careful planning often is required when considering a charitable gift. If you would like to discuss a
particular gift to Children’s and its potential tax benefits, please email [email protected] or
call 214-456-8360. The Office of Development is here for your assistance and welcomes your calls.
The information on this page is not intended as legal, tax or investment advice. For such advice, please consult an
attorney, tax professional or investment professional.
Above left: Parade volunteers carry the Santa Claus inflatable down
Commerce Street.
Above right: Cherry Werner, a Concierge employee at Children’s, and
her daughter, Paula McCurdy, volunteered as clowns for the second
year in a row at the Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade.
Center: Neiman Marcus and The Adolphus Hotel have served as the
title sponsors of the parade for nearly two decades.
Left: Performers from high schools all across the Metroplex
volunteered their talents to make the parade as magical as ever.
TREATS FOR THE Imagination
Children’s Medical Center benefits
from 19th annual holiday parade
espite the chilly conditions, children of all ages saw
their dreams come to life Dec. 2 at Dallas’ annual
holiday celebration — the Neiman Marcus Adolphus
Children’s Parade.
Now in its 19th year, and televised world-wide via the Armed
Forces Network, the parade benefiting Children’s captivated and
entertained the crowd with familiar costume characters, colorful
floats and giant inflatable balloons.
“Everyone at Children’s looks forward to the celebration and
excitement of the Parade throughout the year,” said Christopher
J. Durovich, president and chief executive officer of Children’s.
“Not only is it fun, but also it benefits the life-saving work we do
at the hospital each day. We greatly appreciate the dedication of
all who give so tirelessly to make this special event a success.”
D
Floats run gamut from contemporary to classic
The parade’s tradition of theme-based floats continued again this
year, featuring favorite, fun activity scenes with a holiday twist.
Parade goers were able to see a holiday sock hop, a festive Saturday
in the park and a candy garden roll right in front of their eyes.
Curious George, Clifford and the Teletubbies were among the
many giant inflatable balloons that brought eyes to the skies
above Commerce Street. Viewers were also treated to the traditional parade features including high-stepping equestrian units,
dazzling dancers and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Heroic comic book characters Captain America, Cyclops,
Batman, Wolverine and Spider-Man also made appearances.
Loveable storybook and television characters such as the
Berenstain Bears, Bugs Bunny, Madeline, Arthur and Daffy Duck
delighted the crowds as well. Additional timeless classics including
Snoopy, the Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake and the Cat in the
Hat entertained all during the holiday festivities.
“Every year the Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade
inspires audiences across the country with its magical delights,”
said Karen Ranker, parade director and director of Human
Resources for The Adolphus. “This year’s parade fulfilled that
wonderful tradition of delivering festivities and joy for the holidays.”
Not just a local event
While the Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade, also
known as the “Miracle on Commerce Street,” annually draws local
Children’s provides special
mailboxes for letters to Santa
Mailing a wish list to Santa is a time-honored holiday tradition that
families everywhere
have enjoyed almost as
long as there have been
mailboxes.
The tradition is
upheld at Children’s,
where throughout the
holiday season patients
and their families were
encouraged to bring
their letters to Santa to
one of two special mailboxes at the hospital.
Suzette Rivera, a
concierge at the
hospital, checked the
mailboxes each day and
forwarded the letters on
to the North Pole.
“It’s actually kind of
exciting to check the
mailboxes and see how
many letters have been Jackson Huse, a 5-year-old patient
recently diagnosed with a brain tumor,
dropped off,” Rivera
drops off his letter to Santa. Letters
said. “It brings back a
placed in the mailboxes were routed
sense of my childhood
and really embodies the directly to the North Pole.
holiday spirit.”
crowds of more than 350,000 to the streets of downtown Dallas,
millions more enjoy the parade from their living rooms at home.
An estimated 118 million households from Alaska to Bermuda
watched the parade last year through television syndication on
338 stations. WFAA-TV Channel 8 has been the official parade
television sponsor and has carried the local broadcast for the
past 17 years.
“As we near our 100th year as a member of the Dallas
community, the spirit of gratitude is more important than ever,”
said Karen Katz, president and CEO of Neiman Marcus. “It is
because of the incredibly kind and generous Dallas community
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15
Neiman Marcus Adolphus
Children’s Parade
2006 Sponsors
that we give the gift of this parade to the children, especially those at Children’s Medical
Center. For this, we at Neiman Marcus are truly grateful.”
A history of excellence
Neiman Marcus
The Adolphus
94.9 FM KLTY
Accenture
Alliance Data
American Airlines
Atrium Companies, Inc.
Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss Inc.
Borden Dairy
Capital One
Central West of Texas
Chuck E. Cheese’s
Coca-Cola Enterprises
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
DOWNTOWNDALLAS
E-Data Alliance
Ebby Halliday, REALTORS
Hyatt Regency Dallas
J&S Audio Visual
Jonathan Bailey Associates - Healthcare Architects
Mrs Baird’s
Owens Country Sausage
Park Place Dealerships
PlainsCapital Bank
Reel FX Creative Studios
Schepps Dairy
Six Flags Over Texas
Sodexho Health Care Services
Starbucks Coffee Company
Texas Health Resources
The Dallas Morning News
The Magnolia Hotel
The Sewell Family of Dealerships
Thompson & Knight LLP
Univision
Wal-Mart / SAM’S CLUB
Wells Fargo
WFAA -TV Channel 8
Special thanks to a caring corporate sponsor
that wishes to remain anonymous
16 G 2007, Issue 1
The Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade began as a gift to the children of Dallas
from The Adolphus hotel. It has evolved into a national display of holiday hopes and dreams
and a tradition for families nationwide.
“No contribution The Adolphus makes to our community has as much
meaning as the one we make to Children’s Medical Center each holiday
season,” said Tom E. Garcia, managing director of The Adolphus. “The
parade is the perfect representation of what we feel in our hearts for
Children’s and its quality of care.”
The parade’s history of excellence includes honors such as the 2003 Gold
Grand Pinnacle award from the International Festival and Events
Association. The 2005 parade received two awards from the Texas Festival
and Events Association — Best Full Length Television Program and Best
Commemorative Poster.
All proceeds from the parade are designated to support the Child Life
program at Children’s. Child Life provides specialized services to families
seeking treatment at Children’s, including music therapy, bedside activities,
teen support groups and medical camps.
Holiday ceremony lights up the night at Children’s
ith the ongoing construction of Tower III providing a scenic backdrop, the
annual Children’s Tree Lighting Ceremony took on the themes of growth and
giving while lending an eye toward the hospital’s future.
As the crowd assembled near the Children’s main entrance, a pair of jugglers, two
rosy-cheeked Nutcracker soldiers on stilts, an array of clowns and a caricaturist provided
entertainment.
The evening was brisk and windy, but patients and their families weren’t about to miss out
on the festivities. They stayed warm by huddling together on sets of bleachers and shielding
themselves from the elements with blankets. Those unable to come outside either could peer
out from windows on their floors or watch it on television via simulcast in their rooms.
The Golden Girls, a dance team from Plano East High School, performed to holiday music,
and a New Orleans-style jazz band also played holiday carols. Adding to the ceremony were
appearances by the Snow Queens, Bob the Builder and Jack the Rabbit — the Children’s mascot.
Midway through the occasion, Santa Claus himself drove in on an all-terrain vehicle
followed closely by a band of merry elves carrying sacks of toys they passed out to patients.
Santa climbed atop the platform and was joined by Rockwall’s Jack Colbert, a 9-year-old cystic
fibrosis patient at Children’s, who flipped the oversized light switch that sparked off a massive display of holiday lights.
The centerpiece of the Children’s holiday décor is a 30-foot-tall tree adorned with 300,000
twinkling lights. Adding to the spectacle was a host of other lighted trees and decorative
wooden cutouts that built on the
growth and construction themes.
W
Above left: More than 350,000
spectators watched as performers
danced their way down Commerce
Street during the 19th annual
Neiman Marcus Adolphus
Children’s Parade. All proceeds
from the parade benefit the Child
Life department at Children’s.
Right: Holiday decorations at
Children’s took on the construction
and growth themes that were
apparent throughout the hospital.
Patients, employees experience
parade as participants
hristopher Randall, right, wasn’t going to let sub-freezing
temperatures derail his chance to shine in front of the cameras.
Christopher, 8, is a sickle cell disease patient
in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at
Children’s. Sickle cell patients often have adverse
reactions to chilly temperatures, but Christopher
bundled up and was in high spirits as he proved
his buddies back in Mesquite wrong.
“I think the neatest thing is my friends will see
me,” he said. “I told them I’m going to be on TV,
but they don’t believe me.”
Christopher’s mother, Kenna Bowers, said his
vivacious personality and strong will made him
the perfect candidate to represent Children’s in
the parade. “He knows his limitations, and he’ll
tell me, “Mama I can do it,’ and I know he can,”
she said. “He amazes me. He takes it like a
little soldier.”
C
en Retta, above, the hospital’s director
of Social Work, has a tireless enthusiasm
for his job and for the mission of Children’s.
He also has tireless enthusiasm for the
Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade.
Retta has volunteered as a bleacher host
at the last seven parades, and once again this
year he donned the familiar white sweatshirt
and red sweatpants that make up the traditional volunteer uniform.
The parade is a wonderful gift to the
children of Dallas in terms of providing both
holiday delight and proceeds for the Child
Life department at Children’s, Retta said.
“When you see so many people come
together to create something so magical, you
know you’re a part of something special,” he
said. “Children’s and the parade are living, breathing entities. They are
alive and have purpose, and I’m grateful I get to be part of two such
staples of the Dallas community.”
B
ell before she started working at Children’s, Victoria England,
pictured below with daughter, Patricia, left, loved the parade.
England, who is the project director for Magnet at Children’s, has
been a hospital employee for nine years, though she began volunteering
as a bleacher host at the parade 11 years ago. The parade has been a
wonderful way to kick off the holiday season
around the England household for more than a
decade now, she said.
England’s enthusiasm has been so infectious
that her 17-year-old daughter, Patricia, decided
to volunteer this year as well.
England says the best thing about being
involved with the parade is the chance to see so
many healthy and active kids from the community
having a wonderful time.
“Sometimes it’s great to get out and interact
with kids when they’re so energetic and full of
life,” she said. “I know we haven’t treated all of
them at Children’s, but they always remind me
of why I entered this line of work to begin with.”
W
leven-year-old Gemma McLarty, left,
was excited when she learned that she’d
be making her parade debut by riding in a
brand new Maserati. However, the real surprise turned out to be who would be making
his parade debut alongside her.
Jack the Rabbit, the Children’s mascot,
joined Gemma, a lifelong cystic fibrosis
patient at Children’s, as she rode down
Commerce Street.
“Ohmigosh, it was so awesome!” she
said. “Now whenever anyone sees Jack the
Rabbit, I can say I was part of his very first
appearance. No one else will ever be able
to say that!”
Jack the Rabbit, J.R. for short, hopped
into town from the plains of West Texas to
spread the word about physical fitness and proper nutrition to patients
and families. As the hospital’s mascot, J.R. will appear at Children’s
events such as the Cinco de Mayo in Fair Park and the Back to School
Strength and Safety Day at NorthPark Center.
E
ChildTimes
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Children’s patient becomes state’s first pediatric triple organ transplant recipient
To Be the First
Michael Gonzales, 15, doesn’t mind being the answer to a trivia question. Most
medical miracles don’t.
Michael is the first pediatric patient in Texas and only the third in the United
States to have received liver, heart and kidney transplants according to donor
statistics gathered by the United Network of Organ Sharing. UNOS began tracking organ recipients in October 1987
Michael’s first experience with Children’s dates back to 1993 when
he was diagnosed with a hepatoblastoma caused by a congenital birth
disorder called Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. Hepatoblastoma is
the most common malignant liver tumor in early childhood, characterized by an enlarging asymptomatic abdominal mass.
Following a year
of chemotherapy,
transplant surgeons
on the medical staff
at Children’s replaced
Michael’s cancerous
liver. At the time, his
parents, Connie and
Raymundo Gonzales,
expected it would be
the last time their
son would need an
organ transplant —
but Michael’s health
Transplant coordinator Joni Wells with Michael
Gonzales, 15, shortly after his heart transplant
problems continued.
in 2006.
Return to Children’s
A month after returning to Troy High School from the 2006 winter
break, Michael became ill.
“We thought it was a regular cold, but when he developed a real
bad cough, we took him to the doctor,” Mrs. Gonzales said.
Michael was diagnosed with bronchitis, but within two days his
symptoms had worsened.
“I brought him back to the doctor, and they said he had pneumonia,” Mrs. Gonzales said. “A week of pneumonia treatment at home
did nothing, and his doctor, who had been in contact with Children’s,
told us he may be experiencing rejection from his liver transplant.”
Michael was flown to Children’s Jan. 30, 2006, where doctors diagnosed
him with myocarditis, a condition caused by a viral infection causing
symptoms of heart failure. The poor blood flow from his heart also
impaired his kidney function.
Michael was prescribed medications but his condition deteriorated,
and quickly it became apparent that a heart transplant was his only
hope for survival.
18 G 2007, Issue 1
Ventricular assist device
Due to irrecoverable heart failure, kidney failure and an expected
long wait for a combined heart-kidney transplant, Michael’s doctors
determined a ventricular assist device was the most appropriate
therapy for him until matching donor organs became available.
“The VAD is considered a bridge to transplantation, because it
helps sustain a patient’s life while awaiting a donor,” said Dr. Joseph
Forbess, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Children’s and associate
professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UT Southwestern. “We had
never implanted a VAD in a patient at Children’s, but Michael’s
condition dictated he become the hospital’s first recipient.”
Dr. Forbess, Dr. Kristine Guleserian, a cardiothoracic surgeon on
the medical staff at Children’s and associate professor of
Cardiothoracic Surgery at UT Southwestern, and Dr. Dan Meyer,
associate professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UT Southwestern,
surgically implanted a Thoratec left ventricular assist device in
Michael on Feb. 23, 2006.
“It was scary for us,” Mr. Gonzales said. “They told us he would
be on the VAD for about two years before a matching heart and
kidney would become available.”
Nearly 15 years after receiving his first transplant, Michael again
found himself relying on the generosity of another family to save
his life.
Heart-kidney transplant
Remarkably, a match was found just
four months later.
“On June 5, I was informed that a
potential donor for Michael was being
crossmatched and that ‘on paper’
Michael’s body could receive the new
organs,” said nurse practitioner Joni
Wells, a heart transplant coordinator in
Solid Organ Transplant at Children’s.
“Following an actual crossmatch,
Dr. Joseph Forbess and Dr. Kristine
Guleserian talk with Michael just days after
he underwent the first left ventricular
assist device implant surgery ever performed at Children’s. The VAD sustained
Michael’s life for four months while he
waited for a transplant match.
Ventricular assist devices (VADs)
Michael is back lifting weights in his free time, a hobby he enjoyed before he became ill.
Michael was taken to the operating room around 4 p.m.”
Dr. Forbess and Dr. Guleserian implanted the donor heart around 2 a.m. on
June 6. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Thomas Renard, a renal transplant surgeon on
the medical staff at Children’s, implanted the donor kidney.
“Pediatric heart transplantation is not a rare procedure, but a relatively low
number of children receive heart transplants each year,” Dr. Forbess said.
“Kidney transplants are about the same, so when you put those two together,
it’s pretty rare.”
Michael was released on July 3 — less than a month after receiving the
double transplant — in
time to enjoy the remainder of the summer before
his sophomore year relaxing with family and playing basketball with friends.
His parents are just
happy to have him back
home.
“I don’t think we
could have asked for any
better doctors or nurses.
This ordeal helped us all
bond like family,” Mr.
Gonzales said. “The care
Michael received down in
the ICU and on the floor
was just amazing.”
A ventricular assist device is designed to assume function
for either or both of the heart’s ventricles, the portion of
the heart responsible for pumping blood through the lungs
and out to the body.
VADs have continued to increase in sophistication and
efficiency while decreasing in size and risk since their first
introduction in the late 1970s.
A VAD should be used only in patients who are eligible
for a heart transplant or who have severe end-stage
congestive heart failure and are not qualified to receive a
new heart. In recent years, the surgery has become more
common in the pediatric population.
The device consists of three major components:
• A blood pump, a type of artificial ventricle.
• Cannulae (tubes), which connect the blood pump
to the heart and vessels.
• A dual drive console that powers the blood pump.
VADs can be used to support the left side of the heart
(LVAD), the right side, (RVAD) or both sides (BiVAD).
“I expect that the prevalence of VAD implantations will
increase in the future here at Children’s as familiarity with
the devices increases and the heart failure population of
North Texas continues to rise,” said Dr. Kristine
Guleserian, a cardiothoracic surgeon on the medical staff at
Children’s and assistant professor of Cardiothoracic
Surgery at UT Southwestern.
ChildTimes
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19
Part I of a two-part series
Early
Discoveries
Editor’s note: This is Part I of the story of Ryan and Reece Robertson,
following the twins through their diagnoses before birth and their early
weeks of life. Look for Part II of their journey in the next ChildTimes
magazine (2007, Issue 2), which will tell the story of the boys’ surgeries
to correct their heart defects.
magine the excitement of learning that you’re pregnant with
twins. You automatically start to consider everything in pairs,
two car seats, two cribs and twice as many dirty diapers.
But one thing you probably wouldn’t consider is the possibility
that both babies could be born with the same congenital heart defect.
Now you know how Laura and Todd Robertson feel.
But thanks to advances in fetal diagnostic capabilities, cardiac
specialists on the medical staff at Children’s were prepared to provide
specialized care for Ryan and Reece Robertson to sustain their lives
until a delicate surgical repair could be performed to correct the
congenital heart disorder afflicting them.
I
Fetal diagnosis
During an early ultrasound, Laura’s doctor discovered both babies had
a thickened nuchal fold (the skin behind the neck). Babies with abnor-
malities tend to accumulate more fluid at
the back of their neck during the first
trimester, causing this clear space to be
larger.
Statistics indicate babies with a thick
nuchal fold are at a higher risk of having
congenital heart defects, Down syndrome or
some other chromosomal disorder.
“We were thankful when the amniocentesis ruled out the possibility
of a chromosomal disorder, but our relief was short lived,” Laura
said. “Following the next ultrasound, my doctor recommended we see
a cardiologist to receive a fetal echocardiogram. We knew something
was wrong.”
A fetal echocardiogram is one of the most widely used noninvasive diagnostic tests for diagnosing congenital heart disease. It is
conducted on an expectant mother using high-frequency sound waves
to look at the heart and major blood vessels of the fetus.
The focused study is performed by a pediatric cardiologist and can
be used to detect abnormalities of cardiac structure, cardiac rhythm
disturbances and disorders of cardiac function.
Ryan and Reece were diagnosed with atrioventricular canal defects
Children’s offers the one accredited
echocardiography laboratory in North Texas
Children’s specializes in pediatric cardiac imaging,
which includes fetal echocardiograms, to detect
abnormalities of cardiac structure, cardiac rhythm
disturbances and disorders of cardiac function.
The echo lab at Children’s is staffed 24 hours a
day, seven days a week by four board-certified
pediatric cardiologists who are faculty members at
UT Southwestern. More than 150 fetal echocardiograms were performed at Children’s in 2005.
The cardiologists on the medical staff at
Children’s work in close collaboration with the
mother’s doctor to ensure safe delivery and the
best possible care for each child.
The echo lab has earned accreditation for
transthoracic, transesophageal and fetal studies from
the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation
of Echocardiographic Laboratories.
The accreditation acknowledges that Children’s
is meeting or exceeding the standard of excellence
for all types of pediatric echocardiographic studies.
Children’s is one of only two pediatric echocardiography labs in Texas accredited by the ICAEL. It
is the only one in North Texas.
The ICAEL formulates standards for echocardiographic laboratories to promote high quality
echocardiographic diagnostic evaluations in the
delivery of healthcare.
Dr. Catherine Ikemba, right, reviews a chart with
Dr. Shannon Blalock, a Cardiology fellow.
cardiology with dedicated resources and
supporting infrastructure for kids with
heart defects.”
The Children’s difference
Above: Dr. Catherine Ikemba performs a fetal
echocardiogram to detect the presence of a
cardiac deformity in the fetus.
Opposite, above: A fetal echocardiogram reveals
the complete atrioventricular canal defect in the
heart of Ryan, one of the twins.
Right: A post-natal echocardiogram performed
on Ryan confirms the diagnosis. Fetal echocardiography was performed on both boys.
by a community cardiologist. The fetal
echocardiogram revealed a large hole in the
center of the heart where the wall between
the upper chambers was supposed to join the
wall between the lower chambers.
Also, the tricuspid and mitral valves that
normally separate the heart’s upper and lower
chambers had not formed as individual valves.
Instead, a single large valve had formed that
crosses the defect.
The large opening in the center of the
heart lets oxygen-rich (red) blood from the
lungs on the left side of the heart pass into
the heart’s right side. There, the oxygen-rich
blood mixes with the oxygen-poor (bluish)
venous return from the body and is sent back
to the lungs. Thus, blood that already contains
oxygen is pumped back to the lungs. This is
an inefficient system which causes the heart
to enlarge and the lungs to have extra fluid.
Most infants with AV canal defects do not
grow normally. The extra blood flowing to the
lungs causes babies to breathe faster, using up
more calories. The high blood pressure also
can permanently damage the lungs.
Symptoms can present at any time from birth
to several months of age.
The Robertson twins particularly were
unusual in that only one twin is affected in
greater than 90 percent of cases of congenital
heart disease in identical twins. Usually the
other twin has a normal heart.
“After learning the diagnosis, Laura and I
set out to find the best doctors and facilities
to treat Ryan and Reece,” Todd said. “We
chose Children’s, because it was important to
us to have our boys cared for by a facility
that specifically specialized in children’s
The Robertsons scheduled a consultation with
Dr. Catherine Ikemba, a cardiologist on the
medical staff at Children’s and assistant
professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern.
“Dr. Ikemba’s thoroughness, persistence
and dedication made us feel confident that
Children’s was the right place for us,” Laura
said. “She explained the diagnosis in detail
and ensured that we understood the treatment
plan. We have never encountered a doctor
that proactively communicated with us like Dr.
Ikemba has — she is one of the main reasons
that we chose Children’s.”
According to Dr. Ikemba, most of the time
babies with heart defects do well in utero. The
difficulties come after birth. During pregnancy,
the heart’s primary function is to pump. The
lungs do not put oxygen into the blood; the
placenta does.
Dr. Ikemba said in the
Robertsons’ case, the purpose
of the fetal echocardiograms
at Children’s was to prepare
the family for life with twins
with the same congenital
heart defect.
“Diagnosis of congenital
heart disease or any abnormality
prenatally causes mourning of
the loss of a normal pregnancy,”
Dr. Ikemba said. “Prenatal
diagnosis allows families time
to progress through the stages
of mourning. They are better
equipped emotionally at the
time of delivery to take care of a baby, or
babies in this case, who require extra
special attention.”
Detection of Reece and Ryan’s congenital
heart defects before birth allowed the medical
staff at Children’s to establish a plan of care
to effectively treat the twins, increasing their
chance to live healthy lives.
“After reviewing the first fetal echo I
conducted on Laura, it was clear that heart
surgery would be required during infancy
for both children,” Dr. Ikemba said. “As a
pediatric cardiologist specializing in fetal
echocardiography, my role extends beyond
making a correct diagnosis to educating and
supporting parents while preparing them for
the road that lies ahead.”
ChildTimes
G
21
Something Y
LOST
ou’d expect a lunch bag containing fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt and vegetables to
belong to a fitness instructor — not to an 8-year-old. But that’s just what Laura
Searle brings to school every day after successfully completing the Dean Foods
LEAN (Lifestyle Exercise And Nutrition) Families Program at Children’s.
The 12-week program, established through a generous $1.25 million gift from the
DEAN Foods Company and administered through the hospital’s Clinical Nutrition
department, provides patients and their families intensive weight management therapy
while encouraging healthy habits for life.
Family develops healthy eating habits after completing
Dean Foods LEAN Families Program at Children’s
Something
GAINED
22 G 2007, Issue 1
Laura’s doctor, Dr. Joseph A. Hanig, a private practice pediatrician and member
of the Children’s medical staff, referred her to Children’s based on Laura’s height,
weight and body mass index. The program is open to pediatric patients with a BMI
greater than or equal to the 95 percentile for their age.
Laura received an initial assessment by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a
pediatrician, dietitian, physical therapist, social worker and other support staff.
The family then attended 12 weekly group sessions and received frequent phone
call reassessments from Tracye Byars, a registered nurse and care coordinator in the
program, to evaluate individual physical changes and to track goals.
Education
During each two-hour classroom session, Laura and her parents worked with a physical
therapist and a clinical dietitian to develop healthy habits like reading food labels, getting
more exercise and spending less time in front of the television.
Byars says the classes helped the Searle family identify behaviors that could trigger
overeating or the choosing of unhealthy foods.
“The classes show the dramatic differences in grams of fat and calories between eating
a healthy, well-balanced meal and a standard meal available at a
casual dining restaurant,” Byars said. “Most families are shocked
when they see the difference.”
The Searle family was encouraged to keep a food log for the
registered dietitian to review and provide suggestions. The logs
helped the Searle family modify their food selections and
develop more healthy eating patterns.
“When you keep track of what you eat and are held
accountable for it, you can see how every little thing really
adds up,” Mrs. Searle said.
Disease management
services at Children’s
Through education and pro-active self-management, disease management services at Children’s
have helped decrease healthcare costs and
improve the quality of life
for individuals with chronic
conditions such as being
overweight, diabetes and
asthma.
The Dean Foods LEAN
program is just one of the
hospital’s efforts.
Asthma Management
Opposite: The Searle family, including from left, Maria Claudia,
Laura, Edward and Thomas, during a recent shopping trip.
Program
The Asthma Management
Right: From left, Renee Robinson and her son, 9-year-old patient
Keith Robinson, learn how to set appropriate goals from Stephanie
Denlar, Physical Therapy aide.
Program is an intensive sixmonth management pro-
Below: Alice Anderson, physical therapist, leads LEAN family participants in exercise routines during one of the classes.
gram that provides education
to children diagnosed with
asthma and their families. All patients receive
two home visits and bi-weekly telephone checkups by a registered nurse. This allows for thorough one-on-one education and the evaluation of
treatment measures.
The Children’s Asthma Management Program
has been awarded certification by The Joint
Commission for Disease-Specific Care
Programs, the first program in Texas to receive
such recognition.
Diabetes Education Program
The Children’s Diabetes Education Program
provides progressive, advanced quality education
and management for children with diabetes and
Future outlook
The program’s family-centered approach to lifestyle modification proved successful for
the Searle family. The entire family now engages in a healthier way of life thanks to
what they learned.
Results of a recent lipid screen with Laura’s pediatrician show her cholesterol level
went down from 189 (a little above normal) to 120 (normal). Her level of low-density
lipoprotein also decreased significantly from 120 to 80.
As an added bonus, Laura and her father each lost three pounds while her mother lost
nine. Byars credits the family’s achievement to their willingness to set attainable goals.
“The Searle family appreciated the support we provided,” Byars said. “The accountability
and goals review on a weekly basis really kept them striving to accomplish their objective.”
The Searle family says they will continue eating well, thanks to what they learned
in the program.
“Before taking the class, we didn’t have a plan of action, but now we know what it
takes to be healthy,” Mrs. Searle said.
their families. By using a team approach,
Children’s enlists a variety of healthcare specialists
to address the needs of these patients.
The program offers classes for children newly
diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, intensive insulin management, pump training and management and a unique program for patients who
are new to the clinic.
Children’s continues to receive recognition of
the Diabetes Education Program by the American
Diabetes Association for the center’s selfmanagement program, one of three pediatric
hospitals recognized in the state of Texas.
ChildTimes
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23
Community News
Children’s Barnyard a family favorite at State
Fair, ‘Clean Team’ encourages good hygiene
fter a one-year hiatus, the Children’s Barnyard
exhibit returned to the State Fair of Texas in
2006 — manned by hospital volunteers and a
live gallery of more than 20 types of animals including
pigs, llamas, kangaroos and a giraffe.
The first time Kristie Abel volunteered at the
Children’s Barnyard at the State Fair of Texas, she
thought she’d died and gone to “hog heaven” — literally.
“I remember how in awe the kids were of the massive
pig and her babies,” said Abel, a respiratory care therapist
at Children’s. “I couldn’t help but smile when I saw their
A
curiosity. I loved that the atmosphere at the fair was so
festive, and I planned on working at the Barnyard every
year from then on out.”
One reason why the Barnyard is so popular with young
fair-goers is because it’s a place where they can get up
close to the animals — close enough to touch. That’s also
one reason why the Children’s Clean Team was on hand
distributing hand wipes and encouraging everyone to wash
their hands at the Barnyard’s new sanitation stations.
Brooke Clark, marketing events manager at Children’s,
said volunteers know the hospital’s mission to make life
better for children extends beyond the hospital’s
walls — which is why they gave away more than
80,000 hand wipes during the fair.
Clark said the contributions of Abel and the
more than 425 other employee volunteers are
what made this year’s Barnyard such a success.
“Our volunteers are the lifeblood of so many
of the community events we present,” she said.
“Year after year the Children’s Barnyard is a
favorite with kids and their families, and I
attribute that to the upbeat atmosphere our
volunteers create out there.”
From left, in yellow, Children’s Barnyard volunteers
Lawrence Tellez and hospital employees Faith
Lono-Tellez and Kristie Abel hand out sanitary hand
wipes at the Children’s Barnyard during the Texas
State Fair.
Children’s joins Dallas Arboretum for Dallas
Blooms Autumn and Tiny Tots Tuesdays
More than 130,000 people attended
the 22nd annual Dallas Blooms
Autumn festival from Sept. 26 to Oct.
24 at the Dallas Arboretum.
During the festival, Children’s
presented the second rendition of
Tiny Tots Tuesdays, an educational
event for families with young children.
Families were treated to a Tiny
Tot Ballet performance by the Janie
Christie School of Dance and “Tote
Your Tot,” a stroller aerobics class.
Children also had the opportunity to
participate in crafts, a petting zoo,
face-painting, storytelling and wagon
rides. James French Photography
offered families professional-quality
pictures of their day at the
Arboretum.
The goal of event organizers was
to give parents and kids insight into
24 G 2007, Issue 1
100,000 fall-blooming flowers, including salvia, coleus, ornamental grasses
and thousands of richly colored
chrysanthemums.
Guests also are treated to musical
performances throughout the
Gardens, plus the hospitality of the
Arboretum’s Trammel Crow Visitor’s
Education Pavilion dining area, gift
shop and other amenities.
the various outdoor activities that
can be both educational and fun,
said Brooke Clark, marketing events
manager at Children’s.
“Children’s was honored to be a
part of Tiny Tots Tuesdays at the
Arboretum, providing interesting
activities for children,”
she said. “The Dallas
Arboretum is a wonderful place for adults
and children to spend
a day in a beautiful
natural environment.”
Dallas Blooms is a
celebration of autumn
at the Dallas
Arboretum, which is
considered one of top
floral display gardens
From left, Micah Crissey with children Jake, 1, and Olivia,
in North America. In
3, plant pumpkin seeds in flower pots at the Dallas
the fall, visitors enjoy
Arboretum as part of Children’s Tiny Tots Tuesdays.
Hospital, Heard Museum team to
present life-like world of dinosaurs
hen it comes to the physical well-being of the children of the Metroplex, no
place can offer the quality of service that Children’s can.
And when it comes to stimulating the imaginations of kids in the area, no place
can provide the sense of awe that can be found at the Heard Natural Science Museum
and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney.
It was only fitting that these two
institutions team up to provide a
glimpse into what the earth was like
100 million years ago at the Dinosaurs
Alive! exhibit at the Heard.
The exhibit featured seven life-sized
animatronic dinosaurs, including a TRex, Ceratosaurus, Baryonyx,
Megalosaurus, Cryolophosaurus,
Deinonychus and an Allosaurus, which
was presented by Children’s.
Visitors walked along the trails and
Visitors observe the Children’s-sponsored
were able to imagine what it might
Allosaurus at the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit at
have been like to live during the
the Heard Natural Science Museum and
Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney.
dinosaur era while seeing how their
favorite dinosaurs moved and hearing how they roared. Children’s also helped distribute dinosaur education booklets that gave children the opportunity to learn more indepth dinosaur facts.
“Our mission is to bring nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience,
preserve and restore our priceless environment,” said Mark Armentrout, interim executive director of the Heard. “The participation of Children’s means that we can move
ever closer to that accomplishment.”
W
Children’s employees help
celebrate Dallas Opera’s
50th anniversary
The Dallas Opera hosted a fun-filled afternoon of
music, games and new experiences for Dallas-area
families in November at the first ever Dallas Opera
Cartoon Carnival at the Music Hall in Fair Park.
Presented by Children’s and John Eagle
Dealerships, the Cartoon Carnival centered on
a 30-minute concert of opera-related favorites
featured in numerous popular cartoons over the
years. The concert was conducted by Maestro
Anthony Barrese, assistant conductor of The
Dallas Opera.
Radio Disney also helped lead the festivities that
included the popular Instrument Petting Zoo,
backstage tours, Dress Like an Opera Star, a
lively cooking demonstration by Whole Foods
and door prizes.
Thirty employee volunteers from Children’s
pitched in to staff all of the interactive activity
booths for kids, providing everything from
Band-Aid art projects to opera karaoke.
Dallas Opera Marketing Director Jennifer Schuder
said the cartoon carnival served as a kick-off for
the opera’s upcoming 50th anniversary celebration, and it was only fitting that Children’s, another
historic Dallas institution, be involved.
Hospital leads efforts to insure eligible children
This fall, Children’s led a community enrollment drive for the Children’s Health
Insurance Program and Children’s Medicaid at four area YWCA facilities.
More than 100 volunteers processed 585 applications or renewals at the drive,
which represented coverage for 1,755 children.
The state’s application process for CHIP and Children’s Medicaid recently has
become more complicated, requiring families to provide more substantial documentation. The more variegated process has resulted in declining participation; CHIP enrollment has dropped more than 37 percent since 2003, and Medicaid numbers fell by
more than 118,000 children in 2006.
Spreading the message about the programs is critical, as families must re-enroll
every six months once becoming eligible for assistance. Radio advertisements and 46
billboards promoted the drive, and community support branched out through schools,
churches, parks and recreation facilities and local nonprofit organizations.
“Every day, the Advocacy staff work with families who have uninsured children,”
said Julia Easley, director of Advocacy at Children’s. “CHIP and Children’s Medicaid
are critical health programs. Together, they provide coverage for more than 2.1 million
Texas children.”
Access to proper healthcare for children remains a concern, however. About 1.4
million children living in Texas have no health insurance — the most in the nation —
even though more than half of those children are eligible for coverage.
The enrollment drive aims to get every eligible child in Texas — more than 700,000
children — enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. Children’s is committed to doing its part to
make that a reality.
If you want more information about CHIP and children’s health coverage, please
visit www.childrenshealthcampaign.org.
Children’s employee volunteers Anbra Pherigo, left,
and Brenda Smith, right, help visitors to the Dallas
Opera Cartoon Carnival with Band-Aid® art.
“The party starts here and now and the excitement will continue to build as we prepare to mark
the anniversary of the legendary concert that
started it all,” Schuder said. “We are honored that
Children’s Medical Center would help us as we say
‘thank you’ to the enthusiastic patrons who have
made The Dallas Opera an arts and entertainment
destination for half a century.”
ChildTimes
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25
Wenning inspired by, places confidence in
caregivers at Children’s
N
Volunteer News
ancy Eisenhardt Wenning has seen up close the good
work Children’s employees and medical staff provide on
a daily basis.
The daughter of a close friend was diagnosed a few years ago
with a blood-related cancer — one that is extremely rare in adults
and almost unheard of in children. Gabriella was 12 when she
passed away in June 2003, not long before her 13th birthday.
It didn’t take Wenning long to decide she wanted to join the
Children’s team as a volunteer.
“I saw first-hand the phenomenal nurses and doctors that
supported that family and child,” Wenning said. “I said that I
wanted to give back if nothing else than to thank those individuals
who were there for our friend and her daughter.”
A trial consultant by trade, Wenning comes to the hospital on
the weekends and has accumulated more than 50 hours in just a
few months. Volunteering at Children’s also helps her put her master’s degree in educational psychology to good use.
Her caring nature is simply an extension of what Wenning
witnesses every time she walks through the doors at Children’s.
Nancy Wenning
The hospital is a facility she intends to keep close to her heart for
a long while.
“Whenever I get ill — I don’t care how old I am — I want to be admitted to Children’s,” Wenning said. “The staff is
nothing less than superb.”
Volunteering helps prepare teen for career in pediatric healthcare
Though only a sophomore in high school, Courtney
Ludwig is fairly certain she wants to have a
career in pediatric healthcare. Doing so
would mean following the lead of her
father, Mike, a clinical manager at
Children’s.
fun to be around them even more.”
Being a home-school student provides Courtney
the opportunity to spend a great deal of time at the
hospital. She has amassed more than 100 hours of
service in the past year — an impressive feat given
what area to specialize in, Courtney,
that Children’s only requires its teenage volunteers
15, said her time as a volunteer at
to serve 50 hours a year.
Children’s exposes her to many
Courtney has been a volunteer
for the past year and currently works
at the concierge desk in the Train
Lobby. She can begin training classes to
work with children when she turns 16.
26 G 2007, Issue 1
the future,” she said. “I love the kids, and it will be
And since she isn’t exactly sure
facets of hospital life.
Courtney Ludwig
lets me make sure that’s what I really want to do in
“Hanging around the hospital so much, it
Mike Ludwig had no apprehensions about
Courtney joining the Children’s team — he says it
encourages him to see his daughter embrace the
hospital.
“It’s always good to have someone else down
here to help out,” Ludwig said. “And Courtney has a
great positive attitude, which makes working with
kids so natural to her.”
Retiree misses patients;
returns to hospital as volunteer
After nearly 10 years of service as a dedicated employee in
the ARCH Center at Children’s and as a researcher at UT
Southwestern, Jackie Hickman decided it was time to retire.
“I thought I could make a seamless transition into retirement,”
she said. “But I soon realized that I missed the kids at the
Previous experiences at Children’s
helps Pond relate to patients
argaret Pond has twice been a patient at Children’s. Her first
M
visit was as a first-grader, but she can’t seem to remember
what the surgery was for. The latest came seven years ago when she
was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.
The memories are lasting, she said, and the most vivid ones are of
spending extended periods of time in the atrium-level playroom.
hospital way too much.”
Pond has made numerous trips back to the hospital during the past
After retiring in January 2005, Hickman was back at Children’s
year — but not for any treatments. She has been volunteering as a
volunteering by September of the same year. In fact, she
sitter, and Pond, 18, said her previous experiences at Children’s help
picked up right where she left off by returning to the ARCH
put matters into perspective.
Center to help foster the Reach Out and Read program she
had helped create during her tenure as an employee.
“I can relate to them on some level,” said Pond, a senior at
Trinity Christian Academy-Addison. “Meeting so many doctors a day
The Reach Out and Read program utilizes the talents of
can be a lot for a little child.
Hickman and two other volunteers to model good reading
But since I’ve been in their
habits in the ARCH Center waiting room. Hickman said she
shoes before, I let them
hopes to enlighten children on the thrill books can provide.
know things can and will
get better.
“Doctors suggest parents spend at least 15 minutes a day
“I have a heart for each
reading to their children or modeling good reading habits in
and every one of them.”
front of them,” she said. “I love seeing the kids faces’ light up
Pond has a passion for
when we share our favorite stories with them.”
volunteerism. Besides
Cassie Collins, director of Volunteer Services, said Hickman,
Children’s, she volunteers
who already has donated more than 280 hours of her time,
once a week during her
is representative of a good number of former employees who
lunch and study hall at St.
leave Children’s only to find their hearts calling them back.
Timothy Academy — a school
for children with learning
“This place has a way of bringing people under its spell,”
differences — and also
Collins said. “In Volunteer Services, we have former
spends time at Anne Frank
employees return all the time, some as little as a few weeks
Elementary School in
after they leave the hospital.”
Dallas.
Margaret Pond accompanies a patient on a
hallway stroll.
When she enrolls at the
University of Oklahoma in
the fall, Pond anticipates beginning a pre-med study track. She said
she hopes to latch on to some volunteer activity at a hospital there —
preferably in pediatrics.
Jackie Hickman
ChildTimes
G
27
OUR LEADERSHIP
Children’s Medical Center Dallas is a not-for-profit pediatric hospital governed by a community volunteer board jointly appointed by Children’s Health Services of Texas, Baylor Health Care System
and Texas Health Resources. Children’s is affiliated with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and is UT Southwestern’s primary pediatric teaching hospital. Children’s
is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and approved by the Council of Medical Education of the American Medical Association and the American
Dental Association. Children’s also is accredited by a variety of educational programs in related healthcare fields. Children’s is a member of the American Hospital Association, the Texas Hospital
Association, the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas, the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions and the Council of Teaching Hospitals.
Children’s Medical
Center of Dallas
Board of Directors
Senior Directors
Clara C. Bahner
Julian De La Rosa
DIRECTORS
Chairman
John L. Adams
MEDICAL STAFF OFFICERS
Immediate Past President
William A. Scott, M.D., M.S.
Tom Baker
Robert Chereck
Michael Dardick
Christopher J. Durovich
Sandra Estess
Kathleen Gibson
Richard Knight, Jr.
J. Marc Myers
Elaine Nelson
Marcia Page
President
Michael E. Brown, M.D.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Joel Allison
M. Douglas Baker, M.D.
David W. Biegler
Michael Brown, M.D.
Dan Chapman
Robert Foglia, M.D.
Douglas Hawthorne
Zora Rogers, M.D.
Thomas Zellers, M.D.
INVITED GUESTS
Ron Anderson, M.D.
George Lister, M.D.
Willis Maddrey, M.D.
Gifford Touchstone
Kern Wildenthal, M.D., PhD.
ASSOCIATES BOARD
Peter Altabef
Katherine Crow
Robert M. Farrell
Lois Finkelman
Monte E. Ford
Joyce Houlihan
Thomas Leppert
Albert Niemi, Ph.D.
Robert Olmsted, Jr.
Richard L. Rogers
Marcos Ronquillo
John Field Scovell
Florence Shapiro
Patrick Shelby
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
President and CEO
Christopher J. Durovich
Executive Vice President of Development
T.W. Hudson Akin
Senior Vice Presidents
Julio Pérez Fontán, M.D.
James W. Herring
Douglas G. Hock
Patricia U. Winning
Vice Presidents
Christopher J. Dougherty
Brett Daniel Lee
Fiona Howard Levy, M.D.
Anne E. Long, RN, JD
Elizabeth Field MacKay
Karen Meador, M.D.
Louis C. Saksen
Chief Nursing Officer
Mary Stowe, RN, MSN
Interim Chief Financial Officer
Nancy Templin
Chief Medical Officer
Thomas Zellers, M.D.
Director of Medical Services
M. Douglas Baker, M.D.
Director of Surgical Services
Robert Foglia, M.D.
28 G 2007, Issue 1
President-Elect
Zora R. Rogers, M.D.
Surgical Representative at Large 2007-2008
David Weakley, M.D.
Medical Representative at Large 2007-2008
Joe Neely, M.D.
Surgical Representative at Large 2006-2007
Steven Leonard, M.D.
Medical Representative at Large 2006-2007
Angela Mihalic, M.D.
Secretary/Treasurer
Pam Okada, M.D.
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chairman
Thomas Zellers, M.D.
Douglas Baker, M.D.
Michael Brown, M.D.
Richard Daniel, M.D.
Robert Foglia, M.D.
Nilda Garcia, M.D.
Andrew Gelfand, M.D.
Steven Leonard, M.D.
George Lister, M.D.
Angela Mihalic, M.D.
Francis C. Morriss, M.D.
William A. Scott, M.D., M.S.
Paul Sheeran, M.D.
Beverly Rogers, M.D.
Nancy K. Rollins, M.D.
Carolyn Wilson, D.D.S.
MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Christopher J. Durovich
Roy Heyne, M.D.
Douglas G. Hock
Mary Stowe, RN, MSN
Michael Chang, M.D.
Ami Dharia, M.D.
Ashleigh Richards, M.D.
ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBERS
James W. Herring
Anne E. Long, RN, JD
Fiona Howard Levy, M.D.
Anne Roberts, CPMSM
Children’s Health
Services of Texas
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
Gene H. Bishop
Lloyd Bowles, Sr.
Rawles Fulgham
Theodore P. Votteler, M.D.
Joel T. Williams, III
DIRECTORS
Chairman
David W. Biegler
John L. Adams
Paul Bass
Dan Chapman
Ann Goddard Corrigan
Christopher J. Durovich
Sandra Estess
Randi Halsell
Richard Knight, Jr.
P. Mike McCullough
Debbie Scripps
Barbara Stuart
Gifford Touchstone
Darrell W. Wootton
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Dan Chapman
Joel T. Williams
Thomas Zellers, M.D.
Children’s Medical
Center Foundation
Board of Trustees
TRUSTEES EMERITUS
James J. Farnsworth
H. Grady Jordan, Sr.
Sarah M. Seay
TRUSTEES
Chairman
Dan Chapman
Marilyn Augur
Martha Lou Beaird
Samuel J. Beard
David Beuerlein
Sheila Beuerlein
Cordelia Boone
Charles (Chet) Boortz
Lloyd S. Bowles, Jr.
Lloyd S. Bowles, Sr.
Kitty Boyle
Ben Brooks
Kathy Brooks
Susan E. Brown
Shell Burford
Lance Byrd
Barbara Mallory Caraway
Bill Carter
Dan Chapman
Ann Goddard Corrigan
Marie Crowe
R. Brooks Cullum, Jr.
Sissy Cullum
Scott Dabney
Jon Dahlander
Ann Delatour
David H. Eisenberg
Sandra Estess
Lance Etcheverry
Susan Farris
Steve Folsom
Gerald J. Ford
Kandace Garvey
Jon Gaulding
Kenn George
Linda Gibbons
James B. Goodson
Toppy Goolsby
Leslie Greco
Steven Gruber
Cindy M. Gummer
Todd Hagemeier
Randi Halsell
Juli Harrison
Susan Hoag
Denny Holman
Ward Hunt
Gene Jones
Ken Klaveness
Richard Knight, Jr.
Tracey Kozmetsky
C.S. Lee
Anne Logan
Dale Hawkins Long
George Mason
Karen Matthews
Albert McClendon
Jill McClung
P. Mike McCullough
Kimberly McDavid
Ben David McDavid, Jr.
Gail McDonald
John P. McNamara
Melanie Medanich
Jerry Meyer
Harold Montgomery
Vikki Moody
Dian Moore
Ginny Moore
H. Leslie Moore, M.D.
Robert Morgan, D.D.S.
Randall Muck
John B. Muns
Burk Murchison
Jan Myers
Hisashi Nikaidoh, M.D.
Lydia Novakov
Crickett Rollins Olmsted
Frank O’Neil
Stephen C. Owen
Teresa Parravano
Chris Patrick
Pamela Dealey Petty
John T. Pickens
Claude Prestidge, M.D.
Deborah Price, Au.D.
Debbie Raynor
Ann Duckett Reed
Raymond Reed, Ph.D.
Richard L. Rogers
Steven M. Rudner
Mardie Schoellkopf
Betty Schultz
John Field Scovell
Debbie Scripps
Ric Scripps
John R. Sears, Jr.
Mary Louise Sinclair
Frank Sloan
Sandra Snyder
Bob Stegall
Sally Seay Stout
Barbara Stuart
Smokey Swenson
Mike Tanner
Burton Tansky
Betty Terrell
Richard (Dick) Terrell
John P. Thompson, Jr.
Gifford Touchstone
Robert Webb
Suzy Welfelt
Jimmy Westcott
Joel T. Williams, III
Sue Wills
Tracy Wolstencroft
Laura M. Woodall
Darrell W. Wootton
Sharon Worrell
Terry Worrell
Donald Zale
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Jill Bee
David W. Biegler
Kathryn Biggers
Christopher J. Durovich
Cindy McGeogh
Rosalyn Parker
Jamie Singer
Jill & Chris Willis
Foundation Executive Committee
Dallas Mavericks guard
Greg Buckner talks with
Esther Knoll, 17, and
gives her an autographed
Dallas Mavericks basketball. Buckner visited
Children’s on Dec. 9 to
hand out autographed
basketballs and visit with
a few patients.
Dallas Stars assistant captain Mike Modano talks hockey with
8-year-old Luis Palencia, a self-proclaimed ‘sports nut.’
Members of the Dallas Stars visited patients at Children’s on
Dec. 11 as part of their annual holiday activities.
Whitney Lasiter designed a trivet that was distributed to Children’s board members and
trustees as a thank-you gift for their volunteer
service. Lasiter has had two heart procedures at
Children’s — one when she was 4 months old,
the other at 4 1/2 years old.
From left, Dr. Ted Votteler, former chief of Surgery at Children’s; Dr. Alan
Flake, professor of Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University
of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Dr. George Lister, chief of Pediatrics
at Children’s and chairman of the department of Pediatrics at UT
Southwestern; and Dr. Robert Foglia, chief of Pediatric Surgery at
Children’s and UT Southwestern, during the inaugural Theodore P.
Votteler lectureship on Aug. 30. The lectureship was established in 2006
in honor of Dr. Votteler with the goal of bringing innovative pediatric surgical concepts to North Texas. Dr. Votteler, who retired from Children’s in
2001 after more than 50 years of practicing medicine, is notable for having separated seven sets of conjoined twins in his career, possibly more
than any other surgeon in the country. Dr. Flake was the guest speaker for
the inaugural lecture.
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