1. health and fitness
2. disease
3. cancer

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY / ONCOLOGY
PROGRESS REPORT
KIDS SPECIALTY CENTER • WOMEN’S & CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL • LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA
omen’s & Children’s Hospital,
a campus of The Regional
Medical Center of Acadiana,
has been providing specialized
healthcare services for women and children
throughout the Acadiana area for more
than 25 years. Since inception, our goal
has always been to ensure that the unique
healthcare needs of our patients are met
— not only with a highly trained staff and
state-of-the-art equipment but also with
compassion and attention to detail.
We are pleased to announce that our
pediatric cancer program has evolved, and
services have grown since our last report.
Our exciting growth includes the addition
of Dr. Darric Baty, Pediatric Neurosurgeon.
Dr. Baty can be found in our free-standing
pediatric specialty building, The Kids
Specialty Center, located on our campus.
Dr. Baty has made it possible for us to
offer surgery for the removal of brain
tumors, a service that prior to his arrival,
would require travel for area families.
We have also expanded the services we
offer to patients and their families. This
report gives details about two wonderful
programs now available, “Beads of
Courage” and “Monkey In My Chair,” each
designed to help our pediatric patients
and their families and friends cope with
and understand chronic illness.
Our core philosophy remains the same: We
are dedicated to bringing comprehensive
care exclusively to women and children.
We are the second-largest birthing center
in the state, and we have more pediatric
and women’s specialists than any other
hospital in Acadiana. And as the only levelthree regional neonatal intensive care unit
in the area, we are the hospital that other
hospitals turn to. Providing specialized
care is our calling and it drives our day-today pursuit to be the “healthcare provider
of choice” for our communities.
I invite you to read the following pages
that outline our continued successes and
inspirational stories of struggles that
ultimately become triumphs. We also
want to take this opportunity to say thank
you to the families and physicians who
continue to entrust us with the care of
these precious children.
Sincerely,
ONE
THREE
NINE
Message From CEO
Our Program & Services
Program Statistics
THIRTEEN
Physician Biographies
EIGHTEEN
Partners
Kathy Bobbs, CEO
We have also used this report to showcase
and thank the wonderful organizations
and businesses that we collaborate with
throughout the year. These generous
efforts have resulted in new and expanded
support services and resources that make
life better for our patients and their
families. Women’s & Children’s Hospital is
truly grateful for these relationships.
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reating the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program was a vision and a passion
of mine for many years. Working with hospital administration, I spent nearly a year
searching for the right physicians and staff to build a team skilled in every aspect
of pediatric oncology care and fostering relationships with community partners so
our patients and their families experience complete care for all the needs that accompany
a cancer diagnosis.
We have assembled a group of talented, multidisciplinary physicians, surgeons, nurses and
staff whose priority is to provide world-class care right here in our community. Dr. Baty has
earned a reputation as an exceptional pediatric neurosurgeon, specializing in traumatic
injuries. Dr. Falterman is widely regarded for his experience in the surgical removal of
cancer. Dr. DeLand’s expertise in radiation treatments and Dr. Dersam’s knowledge in the
field of musculoskeletal tumors complete our all-encompassing team approach to treating
childhood cancer.
With our talented team in place, we developed a program that adheres to all nationally
recognized standards and protocols for the treatment of childhood cancer. Now, in the fifth
year of this venture and four years after opening our doors, our 95% success rate is proving
that children in Acadiana are being cured through our top-notch care.
PRAISE FROM PHYSICIANS
Dr. Morad has always made himself available in all matters, whether
it is patient-related or academic. He has provided excellent care to
the patients in my practice with hematologic and oncologic problems.
I get nothing but accolades from the patients’ parents. “We love
Dr. Morad!” His office staff has always been helpful and easy to
communicate with. Dr. Morad has brought Lafayette’s first pediatric
hematology/oncology services to Women’s & Children’s
and is committed to establishing quality care for our patients.
Carlos Bruno, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician, Broussard, LA
— Dr. Ammar Morad
We treat the following diagnoses:
HEMATOLOGY
Acquired and Hereditary Anemias
Neutropenias
Disorders of Leukocyte Function
Histiocytic Disorders
Thrombocytopenia Disorders
Acquired & Hereditary Coagulation Abnormalities
Abnormalities of Platelet Function
ONCOLOGY
Leukemias
Brain Tumors
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Neuroblastoma
Wilms’ Tumor
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Ewing’s Sarcoma
Osteosarcoma
Liver Tumors
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Within the last couple of years, my practice has had an unusual
number of patients needing cancer care. Dr. Morad has been
managing these kids with great success, and my patients are
very complimentary of him and of his staff. He has truly been a
blessing for these patients, and we certainly appreciate
having him available whenever a consult is necessary.
Maurice Faugot, MD, Pediatrician, New Iberia, LA
Dr. Morad’s arrival in South Louisiana has resulted in
unprecedented benefits to our patients. His knowledge,
care, and responsiveness are paralleled only by both his
passion and compassion. I am grateful to have him
as a colleague.
Bryan Sibley, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician, Lafayette, LA
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Along with the diagnosis of a serious illness
BEADS OF COURAGE
Women’s & Children’s Hospital is the second hospital in the state to introduce
this inspirational program on its campus.
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comes time away from school. Whether it is
only a day here and there or maybe weeks
or months at a time, this can be hard for
children and their classmates.
Monkey In My Chair is a national program
for preschool and elementary-aged children
who are away from school because of a
“Most people dislike the unknown — even children. Beads of Courage has a
cancer diagnosis. Through the program,
way of bringing very complex things — such as chemotherapy, radiation and
each child is provided with a “monkey kit”
spinal taps — down to a level where a child can understand them. It no longer
that includes a big stuffed monkey that
is a taboo topic. As a program, it helps the child to participate in his or her own
takes their place in school when they are
treatment and learn to talk about it through this non-threatening way. Beads of
unable to be there. The kit also contains
Courage is one of the greatest means to help children cope with a chronic illness
educational materials that enable the
that I have seen.”
teacher to explain the illness to classmates.
JANIE ELDRIDGE
CHILDLIFE SPECIALIST
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MONKEY IN MY CHAIR
BEADS OF COURAGE is a national program that offers pediatric patients with
chronic conditions a means of telling the story of their illness to family and
friends. Each bead is a different color or shape and represents milestones,
procedures and acts of bravery during the child’s medical journey. The Beads of
Courage program brings strength, joy and a tangible sense of hope to patients
and families battling life-altering medical conditions.
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PRAISE FROM PARENTS
Diagnosed patients have come from the following Parishes:
Acadia
Allen
Beauregard
Calcasieu
Cameron
Evangeline
Iberia
Initially, we went out of state for Stevie’s care, and on a break at
home, we had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Morad, and Stevie seemed
to be very relaxed and comfortable compared to the anxiety she
experienced before. The decision to stay at home and finish Stevie’s
year-long treatments with Dr. Morad was difficult until she came up
to me after her first inpatient treatment and said, “Mommy, I’m so
glad we came here!” Because of the smaller facility, Stevie was able to
establish a close relationship not only with Dr. Morad but also with the
nurses. As a parent, seeing Stevie and Dr. Morad take to each other in
such a positive, loving way made me realize HOME really is the best
medicine there is!
ANGEL CHERAMIE
Mom of Stevie
From the first day we met with Dr. Morad, we were comfortable
with him. More importantly, Maya is comfortable with him and is not
scared. She loves his nurses! I know my daughter is in good hands.
We couldn’t ask for better.
HOLLY PEREZ
Mom of Maya
As a nurse, I thought my knowledge base would help when I learned
our daughter had cancer. But nothing was registering. Listening to Dr.
Morad patiently explain everything, I quickly learned that the protocol
and the treatment are exactly the same as those of other centers. We
have everything we need right here.
Jefferson Davis
Lafayette
Rapides
St. Landry
St. Martin
Vermilion
Vernon
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Kids Specialty Center
Campus of Women’s & Children’s Hospital
4704 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy
Lafayette, LA 70508
2
Alexandria Clinic
501 Medical Center Drive
Suite 4C
Alexandria, LA 71301
3
Lake Charles Clinic
2903 1st Avenue
Lake Charles, LA 70601
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3
1
As a dad, I would have been separated from my wife and daughter
for months if we’d gone anywhere else. This program has kept our
family together, and both of us can go to Laura’s appointments and all
be back home together in the evening. That’s a blessing.
GRETCHEN & BRYAN LIPARI
Parents of Laura
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PROGRAM STATISTICS
When it comes to patient care, our team of physicians and staff ensure
that no child is ever treated like a number. But when it comes to our
program’s statistics, the numbers are excellent indicators of where we
are and where we’ve been.
•Program officially active
for 4 years
•47 pediatric cancer patients
have been treated
•95 percent cure rate has
been achieved
•Children have come from 14
parishes
Statistics compiled October 1, 2007 – December 31, 2011
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PET
THERAPY
Animal-assisted therapy has been proven
to have a positive effect on pediatric
oncology patients and their families. It has
helped further the fields of research on
human-animal interaction and integrated
therapies for conditions such a cancer in
children.
In 2011, Women’s & Children’s Hospital
hosted “Celebrate Life!” — the inaugural
event for patients of the pediatric cancer
program and their families.
PET THERAPY
All of our dogs are certified
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by Pets for Health, a local
organization that helps promote
therapy through animal affection.
CELEBRATE LIFE
Women’s & Children’s has been
providing pet therapy for nearly three
years. With two dogs (Lily and Lilly)
making weekly visits to the hospital,
non-contagious kids can spend time
with Delta Society-certified pets in the
safety of their room.
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DR. DARRIC BATY
DR. AMMAR MORAD
Dr. Baty completed his residency training in neurosurgery at Temple
University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his fellowship in
Pediatric Neurosurgery at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He
is a member of the AANS/CNS Section for Pediatric Neurosurgery.
Dr. Morad completed his pediatric residency training at the Medical
College of Wisconsin and his fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the Texas
Children’s Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Baty specializes in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of
children’s surgical and traumatic nervous system problems.
Dr. Morad was an Assistant Professor at Texas Children’s Hospital and at
Texas Tech University.
As a pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Baty specializes in treating traumatic
injuries of the brain, spine, and nerves; gait abnormalities; excess water
on the brain; brain and spine tumors; and other surgically treatable
abnormalities of the nervous system.
Dr. Morad’s primary clinical interests include leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors,
and all aspects of Pediatric Hematology.
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DR. KENNETH FALTERMAN
DR. M. MAITLAND DELAND
Dr. DeLand graduated with honors from the University of Florida School
Dr. Falterman has more than 30 years of experience in the surgical
of Medicine and completed her residency at Duke University Medical Center, as well as
fellowships in Radiation Oncology, Radiology, and Laser Medicine and Surgery. She is a
member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) international association and a member
of the former Pediatric Oncology Group (POG).
management of solid tumors in infants and children. He works very closely with Dr. Morad,
our pediatric oncologist, to provide a modern, multidisciplinary team management of
childhood cancer.
Additionally, she is a member of the American College of Radiation Oncology, American
College of Radiology, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and American
Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
Dr. DeLand is a clinical faculty member at the LSU School of Medicine and the Tulane
Cancer Center Community Advisory Board. In addition, she is a children’s book author.
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Dr. Falterman utilizes advanced, minimally invasive surgical techniques when appropriate
and can provide vascular access for our patients being treated with chemotherapy.
A board-certified pediatric surgeon, Dr. Falterman is the Director of the Kids Specialty
Center and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of
Surgeons. He completed his general surgery residency at Louisiana State University and his
pediatric surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
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PARTNERS
DR. GABRIEL DERSAM
Dr. Dersam earned his medical degree from the University of Arizona
College of Medicine. He completed his residency at the University of
Minnesota and a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Gillette
Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.
As a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Dersam specializes in diagnosing,
treating, and managing a wide range of children’s musculoskeletal (bone,
joint, or muscle) problems, including those present at birth or those that
develop later due to injury or illnesses such as cancer, cerebral palsy,
and spina bifida.
Dr. Dersam is highly trained in musculoskeletal oncology and has treated
a wide range of benign and malignant tumors in children, including
osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma.
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The pediatric cancer program at Women’s & Children’s Hospital is fortunate to have
area businesses and organizations that continue to collaborate with us on initiatives
and programs that enable us to expand our services and improve our program. We
are truly grateful for the following partners:
Miles Perret Center
The mission of Miles Perret Cancer
Services is “to help families fight, survive,
and live with cancer.” Our mission is
founded on the principle that life is
sacred, and quality of life should not
be forgotten or neglected, particularly
when battling cancer. Many cancer
patients and their families need the
organized and deliberate support of a
cancer services center invested in their
welfare and healing. They need Miles
Perret Cancer Services.
Make-A-Wish Acadiana
Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish
Foundation® has enriched the lives of
children with life-threatening medical
conditions through its wish-granting
work. The Foundation’s mission reflects
the life-changing impact that a MakeA-Wish® experience has on children,
families, referral sources, donors,
sponsors, and entire communities.
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is
a nationwide, community-based,
voluntary health organization
dedicated to eliminating cancer as a
major health problem. Headquartered
in Atlanta, Georgia, the ACS has 12
chartered divisions, more than 900 local
offices nationwide, and a presence in
more than 5,100 communities.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®
(LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary
(not-for-profit) health organization
dedicated to funding blood cancer
research and providing education and
patient services. LLS has awarded more
than $750 million in research funding for
all blood cancers.
Aflac
Friends of a Feather is the umbrella
program under which Aflac® conducts
pediatric cancer philanthropic
initiatives: from critical research and
medical care, to emotional support for
children and their families. We invite
other organizations, companies and
individuals to join Aflac® in the fight
against all forms of childhood cancer.
Dreams Come True of Louisiana
Dreams Come True of Louisiana has
been granting wishes for local children
battling life-threatening illnesses since
1982. Its commitment to serving the
children and families of our community
has allowed it to grant approximately
30 to 40 dreams throughout the year.
Lydia Cancer Association
The Lydia Cancer Association (LCA) is
a fund-raising organization that hosts
local, social and group events to
generate donations for cancer patients
in Louisiana’s coastal parishes of
Vermilion, Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary.
Police Association of Lafayette
The Police Association of Lafayette
is a not-for-profit organization made
up of Lafayette Police Department
officers. These men and women collect
donations and raise awareness about
specific charitable groups. Recently,
the Police Association of Lafayette
donated $18,000 worth of toys to our
program.
Party Place
Located in Broussard, Louisiana,
Party Place provides party supplies,
decorations, cakes and more. Party
Place also provides our oncology
patients with something for them to
sink their teeth into. The store bakes
and decorates individualized cakes
for our patients for end-of-treatment
celebrations and for their birthdays.
Teri Louviere
Our kids take fun very seriously. And
when it comes to play time, toys are
essential to the process. Thanks to the
donations of Teri Louviere, our patients
have more to play with. Ms. Louviere
donates several new toys to our hospital
each month – many of which find their
way to Dr. Morad’s patients. She is
instrumental in keeping big smiles on
little faces.
Laughter Therapy
Although we provide some of the
world’s most advanced treatment
for our patients, we still believe in the
healing power of laughter. That’s why
every month our patients are visited
by Laughter Therapy – a group that
performs magic tricks, creates balloon
animals, and provides face painting.
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337-521-9100
337-371-3101 or 1-877-30-CARE-1
www.womens-childrens.com
4600 Ambassador Caffery
Lafayette, LA 70508