1. family and parenting
2. children

june 2014
Celebrating
20 Years
of Caring
People,
Caring for
Kids
Construction Begins
on New
Golisano Children’s
Hospital of
Southwest Florida
With more than 20 years of “caring people, caring for kids,”
Lee Memorial Health System is taking the next step in keeping
the youngest members of the Southwest Florida community
close to home for the care they need.
In This Issue
The Rise of Pediatric Care Evolves into
America’s Newest Children’s Hospital........2
Patients Benefit from
Hospital’s Changes......................................3
Golisano Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida Timeline.................... 4-5
Hematology/Oncology Patient Holds
Special Place in Unit’s History.....................6
Port Charlotte and Naples Clinics
Work to Expand Care...................................6
Child Life Specialist Reflects on
20 Years of Growth and Caring...................6
Autism: Navigating a
Difficult Diagnosis.......................................7
Auxiliaries Helping to Make Golisano
Children’s Hospital a Reality.......................7
Lee Memorial Health System
Campaign Update........................................8
Help for Kids.................................................8
Our Need......................................................9
Administrators, physicians, staff, community leaders, donors,
and current and former patients were on-hand as crews broke
ground on the new Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest
Florida this spring. “For the community, this is the next step
to ensure that the future health care needs for children in
Southwest Florida are met right here at home,” says Kathy
Bridge-Liles, chief administrative officer, Golisano Children’s
Hospital of Southwest Florida. “The new facility is designed to
keep children as close to home as possible.”
The new hospital will open with a total of 128 staffed and
equipped inpatient rooms, and will have the capacity to
expand to 160 rooms in the future. It also will have 17
emergency room bays to treat the more than 25,000 children
who come through the emergency department doors
each year.
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, which
currently includes 48 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
beds, will increase the number of NICU beds to 64. “We
serve the sickest children in the five-county area,” Kathy says.
“We want to make sure we have the bed capacity to care for
all of the critically ill and premature infants
in the region in our Level III NICU. These
infants need highly specialized care that our
staff, physicians and surgeons are trained to
provide. Caring for these newborns is a
challenge. Some of these babies are so small;
they can fit in the palm of your hand”.
The new hospital will also have an increased
number of pediatric intensive care beds for
children and adolescents in the region who are
fighting life-threatening illnesses and injuries.”
Onward Toward the Goal............................9
Ways to Help..............................................10
Gift of a Lifetime........................................11
Map.............................................................12
Physician List.............................................12
Calendar.....................................................12
A large, diverse group
of hospital employees,
construction company
employees and members
of the Southwest Florida
community attended
groundbreaking
ceremonies.
Evan Hampel, age 4,
Golisano Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida patient
helps break ground
at the ceremony.
The new hospital will include:
• An inpatient and outpatient pediatric cancer program
• A dedicated pediatric pharmacy
• Separate pediatric emergency department
• Telehealth capabilities with Miami Children’s
Hospital, allowing video physician consultations
• Play areas
• A classroom
• A laundry room
• Ronald McDonald Family Room
• Parent Resource Center
• A pediatric sedation unit
“This hospital is a win-win for adults and children,”
Kathy says. “Currently, adults and children share the same
emergency department, so having a separate one for children
will decrease wait times for everyone.”
The budget for the new hospital and all associated work
needed to make the hospital possible is $242 million, with
a goal of raising $100 million in philanthropy to support
the cost of the project. “We still need to raise $18 million to
reach our goal,” Kathy says. “We hope that once people see
the builders in action, they will see the reality of what’s
happening and want to help us cross the fundraising
finish line.”
Kathy says the hospital is on-target to reach its fundraising
goals. “We have often been referred to as ‘The Little Hospital
That Could,’” she says. “Soon, we’ll be referred to as ‘The
Golisano Children’s Hospital That Is.’ What a wonderful day
that will be for the children and families we are honored
to serve.”
Artist’s rendering of the new Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida
The Rise of Pediatric Care Evolves
into America’s Newest Children’s Hospital
As we look to future of the Golisano Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida with excitement and anticipation,
we also look back through history to see that the
foundation for a comprehensive children’s hospital was
laid many years ago. New programs and services were
added little by little, year by year, just like building the
foundation and floors of a new and expanded facility.
The first dedicated pediatric unit opened at Lee
Memorial Hospital in 1968 and services expanded
during the 1980s. In 1984, Lee Memorial became
a state-designated Level III neonatal unit with the
capabilities of serving the tiniest premature newborns.
As this successful program grew rapidly, Lee Memorial
Hospital was challenged to provide adequate space. So,
with the 1991 opening of HealthPark Medical Center,
all obstetrical and children’s services were moved and,
under the leadership of Dr. Bob Arnall—a pediatrician,
Lee Memorial’s medical director and the person credited
as “The Father of The Children’s Hospital”—the
vision of a children’s hospital-within-a-hospital began
to take shape.
“We realized early on that we couldn’t do everything,”
explains Jim Nathan, president of Lee Memorial
Health System. “And we knew that establishing the
only dedicated children’s hospital between Tampa
Bay and Miami wasn’t going to be like turning on a
light bulb. Instead, we incrementally grew each day—
always sensitive to economic and clinical variables as
we balanced the medical needs of adults, infants and
adolescents in our community.”
Kathy Bridge-Liles, chief administrative officer of
Golisano Children’s Hospital, was a pediatric nurse
at the time and remembers moving children and
babies from Lee Memorial Hospital to HealthPark
Medical Center in 1991. “There wasn’t enough space
at Lee Memorial Hospital anymore, so we moved to
HealthPark Medical Center, and at the same time,
expanded services to include a pediatric intensive
care unit (PICU),” Kathy says. “In 1994, we received
recognition as a children’s hospital, and services
continued to expand, including the addition of
hematology/oncology in 1997. For this expansion, we
needed to use space that was previously occupied by
adults because even 15 years ago we were challenged by
not having enough beds for children.”
Since the beginning, one goal has been consistent:
to keep children as close to home as possible for
medical care. With 98 beds and 400 admissions a
month, hospital administrators needed to improve
operations or expand the space again. “We looked at
time management, bed turns, length of stay and patient
flow,” Kathy says. “If we hadn’t improved our operations,
we would have needed 13 more beds; but at about $1
million per bed, we couldn’t afford it. So, everyone
pitched in to find ways to better utilize our beds, avoid
expansion costs and, at the same time, not have to send
our pediatric patients out of town.”
But, as local home and business construction increased,
more schools were built, more people moved to the
area, and technology and clinical capabilities expanded
to serve more children close to home, the needs grew
again. Increasingly, The Children’s Hospital had to
turn patients away and send them to a hospital two
hours away. “We knew we needed additional beds and
a separate facility,” Kathy says. “We had children spread
through various areas in HealthPark Medical Center
and clearly needed to rectify fragmented services, and
create a child-friendly environment and culture to care
for children and their families the way they should be
treated. So, we went to the Lee Memorial Health System
Board of Directors and asked for their support to build a
new facility.”
Becoming The Children’s
Hospital That Could
Back when The Children’s Hospital opened at
HealthPark Medical Center—before it was technically
considered a children’s hospital—Lee Memorial
partnered with the Nemours Foundation to acquire
pediatric specialists. The first specialists and
subspecialists included orthopedics, pediatric surgery,
neurology, pulmonology, gastroenterology and
ophthalmology.
Emad Salman, M.D., hematologist/oncologist and
current medical director of Golisano Children’s Hospital,
trained with Nemours. After his training, he started a
private practice in West Palm Beach until the mid-1990s
when Nemours contacted him to see if he would be
interested in starting a hematology/oncology program
from scratch in Fort Myers. “I was very excited about
the opportunity—the chance to build the program the
right way,” Dr. Salman says. “April 1, 1997 we opened the
unit and started serving patients. We got busy fast—we
outgrew our space in one year and quickly realized that
we needed more services. In September 1999, Barbara’s
Friends outpatient clinic opened. Then, in 2005, we
opened the Chrissy Brown Unit, which provided us
more inpatient oncology beds.”
In 2001, Nemours made the decision to consolidate
their services in the Orlando area and leave Fort
Myers. Because Lee Memorial Health System already
committed to caring for our community’s children, the
system stepped in and formed Doctors for Kids (D4K)
to raise money to keep children’s services. Under D4K,
physicians were funded by generous donations and
community support that underwrote the programs and
provided physician compensation.
“That is one of the things I am most proud of,” Jim says.
“When Nemours pulled out of Fort Myers, we didn’t
just cave in and say ‘We can’t do this.’ Rather than being
mad or shocked, we said, ‘We’re going to keep growing,’
and we came up with a solution. Dr. John Donaldson,
medical director at the time, and Mike Ellis, former
executive director, played major roles in helping hold
this vision together.”
Dr. Salman was the first employed pediatric specialist.
More specialists and subspecialists were added over
time, and today there are more than 70 children’s
specialists—many are employed by Lee Physician Group,
but all work collaboratively.
“For many years it felt like a little hospital, as we coped
with trying to figure out who was going to see certain
patients and especially when we had to send patients
away,” Dr. Salman says. “But we never said ‘we can’t’—
instead, we always said ‘How can we do it?’ and ‘How
are we going to continue to expand and grow?’”
Health System Leaders Share
Their Memories
Twenty-plus years ago, Larry Antonucci, M.D., Lee
Memorial Health System chief operating officer, was
a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist. “Frequently,
we would deliver a baby and it would have to be
whisked off to Tampa or Miami because we didn’t
have a neonatologist or the NICU capacity to care
for the baby,” Dr. Antonucci says. “So, for me, one of
the biggest advantages to The Children’s Hospital was
having a NICU—that was a real game-changer for our
community.”
Dr. Antonucci and his wife also raised three girls here,
so knowing specialized pediatric medical care was
available in their community was important and made a
huge difference for them.
“It is exciting to look at the changes in the 20 years—
the growth of specialists, services and programs,” he
says. “As we look ahead, we will continue to assess the
needs of our community and recruit and grow to meet
those needs.”
Donna Giannuzzi, Lee Memorial Health System’s chief
patient care officer and chief administrative officer at
HealthPark Medical Center, was a nursing administrator
in the community when The Children’s Hospital first
opened. “I remember thinking that having a dedicated
children’s hospital was a brilliant idea, and significant
for our community,” she says. “The demographics were
changing and our area was getting younger. We had
obstetrics well-defined in the community, but there was
more we needed in order to serve children and families.
Children can’t be treated like little adults—they need
pediatric specialists caring for them. The creation of
The Children’s Hospital brought dedicated, first-class
specialists to care for our community’s children.”
continued on page 3
www.LeeMemorial.org
2
HEALTHY NEWS is published
as a community service by
Lee Memorial Health System
P. O. Box 2218, Fort Myers, FL 33902
[email protected]
June 2014
System President
Jim Nathan
Vice president Strategic Services
kevin newingham
Editorial
Kali Lynch
Lynn Melvin
JL Watson
DESIGN
KEVIN OWEN
Lee Memorial Health System
Board of Directors
District 1
Stephen R. Brown, M.D.
Marilyn Stout
District 2
Richard B. Akin
Nancy M. McGovern, RN, MSM
District 3
Sanford N. Cohen, M.D.
David F. Collins
District 4
Diane Champion
Chris Hansen
District 5
Jessica Carter
Stephanie L. Meyer, BSN, RN
America’s Newest Children’s Hospital (continued from page 2)
Now, with the construction under way on the new Golisano Children’s Hospital, Donna looks forward to seeing the building
come alive. “If a hospital can be inviting, this one will be,” she says. “From the colors and the features, the environment will be
both child and family friendly. Plus, having a dedicated children’s hospital that has its own emergency department will be the
highlight of my career.”
A truly special moment in the history of The Children’s Hospital came when Tom Golisano announced to a table of six people,
including Jim, Kathy and Dr. Salman, that he was going to donate $20 million to the capital campaign to build the new facility.
“I will never forget that moment,” Kathy says. “He believed in everything he saw and everyone he met. He knew we strived to
provide the best possible outcomes for our children. It was an incredibly humbling and moving moment for all of us. After
previous attempts and false starts, I realized that this gift, coupled with so much other community support being generated
through the hard work of our Foundation, would bring a new children’s hospital to fruition.”
There have been so many successes along the way, and so much to be proud of, Jim says. “I love the message of ‘The Little
Hospital That Could,’” he says. “Through the years, we have become one of only 11 Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers
in the state providing complex, high-risk obstetric and neonatal services which have consistently had the best outcomes in
the state. We have a great cancer program that can do almost everything, but bone marrow transplants. Our child advocacy,
child life, pediatric day care for children with complex medical needs and so many of our outreach programs are all special
to me. But, it is the teamwork and collaboration that really sets us apart. We are blessed with so many dedicated, caring team
members who come together to care for our youngest patients.”
Looking Forward to 2017
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida would not be what it is or what it will be in the future without philanthropic
support from the community, leadership and commitment from the Lee Memorial Health System Board of Directors,
administration and medical staff, and the dedication of truly caring staff and volunteers. Dr. Arnall was a huge advocate
for children, specialized pediatric medical care and growing children’s services; he also served as the hospital’s first medical
director. “Dr. Bob was a gentleman of gentlemen,” Kathy says. “He was a great partner to us. Without people like Dr. Bob and
Dr. Salman, we wouldn’t be here—their dedication to the children never wavered.”
Kathy and Dr. Salman also add that Joyce Puhalla, former vice president of nursing for adults and pediatrics, was instrumental
in the process—she was the person who decided to pursue pediatric hospital designation and recognition from the National
Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Insititutions (NACHRI) back in 1994.
As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Golisano Children’s Hospital and look forward to the grand opening of the new facility
in three years, we know that the progress and the future of the hospital hasn’t always been obvious or visible to the community.
But a dedicated group of caregivers and leaders knew what “The Little Hospital That Could” could be and worked hard to
make it happen. Now, we look forward to opening the doors of the Golisano Children’s Hospital That IS!
Patients Benefit from Hospital’s Changes
For the past 20 years, parents and children have relied on Golisano Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida for everything from prenatal classes to advanced cancer treatment.
As the hospital has grown, so have the number of services that help keep children in our
community.
“The biggest changes I have experienced would be the increased number of patients,”
says Brigid Kleinschmidt, RN, educator for Pediatrics/Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
(PICU). “When I started here 20 years ago we were one small ‘family’ of nurses all
on the second floor. We had a 5-bed PICU, 6-bed pediatric progressive care unit and
18-bed pediatric unit. It was not unusual to have empty beds. Our staff was small by
comparison and everyone knew each other well.”
The addition of pediatric oncology added to the hospital’s growth and the patient
population changed. “My first week here as a new grad in the PICU, I watched
heartbroken as a family lost three children to meningitis,” Brigid says. “As technologies
and treatment plans have evolved over the years, our success rate in saving our critical
patients has soared.”
Children who once had to go to Tampa or Miami can stay near their home for advanced
treatments, including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for children whose
kidneys fail. A new ultrasound machine will
soon be in place. This machine reduces the
need for X-ray confirmation for children
who may need a peripherally inserted central
catheter (PICC) on a long-term basis.
The new hospital also will continue
to provide numerous educational
opportunities for employees. “I never
had to leave The Children’s Hospital as I
developed my career and furthered my
education,” Brigid says. “I started working
here directly from Edison Community
College (as it was known). I have served
in various roles throughout the years;
Kelly Scher, childlife specialist
preceptor, supervisor, charter staff at
works with children of all ages.
our Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care
daycare, clinical instructor for nursing students, transport nurse,
and currently as educator for Pediatrics and PICU. With each of these roles, I have had
support through tuition reimbursement, system classes and financial grants for school.”
orthopedics include
complex spinal
surgery, care of
musculoskeletal
infections and
pediatric trauma,”
he says. “The
protocols and
delivery systems
are now in place
to help ensure
consistently
Craig MacArthur, M.D.,
good outcomes
pediatric hematologist/oncologist
for patients.”
examines a young patient.
In addition, Dr. Shannon says that
growing his knowledge base with the hospital’s growth has
been rewarding. “The most exciting thing is integrating state-of-the-art technologies—
minimally invasive surgery, robotics, 3-D real time imaging—in a state-of-the-art
facility.”
During Kathy’s
tenure, the number
of pediatric
subspecialists
has continued to
grow. “We now
employ more than
40 specialists and
have a total of 70
pediatric specialists
on staff,” she says.
For Kathy Bridge-Liles, chief administrative officer, Golisano Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida, the development of the Child Advocacy/Injury Prevention Program
has marked a milestone. “As in many other areas of health care, we used to focus only
on making sick children better,” she says. “Now, we have a strong focus on actually
preventing illness and injury.”
During Kathy’s tenure, the number of pediatric specialists has continued to grow.
“We now employ more than 40 specialists and have a total of 70 pediatric specialists
on staff,” she says.
The development of the “Giraffe Bed” (warming beds and incubators) for our tiniest
neonates (infants within the first 28 days following birth) has played a significant
role in helping those babies grow stronger here, rather than going to another
hospital. “These beds are the latest technology and really help us provide a ‘womblike’ environment for premature babies,” Kathy says. “All of the giraffe beds that we
have at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida were funded through our
philanthropic community.”
Celebrating successes and mourning losses with families has defined the hospital in
the past and will continue as the building of the new hospital progresses and future
generations seek care and comfort from our staff. “To see the difference we make in the
life of a child and a family is awe-inspiring,” Brigid says. “We have been at the bedside,
comforting parents while we work furiously to save a life.
Pediatric orthopedic surgeon F. Brett Shannon, M.D., has been with the hospital since
the beginning. “The most significant changes I’ve witnessed involve the culture of
patient safety,” Dr. Shannon says. “There is an emphasis on trying to get error rates to
zero from the moment a patient enters the doors of the hospital. It is a fundamental
principle that your safety is our highest priority.”
“We see patients come back to visit and often don’t even recognize the healthy child that
was once connected to so many tubes. Of course not all of our patients are critically ill.
We have seen our young patients become parents and still come back to see us. We are
here because we care, and we always will.”
Dr. Shannon says he is proud to be part of a team that helped develop service lines
for teens and children in the community. “Significant accomplishments unique to
3
1990
—Pediatric cardiologist/
intensivist and a pediatric
otolaryngologist (ear,
nose and throat physician)
join the medical staff and
begin practicing full time
in Lee County. Prior to this,
specialists from Tampa and
Miami would come to Fort
Myers periodically to treat
Southwest Florida’s children
1984
—Lee Memorial becomes
a state-designated Level III
neonatal intensive care unit
1988
1940s
—The first and
only child-life
specialist between
Tampa and Miami
joins the team
—Lee Memorial Health System opens
a four-bed pediatric ward on the first
floor of Lee Memorial Hospital
1994
—The Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida
officially opens. By the end
of the year almost 30 area
pediatricians utilize the
hospital for care of their
patients. An additional 20
specialists are available
to treat patients in the
areas of gastroenterology,
cardiology, neurology,
orthopedics, pulmonology,
radiology, otolaryngology
(ear, nose and throat
physician) and neonatology.
The Children’s Hospital
partners with the Nemours
Foundation to acquire the
pediatric specialists
1997
—Health Education
Center Scholarship is
started
—hematology/
oncology program
started
—Child care center opens
I1940
I I I 1968
I I I I I1983
I I I I I I I I 1990
I I I I I I 1994
I I I I I I I I I I I
1983
—Pediatric services
expand with the
opening of a neonatal
intensive care nursery
for critically ill
newborns
1968
—Dedicated pediatric unit opens
in the new patient tower at Lee
Memorial Hospital
1985
—Pediatric progressive
care unit opens for
critically ill children;
hospital officials begin
planning to become a
children’s hospital
—Lee Memorial takes
a leadership role in
the county’s Improved
Pregnancy Outcome
Program to ensure
all pregnant women
access to good
prenatal care
—Regional perinatal
van with ultrasound
equipment for high-risk
moms and babies in
five-county area debuts
1996
1991
—HealthPark Medical Center
opens; the hospital includes a
pediatric intensive care unit and
pediatric progressive care unit for
critically ill children; other services
include pediatric outpatient
oncology, orthopedic surgery and
gastroenterology services.
—Construction begins on the Ronald
McDonald House.
—Planning begins to create a children’s
hospital within a hospital at HealthPark
Medical Center. Pediatric areas are
specifically designed and decorated for
children and created with children and
families in mind
www.LeeMemorial.org
1995
4
—Seed money from
the Boston Red Sox
Celebrity Classic funds
state-of the-art Pediatric
Rehabilitation Program
and Prescribed Pediatric
Extended Care
2001*
—The pediatric emergency
department was added to
provide specialized, ageappropriate emergency
services
2007*
—Two vein viewers are
purchased for the pediatric
intensive care unit
—Nemours leaves Fort Myers
to consolidate their services
in the Orlando area.
–Light monitor helps
transport pediatric patients
from HealthPark Medical
Center to the operating room
—Lee Memorial Health
System forms Doctors for
Kids (D4K) to raise money
to fund physicians and
keep children’s services and
programs
2005
1999
—The Barbara’s Friends
Hematology/Oncology Center
was established by Frank and
Betty Haskell, who lost their
daughter to cancer and wanted
to make a difference. Through
the years, Barbara’s Friends
grew thanks to donations from
the Boston Red Sox Children’s
Hospital Celebrity Classic
—Construction begins on the
Bright Ideas for Kids gift shop at
HealthPark Medical Center
2012
—B. Thomas Golisano issues
a $20 million dollar-for-dollar
grant challenge to the Southwest
Florida community. Golisano
and members of the community
reach their goal in 2013.
2008
—The Chrissy Brown
Inpatient Pediatric
Hematology/Oncology
Unit opens. Named in
memory of Dr. Steve
and Lena Brown’s
daughter Chrissy, who
lost her battle with
cancer, the unit took
shape as a result of a
special fund raising
project spearheaded by
the Browns and greatly
enhanced the level of
care available to young
cancer patients.
—The Boston Red Sox
Children’s Hospital Celebrity
Classic raises more than
$663,000 to help build a
six-bed expansion to the
hospital—named the Shelley
and Jack Blais Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit, which
expanded the NICU to 48
beds.
—A five-bed pediatric
observation area also opens
to hold patients while they are
waiting for an inpatient bed.
2013
—Children’s Hospital renamed
to Golisano Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida
I I I1999
I I I 2000
I I I I I I 2004
I I I 2005
I I I I 2008
I I I I 2010
I I I I I I I I 2014
I I I
1998
—Auxiliaries donate
funds for a pediatric/
neonatal ambulance
that serves a fivecounty area
2000
—Hospital acquires fiber
optic intubation pediatric
scope for treatment of
cystic fibrosis and other
respiratory diseases
2004*
—Yawkey
Counseling
Center opens,
providing
psychological
support
and neuropsychological
testing for
patients
2006*
—Radical Randy and
His Inflatable Airways,
a pediatric asthma
education program,
helps children learn
about better breathing
—Pediatric hospitalist
programs begin
2010
—The Mom/Baby Unit/
OB Special Care expands
to 43 beds
2014
—Ground breaks and
construction begins
on the new Golisano
Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida.
Golisano Children’s Hospital now accepts more than 5,000 inpatient admissions,
67,000 outpatient visits and 25,000 emergency department visits each year. It also
provides 1,200 inpatient surgeries and 4,000 outpatient surgeries each year. Today,
we have 70 specialists representing 14 pediatric specialties.
*Purchases made with funds raised by Lee Memorial Health System Auxiliaries
5
Hematology/Oncology Patient Holds Special Place in
Unit’s History
In August 1997, a few months after the hematology/
oncology unit opened at Golisano Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida, 10-year-old Julie Briggs came in for
blood tests. After weeks of flu-like symptoms, lethargy,
feeling weak, bruising more than usual and finding no
relief with antibiotics, those blood tests confirmed the
severity of her illness—Julie was diagnosed with acute
lymphoblastic leukemia.
Emad Salman, M.D., pediatric hematologist/oncologist,
delivered the news to the Briggs family.
“I remember Dr. Salman taking my parents to an exam
room next to the one I was in,” Julie says. “I put my ear
against the wall and heard the word ‘cancer,’ but I was
young and didn’t understand. When my parents returned
to my room, they explained that I was going to have to
stay at the hospital, but that I was going to be OK.”
Julie immediately began chemotherapy.
Though nothing can prepare a child and his or her family
for a cancer diagnosis or the discomfort, pain or other
side effects of treatment, Dr. Salman made the experience
bearable, even fun. Julie has many fond memories of her
time at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
“Whether we were scrapbooking or having
wheelchair races, we had fun,” Julie says.
“Dr. Salman was fun and wild back
then and he let us get away with a lot
of things. To this day, he blames us
for his gray hair.”
Julie continued her treatment,
and two-and-a-half years after her
diagnosis, she entered remission.
She continued seeing Dr. Salman
as part of her ongoing treatment.
Then, 18 months after she stopped
chemotherapy, just as she was
beginning her freshman year of
high school, Julie relapsed.
“When the bruising, lethargy and
weakness returned, I knew I’d
relapsed,” Julie says. “Dr. Salman
ran blood tests. My dad and I
Julie, age 14
were in the waiting room when
Dr. Salman called my dad into a
room. At this point, I was older and I didn’t want them to
sugarcoat anything—I knew the answer.”
Once again, Julie was admitted and began chemotherapy.
The difference this time, though, was that Dr. Salman
wanted her to have a bone marrow transplant to make
sure that she would not relapse again. He referred Julie
and her family to Duke Children’s Hospital in North
Carolina, where the Briggs family learned that Julie’s
younger sister, Kelsey, was a perfect match.
“Julie is a special person,” Dr. Salman says. “She’s been
part of our family at Golisano Children’s Hospital since
the beginning. When she graduated from Florida Gulf
Coast University, I was there. In fact, hers was the first
college graduation of a patient that I attended, which is a
Julie, age 26,
with her
mom Mary
wonderful memory I cherish. Then, she returned and
worked here as a child advocate program instructor
before moving on to a different career path. She is a very
special young lady.”
In addition to her experience working for the children’s
hospital, Julie has also spent time working as a counselor
and volunteer at a camp for seriously ill children—the
same camp she attended when she was a patient.
Today, Julie is healthy and excited about the future. “I
know I can get through anything,” she says. “My family
has always taken things as they come, and they helped
me realize that everything is manageable. I’m grateful
I learned at young age to just live life, and not take
anything for granted.”
Port Charlotte and Naples Clinics Work to Expand Care
Taking care of children close to home is not limited to just one area of
Southwest Florida. Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida has
opened pediatric clinics in Naples and Port Charlotte to serve children who live
in or near those communities.
“We want to serve children wherever they are in our part of the state,” says
Emad Salman, M.D., medical director, Golisano Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida. “We offer these multispecialty clinics in both Port Charlotte
and Naples to keep patients as close to home as possible.”
“By opening clinics that offer so many specialty areas, we are helping patients
who may not be able to travel to larger cities,” Dr. Salman says. “We are
bringing
care to the community rather than have the community go to care.”
The Port Charlotte clinic opened in November 2013 and added more
specialties in early 2014. The Naples clinic opened in 2011.
“We are proud of the work we accomplish in these communities,” says Latrice
Davis, Lee Physician Group system director, Practice Operations. “Golisano
Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida is a regional hospital and therefore
needs to provide services outside of Lee County.”
Naples specialties include:
Port Charlotte specialties include:
•Allergy
•Audiology
•Cardiology
•Endocrinology
•Gastroenterology
•Hematology/
Oncology
•Infectious disease
•Nephrology
•Cardiology
•Endocrinology
•Gastroenterology
•Hematology/Oncology
•Infectious disease
•Neurology
•Nephrology
•Pediatric surgery
•Pulmonology
•Neurodiagnostics
•Neurology
•Orthopedics
•Pediatric surgery
•Physical,
occupational and
speech therapy
•Pulmonology
•Sleep medicine
One of the First Child Life Specialists Reflects on
20 Years of Growth and Caring
Michele King joined Golisano Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida in December 1993—a few months
before the hospital gained recognition and accreditation
as a children’s hospital. At the time, she was the only
certified child life specialist, and it was her job to help
children and families cope with and understand medical
procedures.
“Looking back it is interesting to see how some of our
tools have changed, but others have stayed the same,”
Michele says. “We still use bubbles, for instance, to help
distract the children; movies are also always helpful,
though we use DVDs now, not VHS cassettes. We didn’t
have computers back then, but now one of our most
popular distraction tools is the iPad. I remember using
Polaroid cameras to take pictures of equipment to help
prepare brothers and sisters and to help explain the
machines.”
While technology and tools have changed, Michele’s role
also has evolved and she has earned more responsibility
through the years. “I’ve been able to grow tremendously,”
www.LeeMemorial.org
she says. “Thankfully, we have always had great support
for child life, especially because this type of care is not
reimbursed. Child life is a very important component of
care.”
Today, there are six full-time certified child life
specialists, a full-time hospital school teacher and a
music therapist to help children and families through
procedures, diagnoses and chronic conditions. Michele
is now in charge of the whole department, as well as the
hospital’s child advocacy programs and outreach. “These
services are a requirement for a regional children’s
hospital,” Michele says. “Our team is represented on all
task forces throughout the health system, so someone is
always advocating for the children.”
Golisano Children’s Hospital also has grown to include a
child life specialist internship program, which hosts and
trains one intern in the fall and one intern in the spring.
“We grew pretty slowly, gradually through the years,”
Michele says. “But, all along it has been interesting to
6
Michele King circa 1990s
Michele’s team uses many of the same tools to
distract and teach pediatric patients.
watch. Now, with the construction of the new hospital,
we will continue to grow to meet the needs of our
patients and families.”
Autism: Navigating a
Difficult Diagnosis
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) completed a study that found one out
of every 68 children in the United States falls within the
spectrum of autism. The condition is almost five times
more likely to be diagnosed in boys than girls.
Diagnosing autism can be a challenge, says pediatric
neurologist Britt Stroud, M.D. “Often, a family will come
to see me and want to be ‘tested’ for autism,” Dr. Stroud
says. “I wish it were as easy as a lab test or an MRI of the
brain—‘here is your test—normal or not normal.’”
“Autism” is a term that the medical community and
public use to describe a subset of common or similar
behaviors that some individuals have. These behaviors
involve impairment in social interaction, verbal and
nonverbal communication, and often restricted interests
and repetitive behaviors.
“How is your child’s eye contact?” Dr. Stroud asks. “Does
a child point and look at you and then look back at an
object of desire? If you think about it, the idea that my
finger should direct your eye to indicate a desire is a bit
abstract, but it is a key element of communication that
comes naturally to most children; but not many kids
with autism.”
Children with autism also may lack the ability to share
emotions and they may engage in repetitive behavior,
such as rocking or hand-flapping or rigidly adhere to
the same routine with no variation. “Some behavior
that is considered normal or abnormal may be defined,
in part, by social norms,” Dr. Stroud says. “I don’t sing
very well—It’s not a skill set that comes naturally to
me. I am not the best or the worst. But for my daily
activities it’s not very dysfunctional. If I lived in the land
of musically-laden Mary Poppins, it might be a bigger
issue—and I would have to work on that skill.”
In the same way, more than the name or label itself, Dr.
Stroud and other medical professionals want to direct
children to the therapies that address the impairment.
Usually, this includes speech therapy and behavioral
therapy, and sometimes occupational therapy. In 2013,
autism disorders were merged into one umbrella
diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders. “With this
update, we will see a decrease in the number of kids
diagnosed with Asperger’s and it will change to autism
spectrum,” Dr. Stroud says. “It doesn’t mean we will
change the treatment, we just decided to change the
name.”
The rates of autism have increased in recent years. The
CDC’s recent findings were an increase of about 30
percent from previous reports. There is no known cause
for the condition. “There may be
some underlying environmental
changes accounting for it,” Dr.
Stroud says. “We don’t really
know. But there are certainly
increases in our recognition of
autism. Interestingly, minorities
are less likely to be identified
as having autism. I would
predict that we will see a rise in
these numbers to reflect true
prevalence.”
Children can receive an autism
diagnosis as young as age 2. “The
importance of early identification
is not early labeling, rather early
treatment or modification of
the challenges that are present,”
Dr. Stroud says. “I tell families
with a new diagnosis that
they now have a name
that helps describe
things we already
knew. Many kids
with autism grow
up to be college
professors,
accountants,
computer gurus
and hold other
jobs that capitalize
their strengths. There
are indeed some kids
that will likely be better fitted
for less intellectually rigorous
jobs, but I would maintain that
this depends more on a person’s
inherent and learned set of skills
than their autistic features.”
FREE
autism screenings
for children
younger than
age 5. For more
information, call
239-343-6838.
Some parents and educators mistakenly confuse
autism with low intelligence, which can actually create
academic deficits. “Most children with autism do not
have an intellectual disability,” Dr. Stroud says. “The
plasticity of the brain is quite fantastic and allows for
therapy to have a large influence. We want to identify
and treat as early as possible to ensure the best possible
outcomes. Navigating community resources can be
extremely challenging but the Golisano Children’s
Hospital neuroscience program is dedicated to helping
bridge our families with community support. The
autism navigator is our next step.”
An autism navigator will soon be available for families
of Collier County thanks to a generous grant from the
Naples Winter Wine Festival. We are seeking support for
an Autism Navigator in Fort Myers that will serve all of
Southwest Florida. If you would like to help, contact the
Lee Memorial Foundation at 239-343-6950.
Visit the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act
Early.” website for free milestone
checklists and other resources to help
you track children’s development.
Go to tinyurl.com/LearnAutism
Auxiliaries Helping to Make Golisano Children’s
Hospital a Reality
As a public health system that does not receive direct tax
support, Lee Memorial Health System relies, in part, on
the fundraising support of three auxiliaries.
Comprised of a diverse group of men and women,
the auxiliaries— Lee Memorial Auxiliary, Cape Coral
Hospital Auxiliary and Gulf Coast Medical Center
Auxiliary—raise funds for equipment, programs,
educational grants and other health system initiatives.
Each Auxiliary also committed specific amounts for
the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida
capital campaign to build ‘America’s Newest Children’s
Hospital’.
“The Lee Memorial Health System Foundation made a
presentation to our Auxiliary boards,” explains Sandy
Heise, Lee Memorial Auxiliary president. “The answer
from the Lee Memorial Auxiliary was unanimous—we
all agreed that this was a worthwhile cause to support.
So our auxiliary, which includes Lee Memorial Hospital
and HealthPark Medical Center, decided to budget and
pledge $500,000 over five years to the capital campaign.”
The Gulf Coast Medical Center Auxiliary generally
raises money for specific programs and equipment at
Gulf Coast Medical Center, but since it is part of the
larger health system, the Auxiliary board made the
decision to support the capital campaign. “We are the
smallest of the three auxiliaries,” says Mary Ann George,
Gulf Coast Medical Center Auxiliary president. “But,
Golisano Children’s Hospital is very dear to us and it is
sorely needed, so we pledged $50,000 over five years to
the campaign.”
Sue Twining, president of the Cape Coral Hospital
Auxiliary, agrees—supporting the Golisano Children’s
Hospital capital campaign was not a tough sell. “It was
an absolute,” she says. “We didn’t even need to discuss
it, but we decided to bring it for a vote to our general
membership. Originally, we planned to pledge $50,000,
but the discussion with our membership raised the
question, ‘Why only $50,000?’ So we increased our
pledge to $100,000. Then, when Mr. Tom Golisano
announced that he would match donations, the Cape
Coral Hospital Auxiliary contributed another $100,000.
So, our total contribution to Golisano Children’s
Hospital is $200,000.”
All three Auxiliaries raise funds through special event
sales supported by employees and visitors. Proceeds
from the gift shops, uniform stores, and popcorn and
candy sales are added to the Auxiliaries’ general funds.
Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from Chocolatte’s
7
Coffee, Tea and Sweets—which are coffee shops located
in each of the four hospitals—go to the auxiliaries’
funds.
As a grandparent, Sandy has experienced the care
provided at Golisano Children’s Hospital on multiple
occasions. “Between the quality of the care and the
dedication of the staff, the experiences couldn’t
have been better,” she says. “It is such a worthwhile
organization to support, and I’m so proud that we are all
able to help finally get the expansion off the ground.”
Sue adds that the Auxiliaries are proud to help
strengthen our community. “As people—especially
young families—look to relocate, they look for good
schools and good hospitals,” she says. “It is exciting
for all of us to know that the best medical care and
technology will be here for children and families who
need it.”
Raising the funds for Golisano Children’s Hospital has
been—and continues to be—a labor of love for the
Auxiliaries. “It is so rewarding,” Mary Ann says. “We
can’t imagine having missed the opportunity to support
this amazing cause.”
Campaign
Update
The Beginning
When the five-year “Gift of a Lifetime” capital
campaign to build a new children’s hospital kicked
off in February 2011, those involved knew there would
be significant challenges.
Coming on the heels of tremendous downturns in
both the national and local economies, to many the
$100 million goal seemed insurmountable.
Now, just three years into the campaign, generous
donors have committed $82 million to provide
lifesaving care for children from across Southwest
Florida.
A generous challenge matching gift of $20 million made
by B. Thomas Golisano—namesake of The Children’s
Hospital—provided a major boost to the campaign in
mid-2012. The challenge, and the gifts made in response
to it, have set the stage for the campaign’s ultimate
success.
Up To the Challenge
B. Thomas Golisano’s challenge to the Southwest Florida community was simple—
he would match, up to $20 million, every dollar donated to the Gift of a Lifetime
capital campaign through May 15, 2014.
Our generous community responded quickly, meeting the matching challenge a full
eight months ahead of schedule. A generous $1 million gift from Chico’s FAS put
the finishing touches on the matching challenge.
Mr. Golisano’s generosity helped usher in a new era for children’s health care in
Southwest Florida, while at the same time giving our community the opportunity to
demonstrate the care and concern it has for local children.
Lee Memorial Health System President Jim Nathan (left) and
B. Thomas Golisano join children’s hospital “Sunflowers” to
celebrate the matching gift challenge announcement.
Closer to
The Finish
Line
B. Thomas Golisano
Help for Kids
Each year, thousands of local children receive specialized care at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
Yet, almost 20 percent of children in need of care have to leave their homes in Southwest Florida to receive
treatment simply because we don’t have room to care for them.
For more information about how you can help the campaign reach the finish line, visit
www.ChildrensHospitalGoal.org or call Lee Memorial Health System Foundation at 239-343-6053.
While thousands of generous
people have already stepped
forward to move the campaign
to its current level, we still
need to raise an additional $18
million to meet campaign goals.
Those involved with the campaign
recognize that while much has
been accomplished, much more
needs to be done to ensure all
local children have access to the
lifesaving hospital care they so
desperately need and deserve.
“We’re really pleased to have
more than $80 million collected
and pledged,” says Joseph Catti,
chairman of the capital campaign
and president and CEO of
FineMark National Bank & Trust.
“This has put us way ahead, but
we still have to continue to get
the message out that we’re not
finished. We haven’t yet hit the
$100 million goal.”
Lee Memorial Health System Foundation Board of Trustees
Officers
Charles K. Idelson,
Chairperson
James W. Orr, Jr., M.D.,
Vice Chairperson
Joseph R. Catti,
Treasurer
Elaine Hawkins,
Secretary
www.LeeMemorial.org
Trustees
John Blais
Amanda Cross
James Doyle, Jr.
Dorothy Fitzgerald
Joe Gammons
Jonathan Gopman
Jerry Hemmer
William N. Horowitz
Neil LeClair
Michael Mullins
Nick Naples
Michael B. Peceri
David M. Platt
Guy F. Rhoades
Sonya Sawyer
8
David Shellenbarger
Madeleine Taeni
Pablo Veintimilla
Stuart Zaikov
Trustees Ex-Officio
Richard Akin
Mary Ann George
Kathy Bridge-Liles
Sandy Heise
Jim Nathan
Sue Twining
Emeritus Committee
John Gleeson
Frank Haskell
Garrett “Buzz” Reasoner
Alexander Roulston
Joseph D. Zaks
Our Need
Golisano Children’s Hospital:
• 28% increase in admissions from 2004 to 2010
• 18-20% of children leave our area annually for health care
• 70% of patients are uninsured/Medicaid
• Current hospital does not have all private rooms to accommodate 24/7 parent/grandparent stays
• 45 adult beds will be recaptured, addressing community-wide shortage
• Receives no direct taxpayer support
• Receives no funding from Children’s Miracle Network
• Not a United Way agency
Onward Toward the Goal
We express our sincere thanks and appreciation to those who have made gifts to support the Gift of a Lifetime capital campaign,
including recent donations from those pictured here.
The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest pledged $10 million to the Gift of a
Lifetime capital campaign. Wine Fest Trustees taking part in the presentation of $2
million—representing proceeds from the 2014 event—to Golisano Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida and Lee Memorial Health System President Jim Nathan included
(from left): Sandy Stillwell, Elaine Hawkins, Bev Cherry, Marshall Hanno, Lori Hanno,
Fred Hawkins, Jim Nathan, Ron Fitzgerald, Vicki Pitbladdo, Art Cherry, Dorothy
Fitzgerald and Todd Gates.
Representatives of the FineMark Tour Players Tennis Classic at the Bonita
Bay Club Tennis Center recently announced achievement of their $1 million
fundraising goal for Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
Celebrating the milestone are, front - Most Valuable Patient Caliah Russell with,
rear, from left, Frank Haskell of Barbara’s Friends, with 2014 event chairs Floyd
Robinson and Maggie Otero. Funds will be used to construct a specialized
pediatric pharmacy in the new facility. Barbara’s Friends—The Children’s
Hospital Cancer Fund—will raise $10 million to support construction of the new
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida facility.
Dreams became reality this past spring when organizers of
“A Seahorse Dream”—a public art project—announced that
a total of more than $380,000 had been raised through their
efforts. Funds will be used to provide lifesaving care at Golisano
Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, through the capital
campaign. Those taking part in the check presentation are, from
left, David Eberhardt and Paula Castallo-Eberhardt, Jim Nathan,
Jim Sherman, Jack and Joyce Thomas, Dr. Emad Salman, and Irma
and Roger Spencer. Funds will be used to build a patient waiting
area in the new children’s hospital.
Once again, the Boston Red Sox stepped up to the plate and smacked it out of the park
for local children. The annual Boston Red Sox Children’s Hospital Celebrity Classic
tournament, held at The Forest Country Club, raised more than $1 million for Golisano
Children’s Hospital. Those celebrating at JetBlue Park are (from left) John Farrell, manager,
Boston Red Sox; Brett Bodine, manager of Florida business operations, Boston Red Sox;
Ron McEwan, tournament chairman; matching sponsors Jack and Shelley Blais; Katy
Martinez, tournament leader; Ken Shoriak, Lee Memorial Health System Foundation; Most
Valuable Patient Jarrid Dodge and his brother Jaymmes and fan-favorite Wally.
SanCap Cares committee members pause at the 2014 event benefiting
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida’s capital campaign. Hard
work once again pushed the event to new heights and raised more than $1
million for the cause. Committee members in attendance included (from left):
Cindy Brown, Jeannie Kendall, Paula Bentinck-Smith, Linda Kelly, Julie O’Neill,
Billye Curtis, Doreen Ruane, Cannella Mullins, Sue Peltzman, Helene Hall,
Karen Hall, Julie Smith, Debbie Szymanczyk, Pumfey Steffens, Holly Smith,
Linda Mondelli, Event
Chairperson Amanda Cross,
Event Chairperson Mike
Mullins, Event Chairperson
Dorothy Fitzgerald, Spring Rosen, Diana Day, Brenda Harrity, Allie Fitzgerald, Linda Essig, Monica Albert, Mary Clare
Lyons, Melissa Congress, Sherry Gentry and Marty Harrity. Residents of Captiva and Sanibel have committed to
raising $10 million to help construct the emergency department in the new Golisano Children’s Hospital.
9
To Help
It’s easy. Thousands of children’s hospital supporters have already donated/pledged more than $82 million to be sure kids treated
at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida have access to lifesaving care when most needed.
While cash is the most popular means of giving, you should also consider other ways to support the Gift of a Lifetime capital
campaign including:
Cash and Pledges
An outright gift of cash or a pledge of cash over a defined time frame, determined by the size of the
gift, are perhaps the easiest ways to give. In most cases, pledges will be paid within five years.
Appreciated Stock
If you’ve owned stock for more than one year, you may be able to deduct the full fair market value
of the stock as a charitable donation, not just the original cost, if you donate it to support the capital
campaign. This may decrease tax liability and help bypass capital gains taxes.
Ellie Gillespie, NICU survivor, her mother Erin
and Sousan Akhaven-Yazdi, NICU nurse
Honor or Memorial Gift
Remember a cherished family member, friend
or associate who has made a difference in your
life. Consider a permanent major naming gift—
starting at $25,000—to create a lasting tribute
that will permanently honor your loved one.
Estate Note
Supporters age 70 1/2 or older, may consider
making an irrevocable pledge or debt against
their estate with the option of paying it off
during their lifetime. This instrument binds the
donor’s estate to the extent not paid during the donor’s lifetime and may be pledged for one or two lives.
Wills
Malia Niland, pediatric patient, and
Dr. Cayce Jehaimi, pediatric endocrinologist
Many donors prefer to support the capital
campaign by naming Golisano Children’s Hospital
of Southwest Florida as beneficiary of their will as
it allows current assets to remain untouched until
after their death.
Trusts
Depending upon your circumstances and longterm goals, you may want to consider giving
through a Charitable Lead Trust or Charitable
Remainder Trust. Each offers distinct advantages
to both the donor and the charity.
Permanent Endowment
Establish a legacy that will live on beyond your lifetime by making a gift to create a permanent
endowment fund for a children’s hospital service/department that has special significance to you and
your family.
As everyone’s situation is unique and based upon personal circumstances, you should be sure to consult
your tax professional, financial, legal or other trusted advisor before making a gift to Lee Memorial
Health System Foundation.
Jace Eddy, leukemia patient, and
Ria Fewox, pediatric oncology nurse
Visit www.ChildrensHospitalGoal.org for additional information
on these and other giving vehicles. You can also call Lee Memorial
Health System Foundation at 239-343-6053 for more information
about giving to the capital campaign.
For your will . . .
The official bequest language for Lee Memorial Health System Foundation is:
“I [name], of [city, state, ZIP] give, devise and bequeath to Lee Memorial Health System Foundation,
Inc., a Florida non-profit corporation, located in Lee County Florida, [written amount or percentage of
the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”
www.LeeMemorial.org
10
Ben Klassen, cancer survivor, and
Dr. Emad Salman, pediatric oncologist
Your Gift of a Lifetime
Caring People, Caring for Kids
We invite you to join hundreds of other “caring people” whose gifts
are helping to provide lifesaving care for children treated at Golisano
Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
Individuals, businesses, organizations and civic groups who
make donations of $25,000 or more to the Gift of a Lifetime
capital campaign may be permanently recognized with naming
opportunities commensurate with giving level. Pledges of $50,000
or more can be recognized at the combined level of the new pledge plus any
contributions made to special events supporting the capital campaign.
A naming gift provides a wonderful opportunity to recognize family, friends,
associates, businesses and civic organizations. Memorial naming gifts offer a unique
opportunity to memorialize a deceased loved one through permanent and highlyvisible recognition.
Your gift may take the form of cash, stock or pledge payable over five years.
Lifesaving Naming Opportunities
Floor Lobby...............................................$250,000
Rehabilitation Services............................$250,000
Child Life Area..........................................$150,000
Emergency EKG Rapid Access..................$150,000
Neonatal Intensive Care Patient Room...$125,000
Pediatric Intensive Care Patient Room...$125,000
Private Patient Room...............................$100,000
Emergency Department Bay...................$100,000
Exam Room...............................................$100,000
Private Infusion Room.............................$100,000
Procedure/Treatment Room......................$75,000
Parent Lounge............................................$75,000
Nurses’ Station............................................$50,000
Medication Room.......................................$50,000
Infusion Bay................................................$50,000
Physician Office..........................................$25,000
Nurse Director’s Office...............................$25,000
Reception Desk...........................................$25,000
Emergency Triage Room............................$25,000
Staff Lounge...............................................$25,000
Recovery Bay...............................................$25,000
Save A Life
Visit www.ChildrensHospitalGoal.org, call 239-343-6053 or e-mail
[email protected] to learn how your gift can save the life
of a child as you become one of our “Caring People, Caring for Kids.”
11
nd
vela
e
l
C
N.
Exit
143
Pediatric Hematology/
Oncology
Craig MacArthur, M.D.
Cameron Nicholson, M.D.
Emad Salman, M.D.
Pam Wojciki, ARNP
6. 9981 S.HealthPark Drive,
Ste.156
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-5333
Pediatric Surgery
Rodrigo Mon, M.D.
Amy Stanfill, MD.
Indravadan Vyas, M.D.
5. 15901 Bass Road, Ste. 108
239-343-9890
Lee Blvd.
Colonial Blvd.
y.
4
o
reg
r
G
Mc
d.
Blv
• Allergy & Immunology
• Endocrinology
• Hematology/Oncology
• Infectious Diseases
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Sleep Medicine
• Surgery
Exit
131
Port Charlotte
Tam
iam
i Tr
ail
Gladiolus Dr.
No
rt
h
Exit Clinic
Specialty
22
9 Pediatric
128
5
6
Sum
lin
mer
Alico Rd.
Rd.
Naples
8.1265 Creekside Pkwy.,
Ste. 200
Naples, FL 34008
239-254-4270
Pediatric Specialty Clinic
Port Charlotte
Pediatric specialties available:
3
Cochran Blvd.
Pediatric Specialty Clinic
Naples
9 .18316 Murdock Circle,
Suite 106
Port Charlotte, FL 33948
941-235-4900
Exit
136
Six Mile Cypress Pk
w
Daniels Pkwy.
Cape Coral Pkwy.
Pediatric Sleep Medicine
Jose Colon, M.D.
4. 13601 Plantation Road
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239-343-0762
Exit
138
Immokalee Rd.
Bonita Springs
Convenient Care
locations
Lee Memorial
Health System
Hospitals
8
12
Bonita
Springs
Goodlette-Frank Rd.
Pediatric Endocrinology
Asjad Khan, M.D.P
eriwinkle W
Cayce Jehaimi, M.D.
ay
Dina Pearson, M.D.
Sujana Reddy, M.D.
Tammy McCarty, ARNP
5. 15901 Bass Road, Ste. 102
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-9890
2
Rd.
Pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat
Douglas Gottschalk, D.O.
5. 15901 Bass Road, Ste. 108
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-9890
Cape Coral
Fort Myers
Bass
Pediatric Cardiology
Eric Eason, D.O.
5. 16281 Bass Road, Ste. 301
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-7490
1
Tamiami Trail North
Pediatric Specialties
d
ck Br
o
Hanc
Bea
Plantation Rd.
3. 260 Beth Stacey Blvd., Ste. C
Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
239-343-9888
(Hematology/Oncology)
Kim Shimoda, Ph.D.
6. 9981 S. HealthPark Drive, Ste.
158
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-5333
m
Pal
Metro Pkwy.
1. 650 Del Prado Blvd., Ste. 107
Cape Coral, FL 33990
239-343-9888
Pediatric Psychology
y.
g Pkw
.
lvd
B
ch
Vanderbilt Drive
2. 4751 S. Cleveland Ave.
Fort Myers, FL 33907
239-343-9888
lan
Is
Pine
Pediatric Nephrology
Irina Gershin-Stevens, D.O.
5. 15901 Bass Road, Suite 102
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-9890
Pediatric Neurology
Margie Morales, M.D.
Guillermo Philipps, M.D.
Britt Stroud, M.D.
Eric Vernier, M.D.
Calee Vandeveer, ARNP
5. 15901 Bass Road, Suite 108
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-6050
Exit
141
.
d Rd
Cleveland Ave.
John Distasio, M.D., PhD
Denise Drago, M.D.
Kimberly Ghuman, M.D.
Pierre Loredo, M.D.
Anthony Pietroniro, M.D.
Thomas Schiller, M.D.
Lindsay Schwandner, M.D.
Martin Sherman, M.D.
Piedade Silva, M.D.
Nancy Witham, M.D.
William Daniel Wood Jr., M.D.
Cynthia Hohman, ARNP
Amy Hicks, ARNP
Kori Howell, ARNP
Julie Vega, ARNP
7. 3501 Health Center Blvd.,
Ste. 2220
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
239-343-9888
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Michelle Hoffman, M.D.
Stephanie Stovall, M.D.
6. 9981 S. HealthPark Dr., Ste. 454
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-9710
Del Prado Blvd.
Pediatric Physicians
Pediatric
Specialty
Clinic
Exit
123
Corkscrew Rd.
Coconut Rd.
Vand
erbilt
Be
7
Exit
116
Events & Screenings
Mobile Autism Screening
Free autism screening for children younger than age 5.
Time and Date: 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., June 20
Location: Family Health Centers, 2256 Heitman Street, Fort
Myers
Registration and for More Information: Appointments
are encouraged; call 239-343-6838
Bonita Beach Rd.
Time and Date: Classes take place throughout
the year
Locations: HPMC, GCMC, and CCH
Fee: $60 per couple (scholarships are available)
Registration and for More Information:
Call 239-343-5271 or
visit www.LeeMemorial.org/BirthEd
Baby Care & Car Seat Safety
This is a one-time class for expectant parents.
The class assists parents in becoming more
Childbirth Preparation
comfortable and confident in their parenting
Understand the birthing process, choices in
role following the birth of their baby. This class also teaches
obstetrics, birthing fundamentals, breathing, relaxation,
parents how to properly use and install child restraints.
cesarean preparation, breastfeeding fundamentals and
Time and Date: Classes take place throughout
mother/baby care. Includes access to an on-line learning
the year.
program plus a 3-hour Tour and Talk session that is
Locations: Vary
conducted by nurses who are nationally certified by the
International Childbirth Education Association. Women and Fee: $20 per couple, $5 per additional person in
their support person will receive a tour of the birth facilities attendance
and birthing beds; provides the opportunity for women to Registration and for More Information:
Call 239-343-5101 or email
ask questions and seek additional information about the
[email protected]
birthing process.
Pregnancy / New Baby
www.LeeMemorial.org
Breastfeeding
Plan to give your baby the best possible start. Learn about
common problems encountered during the first few
weeks. All classes are taught by board certified lactation
consultants.
Time and Date: Classes take place throughout the year
Locations: HPMC and GCMC
Fee: $20 per couple
Registration and for More Information:
Call 239-343-5271 or visit www.LeeMemorial.org/BirthEd
Pediatric CPR & First Aid
This course teaches caregivers to respond and manage
illnesses in a child or infant in the first few minutes until
professional help arrives. The course covers infant/child CPR
and First Aid basics.
Locations: Vary
Fee: Please contact us for prices.
Registration and for More Information:
Call 239-343-5101 or email
[email protected]
Free Car Seat Safety Inspections
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida Child
Advocacy Program offers free car
seat inspections. Discounted car seats also are available.
For more information or to schedule an inspection,
call 239-343-5803 or 239-343-6199 in Lee County or
239-254-4276 or 239-254-4277 in Collier County.
Safe Pool Parties
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida Child
Advocacy Program hosts pool and water safety programs at
various locations throughout Southwest Florida.
For more information, call 239-343-5224 in Lee County or
in Collier County, call 239-254-4276 or 239-254-4277.
Location Guide
To save space, we have abbreviated the names of our locations.
Here is a guide to help you:
CCH – Cape Coral Hospital
GCMC – Gulf Coast Medical Center
HPMC – HealthPark Medical Center
LMH – Lee Memorial Hospital
RCC – Regional Cancer Center
WCCC – Wellness Center of Cape Coral
LCRW – Lee Center for Rehabilitation & Wellness
12
3900.01 MKT 5-14