still champions of hope still champions of hope - dartmouth-hitchcock
TRANSCRIPT
M A T T E R SThe Newsletter of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth
Still ChampionS
of hopealSo:
advanCeS in GenetiCSShow promiSe
Still ChampionS
of hopealSo:
advanCeS in GenetiCSShow promiSe
Spring 2008
2 M A T T E R S
Welcome to CHaD Matters!
In the ten years since the inaugural issue of CHaD Matters, extraordinary advances
have been made in pediatric cancer treatment, genetics and virtually every aspect of
pediatric medicine and surgery. Our two Champions of Hope featured in our cover
story – Emma and Brendan – used those years to become robust young people following
their treatment for leukemia at CHaD.
Medical care delivered at CHaD is constantly improving with new instrumentation,
devices, medications and improved management. Moreover, we are strongly committed
to providing safe and quality care to all of the children we care for. In this issue, we take a
look back at where we’ve been, and also a look ahead to even brighter prospects for other
Champions of Hope that we see here at CHaD every day.
So much is possible with your engaged interest and support.
Paul A. Merguerian, MD
Medical Director, CHaD (Interim)
Program Director, Pediatric Urology
contentsThanks to the 2008
CHaD Partners who have
underwritten and provided
substantial support of our
events and activities.
Partners
CHaD Matters is published by the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. Please address corre-spondence to: Sharon Brown, CHaD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, or email to [email protected].
Contributors: Cathy Bean, Sharon Brown, Elizabeth Clarke, Timothy Dean, Tracey Jacobi, Tammy Lambert, Melissa Mashaw-Gomeau, Da-vid McWilliams, Rolf Olsen, Toby Trudel. Photos: Bob Falco, Daniel Levesque, Tom McNeill, David McWilliams, Robert Sterling, Mark Washburn. Design: Jennifer Hopkins, Porter House Design. Printing: Imperial Company.
3 Dr Alan Rozycki Retires
4 Advances in Genetics and A
Mother’s Devotion Lead to
Treatment and Hope
6 Three New CHaD Doctors:
Simon C. Hillier, MD,
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Jack van Hoff, MD,
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Dorothy W. Wortmann, MD,
Pediatric Rheumatology
8 Still Champions of Hope
10 Shield Our Children from Harm:
Unsung Heroes
10 New at CHaD: Robotic Surgery
11 Pediatric Hitchcock Early Response
Team
12 Together for Kids
13 ACT – Achieving Continence Together
CHaD’s Clown Fish Exploration Trail
14-15 Fun & Activities
9th Annual CHaD Ski & Ride Festival
at Dartmouth
Cannon Mountain Ski
Day for Kristen’s Gift
CHaD Battle of the Badges
Back Cover Calendar of Events
© 2008, all rights reserved,Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
M A T T E R S 3
For more than 35 years, Dr. Alan Rozycki has been an
exceptional clinician, educator and thinker at Dart-
mouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He retired at the end
of December 2007.
Dr. Rozycki served as the principal investigator for several
clinical trials and brought the fruits of his research into the
clinical arena. Over the years he has served as a mentor to many,
and his work has been published in esteemed peer-reviewed
journals. Although Dr. Rozycki dedicated much of his career to
medical student education, he was committed to his active pedi-
atrics primary care practice, developing enduring relationships
with many patients, and providing comprehensive continuity
and advocacy, especially for children with special healthcare
needs. In 1994, his eminent service earned Dr. Rozycki an ap-
pointment to the rank of full professor.
Dr. Rozycki has distinguished himself as a leader in several of
CHaD’s clinical areas. To name a few, he has served as Director
of the Normal Newborn Nursery, Section Chief of General Aca-
demic Pediatrics, Program Director of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Regional Pediatric/Family HIV Program, and he developed
CHaD’s Spina Bifida program.
Dr. Rozycki will be missed, not just here at CHaD, but
throughout our region and beyond. Please join us in wishing
him a happy and adventurous retirement.
Dr. Alan Rozycki Retires
In early March, the excitement was
palpable when more than
100 employees and vendors
of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club
stores from across NH, VT and
northern MA gathered at DHMC
to celebrate their fundraising for
CHaD. During 2007, they raised
a record sum of $412,000, bringing the
seven-year total to over $1.8 million.
“I’ve always felt good about fundrais-
ing for CHaD,” says Jeff Godois of the
Manchester, NH, Sam’s Club. “One dol-
lar at a time and it makes things better
for everybody.”
New Hampshire Wal-Mart stores in
Rochester, Keene, Plaistow, Newington,
Epping and Seabrook held events rang-
ing from raffles and craft shows to golf
tournaments, motorcycle runs, car shows
– even a “Pie the Managers for CHaD”
event! Seabrook’s greeter donned a CHa-
Dasaurus costume created by his wife,
raising $21,000, propelling his store to a
tie with the Keene Wal-Mart for first place
in CHaD fundraising for 2007. Many ven-
dors also participated through the “Help
a Child Smile Golf Tournament” and pro-
grams of their own. Kellogg’s raised a
record $10,000 for CHaD.
“CHaD affects a lot of my as-
sociates and their families. It’s
a wonderful organization,” said
Leslie Thompson, Market Man-
ager for 11 New Hampshire stores.
“It’s a great passion of mine, getting my
stores involved. We like to challenge each
other to raise more.”
Thompson challenged her market,
“I’m going to up the ante and throw out a
challenge to my market to break $175,000
this year.” Other market managers re-
sponded, and soon they had a collective
goal of $500,000. History tells us that
they’re likely to meet – or even exceed
– that goal, one dollar at a time.
“One Dollar at a Time” Adds Up to $1.8 million
As a tribute, the”Alan Rozycki Commitment to Excellence Award” was initiated to honor the individual in General Pediatrics who best embodies his extraordinary efforts; always making a positive difference in the lives of the children, families, and the Upper Valley community. This year’s recipient was Dr. Todd Poret.
CHaD’s Sharon Brown welcomes Market Manager Leslie Thompson and Store Manager Tony Tiner both of whose leadership have been key to the growth and success of Wal-Mart’s support.
Jack Kelly, retired from Interstate Brands Co., Peter McMurray from Coca Cola and Mark Ciaranella, Wal-Mart , are three long time supporters of CHaD.
4 M A T T E R S
It’s a Wednesday afternoon in the pedi-
atric infusion unit, and the Campbells
are well into their routine. Every week,
Matt and his son Owen, age 3, travel from
their home in Rutland, Vt. to Lebanon and
back so that Owen can receive specialized
treatments for a rare genetic disorder.
“Owen loves coming to the hospital,”
says Matt. “It’s pizza time and movie time,
and there are a lot of cool toys to play with.”
As Matt talks, Owen uses his dad’s chest as
a pillow while watching the Disney movie,
“Bug’s Life” on a portable DVD player. To-
day, they’re joined by Owen’s brother Aidan,
age 6, who watches “Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone” on a nearby television.
Some might consider having to make a
weekly 2 ½-hour commute which includes
a five-hour hospital visit a hardship. “Some
weeks can be tough, but it’s definitely been
worth it—Owen is getting great care here,”
Matt says. “I’m just thankful that we were
able to get him diagnosed when we did,
and that there’s a treatment available now
that can help him.”
Genetics Alters Treatment Plan
During the summer and fall of 2006,
CHaD geneticist John Moeschler, MD, col-
laborating with colleagues at Duke Medical
Center, helped to pinpoint Owen’s disorder as
Hunter syndrome or mucopolysaccharidosis
II (MPS II)—a serious, extremely rare heredi-
tary disorder that primarily affects males.
“Hunter syndrome is one of several
related MPS lysosomal storage diseases,”
explains Moeschler, who specializes in ge-
netics and child development
and oversees Owen’s care.
“Kids with Hunter’s are miss-
ing an enzyme that breaks
down certain chemicals that
occur naturally in the cells.
As these chemicals build up,
they cause progressive cogni-
tive deterioration, multiple or-
gan disease, and a shortened
lifespan.”
Though not nearly as com-
mon, there is also a mild form
of Hunter syndrome. “Us-
ing advanced genetic testing
techniques, it’s now possible
to identify differences in the
gene that predict severity,” says Sheila Up-
ton, MGC, a pediatric genetic counselor at
CHaD who works with Moeschler to pro-
vide support and care coordination for the
Campbells. “If Owen’s mutation had been
severe, the family was going to pursue a
cord blood transplant which might help
some patients but has very significant risks.
Because it was a less severe mutation, they
ended up altering their treatment plan.”
Traditionally, the only treatment for
mild Hunter’s has been supportive and
palliative care. But in July of 2006, only a
few months before Owen’s diagnosis was
confirmed, the FDA approved a promising
new enzyme replacement therapy called,
“Elaprase.” “With help from the pharma-
ceutical company (Shire), the institution,
Advances in Genetics and A Mother’s Devotion Lead to Treatment and Hope
M A T T E R S 5
and the research community, we were able
to meet the Campbells’ needs and set up
therapy for Owen here in December of ‘06,”
says Moeschler.
A Mother’s SacrificeThe true hero behind Owen’s diagnosis
and treatment is his mom, Amy, who tragi-
cally passed away in June of 2007 after an
18-month battle with breast cancer. “She
was a fantastic mother and wife, and she
was tremendously devoted to the boys,”
Matt explains. “But when she should have
been concentrating on fighting her cancer
and getting well, she diverted all of her en-
ergy towards finding help for Owen.”
Amy’s crusade for her son began with
a fateful visit from a friend who had been
her midwife at Aidan’s birth. “Her friend
had stopped by our babysitter’s house and
noticed that Owen’s belly was distended,”
recalls Matt. “They started talking about his
two hernia surgeries, his sleep problems, his
speech issues, his ear tubes, and how he’d
had his adenoids and tonsils taken out. As
part of her studies, the midwife had done a
paper on MPS—as soon as she shared her
suspicions with us, Amy started researching
for him every day. That led her to CHaD and
the MPS test.”
Before the Campbells knew whether
Owen’s condition was severe or mild, Amy
took Owen to North Carolina for two weeks
of follow up testing to see if he was a candi-
date for a cord blood transplant. She set up
a web site for Owen and organized two fund
raisers to help defray medical expenses.
Even at her sickest, she insisted on coming
to all of Owen’s infusions at DHMC. “We
always believed that she was going to be a
long-term survivor,” says Matt. “Those were
extremely rough times for us as a family, but
I’ve never seen someone dedicate their life
to a cause the way she did for Owen.”
A Hopeful PrognosisWhile the Campbells are still adjusting
to life without Amy, Owen is responding
well to his treatments. “He’s getting physical
and occupational therapy, and he has hear-
ing aids which he’s used to wearing now,”
says Matt. “We’ve also got him enrolled in
an early pre-school program for kids with
special needs which he loves.”
“Dr. Moeschler, Sheila, and the nurses
here have been great,” he says. “It’s not just
their expertise. It’s the way they’ve been
so supportive and caring through every-
thing—they always revolve their schedules
around us. In fact, they’re helping me look
into setting up Owen’s infusion treatments
in Rutland which would be a lot more con-
venient.”
“It’s very possible that gene therapy will
lead to a cure for Hunter’s in the next 10 to
15 years,” adds Matt. “By then, Owen will
hopefully be a healthy and independent
adult, and be able to fully appreciate all that
his mother did for him.”
I’m just thankful that we were able to get
him diagnosed when we did, and that
there’s a treatment available now that
can help him.” Matt Campbell
6 M A T T E R S
I n t r o d u c I n g
Three New CHaD Doctors
Dr. Dorothy W. Wort-
m a n n a r r i v e d at
CHaD in February,
af ter ser v ing since 2000 as
Physician-in-charge in Pediat-
ric Rheumatology at the Uni-
versity of Oklahoma School of
Medicine in Tulsa, where she
also held a faculty appointment as Clinical
Associate Professor in Pediatrics. Currently
Dr. Wortmann is the only pediatric rheuma-
tologist in New Hampshire.
“It’s so rewarding to work with children,
especially helping families to sort through
sometimes complex challenges,” according
to Dr. Wortmann. “I fell into my specialty
through an unexpected opportunity for a
fellowship in pediatric rheumatology and
I’ve been here ever since, with absolutely no
regrets.” With a sister in Vermont, a brother
in southern New Hampshire, and a son in the
Boston area, plus the appeal of all the outdoor
activities available in the region, moving to
the Upper Valley was an easy decision.
Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Wort-
mann earned a BA at Mount Holyoke Col-
lege, intending to become a nurse. Follow-
ing the counsel of her advisor, though, she
went on to earn her MD at the University of
Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City,
KS. She was a pediatric intern and resi-
dent at the University of Michigan Medical
Center in Ann Arbor, where she received
fellowship training in pediatric rheuma-
tology. Dr. Wortmann also served as a ci-
vilian pediatrician with the Department of
the Army in Seoul, Korea, and in Colorado,
and she’s held faculty and staff appoint-
ments at Children’s Hospital or Wisconsin,
the Medical College of Wisconsin, and East
Carolina University School of Medicine. At
Dartmouth Medical School, Dr. Wortmann
holds the faculty rank of Visiting Associate
Professor of Pediatrics (Rheumatology).
CHaD is pleased to wel-
come Jack van Hoff, MD,
as Section Chief of Pedi-
atric Hematology/Oncology and
Associate Professor of Pediatrics at
Dartmouth Medical School. “What
really matters are the patients, the
personalities,” according to Dr. Van
Hoff. “This job can be very stressful and time
consuming. But as the cover story of this is-
sue shows, good care can save lives. And that
makes the rest of it worthwhile.”
After earning his medical degree at the
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey, Dr. van Hoff served as a pediatric
resident and received fellowship training in
pediatric hematology/oncology at Yale-New
Haven Hospital in Connecticut. With Board
Certification in Pediatrics and Pediatric He-
matology/Oncology, Dr. van Hoff has a broad
interest in all forms of childhood cancer, and
a special interest in brain tumors.
He led the pediatric neuro-oncology
program at Yale for years and plans
to pursue similar interests here at
DHMC. Dr. van Hoff is also pleased
to have the opportunity to engage
with a number of DHMC colleagues
who are active internationally.
In determining if DHMC and CHaD
would be a good fit, Dr. Van Hoff reports,
“I carefully evaluated the team here in the
Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology,
and also the doctors we need to collaborate
with – surgeons, pathologists, radiation on-
cologist and others. I’ve been very pleased
that my early confidence and enthusiasm
has been borne out by my experience here
over the last several months. This is an ex-
tended team that works together very well
in the complex realm of caring for children
with cancer.”
Anesthesiologist Simon
C. Hillier, MD, recently
joined CHaD from Riley
Hospital for Children in Indianap-
olis, Indiana, where he also served
on the faculty of Indiana Univer-
sity School of Medicine. “I moved
to DHMC and CHaD because I
was impressed by the existing pediatric
anesthesiology faculty, led by Joe Cravero,”
Dr. Hillier said. “From an academic per-
spective, it has certainly been intellectu-
ally invigorating to practice as part of the
Dartmouth Anesthesiology team and get
involved in some research again.”
Hillier adds that opportunities for out-
door activities in the region were also very
appealing, “In our spare time my wife (Kim)
and I like to hike, bike, scull, and explore
the upper valley. Rowing on the Connecti-
cut River was a major draw for us.”
Dr. Hil l ier attended medi-
cal school and held internship
and residency positions in Man-
chester, England. He participated
in pediatric critical care and pe-
diatric anesthesia fellowships at
The Hospital for Sick Children,
University of Toronto, in Ontario,
Canada, where he was also a pediatric resi-
dent. Dr. Hillier volunteered his services as
pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist for the
International Children’s Heart Foundation
in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, and Lima,
Peru, providing cardiac anesthesia services
to approximately 25 patients during each
mission, and also teaching local anesthesia
and critical care doctors. Dr. Hillier is Board
Certified in Anesthesiology (1991) and holds
the faculty rank of Professor of Anesthesiol-
ogy at Dartmouth Medical School.
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Pediatric Rheumatology
M A T T E R S 7
The March of Dimes and CHaD’s
Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) have
teamed up to create a new posi-
tion called a Family Support Specialist. The
person chosen for this position will serve
as on-site resource for inpatient families in
the ICN, represent the CHaD in the Nation-
al March of Dimes NICU Family Support
Network and generally promote patient and
family centered care in the ICN.
The Family Support Specialist will collabo-
rate with the ICN multi-disciplinary team to
identify the needs of inpatient ICN families
and represent their experiences, ideas and
recommendations in ICN meetings and qual-
ity improvement initiatives. The Specialist will
also chair the ICN Parent Council and serve as
a liaison to the CHaD Family Advisory Board.
The ICN and the March of Dimes look forward
to offering a new dimension of assistance to
the families of the ICN.
Advancing Family Centered Care March of Dimes/CHaD Intensive Care Nursery Family Support Specialist
Corporate supporters become
true CHaD Champions when
their employees get personally
involved in CHaD events. Kohl’s staff
members have provided invaluable as-
sistance at several events through their
‘A-Team’ program. As an added bonus,
each ‘A-Team’ generates an additional
$500 grant for CHaD, contributing toward
a generous total of $24,915 raised through
Kohl’s programs, all to support CHaD’s
Injury Prevention Center.
An ‘A-Team’ from the West Lebanon
Kohl’s, led by Store Manager
Dede Carpenter, assisted
during CHaD’s ski event at
Whaleback Ski Area. CHaD’s
Injury Prevention Center re-
ceived support from a Tilton
Kohl’s ‘A-Team’ during the
annual ‘Safe Kids 200’ bike
event at NH International
Speedway. In March, an ‘A-Team’ from the
Hooksett store helped out at CHaD’s ‘Battle
of the Badges’ hockey event at Man-
chester’s Verizon Wireless Arena,.
CHaD events often require
hundreds of energetic volun-
teers, so it’s great to know that
Kohl’s ‘A-Teams’ are always ready
to lend a helping hand.
CHaD’s Injury Prevention Center received support from a Tilton Kohl’s ‘A-Team’ during the annual ‘Safe Kids 200’ bike event at NH International Speedway.
8 M A T T E R S
Photographs by Robert D. Sterling Bob Sterling photographed Brendan and Emma for
the first issue of CHaD Matters and he was very pleased to be asked to take the photos
for this story. Over several years, Bob, a professional photographer from New London, NH,
has volunteered his time and many talents to CHaD and other nonprofit organizations. Bob
contributed several days of his service and countless priceless images during last summer’s
CHaD Regatta on Lake Sunapee, many of which were published in the last issue of CHaD
Matters. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of David’s House.
Still Champions of Hope
Still Champions of Hope
M A T T E R S 9
To five-year-old Emma Furlone, 6’ 2”
Brendan Shea, 15, was a great “tree.”
“Whenever she’d see him, she’d run
up and jump on him and start trying to wrestle
with him,” recalls Emma’s mom, Beth. “And
he’d pick her up and tip her upside down,
which always made her giggle.”
The cover photo of the first issue of CHaD
Matters, taken in July of 1997 at a CHaD pic-
nic, captured a similar moment between
the two (inset photo on cover). “It’s a great
picture,” says Brendan’s mom, Katie. “If you
didn’t know who they were you would never
have guessed that these were kids that had
gone through cancer.”
In fact, at the time the photo was taken,
Emma and Brendan had just finished their
last chemotherapy treatments at CHaD,
reaching a pivotal point in a mutual three-
year battle against acute lymphocytic leu-
kemia (ALL). While they came to CHaD as
strangers, the experiences that the Furlones
and Sheas shared as families with cancer
created a bond that has endured to this
day—and seen Brendan and Emma through
more than a decade of clinical remission
from ALL.
Dramatic advances in the diagnosis and
treatment of leukemia have made hope
possible for families like the Furlones and
Sheas. “In the time I have been practicing
(25 years), the prognosis for leukemia has
jumped 25 to 30 percentage points,” says
CHaD pediatric oncologist Dr. Sara Chaffee,
who treated both Emma and Brendan. “And
as more sophisticated protocols have been
developed, it has improved our ability to ad-
just therapies based on a patient’s risk and
minimize long-term side effects.”
Determination and HumorBrendan was nearly 13 years old when he
and his family learned that he had ALL from
Chaffee. “I had maybe five minutes of panic,
I cried with my family, and then it was like,
‘Alright, so what do we do?’” says Brendan,
who would use his competitive nature as
well as his love of playing practical jokes on
CHaD’s staff to help him and his family cope
with his disease.
Despite having to endure the chemo
as well as radiation treatments—which
made him so sick he lost 50 pounds at one
point—Brendan, remarkably, maintained
his honor roll status, playing both baseball
and basketball at Amherst Middle School
and Souhegan High School. Since graduat-
ing from American University in Washing-
ton, DC, in 2003, he has worked in medical
sales for Johnson & Johnson, and is plan-
ning on getting engaged soon. “We knew
each other in elementary school, lost touch,
then reconnected last year—who knew the
5th grade crush would be the one?” he says,
laughing.
In 2006, Brendan was diagnosed with
thyroid cancer, most likely a result of the
radiation treatment he received for ALL. He
has had two successful surgeries along with
radioactive iodine treatments, and remains
a champion of hope. “Brendan has the in-
nate ability to focus on what he has gained
as opposed to what he has lost,” explains
Katie. “While cancer continues to be a part
of his life, he’s never let it define him.”
“Lady Emma”Nicknamed “Lady Emma” by CHaD staff
for her ability to light up a room with her
smile, Emma was only two and a half when
she was diagnosed, too young to understand
what the word “leukemia” meant. “I remem-
ber my mom telling me that I had a ‘boo boo’
in my blood and that I needed to get help
from the doctors to fix it,” she recalls. “At
that age, going to CHaD became a routine
and felt normal to me.”
The experience felt quite different for
her parents. “I was a nervous wreck and
constantly worried about everything,” says
Beth. “Often, Katie and I would be at David’s
House at the same time since the kids’ hos-
pital stays were on similar schedules—she
was a great source of comfort and support
for me. When your kids have this type of
cancer, you spend a lot of time at the hospi-
tal and it becomes your second home. Both
of our families grew close to the entire pe-
diatric oncology team.”
Now a 15-year-old honor student at
Keene High School, Emma plays Olympic
development soccer and made the varsity
team last fall as a freshman. At one of her
games, Brendan paid her a surprise visit.
“I went running over at half time to see
my parents and there he was,” she says. “I
looked at him for a moment, then my brain
clicked and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness; it’s
Brendan!’ We gave each other a big hug—it
was so great to see him.”
Unexpected BenefitsAs long-term survivors of ALL, Brendan
and Emma have come to appreciate some
of the positive aspects of their experiences.
“It’s not only made me stronger, but also a
better person,” says Brendan, who still visits
members of his original care team. “I think
I have more compassion and empathy for
those around me, and I try not to sweat the
small stuff.”
“I think it’s made us closer as a family,”
says Emma. “And I’ve really grown to ap-
preciate the people at CHaD and what they
put forth for patients and families like ours.
I hope to go into the medical field some
day so that I can help others the way CHaD
helped us.”
In the time I have been practicing (25
years), the prognosis for leukemia has jumped 25 to 30
percentage pointsDr. Sara Chaffee
10 M A T T E R S
Dr. Daniel Herz
Since 1977, Centurion has served the insurance needs of the people and businesses of the Northeast. We offer personal,commercial and high-level specialty market insuranceproducts nationwide on a retail and wholesale basis.
Simply call Centurion Insurance Group’soffice, identify yourself as a CHaD supporter, and request a package quotefor home, auto and umbrella insurance.Centurion will donate $10 to CHaD,whether you purchase the policies or not. It’s that easy!
CHaD will receive a much-needed gift, and you gain access to Centurion’srenowned coverage expertise and service.
To participate, call 603-643-2000 or 800-258-3056 and ask for ourpersonal lines department.
QuotesforKids
Support CHaD with
New at CHaD: Robotic Surgery
Robots are not just toys for
kids anymore. Now they’re
important surgeons’ tools at
CHaD.
Dr. Daniel
Herz, one of
C H a D’s p e -
diatric urolo-
gists, recently
added robotic
surgery to his
bag of tricks.
The daVinci™
robot allows Dr.
Herz to perform “minimally invasive”
precision laparoscopic procedures
that would otherwise require a major
“open” surgery through a large inci-
sion. Using the robot allows children
to recover faster, decreases post-
operative pain and reduces the risks
of infection, since incisions are only
5-10mm long.
The robot is “scrubbed” at the
operating table while the surgeon
operates the robot remotely from
a separate 3-D console across the
room without scrubbing. There is a
“scrubbed” technician who, instead of
handing instruments to the surgeon,
changing the robot’s instruments at
the surgeon’s request.
Despite the robot’s cost, there is
no extra cost for the robot to the in-
surance company, patients or their
families.
CHaD’s Child Advocacy and Pro-
tection Program (CAPP) and The
Family Place in Norwich, Ver-
mont, two regional Child Advocacy Cen-
ters, are partners in a joint effort called
“Shield Our Children from Harm 2008.”
The focus of this collaboration is to address
child maltreatment in ways that help signif-
icantly reduce the impact of child abuse in
our communities. On April 1, at the annual
multi-disciplinary professional conference,
four “Unsung Heroes” were honored for
their dedication, compassion and efforts
going above and beyond the call of duty
each day in dealing with child abuse issues
in our region. This year’s recipients were
Deborah Pullin, ARNP, Child Advocacy and
Protection Program, CHaD (seated front
left); Detective Corporal Frederick Boggess,
Hartford Police Department (seated front,
center); Amanda Jewell, Division for Chil-
dren, Youth, & Families, Claremont Dis-
trict Office (rear left); and Detective Jesse
Vezina, Claremont Police Department (rear
center). Also pictured are Jeanne McMahan
of The Family Place (seated front right) and
CHaD’s Cathy Brittis. Congratulations and
thanks to all those who are shielding our
children from harm.
Shield Our Children from Harm: Unsung Heroes
©2008 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
M A T T E R S 11
Families know best their child’s early
warning signs and now there’s a new
way for them to call for help.
In January 2006, DHMC established
the adult Hitchcock Early Response Team
(HERT) to react quickly when patients
shows signs that they might deteriorate to
cardiac or respiratory arrest (Code Blue).
While adult patients might decline to an
arrest over six to eight hours, pediatric pa-
tients often deteriorate suddenly and signs
of decline can be very subtle, so anticipating
a child’s condition becomes critical.
A need for a similar team was identified
in CHaD and in December 2006 CHaD de-
veloped Pediatric HERT led by Dr. Michele
Vander Heyden, Bridget Mudge, RN, MS,
and Scott Slogic, RT. The pediatric team in-
cludes an experienced pediatric critical care
nurse, a respiratory therapist, a critical care
provider (resident, nurse practitioner or phy-
sician assistant), and the direct care nurse(s).
In addition there are many people behind the
scenes who work to ensure that all emergency
equipment, emergency drugs and other sup-
plies are available for bedside use.
Initially, nurses and physicians activated
Pedi HERT in response to specific concern-
ing conditions (e.g. labored breathing, or
extreme agitation,). Since parents know
their children best and can more readily
discern subtle changes, ‘family concern’ has
been added to the list of HERT activation
criteria and a way for parents to activate the
team was recently implemented.
“The Pedi HERT team is designed to
improve safety and the quality of care de-
livered to our patients, and we are pleased
with the number of improvements made
based on this initiative” according to Dr.
Vander Heyden.
Pediatric Hitchcock Early Response Team
What’s better than kids and
baseball? Kids and base-
ball celebrities!
Thanks to the generous support of
The Fisher Cats Foundation, the 2008
Granite State Baseball Dinner raised
over $100,000 at this year’s premier
event, with 50% of the proceeds going
to CHaD and the other half supporting
scholarships for college-bound New
Hampshire high school seniors.
The staff of the New Hampshire
Fisher Cats and their catering firm Cen-
terplate, plus a strong squad of commu-
nity volunteers, led by Steve Cohen of
Devine, Millimet & Branch, comprised
the winning team who pulled off the
event with style and flair of the baseball
dinners of old. Held at the New Hamp-
shire Armory in Manchester, over 900
guests were greeted by the smell of pop-
corn and a visual feast of red, white and
blue bunting, balloons and baseball
memorabilia while they gathered the
autographs of baseball greats like Chris
Carpenter, Johnny Pesky, Jim Rice, Pat
Hentgen, Rich Gedman and others.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats owner
and Chairman of the Fisher Cats Foun-
dation Board Art Solomon said, “We
want to thank the New Hampshire base-
ball community and all of our honored
Granite State Baseball Dinner guests for
making this donation possible.”
Dr. Paul Merguerian, Interim Di-
rector of CHaD notes, “Events like the
Granite State Baseball Dinner directly
support the kids and families at CHaD,
and we want to express our deepest ap-
preciation for the valued partnership
between New Hampshire’s baseball
team and New Hampshire’s children’s
hospital.”
Granite State Baseball Dinner
L to R: Senator Jack Barnes, Johnny Pesky, Senator Ted Gatsas and Governor Lynch. With the Red Sox for 57 of his 69 years in baseball, Pesky was honored by the state of New Hampshire for his service to baseball and its fans.
Granite State Baseball Dinner Chair Steven Cohen and DHMC President Nancy Formella flank Don Orsillo, the voice of the Red Sox.
retreats, and skills days, staff members have multiple opportunities to discuss ideas and also to make changes that will further improve patient satisfaction.
placed patient and family satisfaction on the agenda for every staff meeting in both units. A section in each unit’s newsletter was devoted to the topic of patient satisfaction. Staff members were asked to identify specific things that an individual could do to enhance patient satisfaction. Nursing staff members continued to examine variables such as age, length of stay, number of previous hospitalizations, and, as changes were made (e.g., instituting a tour of the unit for the child and the parent), they evaluated if these changes resulted in an improvement in patient satisfaction. The staff made a commitment to review the satisfaction data every month. Finally, a multidisciplinary group was formed to address any overall concerns with patient satisfaction that required involvement of members of the broader care team.
Each unit now routinely posts graphs of satisfaction data so staff can monitor improvement. Through this process, staff members in both Pediatrics and the PICU have been much better informed in this past year about how patient satisfaction is measured and how the actions of individuals can impact satisfaction. By keeping it as a topic of discussion at monthly staff meetings,
Because patients are DHMC’s ultimate customers, their satisfaction is crucial to our success. A review of relevant data
can be critical in identifying opportunities for improvement in patient care. For several years, DHMC has used Press Ganey® Patient Satisfaction Data to help us understand how satisfied patients are with our care.
The Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurses determined that they wanted to find ways to improve their patient satisfaction scores. In December 2006 and January 2007, all nursing staff members (RNs, LNAs and secretaries) from both units attended sessions where they reviewed and analyzed the most recent patient satisfaction data. The focus was to identify what nurses could do to improve patient and family satisfaction. In these initial meetings, the staff analyzed the survey results according to age groups and length of stay for each unit to determine if there were age groups they needed to focus on or if length of stay on the unit made a difference.
After reviewing the data, team members developed a plan to address patient satisfaction in a variety of ways. They
Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Improving Patient Satisfaction
PICU nurses Justin Harris, RN, and Nancy Thomas, RN.
Quality of Care:
2007 DHMC NURSING ANNUAL REPORT 15
12 M A T T E R S
In September, leaders of children’s
hospitals from across the country an-
nounced the establishment of a new
foundation, Together for Kids (together-
forkids.org), with a mission to raise funds
nationally to help member hospitals cope
with dramatic increases in the healthcare
needs of children. CHaD is a founding mem-
ber of the organization, currently consisting
of 53 hospitals that serve children in 47 U.S.
communities of all sizes. CHaD’s David Mc-
Williams is vice chair of the alliance’s Board
of Directors.
At a National Press Club media event,
honorary co-chairs, retired NFL star Jason
Sehorn and his wife, actress Angie Harmon,
urged support for the new group. “As par-
ents of two children, Angie and I know that
nothing is more important than keeping
our kids healthy and safe,” said Sehorn. “As
a country, we need to make an investment
in the future of our kids.”
Sehorn pointed to troubling statistics
that demonstrate the need to focus more
resources on children’s health. “Since the
1980s, the percentage of overweight chil-
dren has jumped from 6 percent to 17 per-
cent, the number of children with asthma
has doubled, and the number of uninsured
children has risen to more than 11 percent
of all kids,” noted Sehorn. “While the needs
are increasing, funding for children’s hospi-
tals is declining.”
Together for Kids, w il l raise funds
through national corporate sponsorships
and events. Spectrum Brands, makers of
Lady Remington products, is Together for
Kids’ first national sponsor, and this fall a
national ‘Walk Across America’ will encour-
age individuals to raise funds for children’s
hospitals.
Th ree yea r
old Janaya
is t y pic a l
of children who are
helped by Irving Oil’s
Fuel the Care pro-
gram. Since the fam-
ily lives in Barnstead,
every appointment
involves a round trip
of about 150 miles.
“It’s an unexpected
cost that you don’t
plan for when you have a sick child,” says
Janaya’s mother Joyce, “so the Irving Oil
vouchers have really helped, especially
when you have a family with seven chil-
dren to care for.”
Fuel the Care is in its 5th year sup-
porting CHaD families. To date, CHaD
has given out Irving
Oil vouchers to 5,500
families.
“W hen a ch i ld
needs medical care,
the last thing a par-
e n t s h ou l d h a v e
to worr y about is
travel costs,” said
Rob Wilson of Irving
Oil. “Through Fuel
the Care, we hope
to lessen that stress
and keep families together during a dif-
ficult time.”
Fuel the Care vouchers are distrib-
uted by CHaD’s Family Center, and can
be redeemed at Bluecanoe, Mainway and
Big Stop locations.
DonatesTravel Vouchers for Distant CHaD Families
Photo L to R: Rob Wilson, from Irving Oil; Kathy Stocker, CHaD Family Center; Joyce and her daughter, Janaya.
Retired NFL star Jason Sehorn and wife, actress Angie Harmon, urge support for the new group.
M A T T E R S 13
The pediatric specialty groups of Urol-
ogy, Gastroenterology and Nutrition
from CHaD in Manchester have joined
with the staff from the Mental Health Center of
Greater Manchester to create a new clinic for
children with urinary and bowel incontinence.
The ACT clinic – Achieving Continence To-
gether – uses a multi-disciplinary approach to
address the many issues associated with child-
hood dysfunctional elimination, which includes
day or nighttime wetting, urinary urgency,
frequency, recurrent urinary tract infections,
constipation and stool soiling. The ACT Clinic
team includes physicians and nurse practitio-
ners with specialty training in Gastroenterology
and Urology, as well as nutritionists and psy-
chologists who are
dedicated to help-
ing children with
ch i ld hood dys-
functional elimi-
nation
The program is
currently offered
to patients ages
5 years and older
in the Southern
New Hampshire
region. For more information about the ACT
Clinic, please contact (603) 695-2745.
ACT – Achieving Continence Together
The Clown Fish Exploration Trail is
the first of three planned indoor
walk ing trai ls
at DHMC. It was
created by in in-
ter-departmental
team with par-
ticipants from
the CHaD Fam-
ily Center, DHMC
Arts, the Health Improvement
Program (HIP) and Public Affairs & Mar-
keting. The idea is to create an in-
door trail system that is fun,
interactive and even helpful.
In addition to providing
exercise, trails will
showcase DHMC’s
extensive art
d i s p l a y s ,
and provide
way f inding
assistance, as families need to navigate
among CHaD clinics and services in vari-
ous locations around DHMC.
The Clown Fish Exploration starts out-
side of the CHaD Family Center on Level 6
of the Doctor’s Office Building and takes
walkers on an exploration – through the
eyes of a child – of the entire building. Trail
maps can be found in the CHaD Family
Center. Be sure to stop by next time you
visit!
CHaD’s Clown Fish Exploration Trail
Dr. Marc Hofley and Mary Gheen, CPNP, review an x-ray.
14 M A T T E R S
The region’s near-record snowfall provid-ed excellent conditions for the 9th Annual CHaD Ski & Ride Festival, on March 22, at Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme, NH. More than 120 participants enjoyed a host of activities on the perfectly packed slopes, and there was excitement indoors too, with a raffle and silent auction featuring such prizes as Voikl Skis, a Nitro Snow board, Private tennis lessons and Bretton Woods ski passes, all generously donated to CHaD.
Tele Atlas North America was the un-derwriter for the event and also captured the prize for the Largest Team, with 12 orange-clad employees hitting the hill that day. “Un-derwriting the Ski & Ride Festival provided our employees with an opportunity to orga-nize some fun internal fundraisers that rein-
forced the importance of teamwork and generosity. We view our involvement as a win for both Tele Atlas and CHaD!” reports Maureen Williams, Tele Atlas Community Manager.
Other sponsors included The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation, Hyper-therm, Northeast Delta Dental, Bank of America, Ameriprise Financial, Evergreen Capital Partners, LLC, Di-matix and Mascoma Savings Bank.
Thanks to our volunteers, sponsors, participants and donors, a total exceeding $94,000 has been raised to support patient and family centered care at CHaD.
fun activities&9th Annual CHaD Ski & Ride Festival at Dartmouth
Skiway
Skiers from across New England gathered at Cannon Mountain Skiway in Franconia, NH, for the 6th Annual Kristen’s Gift Ski Day, supporting CHaD’s pediatric oncology fund. This year’s event raised more than $22,000 – much more the previous year. Leading the fundraising effort again this year was 12-year old Taylor Cudhea, who singlehandedly raised more than $4,000. To raise pledge money, Taylor went door-to-door with her own custom-made brochure and winning smile, asking shops, businesses and residents to sponsor her cause. The event featured a full
day of family skiing on Can-non Mountain’s beautiful slopes, followed by an ex-citing raffle and live auction, with more than $12,000 in donated prizes. Many of the younger par-ticipants took turns on the famous “spinning wheel” provided by Roger Proulx of Nassau Broadcasting, coming away with some fan-tastic prizes. The corporate underwriter for the event was FairPoint Communications. Other major sponsors were Squam River Landing and the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Cannon Mountain Ski Day for Kristen’s Gift
Taylor Cudhea, with proud dad Cameron at her side, raised over $4,000.
Founders of Kristen’s Gift, John and Patty Xiggoros, thank Taylor Cudhea and all the participants for their support of the fund which is named in memory of their daughter Kristen.
One of our volunteers was not only wildly impressed with the CHaDasaurus inspired sheet cake, but ready to dig in!
Aren’t they cute?! This team dressed for the occasion—with funny wigs andall—adhering to a Skifest trademark “where silliness meets the slopes!”
Team Tele-Atlas shows off their orange pride as the event’s underwriter and largest team, who raised over $4,500 dollars!
M A T T E R S 15
CHaD Battle of the BadgesOn March 30, the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH hosted the ultimate face-off of heroes. From across the state, NH Police and NH Firefighters joined forces to play hockey to benefit the children and programs of CHaD. In-spired by WMUR TV’s Jamie Staton and underwritten Bank of America, the inaugural CHaD Battle of the Badg-es came to life and raised more than $72,000!
Volunteers from CHaD’s corporate friends Best Buy, Kohl’s and Wal-Mart showed up in force along with others from the community, creating a volunteer team of close to 100 strong to ensure the day ran smoothly. Best
Buy stores from Manchester and Portsmouth, NH had a friendly game on ice to determine the better store on skates, and found they were being followed by the law…the Capitol Lawmen and the NH State Troopers. Combined, these four teams raised over $18,000.
At 5 PM the bragging rights were on the line. Merchants Auto put our heroes in uniform, and the players hit the ice. The NH Firefighters owned the title as Highest Fundraisers, and when the final horn blew, the NH Police had won the game. But of course, the biggest winner of the day was the Chil-dren’s Hospital at Dartmouth.
CHaDat
fun activities&
The CHaD Battle of the Badges Highest Fundraising team, the NH Firefighters with Miss New Hampshire and Honorary Coach, Rick Middleton after a well played game.
The Winners of the Inaugural CHaD Battle of the Badges, the NH Police, joined
in the team color by Miss New Hampshire, Rick Middleton and CHaD Kids.
Honorary Coach and hockey legend “Nifty” Rick Middleton with team captains Micky Drouin of the NH Firefighters and Wayne Sheehan of the NH Police.
NH Police team’s Captain Wayne Sheehan shakes the hand of 4 year old Hunter Drouin who assisted with the award ceremony, while Miss New Hampshire, Rick Middleton and Jamie Staton look on.
Miss New Hampshire, Rachel Barker, and her CHaD assistants for the Award Ceremony.
M A T T E R SThe Newsletter of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth
One Medical Center DriveLebanon, New Hampshire 03756
Address Service Requested
NoN-Profit
U.S. PoStage
Paid
LebaNoN, NH
Permit No. 211
Night at the RacesSaturday, June 7Quechee, VTAs part of the CHaD Classic weekend, join us for gala evening of dinner and electronic horse racing. You can bet on your favorite or even own your own horse for the evening. With prizes for the winners, you can’t lose and it all helps the kids at CHaD. For reservations call: Quechee Club, (802) 295-9536
CHaD ClassicGolf TournamentMonday, June 9Quechee Club,Quechee, VTSponsored by QLLA Chari-ties, this prestigious tourna-
ment is a yearly sell out. Registration is 8:30am with an 11am Shotgun start; dinner immediately following. For reservations or sponsorship opportunities contact: Gail Ferney, (802) 296-7128 or [email protected]
Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Mo-tor SpeedwayFriday, June 27Loudon, NHStart your engines. . .and join us for the 16th Annual
Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Motor Speed-way! The Governor’s Breakfast will be held on Friday, June 27, 2008 at 8:00am, the weekend of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Hear racing stories over bacon and eggs with drivers from the Camping World Series East and the Whelen Modified tour! Tickets are $30. Reserve yours today by calling (603) 653-3437. Corporate tables are also available.
Health and Safety FairSunday, July 27Colburn Park, Lebanon, NHCHaD is joining Upper Valley Radio for Sundae in the Park! In addition to ice cream sundaes, this fun event will now feature a pediatric health and safety fair spon-sored by CHaD, from 11am to 4pm. For more information, contact: Tracey Jacobi, (603) 653-3437 or [email protected]
2008 Kristen’s Gift Celebrity Golf TournamentMonday, August 11Manchester Country Club, Bedford, NHJoin retired celebrities from the Red Sox, Bruins and other area sports teams for an exciting day
on the links at one of New England’s most prestigious golf courses. Space is limited to 32 foursomes. Last year’s event was sold out! The day includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, tee prizes, cocktail hour, dinner and a fantastic auction. For more information contact: Toby Trudel, (603) 629-1862 or [email protected]
3rd AnnualCHaD Half MarathonSaturday,September 6Hanover, NHThe event keeps all of the unique elements that have made it such a success in the past, including, a 3 leg relay option, the late after-noon start that challenges runners to reach the Dart-
mouth Green before sunset, and barbeque and block party at the finish. The 13.1 mile course gently winds
through scenic New England from start to finish and is ASATF certified. For more information contact: Kim Kraus, (603) 650-3431 or [email protected], or go to www.CHaDhalf.org
The CHaD RegattaSunday, September 21Sunapee,New Hampshire:Row, row, row your boats on the official last day of summer. A rowing regatta, a midday
BBQ, community events and day long family fun! Partici-pants and event day volunteers needed. For more informa-tion, please contact: Elizabeth Clarke at 603-650-3437 or [email protected]
CHaD Seacoast ClassicFriday, October 10Barrington, NHThe CHaD Seacoast Classic, October 10th, is at the beauti-ful Nippo Lake Golf Club, Bar-rington, New Hampshire. With a scramble format and tee off at 9:00 AM, registration fee is $100. A light breakfast and cof-fee start the day, followed by 18 holes of golf and finish-ing with a luncheon, raffle and awards ceremony. Chaired by New Hampshire State Representative Dale Sprague, this year’s tournament is dedicated to the memory of former House Minority Leader, Mike Whalley. Sponsorship opportunites are available. For more information, contact: Toby Trudel at 629-1862 or [email protected].
Calendar of Events
The CHaD Regatta
CHaD Seacoast Classic