still champions of hope still champions of hope - Dartmouth

Spring 2008
M
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T
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The Newsletter of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth
Still
Champions
of Hope
Also:
Advances in Genetics
Show Promise
Welcome to CHaD Matters!
I
n 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.
Partners
Paul A. Merguerian, MD
Medical Director, CHaD (Interim)
Program Director, Pediatric Urology
contents
3
Dr Alan Rozycki Retires
10 New at CHaD: Robotic Surgery
4
Advances in Genetics and A
11 Pediatric Hitchcock Early Response
Mother’s Devotion Lead to
Treatment and Hope
12 Together for Kids
6
Three New CHaD Doctors:
13 ACT – Achieving Continence Together
Simon C. Hillier, MD,
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Jack van Hoff, MD,
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Dorothy W. Wortmann, MD,
8
Pediatric Rheumatology
Still Champions of Hope
10 Shield Our Children from Harm:
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
Unsung Heroes
CHaD Matters is published by the Children’s
Hospital at Dartmouth. Please address correspondence to: Sharon Brown, CHaD, DartmouthHitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center
Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, or email to CHaD.
[email protected].
© 2008, all rights reserved,
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
2
Team
M atters
Contributors: Cathy Bean, Sharon Brown,
Elizabeth Clarke, Timothy Dean, Tracey Jacobi,
Tammy Lambert, Melissa Mashaw-Gomeau, David 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.
Thanks to the 2008
CHaD Partners who have
underwritten and provided
substantial support of our
events and activities.
Dr. Alan Rozycki Retires
F
or more than 35 years, Dr. Alan Rozycki has been an
exceptional clinician, educator and thinker at Dartmouth-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 pediatrics 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 appointment 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
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.
of the Normal Newborn Nursery, Section Chief of General Academic 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.
“One Dollar at a Time” Adds Up to $1.8 million
Jack Kelly, retired from Interstate
Brands Co., Peter McMurray from Coca
Cola and Mark Ciaranella, Wal-Mart , are
three long time supporters of CHaD.
I
n 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 fundraising for CHaD,” says Jeff Godois of the
Manchester, NH, Sam’s Club. “One dollar 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 ranging 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 CHaDasaurus 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 vendors also participated through the “Help
a Child Smile Golf Tournament” and programs of their own. Kellogg’s raised a
record $10,000 for CHaD.
“CHaD affects a lot of my associates and their families. It’s
a wonderful organization,” said
Leslie Thompson, Market Manager 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 responded, 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.
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.
M atters 3
Advances in
Genetics and
A Mother’s
Devotion Lead
to Treatment
and Hope
I
t’s a Wednesday afternoon in the pediatric 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. Today, 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
4
M atters
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, collaborating with colleagues at Duke Medical
Center, helped to pinpoint Owen’s disorder as
Hunter syndrome or mucopolysaccharidosis
II (MPS II)—a serious, extremely rare hereditary 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 missing an enzyme that breaks
down certain chemicals that
occur naturally in the cells.
As these chemicals build up,
they cause progressive cognitive deterioration, multiple organ disease, and a shortened
lifespan.”
Though not nearly as common, there is also a mild form
of Hunter sy ndrome. “Using advanced genetic testing
techniques, it’s now possible
to identify differences in the
gene that predict severity,” says Sheila Upton, MGC, a pediatric genetic counselor at
CHaD who works with Moeschler to provide 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 pharmaceutical company (Shire), the institution,
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 Sacrifice
The true hero behind Owen’s diagnosis
and treatment is his mom, Amy, who tragically 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 energy 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.”
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
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 candidate 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 Prognosis
While 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 hearing 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 everything—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 convenient.”
“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.”
M atters 5
I
n
t
r
o
d
u
c
i
n
g
Three New CHaD Doctors
Pediatric Anesthesiology
A
nesthesiologist Simon
C. Hillier, MD, recently
joined CHaD from Riley
Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he also served
on the faculty of Indiana University 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 perspective, it has certainly been intellectually invigorating to practice as part of the
Dartmouth Anesthesiology team and get
involved in some research again.”
Hillier adds that opportunities for outdoor 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 Connecticut River was a major draw for us.”
Dr. Hillier attended medical school and held internship
and residency positions in Manchester, England. He participated
in pediatric critical care and pediatric anesthesia fellowships at
The Hospital for Sick Children,
University of Toronto, in Ontario,
Canada, where he was also a pediatric resident. 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 Anesthesiology at Dartmouth Medical School.
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
C
HaD is pleased to welcome Jack van Hoff, MD,
as Section Chief of Pediatric 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 issue 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 Hematology/Oncology, Dr. van Hoff has a broad
interest in all forms of childhood cancer, and
6
M atters
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 oncologist 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 extended team that works together very well
in the complex realm of caring for children
with cancer.”
Pediatric
Rheumatology
D
r. Dorothy W. Wortm a n n a r r i v e d at
CHaD in February,
after ser v ing since 2000 as
Physician-in-charge in Pediatric Rheumatology at the University 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 rheumatologist 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. Wortmann earned a BA at Mount Holyoke College, intending to become a nurse. Following 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 resident at the University of Michigan Medical
Center in Ann Arbor, where she received
fellowship training in pediatric rheumatology. Dr. Wortmann also served as a civilian pediatrician with the Department of
the Army in Seoul, Korea, and in Colorado,
and she’s held faculty and staff appointments 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).
Advancing Family Centered Care
March of Dimes/CHaD Intensive Care Nursery Family Support Specialist
T
he March of Dimes and CHaD’s
Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) have
teamed up to create a new position 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-
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.
C
orporate supporters become
true CHaD Champions when
their employees get personally
involved in CHaD events. Kohl’s staff
members have provided invaluable assistance at several events through their
‘A-Team’ program. As an added bonus,
al March of Dimes NICU Family Support
Network and generally promote patient and
family centered care in the ICN.
The Family Support Specialist will collaborate with the ICN multi-disciplinary team to
identify the needs of inpatient ICN families
and represent their experiences, ideas and
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 received support from a Tilton
Kohl’s ‘A-Team’ during the
annual ‘Safe Kids 200’ bike
event at NH International
recommendations in ICN meetings and quality 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.
Speedway. In March, an ‘A-Team’ from the
Hooksett store helped out at CHaD’s ‘Battle
of the Badges’ hockey event at Manchester’s Verizon Wireless Arena,.
CHaD events often require
hundreds of energetic volunteers, so it’s great to know that
Kohl’s ‘A-Teams’ are always ready
to lend a helping hand.
M atters 7
Still
Champions
of Hope
8
M atters
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.
T
o 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 picnic, 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 threeyear battle against acute lymphocytic leukemia (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 adjust therapies based on a patient’s risk and
minimize long-term side effects.”
Determination and Humor
Brendan 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
“Lady Emma”
In the time I have
been practicing (25
years), the prognosis
for leukemia has
jumped 25 to 30
percentage points
Dr. Sara Chaffee
point—Brendan, remarkably, maintained
his honor roll status, playing both baseball
and basketball at Amherst Middle School
and Souhegan High School. Since graduating from American University in Washington, DC, in 2003, he has worked in medical
sales for Johnson & Johnson, and is planning 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 innate 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.”
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 remember 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’ hospital 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 hospital and it becomes your second home. Both
of our families grew close to the entire pediatric 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 Benefits
As 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 appreciate 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.”
M atters 9
Shield Our Children from
Harm: Unsung Heroes
C
HaD’s Child Advocacy and Protection Program (CAPP) and The
Family Place in Norwich, Vermont, two regional Child Advocacy Centers, 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-
Support CHaD with
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 Children, Youth, & Families, Claremont District 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.
Quotes
Kids
for
Simply call Centurion Insurance Group’s
office, identify yourself as a CHaD
supporter, and request a package quote
for home, auto and umbrella insurance.
Centurion will donate $10 to CHaD,
whether you purchase the policies
or not. It’s that easy!
M atters
R
obots 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 urologists, recently
added robotic
surgery to his
bag of tricks.
The daVinci™ Dr. Daniel Herz
robot allows Dr.
Herz to perform “minimally invasive”
precision laparoscopic procedures
that would otherwise require a major
“open” surgery through a large incision. Using the robot allows children
to recover faster, decreases postoperative 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 insurance company, patients or their
families.
CHaD will receive a much-needed
gift, and you gain access to Centurion’s
renowned coverage expertise and service.
To participate, call 603-643-2000
or 800-258-3056 and ask for our
personal lines department.
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 insurance
products nationwide on a retail and wholesale basis.
10
New at CHaD:
Robotic Surgery
©2008 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
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that
they
might
deteriorate
to
concerns with patient satisfaction that
required
involvement
of
members
of
the
cardiac or respiratory arrest (Code Blue).
broader care team.
retreats, and skills days, staff members have
multiple opportunities to discuss ideas
and also to make changes that will further
improve patient satisfaction.
Pediatric Hitchcock Early Response Team
F
While adult patients might decline to an
arrest
eight hours,
paEachover
unit six
nowtoroutinely
posts pediatric
graphs
of satisfaction
data so staff
can monitor
tients
often deteriorate
suddenly
and signs
improvement.
this process,
staff
of decline
can beThrough
very subtle,
so anticipating
members in both Pediatrics and the PICU
a child’s
condition
becomes
critical.
have been
much better
informed
in this
A need
a similar
teamsatisfaction
was identified
past
yearfor
about
how patient
is
and
the actions
of individuals
in measured
CHaD and
inhow
December
2006
CHaD decan impact satisfaction. By keeping it as a
veloped Pediatric HERT led by Dr. Michele
topic of discussion at monthly staff meetings,
Vander Heyden, Bridget Mudge, RN, MS,
and Scott Slogic, RT. The pediatric team includes an experienced pediatric critical care
nurse,
a respiratory therapist, a critical care
PICU nurses Justin Harris, RN, and Nancy Thomas, RN.
provider (resident, nurse practitioner or physician 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 supplies are available for bedside use.
Initially, nurses and physicians activated
Pedi HERT in response to specific concerning 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 delivered to our patients, and we are pleased
with the number of improvements made
based on this initiative” according to Dr.
Vander Heyden.
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.
W
hat’s better than kids and
baseball? Kids and baseball 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 Centerplate, plus a strong squad of community 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 Hampshire Armory in Manchester, over 900
guests were greeted by the smell of popcorn 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 Foundation Board Art Solomon said, “We
want to thank the New Hampshire baseball community and all of our honored
Granite State Baseball Dinner guests for
making this donation possible.”
Dr. Paul Merguerian, Interim Director 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 appreciation for the valued partnership
between New Hampshire’s baseball
team and New Hampshire’s children’s
hospital.”
Granite State Baseball Dinner Chair
Steven Cohen and DHMC President
Nancy Formella flank Don Orsillo, the
voice of the Red Sox.
M atters 11
I
Retired NFL star Jason Sehorn and wife, actress Angie Harmon, urge
support for the new group.
Donates
Travel Vouchers for Distant
CHaD Families
T
has given out Irving
h ree yea r
Oil vouchers to 5,500
old Janaya
families.
i s t y pic a l
“ W hen a ch i ld
of children who are
needs medical care,
helped by Irving Oil’s
the last thing a parFuel the Care proent shou ld have
gram. Since the famto wor r y about is
ily lives in Barnstead,
travel costs,” said
every appointment
Rob Wilson of Irving
involves a round trip Photo L to R: Rob Wilson, from Irving
Oil; Kathy Stocker, CHaD Family Center;
Oil. “Through Fuel
of about 150 miles. Joyce and her daughter, Janaya.
the Care, we hope
“It’s an unexpected
to lessen that stress
cost that you don’t
plan for when you have a sick child,” says and keep families together during a difJanaya’s mother Joyce, “so the Irving Oil ficult time.”
Fuel the Care vouchers are distribvouchers have really helped, especially
when you have a family with seven chil- uted by CHaD’s Family Center, and can
be redeemed at Bluecanoe, Mainway and
dren to care for.”
Fuel the Care is in its 5th year sup- Big Stop locations.
porting CHaD families. To date, CHaD
12
M atters
n September, leaders of children’s
hospitals from across the country announced the establishment of a new
foundation, Together for Kids (togetherforkids.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 member of the organization, currently consisting
of 53 hospitals that serve children in 47 U.S.
communities of all sizes. CHaD’s David McWilliams
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 parents 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 children has jumped from 6 percent to 17 percent, 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 hospitals is declining.”
Toget her for K ids, w ill 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 encourage individuals to raise funds for children’s
hospitals.
ACT – Achieving Continence Together
T
he pediatric specialty groups of Urology, 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 Together – uses a multi-disciplinary approach to
address the many issues associated with childhood 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 practitioners with specialty training in Gastroenterology
and Urology, as well as nutritionists and psychologists who are
dedicated to helping children with
ch i ld hood dysfunctional elimination
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.
Dr. Marc Hofley and Mary Gheen, CPNP, review an x-ray.
CHaD’s Clown Fish Exploration Trail
T
he Clown Fish Exploration Trail is
the first of three planned indoor
walk ing trails
at DHMC. It was
created by in inter-departmental
team with participants from
the CHaD Family Center, DHMC
Arts, the Health Improvement
Program (HIP) and Public Affairs & Marketing. The idea is to create an indoor trail system that is fun,
interactive and even helpful.
In addition to providing
exercise, trails will
showcase DHMC’s
extensive art
displays,
and provide
way f inding
assistance, as families need to navigate
among CHaD clinics and services in various locations around DHMC.
The Clown Fish Exploration starts outside 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!
M atters 13
fun&activities
9th Annual CHaD Ski &
Ride Festival at Dartmouth
Skiway
Aren’t they cute?!
This team dressed
for the occasion—
with funny wigs and
all—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!
The region’s near-record snowfall provided 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 underwriter for the event and also captured the
prize for the Largest Team, with 12 orangeclad employees hitting the hill that day. “Underwriting the Ski & Ride Festival provided
our employees with an opportunity to organize 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, Hypertherm, Northeast Delta Dental, Bank
of America, Ameriprise Financial,
Evergreen Capital Partners, LLC, Dimatix 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.
One of our volunteers was not
only wildly impressed with the
CHaDasaurus inspired sheet cake,
but ready to dig in!
Cannon Mountain Ski
Day for Kristen’s Gift
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
14
M atters
day of family skiing on Cannon Mountain’s beautiful
slopes, followed by an exciting raffle and live auction,
with more than $12,000 in
donated prizes. Many of the younger participants took turns on the famous “spinning
wheel” provided by Roger Proulx of Nassau
Broadcasting, coming away with some fantastic prizes. The corporate underwriter for
the event was FairPoint Communications.
Other major sponsors were Squam River
Landing and the Verizon Wireless Arena.
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.
Taylor Cudhea,
with proud dad
Cameron at her
side, raised over
$4,000.
CHaD Battle of the Badges
On 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. Inspired by WMUR TV’s Jamie Staton
and underwritten Bank of America,
the inaugural CHaD Battle of the Badges came to life and raised more than
$72,000!
Volunteers from CHaD’s corporate
friends Best Buy, Kohl’s and WalMart 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 Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth.
Miss New
Hampshire,
Rachel
Barker, and
her CHaD
assistants
for the
Award
Ceremony.
Honorary
Coach and
hockey legend
“Nifty” Rick
Middleton with
team captains
Micky Drouin
of the NH
Firefighters
and Wayne
Sheehan of
the NH Police.
The CHaD Battle of the Badges Highe
st Fundraising team, the NH
Firefighters with Miss New Hampshire
and Honorary Coach, Rick
Middleton after a well played game
.
NH Police team’s Ca
ptain Wayne Sheeh
an shakes the
hand of 4 year old
Hunter Drouin who
assisted with
the award ceremon
y, while Miss New
Hampshire,
Rick Middleton and
Jamie Staton look
on.
atCHaD
d
NH Police, joine
the Badges, the
of
e
ttl
s.
Ba
Kid
aD
aD
CH
the Inaugural
ddleton and CH
The Winners of
mpshire, Rick Mi
by Miss New Ha
in the team color
M atters 15
Calendar of Events
Night at the Races
Saturday, June 7
Quechee, VT
As 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
Health and Safety Fair
Sunday, July 27
Colburn Park, Lebanon, NH
CHaD 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 sponsored by CHaD, from 11am to 4pm. For more information,
contact: Tracey Jacobi, (603) 653-3437 or Tracey.Jacobi@
Hitchcock.org
CHaD Classic
Golf Tournament
Monday, June 9
Quechee Club,
Quechee, VT
Sponsored by QLLA Charities, this prestigious tournament 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]
2008 Kristen’s Gift Celebrity
Golf Tournament
Monday, August 11
Manchester Country Club,
Bedford, NH
Join 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]
Governor’s Breakfast
at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Friday, June 27
Loudon, NH
Start your engines. . .and
join us for the 16th Annual
Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Motor Speedway! 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.
3rd Annual
CHaD Half Marathon
Saturday,
September 6
Hanover, NH
The 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 afternoon start that challenges
runners to reach the Dartmouth 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 Regatta
Sunday, September 21
Sunapee,
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! Participants and event day volunteers needed. For more information, please contact: Elizabeth Clarke at 603-650-3437 or
[email protected]
The CHaD Regatta
CHaD Seacoast Classic
Friday, October 10
Barrington, NH
The CHaD Seacoast Classic,
October 10th, is at the beautiful Nippo Lake Golf Club, BaraD Seacoast Classic
CH
rington, New Hampshire. With
a scramble format and tee off
at 9:00 AM, registration fee is
$100. A light breakfast and coffee start the day, followed by 18 holes of golf and finishing 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].
Non-Profit
U.S. Postage
Paid
Lebanon, NH
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756
Address Service Requested
Permit No. 211