M AT T E R S - Dartmouth
Transcription
M AT T E R S - Dartmouth
® M A T T E R Summer/Fall 2009 S The Newsletter of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Seven-year-old Sydney helps teach Dartmouth Medical School students JACOB’S JOURNEY FROM EPILEPSY The unbeatable combination of a courageous family and an extraordinary medical team CHaD CLASSIC AT 25! A quarter century of golf in Quechee to support CHaD kids & families Welcome to CHaD Matters! W hen patients and families are actively engaged as partners with their CHaD care teams, that’s when the best outcomes are possible. In this issue you’ll read about an extraordinary partnership between a remarkable family and CHaD’s Neurology/Neurosurgery team. And speaking of collaborations, truly wonderful things happen when grownups play games for CHaD kids! You might have run into nine-year-old leukemia patient Cameron Marshall and his family at the 2008 CHaD Half Marathon. Instead of dwelling on his illness, Cam established the “B+ for CHaD Kids” fund to provide fresh fruit and to purchase small refrigerators for some inpatient rooms. “Be positive” is Cam’s blood type and his personal motto, and he’s turned it into a way to help others. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s utterly true that amazing stories emerge almost every day here at CHaD. We’re only able to bring you a few of them to you in the pages of CHaD Matters. Paul A. Merguerian, MD Director, CHaD Program Director, Pediatric Urology Thanks to the 2009 contents CHaD Partners who have underwritten and provided Features 12 Enhanced Pediatric Emergency 4 QLLA Charities: 25 Years of Fun & Services at CHaD • Investing Today in Games to Support CHaD Kids CHaD’s Tomorrow • DHMC/CHaD 8 The Journey from Epilepsy: Jacob Verified Level I Pediatric Trauma Center Lackie’s Story Fun & Activities CHaD Notes B+for CHaD Kids • Safety Rounds 3 Partners substantial support of our events and activities. 14-15Cannon Mountain Ski Day for Kristen’s Gift • 10th Anniversary 6 LiviNHealthy Pediatric Weight CHaD Ski and Ride • Warren Miller Management Program • CHaD Film Pediatric System Integration Update New CHaD Provider 10 Hypothermia: Cooling ICN babies to 6 Eunice Chen, MD, Pediatric prevent damage • At Age 7, Sydney Otolaryngology Teaches Dartmouth Medical CHaD Champions Students an Important Lesson 7 Wal-Mart 11 Families with Babies in Intensive 11 Kohls Care Benefit from New Project 13 Irving Oil Back Cover Calendar of Events CHaD Matters is published by the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. Please address correspondence to: Sharon Brown, CHaD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, or email to CHaD.Community.Relations@ Hitchcock.ORG. © 2009, all rights reserved, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Contributors: Cathy Brittis, Sharon Brown, Samuel Casella MD, Joanna Celenza, Elizabeth Clarke, Nicole Drouin, Lori Harris, Tracey Jacobi, Kim Kraus, Kristen LaFromboise, David McWilliams, Rolf Olsen, Maia Rutman MD, Toby Trudel, Jack van Hoff MD, Katherine Villars. Photography: Jason Aldous, Fred Kfoury, Tom McNeill, Jim Stankiewicz, Mark Washburn, CHaD staff. Design: Porter House Design. Printing: Imperial Company, Inc., on recycled paper 2 M atters Printing sponsored in part by: Imperial Printing B+ 4 CHaD Kids B + is not just 9 year old Cameron Marshall’s blood type, it is his, and his family’s, motto. When Cam was diagnosed with leukemia in July of 2008, and found out his blood type, he latched on to it as a mantra for hope in fighting his cancer. But it didn’t take long for the Marshall family to realize they were not alone in this fight and rather than focus inward on their struggle, they are choosing to focus on others, and other CHaD families are the benefactors. Principal Jeff Valance carries Cam across the finish line at the CHaD Half. B+ (B Positive) emerged during the debut of Cam’s Course, a new component of the CHaD Half Marathon in 2008. Dedicated to Cam, members of the Lyme, NH community emerged 400 people strong to support Cam during the event. Supported by two anonymous donors who paid for and matched all the Cam’s Course participants’ registration fees, Cam’s family, including all 7 siblings, mom and dad, showed up in yellow t-shirts sporting the B Positive slogan. But what they found was a community in support of them. As Cam was carried across the finish line by his school principal, Jeff Valance, the crowd hummed Chariots of Fire, a moment anyone on the Dartmouth Green that day would not soon forget. It was about that time that Elena Marshall, Cam’s devoted and inspirational mother, came to CHaD leaders and discussed expanding their personal motto of B+ in support of CHaD. Elena’s and the family’s wishes were to use Cam’s illness as an opportunity to “pay it forward” and look for ways to help other CHaD families. With Cam and Elena, CHaD leaders and the support of an anonymous donor, work began to conceptualize the plan. Orange bracelets with the slogan were purchased to help spread the word. But who knew, Cam was about to figure it out on his own. Cam, on one of his lowest days, lay on the couch dozing and thinking about what to do with B positive. There were copyright issues, design issues; so many things to think about. Elena shared what happened that day. “I was carrying him to the bathroom, because he was too sick to walk, and I said, it’s been a tough day honey. He replied, ‘It’s been a great day mom. I’ve come up with the name. It’s B+ 4 CHaD Kids. That says it all.’” Cam was right. It said it all. For Christmas, Cam launched his own personal secret Cameron, Kennedy and Elena Marshall are all smiles when dropping off their secret Santa check. Santa campaign. Raising nearly $3,500, the family requested the money be used to provide daily fresh fruit baskets on all three CHaD inpatient units and purchase several small refrigerators for patient rooms. The refrigerators help families afford to nourish themselves while their child is hospitalized, an experience the Marshalls have had plenty of throughout Cam’s treatments this past fall and winter. The work and plans continue as the Marshalls and the Friends of CHaD work together under the framework: B+ for CHaD Kids. Watch for more details on the chadkids.org website. An online fund has been set up for B Positive. To donate, go to www.chadkids.org and click on the “Donate Now” button for a complete list of funds available, including the B Positive Fund. Safety Rounds: You can learn a lot by just listening! I L-R: Katherine Williams RN, Didi Sheets RN, Bridget Mudge RN, Dr. Paul Merguerian and Emily Hoffman RN focus on quality and saftey. n our quest to make CHaD a safer hospital, we have instituted regularly scheduled Safety Rounds. During these one hour sessions we visit the CHaD unit and invite EVERYONE to share their ideas about improving safety for our young patients. The response has been wonderful, and we’re working hard to address all the concerns that have been raised. It’s especially rewarding to hear the different perspectives of patients, parents, and the many different staff who work at CHaD. Our goal is to be proactive and to prevent errors and accidents from occurring in the first place. For those errors that will inevitably occur, we strive to create safeguards that will prevent them from reaching our patients. This is best achieved when we recognize that EVERYONE can contribute to making CHaD a safer place. M atters 3 CHaD Classic at 25: A Quarter Century of Golf for CHaD Kids T here’s a certain symmetry to the concept of grownups playing games and having fun as a way of helping sick children get well. And perhaps nowhere else have the games been so robust and the results over 25 years so generous, tangible and vital as the annual CHaD Classic Golf Tournament. interest from the corporate community in the form of sponsorships, advertising and other income for the tournament. Even with prize purses for the professional golfers during the early years and other expenses of running such a large public event, there was always a considerable sum left over for the kids. Modest Beginnings A Huge Cast of Characters In 1984, Ginny and Tom Lane, with their friends and neighbors, established the Quechee Lakes Landowners’ Association Charities (QLLA Charities) as a way to channel proceeds from the existing New England Open Pro-Am Golf Tournament to support worthy local causes. Their survey of the region identified pediatric services at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center as one of the charity’s initial beneficiaries. (Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) wasn’t formally established as a “children’s hospital within a hospital” until 1991.) The Pro-Am Tournament, established in 1980, had quickly become an important annual event in the region, attracting many noted pro golfers to the courses in Quechee and an abundance of interest from local amateurs. When you add the element of charitable support for kids in the hospital to an event run by community and business leaders, with dozens of energetic volunteers, the combination also generates Over the years, so many people have been involved that it would be impossible to list everyone here, but certainly notable names and faces spring to mind. Penny and Drew Cunningham have supported the tournament since the very beginning. Key sustaining corporate support has been provided by Centurion Insurance – a company founded and presided over by Drew Cunningham – as well as Golf & Ski Warehouse and Quechee Lakes Development Group. Past chairs of the CHaD Classic include Vermont Senator John Campbell (no doubt with much assistance from wife Kathy), Jim Keighley and Lorraine Guile. This year’s cochairs are Sharin Luti and Gail Ferney. Any list of key players is bound to be inadequate, as each year’s tournament requires the orchestrated efforts of dozens and dozens of volunteers. We beg the indulgence and forgiveness of everyone not mentioned by name here! Jim Keighley, Co-Chair, Billy Casper, Golf Legend, John Campbell, Chair, Laura Baugh, LPGA Pro, John Ziegler, Co-Chair enjoy a few minutes together before teeing off at Quechee. 4 M atters John Ferney, Jim Keighley, Gail Ferney and Drew Cunningham were honored at a recent Friends of CHaD Board meeting. Professional Long Driver Mike Gorton is a true friend of CHaD. Favorite Memories The “Long Drivers” add a thrilling and sometimes comical note to the Classic. These professional ‘ringers’ are positioned at select holes and, for an additional contribution to CHaD from golfers, they “guarantee” to get the ball onto the green for them in just one stroke! Notable among regular long drivers at Quechee is Mike Gorton, a four-time World Long Drive Champion from Colorado. Not only does Mike help out during the tournament, he also pledges five percent of his professional long drive earnings to CHaD. In 1998, despite some concern that the event wouldn’t survive without the attraction of professional golfers, the CHaD Classic turned fully amateur and all efforts focused on having a great time while raising as much money as possible for CHaD kids and families. But that didn’t mean the end of celebrity sightings on the Quechee links. Penny and Drew Cunningham have been there since the beginning. Golf legend Billy Casper, LPGA pro Laura Baugh and the late Jeff Julian are among many notables from the world of golf who have helped out over the years. In 2003, QLLA Charities added a pretournament gala event, adding to both the festivities and to each year’s total contribution to CHaD. Gala events have included silent and live auctions, “A Night at the Races” Vermont State Senator John Campbell gets a tip from the late golf pro Jeff Julian in 2001. and Las Vegas-style casino nights. And each year the CHaD Classic has ‘sold out,’ with roster of teams and players that fully occupies the Quechee Club’s two magnificent eighteen-hole golf courses! Did we mention that the Club donates the use of the courses? Yet another substantial contribution to the bottom line for the tournament. The shotgun start as Quechee’s two pristine courses fill with CHaD golfers. Silver Anniversary Milestone Now, on the eve of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the CHaD Classic, there’s a very real possibility that the tournament’s cumulative total support for CHaD over the years will exceed $1.5 million, a milestone that was most likely never imagined at the outset. But many believe that it sets the pace for the next 25 years. Where the Money Has Gone Over the Years 1984-1993: Support during the early years went to CHaD’s Pediatric Oncology Program and the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN), including funds for the “Koala Suite,” named for QLLA (often pronounced koala). The Koala Suite is a private room adjacent to the ICN where families learn to provide total care of their infant – with medical staff immediately available – before they go home on their own, often many miles away. 1994-1996: During the period shortly after CHaD was formally established, funds were allocated through a minigranting process. CHaD and QLLA leaders would meet to review requests and provide funding for selected programs and projects, including the purchase of chair beds for parents, loaner hearing aids for deaf children, support of CHaD’s Child Life Program, the creation of poison prevention displays and more. 1997-1999: QLLA Charities made a $100,000 pledge to the new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, a state-of-the-art, freestanding unit that remains one of CHaD’s most distinctive facilities and a recognized center of excellence. 2000-2001: CHaD Classic funds supported the development of CHaD’s PainFree Program, created to reduce pain and stress for children who need to go through some tests and procedures. This program has become nationally known for its effectiveness and outstanding compassionate care for children. 2002-2005: Tournament proceeds helped construct CHaD’s Outpatient Center that opened in July 2005. This remarkable facility offers a child-friendly, interactive waiting area and a pediatric center that brings together virtually all of CHaD’s pediatric medical and surgical sub specialties. For the first time nearly all children see their doctor(s) in one place at DHMC. 2006-present: QLLA Charities has made a five-year commitment to support one of CHaD’s most fragile and vulnerable patient populations – abused and neglected children – through a pledge to provide operating as well as endowment funding for the Child Advocacy and Protection Program (CAPP). CAPP collaborates closely with protective services, law enforcement, schools, social service agencies, and referring providers, and offers not only urgently scheduled evaluations, but also ongoing medical education throughout the region. M atters 5 Welcome to CHaD! Eunice Y. Chen, MD, PhD Medical School: MD, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 2001; Internship: Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Stanford, CA, General Surgery, 200102; Residency: Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Stanford, CA, Otolaryngology (Chief Resident 2005-06), 2002-06; Fellowship: Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, WA , Pediatric Otolaryngology, 200607; Board Certification: Otolaryngology; Specialty: Otolaryngology 2009 Unsung Hero Awards Diabetes Education Award Cong rat u lat ions to CHa D/ Dartmouth-Hitchcock Pediatric Diabetes Education Program for successfully completing an audit. During the process of the audit, this program demonstrated excellent pediatric care standards and successful implementation of goal-setting and evaluation of goals for effective behavior change, typically more successful in adult programs in a pediatric setting. Kudos to coordinator Laurie Campbell, RD, LD, CSP, CDE and staff who demonstrated a commitment to offering a comprehensive and effective diabetes education program to their pediatric clients. There are very few pediatric programs that achieve this recognition from the American Diabetes Association. The excerpt above appeared in the ADA newletter. LiviNHealthy Pediatric Weight Management Program Y On April 6, 2009, The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Grafton and Sullivan Counties at DHMC and The CAC at The Family Place located in Norwich, Vermont, joined together in their annual Shield Our Children From Harm Campaign. Three individuals were recognized as “Unsung Heroes” for their efforts in dealing with child abuse issues in our region. From left to right, Dr. Martha Robb, Child Psychologist at the Counseling Center of West Central Behav- 6 M atters ioral Health in Lebanon; Cindy Vezina, Victim/Witness Advocate in the Sullivan County Attorney’s Office; and Kelly Wallace, Family Educator at The Family Place were honored for their dedication, compassion and for efforts going above and beyond the call of duty each day. Standing behind are Cathy Brittis (left), program manager for the Child Advocacy Center of Grafton and Sullivan Counties at DHMC, and Jeanne McMahan of The Family Place. ou hear it in the news and in your child’s school. According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), more than 17% of children ages 6-19 years old are considered obese. Children who are obese have an increased risk of getting health problems including high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. For some children meeting with their primary care provider can help them get back on track with good nutrition information and ways to get their family more active. For those that need more, CHaD has developed the LiviNHealthy Comprehensive Pediatric Weight Management Program. This team of providers specifically trained in weight management including pediatric gastroenterology specialists, fitness trainers and nutritionists work with the children and their families to achieve a higher sense of self-esteem and to cre- Kathleen Broughton, a certified fitness trainer with the CHaD LiviNHealthy Comprehensive Pediatric Weight Management Program, discusses fitness goals with an adolescent girl and her father. ate a long-term change in eating habits and improved fitness level. The program is offered at both Lebanon and Manchester locations, but patients must be referred by their primary care provider. For more information, please call (603) 695-2745 in Manchester or (603) 653-9609 in Lebanon. Wal-Mart Pep Rally A new level of excitement and energy was evident at this year’s annual Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club meeting at CHaD on Wednesday, March 18, 2009. The 35 Wal-Mart and 4 Sam’s Clubs had reached an amazing milestone, raising $430,000 this past year, bringing the total raised since 2001 to $2,343,000! Breaking the $2 million mark was cause for celebration, though tempered by our country’s current economic situation, and knowing that raising that amount of money would be much harder in 2009 than it had been last year. Dr. Jack van Hoff, Medical Director for the Pediatric Oncology Unit at CHaD, spoke about the great strides in care for children with cancer. He told about changes that would make it possible for cancer patients at CHaD to take part in cancer trials, giving them access to the latest developments in cancer research. Following Dr. van Hoff a very personal and heartwarming film on Avery Forrestall, a CHaD patient fighting leukemia, was shown. Becky Forrestall, Avery’s mother, then spoke about the excellent care Avery and her family had received at CHaD. The highlight of the meeting was a special CHaD/Wal-Mart version of the TV game show Jeopardy, developed by CHaD’s own Toby Trudel, and hosted by young Avery Forestall, who took great delight in picking people from the audience to answer questions about Wal-Mart and CHaD trivia. Paul Busby, Wal-Mart’s Vice President for the Northeast Region, rose for his much anticipated portion of the meeting. Paul spoke eloquently about how blessed they all were that Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club had had a very good year, in spite of the current recession. Their success was all the more reason why it was important for them to support CHaD. Quoting from the Bible, Mr. Busby said “From those to whom much is given, much is expected.” Mr. Busby historically has been the one to set the goal for the coming year. Based on what had been raised in 2008, and with the expectation that his Managers and Associates always strive to improve, he set a goal of $475,000. Looking over to Skip Dykstar, Community Coordinator for the Weymouth store, who was sitting with Tony Tiner, Store Manager for the Amherst, NH Wal-Mart store, both having been very instrumental in leading Wal-Mart’s annual golf tournament, Mr. Busby asked “Skip, what do you think of that goal? Do you think it’s a reasonable number?” Skip responded “Mr. Busby, Tony and I were discussing this as we drove to the hospital this morning. This year will be the ninth anniversary of our CHaD golf tournament. We have set the date for this year’s event. It will be held on September 9th, 2009. That makes it the 9th tournament on the 9th day of the 9th month in the 9th year of this century. So our feeling was that our goal should be $499,999.” After the laughter subsided, Mr. Busby said “Skip, I like your number better than mine!” After thank you remarks, and information on this year’s New Hampshire Medicaid cut backs from Dr. Paul Merguerian, Acting Medical Director for CHaD, Nancy Formella, President of Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital closed out the meeting with thanks to everyone there, from the vendors to Wal-Mart and Sam’s Managers and Associates. Ms. Formella then pulled a dollar bill out of her pocket and with a smile said “Mr. Busby, I have a dollar here. Let’s make the goal an even $500,000.” A cheer went up to finish off the meeting. New Integrated System of Care L ast fall, CHaD leadership initiated discussions to explore bringing together all pediatric care throughout the Da r t mout h-Hitchcock system under the umbrella of the Children’s H o s p i t a l a t D a r tmouth. Now, in addition to inpatient care in Lebanon and specialty care in Lebanon, Manchester and Dover, all pediatric primary care providers in Canaan, Lebanon, New London, Plymouth, Manchester, Concord, Nashua and Keene are part of system-wide program for the delivery of children’s services. There are significant benefits for all stakeholders including patients and families, providers in our own Dartmouth-Hitchcock Community Practices, providers who refer patients to us, and to CHaD as part of an important academic medical institution. • Clinical Care: Shared protocols and common standards of care for children throughout D-H will enhance the care and provide consistent practices for all children which represent the best care possible. • Communication: Improved communication between providers facilitates a standard process for referrals, and feedback on care to primary care practitioners. • Access: Enhanced and streamlined access to CHaD specialty services and for admissions. • Planning: Cross system/regional planning for improved service delivery and the deployment of resources for children of northern New England to ensure that the right care is delivered at the right place, at the right time, every time. Watch for more information in the coming months, and we welcome your comments and suggestions. M atters 7 The Journey from Epilepsy: Jacob’s Story “ I remember the day – it was January 24th of ’07,” recalls Heather Lackie. She and her two children were alone in her mother’s home in Littleton, NH. She glanced at three-week-old Jacob, resting in his car seat, and saw that he was blue, his eyes were “doing funny things,” and he was gasping. Frightened, Heather picked Jacob up and was able to settle him down, but when her mother returned home a short while later, the same thing happened again. They both knew that something was very wrong, so they called the emergency room at Littleton Hospital and told them they were on their way. “When we got there, he did it again,” 8 M atters Heather recalls. “They called CHaD and said they had a little boy with seizures and we don’t know why.” Jacob was immediately transported to CHaD by ambulance. So begins the journey together of Jacob Lackie, his courageous family and CHaD’s skilled and committed team of pediatric neurologists and neurosurgeons. “Jacob was very little when I first met him, just three weeks old,” recounts pediatric neurologist Richard P. Morse, MD. “He came to the hospital with intractable seizures, multiple seizures per hour at that time.” Dr. Morse and his team first used video EEG (encephalograph) monitoring to determine that Jacob was indeed experienc- ing epileptic seizures. Jacob’s situation was different in many ways. For seizures to begin in the first few weeks of life without an injury often indicates that there’s a serious underlying cause. Also, Jacob’s seizures were different from most baby seizures, and more frequent. Jacob briefly responded to some medications, but his seizures always came back. Looking for Causes “Once we determined that Jacob was really experiencing seizures, the next step was to look for possible causes,” according to Dr. Morse. In a case like Jacob’s, where the epilepsy is quite severe and “focal,” the underlying cause is very likely to be anatomical – some type of malformation in the brain – so surgical treatment is considered early on. “At CHaD, we have an unusually fruitful and collaborative relationship between the Neurology and Neurosurgery,” says Tina Duhaime, MD, director of CHaD’s Pediatric Neurosurgery Program. “Dr. Morse believes that if he’s involved in a case where surgery may be the best option, you get the surgeons involved very early. My feeling is the earlier we’re involved, the better.” Neurologists help diagnose a problem like epilepsy and consider how likely it is that some type of surgery will help a patient. The role of the neurosurgeon is to determine the potential risks of an operation. Once the medical team has as much information as they can gather, they present it to the family so they can weigh all the known risks and benefits and make a decision. Dr. Morse’s team monitored Jacob’s brain activity using electrodes attached to the outside of his head and they identified a “hot spot,” where seizure activity appeared to originate. “The discovery of the ‘hot spot’ was exciting and scary,” according to Heather. “We had an answer – at least somewhat of an answer.” The Lackie family decided that they wanted surgery for Jacob. Dr. Duhaime agreed that it looked like surgery might be Jacob’s best option, but she asked the family to first try the “ketogenic diet” to see if he would experience any improvement. The ketogenic diet helps two out of three children who try it and it even prevents seizures in some children. The diet is very high in fats and low in carbohydrates, and causes the body to burn fat for energy instead of glucose. For Jacob there was no improvement after about six weeks, so he was scheduled for surgery. Three Surgeries for Jacob Jacob’s first surgery was to more accurately determine from where in his brain the seizures were arising. Dr. Morse’s team used electrodes on the outside of Jacob’s head to begin this search and now Dr. Duhaime team used probes to measure and record activity on the surface and inside Jacob’s brain. “From that data, we can tell the family if we remove or disconnect a certain part of the brain, what’s the likelihood that it will help the seizures and what’s the likelihood that can cause harm,” explains Dr. Duhaime. In a second surgery, Dr. Duhaime removed a portion of Jacob’s left occipital lobe that the team determined could be removed safely and might reduce Jacob’s seizures with minimal other consequences. This reduced the seizure activity only briefly, but Jacob’s family was able to report that “we got Jacob back!” During this respite they were able to see Jacob’s personality re-emerge from the seemingly endless barrage of seizures, a key encouraging sign for everyone involved. “Then we needed to have a conversation with the family about disconnecting the entire half of the brain, a procedure we believed had an excellent chance of working to stop the seizures,” explained Dr. Duhaime. The risk was that Jacob would almost certainly have some weakness in his hand, but children can often recover to some degree and the medical team believed he’d be able to walk well and use his right arm. Having seen a glimmer of Jacob after the earlier surgery, the Lackie family was not only willing, but anxious to move forward with this surgery. Jacob’s spark is back! “Jacob is seizure-free,” says Dr. Morse, “which is a thrill for all of us, most of all for his family. He has managed to gain back most motor skills, he gets around quite beautifully. It’s been a fantastic result.” “Jacob’s spark came back,” adds Dr. Duhaime, “and this is exactly what this family wanted. A great outcome like this isn’t possible unless you have teamwork, and the team includes all the people that are behind the tests and evaluations that children like Jacob require. It requires doctors with skills like Dr. Morse and his team, and a surgeon who’s willing to take on this kind of risk with the family. But most of all it takes a family that is willing to put aside the fear that families must face in the longterm best interests of the child.” Heather Lackie reports, “Jacob is now mobile, he scoots around on his butt – it’s quite cute, and he gets anywhere he wants. He’s your typical boy, into everything. And he learns something new every day.” What would she share with other parents facing a similar situation? “Be persistent, be strong, be your child’s best advocate. Push on, because your children need you and the doctors need your help too.” Watch Jacob’s video story at www. CHaDKids.org M atters 9 Professor Sydney! At Age 7, She Teaches Dartmouth Medical Students an Important Lesson T he pituitary gland, sometimes called the “master gland”, produces eight different hormones that affect many different parts of the body. During the Endocrinology Section of the Scientific Basis of Medicine Endocrinology course, second year Dartmouth Medical School students hear multiple educational lectures, and read about each hormone in medical textbooks. The challenge is to comprehend that huge amount of information and to relate it, in practical terms, to the care of patients. Enter Sydney – a beautiful 7-year-old girl whose pituitary gland was destroyed by a childhood tumor. During a one hour session, Sydney captivated her audience as she (and her mom) taught the second year students about the challenges of hypopituitarism. The students learned a lot about diagnosis and treatment, but more importantly they had a refreshing reminder of the human side of medicine and the tremendous satisfaction of restoring normal health and development. Hypothermia: Cooling babies to prevent or reduce brain and organ damage S ometimes at or near the time of a baby’s birth, doctors may suspect a condition called asphyxia – a potentially serious lack of oxygen supply to the brain and other organs, such as the lungs, heart, liver and kidneys. There are many possible causes for asphyxia and it can happen before birth, at the time of birth or shortly after a baby is born. A new treatment protocol in CHaD’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) offers hope for reduced risk of injury from asphyxia. Two large research studies have shown that when babies who are at risk for brain injury are treated with hypothermia shortly after birth, they have less brain injury and 10 M atters fewer cognitive (thinking) and motor (moving) problems than when they are not treated this way. Hypothermia is a treatment where babies are intentionally cooled using a special blanket to a body temperature of about 92 degrees Fahrenheit (down from a normal temperature 98.6 degrees F) for about 72 hours under constant monitoring. The goal of this treatment protocol is to return the baby’s oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and blood pressure to normal, and to support him or her so the body can repair damage that it is possible to repair. It is very important for babies who experienced asphyxia to receive close monitoring of their development either through a neonatal follow-up program at CHaD or through another early intervention program. Families with Babies in Intensive Care Benefit from New Collaborative Project T he hospitalization of a baby in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be one of the most frightening, confusing and overwhelming experiences a parent can have. In 2008, the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) at CHaD partnered with the March of Dimes to offer NICU Family SupportSM to provide comfort to families during their baby’s intensive care nursery stay. At CHaD, this support is provided by a part-time paid parent, Joanna Celenza, who came to the position with experience as a parent of a child who received intensive care at CHaD and also as chair of the Parent Advisory Council. Joanna helps connect parents to CHaD’s many care and service initiatives, and she works closely with the ICN staff to identify opportunities to improve the care the healthcare team provides to families. Dr. William Edwards, the ICN’s Medical Director, commented on the Nursery’s strong commitment to family-centered care and their appreciation for the partner- ship with March of Dimes. “Our ICN has had a strong Parent Advisory Council for 10 years and the funding we have received has made this position possible and our support of families that much stronger.” At CHaD,philanthropy through Jane’s Trust provides financial support to complement funding from March of Dimes. During its inaugural year, this program at CHaD has touched many families with a child in the ICN through distribution of information, Parent Hour education classes for families, as well as providing individual support of families in the Intensive Care Nursery. During Parent Hours, parents and families have an opportunity to meet other moms and dads and participate in activities such as making scrapbooks. They also learn from guest speakers who provide information about caring for a baby in the ICN, infant nutrition and safety, and other important topics. “As families cope with and grow from the intensive care nursery experience, we know Joanna Celenze (L), paid parent, supports other moms and dads in the nursery. that our collaborative efforts have supported them through an extremely difficult time in their lives,” said New Hampshire March of Dimes State Director Karen Dennis. “We want to thank the staff at CHaD and we look forward to our continued work together.” Kohl’s Cares for Kids K ohl’s Cares for Kids has provided CHaD with support for the Injury Prevention Center, and this year the annual bike rally and safety event at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been renamed to the Kohl’s Safe Kids 500. The 500 took place on May 4th. This year Kohls donated $25,000 to CHaD. All money raised is from customers’ purchase of stuffed animals and books at the Kohls Cares for Kids display at the Lebanon store. Kohl’s Cares for Kids support has focused on programs that take place outside of the hospital, programs that reach out to the public through instruction and safety training. Their goal is to use their support to help prevent childhood injuries and hopefully keep kids out of the hospital. The Kohl’s Safe Kids 500 did just that with booths in the NASCAR race track’s pits for organizations promoting everything from fire to gun safety, drowning to bike and traffic safety. Police and fire departments are regular partners along with a bike repair shop who help adjust the kids’ bikes, check their tire pressure and straighten their wheels. Most important is the helmet safety check. Everyone must have a helmet to ride, and this year the Kohl’s A-Team of volunteers will be checking the fit of everyone’s bike helmets. M atters 11 Enhanced Pediatric Emergency Services C h i l d r e n’s H o s p i t a l a t Dartmouth-Hitchcock is pleased to announce enhanced services for children needing emergency treatment. In March two new state-of-the-art pediatric rooms opened in the Emergency Department (ED). CHaD is equipped and staffed to handle the most critically ill or traumatically injured children, whether they live in the Upper Valley or arrive via DHART helicopter or ground ambulance from anywhere in the region. The CHaD ED is staffed with pediatric physicians during high-volume evening and weekend hours 7 days/week. “CHaD and the ED have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving emergent pediatric care at DHMC,” said Maia Rutman MD, Director of CHaD Emergency Services. “The construction of the new pediatric rooms allows us to provide even more timely care for children in the ED, in an environment designed to be functional and comfortable for our patients and their families.” In the coming months, a third emergency treatment room will be added to the pediatric emergency suite. With the reno- D artmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center was recently verified as a Pediatric Level I Trauma Center. Level I is the highest designation given by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, which conducts the rigorous review process every three years. DHMC is the only health care facility in all of northern New England with the Pediatric Level I designation and one of only three with the Adult Level I designation. vation of the Pediatric/Fast Track waiting room to provide more age-appropriate activities for waiting children and families, these areas will create a dedicated zone of pediatric care within the existing very active and comprehensively capable DHMC Emergency Department. Investing in CHaD’s Tomorrow C haritable giving is a critical ingredient in CHaD’s ability to provide the unique family centered care for which it is known, and there are many ways that donors can give. Hanover resident Barbara Hall and her late husband, David, chose to support CHaD through one of several charitable gift annuities they established with DHMC. “CHaD has become a model of how you can improve the care of children and address the needs of the parents, too. And to think that we have it right here,” Barbara noted in explaining why they made this commitment. Donors who arrange to give to CHaD through their estates are often able to make more significant gifts than their resources allow during their lifetime. Strategies such 12 M atters DHMC/CHaD: Only Verified Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in Northern New England as providing for CHaD through a bequest or as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement account are simple to do and may reduce estate taxes. Other forms of deferred gifts, such as charitable gift annuities, can offer immediate financial benefits to the donor and benefit CHaD. “These gift annuities help me financially now, but long-term they’re a way to give back to the hospital to support areas that have been especially important to us,” said Barbara. “One of those is CHaD. I think it’s an exemplary part of the hospital.” For more information about deferred giving opportunities for CHaD, contact Carol Olwert, Associate Director of Individual Giving, at 603-653-0723 or Rick Peck, Director of Gift Planning, at 603-653-0735. To meet the stringent Level I sta nda rd, a facility must be capable of providing leadership and total care for every aspect of injury, f rom prevent ion t h roug h rehabilitation. In addition to acute-care responsibilities, Level I Trauma Centers have the major responsibility of providing leadership in education, research and system planning. This responsibility extends to all hospitals caring for injured patients in the region. Although among the most rural Trauma Centers in the U.S., more than 1,500 trauma cases were admitted in 2008. Clinic for Children with Brain Tumors CHaD has added a Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Clinic to the list of services to address children’s special needs. The Neuro-Oncology clinic provides multidisciplinary care to children with tumors of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, and is staffed by Dr. Jack van Hoff (Pediatric Oncology), Dr. Douglas Hyder (Pediatric Neurology), and Pediatric Neurosurgeons Dr. Susan Durham and Dr. Tina Duhaime. Children with brain tumors present special challenges. There are often special considerations related to the fact that these tumors are located in the brain. These children may have seizure disorders, vision, hearing, or other neurologic deficits, learning problems, and even endocrine difficulties, when the pituitary gland is involved. Although pediatric neurosurgery often has a key initial role in tumor management, these complex patients receive the best care when pediatric oncologists and neurologists also collaborate closely. The Neuro-Oncology Clinic was established to promote an even closer working relationship among the physicians and to decrease the number of trips that a family has to make to CHaD. Patients are often scheduled to have an MRI first thing in the morning on the day of clinic, and then to see the specialists in the Clinic. The Clinic physicians make a special effort to meet as a group with these young patients and their parents. This enables the family to participate in the discussion among team members as they review the MRI and prepare care and treatment plans. Families are reassured that this group of physicians is truly working together as a team. The physicians also appreciate the chance to work together. Dr. van Hoff comments, “I had directed a neuro-oncology clinic for many years in my previous institution, but we always saw the patients sequentially and not as a group. Working together like this has given me insight into how the other specialists work and has also been a lot of fun. It may take a bit more time this way, but the benefits for the patients and families make it worthwhile.” Irving Oil D onna Vega and her son Angel, a patient at CHaD with Chrohn’s disease, talk with WMUR TV news at the Irving Oil Press Conference to announce Irving Oil’s donation of $40,000 in travel vouchers to CHaD to be given out to families traveling a long distance to receive care for their children. When Angel Vega walked into the lobby area at DH-Manchester for the Irving Oil Press Conference, you knew you were meeting a very special boy. Angel suffers from Chrohn’s disease, a reoccurring intestinal illness that can be extremely painful and debilitating. You would never know that Angel was suffering from Chrohn’s. He exudes confidence and broad smiles. He truly believes that he has beaten the disease, whereas his mother, Donna, has to remind him that one of the main reasons that he feels healthy is because of the medication his doctor has prescribed for him and because of the care he receives at CHaD. The Vegas have to travel a long distance to receive care for Angel and this is where Irving Oil comes into the picture. Irving Oil’s travel vouchers have provided much needed travel support to Donna and Angel Vega and many other families in New Donna and Angel Vega hold Irving Oil’s check with Dr. Pamela M. Hofley, CHaD’s Southern Region Medical Director. Lars Trodson, US Manager for Public Relations for Irving Oil shakes hands with Dr. Steven Paris, Medical Director, D-H Manchester. Hampshire and Vermont, allowing them to get to important medical appointments. This is the 6th year of Irving Oil’s support. This past December Lars Trodson, Manager of Public Relations for Irving Oil, presented CHaD with $40,000 in travel vouchers, bringing their total since the program began in 2004 to $232,000. Channel 9, WMUR TV news asked Angel what he wanted to do after high school. Angel grinned and said he wanted to work in medicine. He wanted to become an x-ray technician, and had to leave soon to get back to a special program through his high school for students interested in medical careers. We all can be very thankful to Irving Oil for helping Angel get to his doctor’s appointments and win his battle with Chrohn’s, but also for making it possible for him to succeed in school and hopefully help others as an x-ray tech in the future. M atters 13 fun&activities NH’s Local Heroes on Skates for CHaD Kids! Things were hot on the ice between New Hampshire’s Police and Firefighters at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH on March 1, in the 2nd annual CHaD Battle of the Badges. The game was intense and it was clear to the cheering crowds that the players were in it for the pride of their team and the “battle between the badges” had become a reality. Jamie Staton of WMUR Television was the Master of Ceremonies, and he and Boston Bruins legend Rick Middleton were both impressed by the level of competition this year, and the more than $105,000 raised. A 7-3 victory was claimed by the NH Firefighters - setting the stage for an intense rivalry at next year’s game! Continuing a tradition, the NH Firefighters were the Highest Fundraising Team, raising more than $32,000. The Highest Individual Fundraiser was Michael Dore of the Nashua PD, a newcomer to the event for the NH Police who raised more than $5,000 as part of his team’s total of over $27,000. New this year was a “JR Police” vs. “JR Firefighters” game, played by children in the Pee Wee Division of the New Hampshire Youth Hockey Association, who raised an impressive $7,500. Volunteers were out in force keeping things running smoothly for all from Bank of America, Best Buy, Kohl’s, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and SNHU, among many others. The CHaD Battle of the Badges proves that our local heroes in uniform do as good a job on skates, as they do in the field taking care of northern New England’s children. We are especially grateful to Chief Wayne Sheehan of the Kensington PD and Micky Drouin of the Dover Fire Department for the stalwart teams they assembled and look forward to seeing them face off again next year. Thanks to our wonderful sponsors including all the folks at SMG and the Verizon Wireless Arena; Bank of America; Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant; Merchants Automotive Group; Nathan Wechsler & Company, TMSi, Inc.; Baker, Newman & Noyes, LLC; Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker; Novel Iron Works, Inc.; Northeast Delta Dental; Howe, Riley & Howe; PLLC; Hession & Pare, P.C. CPA’s; Catholic Medical Center; Centrix Bank & Trust; The Granite Group; Wiggin & Nourie PA; Griffin, York & Krause; Sullivan Construction; Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green; and Electrocraft, Inc. Clokwise: ‘Badge Dads’ with their biggest fans; #1 fans; Captains Mickey Drouin (R) and Wayne Sheehan (L) with Bruin Rick Middleton; A little crowd support; NH Firefighter Team Captain Micky drouin and his son share the game trophy. Warren Miller’s “Children of Winter” The historic Palace Theatre provided the venue for the Manchester showing of Warren Miller’s 2008 snow sports film, “Children of Winter.” Each year, the Warren Miller event kicks off CHaD’s winter fundraising efforts and this was the 11th consecutive sellout (over 850!) in its history at the Palace. The show benefits Kristen’s Gift, CHaD’s pediatric oncology fund. The film, shown for the first time in Blue-ray, showcased the best extreme snowboarders and skiers at great 14 M atters locations throughout the world. The evening’s events included raffles, giveaways and a silent auction featuring items as unique as a Polaris ATV, Patriots tickets, Fisher skis and Autocad design software. New England Picture also auctioned unique sports memorabilia including autographed Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots items. The Warren Miller event raised over $32,000 for Kristen’s Gift. Volunteers from Kohls, Best Buy, the Manchester Wolves and the Bishop Brady High School ski team helped make the night a great success. Sponsors included Bank of America, Ken Jones of Manchester, Holloway Motor Cars and Northeast Kustom Kreations. Sponsors are already being sought for the 2009 event. For more information, contact Toby Trudel in CHaD Community Relations at 603-629-1862 or toby. [email protected] or visit www.kristensgift.com/ warrenmiller. 10th Anniversary Ski and Ride Despite the wet and warm weather conditions, this year’s 10th Anniversary CHaD Ski and Ride Festival was a huge success; and a true end of winter celebration in New England. With over 163 participants, 50 volunteers, and a current tally of over $67,000, the day was nothing short of amazing! Although Mother Nature gave us an early dose of spring- like weather conditions, including April rain, smiling faces and laughter were a plenty. As best told by Dimatix team member Joel Wood “… even the rain couldn’t wash that away!” Highlights of the day included; folks flying over the Face of the mountain off of our custom made “Ski Jump”; challenging one another in a race against time at our “Speed Check”; testing one’s agility at the “Obstacle Course” and other such fun on-hill activities. The culmination of the days’ activities took place at the site of our inaugural Snow Box Derby. From purple cows and ambulances to mystery machines and to a giant, authentic replica of a Toblerone candy; there was no shortage of creativity and fun. We thank our participants for their great work in designing and RIDING sleds using only cardboard and tape. We hear sled construction for the 2010 Derby is already under way in some homes across the Upper Valley, so we hope to see YOU out on the slopes with us next year. This year’s event was once again hosted by the Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme NH, with generous support through other local foundations, organizations and companies such as The Byrne Foundation, Hypertherm, Mascoma Savings Bank, Delta Dental, The Lake Morey Resort and Computac. Lottie Best, dressed as our favorite fourlegged sleuth, Scooby, shows some team spirit with other members of the “Mystery Machine” team The M2S “Medical Moguls” team learns that what goes up, MUST COME DOWN in their one-of-a-kind cardboard ambulance sled! Cannon Mountain Ski Day for Kristen’s Day On what was described as the best mountain conditions of the year, skiers from across New England came to Franconia New Hampshire for the annual Kristen’s Gift Ski Day at Cannon Mountain. Along with some fantastic family skiing, this year’s event included an exciting racing component with over 40 participants. Advance ticket sales, on-site registration and a lively auction all contributed to the event raising over $15,000. Proceeds from the Ski Day go to support Kristen’s Gift, the pediatric oncology fund at CHaD. This year’s sponsors included Bank of America, Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, Verizon Wireless Arena and Next Step Orthotics & Prosthetics. Key auction donors were Mittersill Alpine Resort, New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Sunset Hill House, Cannon Mountain, WZID, Sport Thoma, the Hampton Inn and New England Picture. Special thanks to Best Buy who provided several volunteers and the PA system. For more information contact Toby Trudel at 603-629-1862 or [email protected] or visit www.kristensgift.com. atCHaD M atters 15 Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Lebanon, NH Permit No. 211 One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756 Address Service Requested Calendar of Events CHaD Classic: 25th Anniversary Gala & Golf Tournament Quechee Club, Quechee, VT Monte Carlo Night Saturday, June 13 Join us for a food and fun as QLLA Charities brings a little bit of Las Vegas, to the Upper Valley. What happens in Quechee stays in Quechee as we kick off a weekend celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the QLLA Charities CHaD Classic Golf Tournament. For reservations call the Quechee Club, (802) 295-9536. CHaD Classic Golf Tournament Monday, June 15, 2009 Be a part of the celebration as golfers tee off for this annual tournament! Registration is at 8:30 am with an 11 am shotgun start; dinner immediately following. For reservations or sponsorship opportunities contact Gail Ferney, (802) 296-7128 or [email protected], or go to www.dhmc.org/chadclassic. 17th Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, NH Friday, June 26 @ 8:00 AM Start your engines...and join us for the 16th Annual Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Hear racing stories from featured speaker and rookie driver Joey Logano over bacon and eggs with drivers from the Camping World Series East and the Whelen Modified tour! Tickets for this sell-out event are $30. Corporate tables are also available. Doors open at 8:00am. For reservations or sponsorship opportunities contact Kristin LaFromboise, (603)-653-3437, or Kristin.P.Lafromboise@ hitchcock.org 4th Annual CHaD Half Marathon Hanover, NH Saturday, August 29 Something for everyone! Half Marathon - Relay Team - Walk - or Family Friendly “Cam’s Course.” Picturesque scenery, fanfriendly location, FUN-FUNFUN! And stay tuned to learn more about how you can be part of an attempt to break a “heroic” World Record! For more information or to register contact Kim Kraus, (603) 650-3431, or Kim. [email protected], or go to www.CHaDhalf.org 2nd Annual CHaD Seacoast Classic Underwritten by FairPoint Communications The Oaks Country Club, aD Seacoast Classic CH Somersworth, NH Thursday, October 15 This year’s CHaD Seacoast Classic golf tournament will be held at The Oaks in Somersworth. Registration includes a light breakfast, round of golf, tee prizes and lunch. Last year’s event was sold out well in advance. To reserve your spot or for more information go to www.chadseacoastclassic.com, or contact Toby Trudel at 603-629-1862 or Toby.Trudel@ Hitchcock.org. Warren Miller Ski Film Evening Sunday, November 15 @ 4:00 PM The Palace Theatre Manchester, NH Join us for what we expect to be the 13th consecutive sold out showing of the Warren Miller ski film in Manchester. This year’s show will mark Warren Millers 60th annual feature film and showcases the talents of the best extreme skiers and snowboarders in the world. Proceeds go to benefit Kristen’s Gift, the pediatric oncology fund at CHaD. For more information go to www.kristensgift.com/ warrenmiller or contact Toby Trudel at 603-629-1862 or [email protected].