Unwrapping Blessings and Miracles

www.ololchildrens.org
e
We
Holiday Edition 2013
Unwrapping
Blessings and Miracles
Do you Believe in Miracles?
M
any parents will tell you miracles abound
at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s
Hospital. Our caregivers will often tell you that in
return, they are blessed by their interactions with
courageous children and families who sometimes
l
a
i
c
e
p
A S essing
Bl
Lord as we gather this Christmas season,
We thank You for the present of Your Son.
We thank You for the many WHO help us care for Your children:
Our team members, medical staff,
cling to hope when there is seemingly little to
and those WHO give of their time and financial support.
hope for - when all that is medically possible
May this Christmas Season BE filled with your love,
has been done. Our wish is that this issue of Wee
Believe will leave you inspired this holiday and
believing in the magic of the season, perhaps even
contemplating your own gifts and blessings, both
peace and blessings upon each of them.
We ask all this in Your name in hope and expectation.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas
those you have received and those you might
share with others.
Fr a ncis ca n Mis s iona r ie s of Our Lady
Celebrating 100 years of Faith and Service
—Jon Bon Jovi
&
e
L ittle M iracle
E
Miracles happen every
day. Change your
perception of what a
miracle is and you’ll see
them all around you.
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pp
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U essin
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Bl iracl
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table of
contents
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6
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9
11
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e
k
illensbec
—C. S. Lewis
E
Br
oc
kH
Miracles are a retelling
in small letters of the
very same story which
is written across the
whole world in letters
too large for some
of us to see.
Miracle in Bed 3
Brock’s Story
Blessings Received
From a Nurse’s Perspective
Miracle of Medical Research
Haley’s Hope
Miracle of Modern Medicine
Kory- The Man of Steel
Blessings of Paying-it-Forward
Battling Obesity
Blessings from Giving
Marla’s Experience
A Message from the
Foundation President/CEO
All information provided on diagnosis
and therapy reflects the care environment
of Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital
and related physician practices. It is not a substitute
for the professional judgment of a qualified
healthcare provider based upon actual examination
of a patient’s condition and history. Therefore, it
should not be construed as medical advice for
any particular patient’s condition, and may not
be altered in different care environments.
On the cover and this page:
Brock Hillensbeck, OLOL Children’s Hospital patient
Cover Photography: Jeannie Frey Rhodes
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f
Brock’s Story
his particular Sunday morning
started out fairly normal for the
Hillensbeck family. Mother Shonda
was in New Orleans with her daughter
for a talent audition. Two-year-old Brock
went to church with his grandmother
who sings in the choir.
During choir practice, to occupy the
toddler’s attention, someone handed
Brock a wooden drumstick. Brock, as
any curious toddler would, carried the
stick with him as he explored church
property. What happened next would
be the beginning of a long mystery.
A church member discovered Brock
lying on the ground. He had fallen and
bloodied his nose. The drumstick lay
beside him. When Brock’s dad called
his wife to report the accident, Shonda,
a registered nurse, asked all the right
questions. Is he sleepy? Vomiting?
Worried about a concussion, Shonda
hurried home that afternoon.
Brock in critical condition
in the
pediatric intensive care uni
t
Shonda walked into her house to
be greeted with a hug from Brock. He
seemed to be acting like his usual self
and even playing. After an hour, Shonda
heard “an odd, weird cry that I had
never heard before.” She found Brock in
a living room chair unable to move
his right side, parts of his face
seeming to droop.
What would on any given day
be a 20-minute drive, took the
Hillensbecks half that time as
they rushed to Our Lady of the
Lake Children’s Hospital. Once
there, the pediatric emergency
medical team ordered a CT scan,
a computerized picture of Brock’s
brain. To everyone’s surprise,
Brock’s brain looked fine.
With his symptoms only
getting worse, doctors admitted
Brock to the hospital for further
observation. Dr. Matei Petrescu
was the pediatric
critical care
specialist on duty.
Shonda says, “If it
hadn’t been for Dr.
Matei, I know Brock
wouldn’t still be here.”
Dr. Petrescu and his
trescu
team ordered another
Dr. Matei Pe
e
4
3f
Miracle in Bed
CT scan, this time of Brock’s brain and
neck. The results shocked even the most
experienced caregiver. “I had never
seen this before; there have been few
cases reported in children,” recalls Dr.
Petrescu.
Remember that drumstick Brock was
walking around with? Without anyone
realizing it at the time, the drumstick
was in Brock’s mouth when he fell. The
stick perforated the back of his throat
and clipped one of Brock’s carotid
arteries that carries blood to the head
and brain. A clot then traveled to
Brock’s brain, causing a stroke.
Shonda remembers 12 to 15 people
rushing Brock to surgery where a
pediatric neurosurgeon removed part
of Brock’s skull to relieve pressure on
the brain.
The next few days would be critical.
The Hillensbecks were told everything
possible had been done medically. With
the pressure in Brock’s brain being
monitored by special equipment and a
machine breathing for him, the family
could only watch and wait. As is often
Bless a child with a miracle. Donate at ololchildrens.org.
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the case with brain injury, so the brain
can rest, specialists ordered minimal
stimulation for Brock. This meant the
Hillensbecks had to speak in whispers
and Shonda couldn’t rock and hold her
baby when she needed and wanted to
the most. Shonda says, “I kept praying
that God would not take my baby home
with Him, because I needed him here.”
After several days, the medical team
then told Shonda it was time to go
ahead and hold Brock. “I knew that
what they were telling me was there
was nothing else that could be done,”
Shonda recalls, adding, “I am looking at
signs that say ‘Minimal Stimulation, Do
Not Touch, Don’t Talk Loudly.’ I knew
this might be the end.”
Dr. Petrescu says, “Brock was in critical
condition. We were all very worried
I kept praying that God
would not take my baby
home with Him, because
I needed him here.
Shonda holding her ba
by for what she thoug
ht
might be the last tim
e
about his prognosis. The magnitude of
his injury had me concerned that he may
not survive. During my discussions with
Brock’s family, I was deeply touched by
their strength, faith and spirituality.”
What happened next defied all odds.
“I’ve said from the beginning, Brock
is my miracle baby. There’s only one
explanation and that’s God’s healing
—Shonda Hillensbeck
Shonda and Brock today
5
Blessings Received
From a Nurse’s Perspective
John Gaines, Registered Nurse:
Sometimes in the Children’s Hospital, things can be rough.
Although working with children is one of the biggest blessings
in my life, sometimes the things I see are heartbreaking. I am
often told by parents and family members of patients, they can’t
believe what I and my colleagues do for a living; that they could
never imagine having to see what we see and do what we do. Although I see more
positive outcomes than negative, I had not seen a miracle in a long time.
In April, I had the unbelievable opportunity to take care of Brock Hillensbeck. Although
surgery was a success, doctors feared the worst. Even if he survived, it was believed the
stroke had caused damage extensive enough that he would not lead a normal life.
It’s never easy when doctors are telling family members that their child possibly could
not pull through. Nevertheless, the family pressed on with prayer and support, believing
their miracle would come. I do not want to exaggerate, but I believe this family’s Facebook
page got tens of thousands of hits and prayers/condolences sent to the family not just
from local people but nationally and even internationally.
I can remember staying at his bedside. At this point, the toddler still was not responding
to pain (not a good sign) and had little to no movement in all extremities. This beautiful
child had the entire PICU staff hoping for something medicine could not do alone. I
remember leaving early on a Saturday, saying goodbye to the family, wondering if this
would be the last time I talked to them or saw their son. I called to check a few times and
not much happened over the weekend.
That next week when I came back to work, I entered the PICU and as I walked by bed 3
expecting a ventilator, I discovered a child in his mother’s arms without a breathing tube.
Immediately a smile appeared on my face and tears entered my eyes. Over the next two
weeks I would be blown away as he continued to improve. Within a month of the accident,
Brock was well enough to go to a rehab facility. I remember in July, to my surprise, seeing
the patient’s mother in the hallway of Peds4. A little boy in a leg brace was walking with
her, holding her hand and even talking. It was Brock!
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hand on my son,” says Shonda.
Within 24 hours of taking her son in
her arms for what she thought might be
the last time, Brock began to improve.
Brock’s parents were originally told
that if Brock survived, he might spend
two months in the Pediatric Intensive
Care Unit (PICU), another month in a
step-down unit and two to four months
in outpatient rehabilitative therapy. As it
turned out, Brock spent four days in the
step down unit and six weeks in therapy.
“Brock walked out holding my hand,”
says Shonda, adding, “Not only is he
alive, he is walking and talking.”
Dr. Petrescu says he and the team
in the PICU never cease to be amazed
at what they often witness firsthand,
adding, “We have the privilege to attend
to the needs of extremely sick children
and their families. We do our best to help
them get better. Sometimes we forget
how much we are also touched in return
by their strength and resilience.”
The Hillensbeck family will tell you
they believe in miracles, the kind that
happen at a children’s hospital they
never thought they would need or have
to visit. Shonda says, “God does work
miracles. If you need reassurance that
He is still working miracles, come
take a look at my son.”
E
See Brock take some of his first
steps at ololchildrens.org/miracleinbed3.
Although I give all glory to God for this miracle, I could not help but feel joy, happiness,
pride and humbleness at the same time, and gratification that the care we provided led to
this. Always remember, you never know what situation you are about to get into and you
never know why you were chosen for it, but always embrace it. It’s there for a reason.
Although I had little part in the events that took place, I am forever grateful and blessed to
have had the honor to take care of this patient and his family.
Bless a child with your gift. Donate at ololchildrens.org.
Miracle of Medical Research
Haley’s hope f
“
T
f
ry holding your nose and
breathing through a straw
for 60 seconds. It’s not
pleasant. You can stop. I can’t.”
That’s how Haley Troia describes
living with cystic fibrosis. Haley
was diagnosed with the disease
as an infant and doctors at the
Haley Troia durin
g a recent stay at
OLOL Children’s
Hospital
time told her mother, Treylynn Troia,
that she wouldn’t live past age 10.
Today Haley is 17.
Mine are just different,” rationalizes
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary,
Haley, who is inspirationally upbeat and
genetic disease that affects the way
positive with everyone who meets her.
mucus is processed and eliminated from
Pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Raphael
the body. Thick mucus tends to build
Cilloniz specializes in treating CF at Our
up in the lungs leading to infection and
Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. He
damage. Likewise, mucus can block the
confirms Haley is one special kid, saying,
digestive tract and pancreas, inhibiting
“She simply enlightens my day when I
see her. No matter how difficult my day
digestion. Patients like Haley suffer from
has been, she always makes me laugh.”
frequent serious lung infections, trouble
Haley sees specialists in seven
breathing and poor growth and weight
subspecialties at OLOL Children’s
gain. There is no cure for CF.
Hospital. The Troias live in Oak
A typical day for Haley consists of
Grove, Louisiana, near Monroe. The
inhalers, nebulizers, pills with every
family makes the 400-mile roundtrip
meal to help her digest food, finger
drive to Baton Rouge once a month,
pricks to monitor blood sugar and
sometimes more frequently when
20-minute stints with a vibrating vest
Haley is hospitalized. Treylynn says
that helps clear congestion. “I have it
the drive is well worth it, adding, “You
for a reason. I always told myself that
want to be in the best place. Whatever
people have hard times, and so do I.
your illness is, if it’s short-term
or long-term, chronic or just
something that happens, you
want the best care possible.”
Dr. Cilloniz, as any good doctor
does, stays current on the latest
treatments for diseases he sees
in his practice. Recently, he came
upon a research study that showed
promise in a new CF drug. The catch was
the drug is only effective in CF patients
with a specific genetic mutation of the
disease. Dr. Cilloniz immediately began
running tests on Haley, but the odds
were stacked against her.
“Kalydeco (the new drug) works only
for CF patients with at least one copy of
the G511D mutation, which is found in
only four percent of CF patients in the
United States,” Dr. Cilloniz observes. He
says, “The prevalence of CF is about one
in 4,000 people. That means that the
chance of having CF with this particular
genetic mutation is about one in
100,000.”
“It’s truly a miracle and blessing
from God is all I can say,” Haley says,
recalling the day she learned that her
tests had come back positive; she did
in fact have the genetic mutation and
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!!
“The fact that she was given to us by
God has been a blessing to us.”
—Treylynn Troia
—Treylynn Troia
Miracle of Modern Medicine
Kory-The Man of Steel
Dr. Cilloniz
listens to H
aley’s
breathing
E
g function
Haley’s lun
d so
im
has prove her
lly,
dramatica pist
thera
respiratory uring a
d
s
ile
sm
is all
recent visit.
Little Blessings
“I know families are scared, tired, frustrated- yet they still remain hopeful.
I feel blessed to be a part of their journey and I am grateful for the wonderful
doctors who save these precious lives.” —Madison Dumas, Child Life Specialist
8
f
f
“
Whatever your illness is, if it’s short-term or longterm, chronic or just something that happens,
you want the best care possible.
“
was a candidate for treatment with the
new drug.
The results have been astounding.
Since beginning Kalydeco over the
summer, Haley’s lung function has
dramatically improved, she has gained
30 pounds and her feeding tube has
been removed. Treylynn remembers Dr.
Cilloniz saying to her, “If he did not know
she had CF, he would say her pulmonary
function was normal.”
Until recently the life expectancy for a
patient with cystic fibrosis was 30 years
but through the miracles of modern
medicine, improvements in treatment
and care are advancing the lives of
CF patients. Haley has high hopes for
her future and wants to attend beauty
school, get married and have children
one day. The little girl whose family was
told she might never make it through
grade school, emphatically says, “We’re
proving them wrong every day!”
Haley continues with regular visits
to Dr. Cilloniz and other specialists at
OLOL Children’s Hospital who will be
with her for the long haul. For that,
Treylynn says she is most thankful
because, “It’s having doctors that care.
They’re not just treating you; it’s not
just a job - they care. They go above
and beyond.”
Bless a child with a miracle. Donate at ololchildrens.org.
Left: An exam
ple of
pectus exca
va
Right: Kory tum
shows off
his new phys
ique
Y
ou might find it surprising that a
teenager would be excited about
having surgery. But as Kory Moranto
waits to be taken to the operating room,
he is beaming with enthusiasm and
talks about how long he has waited for
this day. Kory is about to have a fairly
new procedure that only a few pediatric
surgeons in Louisiana perform. Three
of these doctors belong to the team of
pediatric surgical specialists at Our Lady
of the Lake Children’s Hospital.
Kory was born with a condition called
The sign Kory’s father
made for him
pectus excavatum, which is Latin for
“hollowed chest.” His breastbone never
formed properly and instead of bowing
out, his sternum curves inward, making
his chest look sunken, hollowed or
scooped out. The condition occurs in
one in 1,000 children and if severe, can
affect the heart and lungs. It is usually
noticeable at birth but can worsen in
adolescence, just at a time when body
image means everything.
“I’ve dealt with getting bullied and
picked on my whole life about this and
how they could see my bones because
my chest was sunken in so badly,”
says Kory adding, “I’ve been invited to
9
E
—Kory Moranto
swimming parties where I would just
talk and hang on the side. I wouldn’t
swim or take my shirt off. I was always
embarrassed.”
Pediatric surgeon Dr. John Lopoo
believes pectus excavatum can have
a devastating effect on a teenager’s
psyche, “so they won’t go swimming
or play shirts and skins with their
friends. They have a posture that tries
to hide their chest all the time” and can
ultimately affect their interactions with
other people and relationships.
Dr. Lopoo, along with his partners,
performs what is now known
as the Nuss Technique,
named after the doctor
who developed it. Prior to
this procedure, the only
surgical treatment involved
a longer, more invasive
operation and an incision
that spanned the entire
chest, leaving more visible
Dr. John Lopoo
and Dr. Faith
Hansbrough
bend and cut
the steel bar to
fit Kory’s chest
the steel bar
It changed the way I think about
myself. It’s helped me realize a
whole new perspective on life.
Blessings of Paying-it-Forward
W
E
scarring and removing important
cartilage that Dr. Lopoo says is
meant to act as a shock absorber for
internal organs.
The Nuss Technique involves
making two tiny incisions on each side
of Kory’s chest. With the aid of a special
video camera, a guide wire of sorts is
threaded through the sternum. Dr. Lopoo
takes careful measurements; one size
doesn’t fit all here. He uses a press next
to the operating table to bend, shape and
size a metal bar on the spot which he will
then insert into Kory’s sternum using the
thread wire as a guide. Once in
place, he pops the bar into an
upward position. Kory now has
a chest and his incisions are
minimal and hidden.
Because Kory has to take a
six week break from activity for
recovery, his family, like many,
opted to have the surgery over
the summer. The bar will stay
Kory with his family prior to surgery
in place two to three years as his chest
heals and ‘remodels’ into its new shape.
At that point the bar will be removed.
It might not surprise you that Kory’s
friends now lovingly call him the “Man
of Steel.” When Kory returned home
from the hospital, his father surprised
him with a Superman sign he made
himself. Kory has taken it one step
further, sporting a Superman backpack
at school these days.
Kory says his new chest is “Amazing!
I love it! I walk around with my shirt off
all the time now. It changed the way
I think about myself. It’s helped me
realize a whole new perspective on life.”
Bless a child with your gift. Donate at ololchildrens.org.
Battling Obesityf
f
Surgeons view vid
eo monitors in th
e OR to place
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f
f
hen most people are
calling it a day, you can
find Dr. Patrice Tyson
maneuvering a weight scale onto
an elevator outside her office.
She’s headed to a special clinic
that helps obese children free of
charge. She is passionate about
what she thinks of as a calling
because she knows
how it feels to be
obese. “You know
you are different,”
Dr. Tyson says. She
was obese as a
child herself.
Dr. Tyson
Dr. Patrice Tyson as
an adolescent
is a pediatric
gastroenterologist at Our Lady of the
Lake Children’s Hospital. Joined by
Angelle Pate, a registered dietitian,
the two operate a clinic for pediatric
obesity called Our Lifestyles, Our Lives.
The clinic is offered to children whose
body mass index (BMI) is above the
95th percentile for their age (the official
definition of obesity) and to children
who are suffering from serious health
problems associated with too much
extra weight. “Their weight is outpacing
their height,” as Dr. Tyson puts it.
The clinic, which just completed its
change her life.”
Kourtney started eating a
healthy breakfast, replacing
soda with water and exercising
more. She has lost 10 pounds.
This is typical of the children who
attend, says Dr. Tyson, explaining,
“They are not necessarily
Kourtney Janeau and Angelle Pate at a recent 5K run
dropping a huge amount of
weight, but they start to not gain
eighth session, takes 10 children for 10
weight so rapidly. Mostly it’s about
weeks and educates them on healthy
changing behavior that will help them
eating and how to exercise. The class
lose more weight in the long term.”
even involves trips to local grocery
Kourtney says hearing that encouraged
stores and restaurants to learn how to
her because, “I was stressing about
select and order healthy food. Dr. Tyson my weight but when I stopped paying
says, “I know that they will go on and
attention to it and focused more on just
help someone else, a pay-it-forward
getting healthy, I felt much better.”
type of thing. Eventually, if we all payAngelle has acted as a mentor for
it-forward, we can get this [pediatric
Kourtney beyond the clinic confines.
obesity] under control.”
Kourtney recently took what she
Fourteen-year-old Kourtney Janeau is learned and ran with it, literally. She
a perfect example of how the concept
shared with Angelle that she wanted
is working. Kourtney came to the clinic to run in a 5K race, a little over three
overweight, unhealthy and unhappy.
miles. Angelle was right by her side at a
She remembers, “Sometimes, I would
race last December and another one in
cry and cry. I felt like it was too hard
the spring. Angelle says, “She opened
to even try to do anything about it.”
my eyes. Everyone needs a little push,
After meeting Dr. Tyson and Angelle,
including myself. These kids can make
all that changed. Angelle says “We just an impact on all of us as well.”
connected. She was very motivated,
Natasha Johnson, Kourtney’s mother,
interested in nutrition and wanting to
says, “We have started eating things
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Blessings from Giving
f
f
E
Marla’s Experience
Dr. Tyson loading up a weight scale
to bring to one of her free clinics
A program participant learning about healthy food
choices with Angelle at a local grocery store
we never thought we would eat. We
have more vegetables in our house. I eat
spinach now! We have a water cooler
in the house so the kids can have easy
access to more water. I stopped buying
sodas and we have more fruit for snacks.
I’ve even been able to decrease my blood
pressure medication.”
Paying forward what she has learned
is extremely rewarding for Kourtney who
shares, “I want to help people that feel
like me and show them that you can’t
rush anything with your body. I want
them to know that they are not alone and
someone is always there with them.”
According to Natasha, the real blessing
in all this comes not only with a healthier,
happier, more confident Kourtney but, “it
brought our family closer together. We’re
not just sending the kids outside to play.
Now we are all doing it as a family.”
It’s hard to say who is more
inspirational: the child who has turned
her life around and paid-it-forward to
others, the pediatric gastroenterologist
who turned adversity as a child into a gift
for the community or the nutritionist at
OLOL Children’s Hospital who recently
was awarded ‘Louisiana Dietitian of the
Year’ for her work.
Angelle will readily tell you that
award was special, but nothing like the
award Kourtney would bestow upon her
when she named Angelle as her hero for
a class presentation. “To hear her say
that was so inspiring,” says Angelle.
Go to ololchildrens.org/myhero to
hear some of Kourtney’s presentation.
More research to come
in the battle against
pediatric obesity
E
Announcing the newly named recipient of the Sister
Marie Edana Corcoran Endowed Chair in Pediatric
Obesity at Pennington Biomedical Research Center
funded by OLOL Foundation
(L to R) William Cefalu, M.D., Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical
Research Center; Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D., Marie Edana Corcoran Endowed
Chair in Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes at Pennington Biomedical; John
Finan, President and CEO of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health
System; Jerry Jolly, Chairman of the Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation
Board of Directors; and Sister Kathleen Cain, OSF, Provincial of the Franciscan
Missionaries of Our Lady.
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Bless a child with a miracle. Donate at ololchildrens.org.
f
B
ig gifts sometimes come
in small packages. Marla
Aronson may only be 14 years
old, but she is having a huge
impact on Our Lady of the Lake
Children’s Hospital. After touring
the hospital last spring, Marla
noticed something was missing.
Until now, the playroom
at OLOL Children’s Hospital
has been mainly geared toward
younger children. But one-fourth
of the children hospitalized every
year at OLOL Children’s Hospital are
adolescents age 12 to 17.
Staying in a hospital bed for days,
even months at a time, can be difficult.
Therapeutic play can help kids forget
about, even if only momentarily, the
illness or injury that brought them to
the hospital in the first place. Child Life
Specialist Sharon Wesberry says that’s
important, “because they are focused
on normal activity rather than their
illness, which not only lifts their spirits
but actually helps them heal faster.”
Knowing her Bat Mitzvah, a Jewish
coming of age ritual for girls, was just
around the corner, Marla had an idea
that would snowball. Instead of asking
for gifts for her celebration, she would
ask her guests to donate money to
create a new teen lounge at the hospital.
Donations came in from across the
country. Marla raised almost $10,000
for the project.
Marla’s efforts were compounded
by donations to the 2013 Radiothon
hosted by 96.1 The River’s Murphy,
Marla Aronson at the Teen Lounge grand opening with
Melissa Anderson, Director Community Relations
those children.”
Teenagers hospitalized at
OLOL Children’s Hospital for
everything from car accidents
to cancer will now reap the
benefit of Marla’s caring
heart. As is often the case,
those who give back receive
many unexpected blessings
in return. Marla says, “I feel so great
about it! I had no idea how good it
would make me feel to be involved
with a charity. I feel so blessed.”
Sam and Jodi. A generous grant from
the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation,
which funds similar teen rooms across
the country, helped as well.
Finally, this August, the
new Teen Lounge at OLOL
Children’s Hospital held its
grand opening.
Now teens can choose
from a variety of teen-geared
activities: arts and crafts,
hoops, foosball, video games
and movies - all housed in a
space with signage that gives
all who enter notice -‘Teens
Only’. “I hope they will look
forward to that quiet time in
an environment made just for
them,” Marla adds.
Marla’s mother Laurie
Aronson couldn’t be prouder
saying, “It’s hard to resist
wanting to help a child in need.
OLOL Children’s Hospital is
a top-notch facility with a
fabulous staff. We must all
New Teen Lo
un
support its efforts because
and grand op ge at OLOL Children’s Hos
pital
ening festiviti
es.
they are taking care of our future in
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f
Your destination for
pediatric specialty care.
Now with more than 60 pediatric specialists in over 20 subspecialties,
we are here when your child needs that next level of medical expertise.
Adolescent Medicine
Karen Simpson, MD
Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry
John deBack, Jr., MD
Joseph Grizzaffi, MD
Warren Trask, MD
Melissa Watson, MD
Pediatric Allergy &
Immunology
Sandhya Mani, MD
Theron McCormick, MD
Pediatric Emergency
Medicine
Shannon Boudreaux, MD
Richard Lasseigne, MD
Ashley Saucier, MD
Brian Stout, MD
Chris Woodward, MD
Cristina Zeretzke, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology
James Gardner, MD
Chantal Lutfallah, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Pediatric Anesthesiology
J. Brannon Alberty, MD
Patrice Tyson, MD
Tiffany Bourgeois, MD
Abe Reddy, MD
Pediatric Genetics
Pediatric Cardiology
Michael Brumund, MD
Michael Crapanzano, MD
Wesley Davis, MD
R. Lester Hixon, MD
Pediatric Critical Care
Brian Binck, MD
Kelechi Iheagwara, MD
Firdous Laique, MD
Stephen Papizan, MD
Matei Petrescu, MD
Pediatric Developmental
Medicine
Steven Felix, MD
Duane Superneau, MD
Pediatric Hematology/
Oncology
L. Vandy Black, MD
Catherine Harris Boston, MD
Jeffrey Deyo, MD, PhD
Sheila L. Moore, MD
Pediatric Hospital
Medicine
Lynzie Boudreaux, MD
Angela Byrd, MD
Natalie Evans, MD
Erin Hauck, MD
Shaun Kemmerly, MD
Kacie L. Sims, MD
Pediatric Infectious
Disease
Michael Bolton, MD
Karen Williams, MD
Pediatric Nephrology
Scott Williams, MD
Pediatric Neurology
Charlotte A. Hollman, MD
Lalania K. Schexnayder, MD
Pediatric
Neurosurgery
Allen S. Joseph, MD
Scott Soleau, MD
Pediatric
Ophthalmology
Andrew Black, MD
Bradley Black, MD
Candace Collins, MD
Stephen Sessums, MD
Pamela Williams, MD
Pediatric Orthopedics
Brad Culotta, MD
Michael A. Frierson, MD
Pediatric Pulmonology
Rafael Cilloniz, MD
Thomas Horsman, MD
Pediatric Radiology
Allison M. Vitter, MD
Pediatric Surgery
Faith Hansbrough, MD
John B. Lopoo, Jr., MD
J. Robert Upp, Jr., MD
A Message from the
Foundation’s President/CEO
I
f you are
anything like
me, after you
read the inspiring
stories in this
issue of Wee
Believe, you gain an appreciation for and
understanding about the difficult and
daunting challenges our doctors, nurses,
therapists and caregivers face on a
daily basis. Yet they do so willingly. This
vocation is a choice, a calling. They have
dedicated their lives to making things
better for our children.
Everyday, these special people
respond to a call for action when they
walk into our children’s hospital or their
clinics. They often have no clue what
they will face in the coming hours, but
years of training and education along
with their unfailing commitment and
strong faith, transform them into an
extension of God’s healing powers.
One of our PICU nurses, John Gaines,
provides his perspective by saying,
“Always remember, you never know
what situation you are about to get
into and you never know why you were
chosen for it, but always embrace it.
It’s there for a reason”. Thank you, John
and the entire team at OLOL Children’s
Hospital for responding to the call to
action for our children.
With the holiday season upon us,
many things will surface and distract
us and it will be difficult to prioritize
what should be addressed first. My
request to you is to focus throughout
the season on every blessing you have
been given and to give thanks to the
Lord and to every person who has
helped provide those blessings to you.
My call to action for you is to
consider honoring someone you
love with a gift to OLOL Children’s
Hospital by taking the envelope
inserted in this magazine, making
your gift and mailing it back to us.
You may also make your gift online at
ololchildrens.org. By doing this, you
are blessing, in turn, the children we
serve; helping ensure we continue to
save and change the lives of children
throughout Louisiana and beyond.
Our community was recently
blessed with a life lesson from a nineyear-old boy who had been a patient
in our Children’s Hospital. In the midst
of a terminal cancer diagnosis, Trevor
Sims led an incredibly successful
food drive inspired by the simple
desire that no person go hungry in
our community. Trevor even visited
pediatric cancer patients here
to cheer them on in their fight at
the very time his body was losing
its battle with cancer. Trevor is in
Heaven now but his spirit lives
on forever and the children in our
hospital have a new angel.
May the Lord continue to bless you
and your family. Merry Christmas and
Happy Holidays!
John Paul Funes
Our Lady of the Lake Foundation
Little Blessings
“This child spent many months
in the PICU after swallowing
a caustic substance. We all
fell in love with him because
of his sweet demeanor and
strong will. He had many
bumps along the way but has
made a remarkable recovery.
He is a true miracle!”
—Megan Daboval - Registered Nurse
“A baby came to PICU very
ill with many complications
and stayed for many months.
Everyone who took care of her
fell in love with her beautiful
smile and wonderful foster
family. It is a miracle to see
her thriving and well today;
you would never know she
spent the majority of her first
year of life with us!”
—Kelli David - Registered Nurse
Trevor Sims (R) visiting with a pediatric
cancer patient at OLOL Children’s Hospital
f
Our Lady of the Lake Foundation
5000 Hennessy Blvd.
P.O. Box 84357
Baton Rouge, LA 70884
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Baton Rouge, LA
Permit No. 753
Address Service Requested
f
Events
'Like' Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital on Facebook!
Cortana Kiwanis Downtown Baton Rouge Christmas Parade
December 14 • Downtown Baton Rouge
Holiday Book Drive - Barnes & Noble Citiplace
Now through January 1, 2014
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Radiothon
February 13-14, 2014 • Broadcast by Murphy, Sam, and Jodi
on 96.1 The River
For more information on Our Lady
of the Lake Children’s Hospital or
Wee Believe magazine, please contact:
Dance Marathon at LSU benefiting Our Lady of the Lake
Children’s Hospital
February 21-22, 2014 • John M. Parker Coliseum, Louisiana State
University
RE/MAX Professional Miracle Luncheon and Silent Auction
March 21, 2014 • The Renaissance Hotel, Baton Rouge
This Holiday
Season...
Melissa Lewis Anderson
Director Community Relations
and Business Development
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital
7777 Hennessy Blvd., Suite 406, Plaza 1
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone (225) 765-5016
[email protected]
Wee Believe is published by OLOL
Foundation Copyright 2013
Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Inc.
Bless a child with a
miracle.
Donate at ololchildrens.org.
OLOL Foundation is grateful for the support we receive from our friends
in the community. If you wish to no longer receive requests for charitable
support, please let us know by calling 225-765-5951 or writing to us
FOU-438(11/13)BRP
using the enclosed prepaid envelope.