Champions THE MAGAZINE OF ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020
THE
HEART
OF A CHAMPION Because of you, Autumn will have a healthier tomorrow
Your Gifts Matter! Dear Champion for Children, February is American Heart Month. In this issue of Champions, we’re celebrating the impact your gi s make on the health of children from every corner of Arkansas who are ba ling heart disease. We’re also celebrating how your support provides important programs, such as Dental Outreach, that give healthier tomorrows to kids in Arkansas. On pages 4–5, you’ll meet 9-year-old Parker Molle e. Parker’s mom Shelly joined the Arkansas Children’s team because of the wonderful care Parker received from the cle and dental teams at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). The Molle es’ gratitude for your generosity shows every day in Shelly’s work as a nurse at ACH’s Heart Center. Twenty-month-old heart patient Sawyer Yeary has been through a lot in his short life. But with your support, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Northwest have been with him every step of the way. You can read Sawyer’s inspiring story on pages 6–7. On pages 8–9, you’ll learn about 17-month-old Autumn Kiser of Paragould. Li le Autumn was born with multiple heart defects, including two holes in her heart. She recently had surgery at ACH to repair the defects and, because of your support, now visits the ACH Jonesboro Clinic for her follow-up care. Without you, care close to home for Autumn wouldn’t be possible. And finally, the Yates and Hubbard family and the Yates Foundation, both of Texarkana, are commi ed to improving oral health for the 17,000 children living in Southwest Arkansas. On pages 10–11, you’ll read about how their recent gi is transforming smiles through ACH’s Dental Sealant Program, which provides oral health education and preventative care for underserved children in our state. Your generous support of Arkansas Children’s impacts lives throughout Arkansas and beyond. With two hospitals, regional clinics, a pediatric research institute, a USDA nutrition center, a nursery alliance and statewide outreach programs, Arkansas Children’s is blanketing the state with expert pediatric care— because of you. Thank you for championing children in Arkansas and beyond. Gratefully,
Arkansas Children’s Foundation Board of Directors Chair Jason LaFrance* Vice Chair Jake Nabholz* Treasurer Charles B. Whiteside III* President Fred Scarborough, CFRE* Ritter Arnold Sharon Bale Ginger Blackmon Frances Buchanan Stuart Cobb Steve Davison Marcy Doderer, FACHE* Harry C. Erwin III* Kim Fowler Sharilyn Gasaway* Robin George* Sonja Yates Hubbard Brandi Joplin Mandy Macke Jim McClelland Barbara Moore Beverly Morrow Cindy Murphy Marshall Ney Lynn Parker Terry Quinn Sue Redfield Kate Schaffer Jennifer Schueck Michael Shelby Belinda Shults* Isaac Smith Claudia Strange
Fred Scarborough, CFRE President, Arkansas Children’s Foundation Chief Communications Officer & Development Officer, Arkansas Children’s Executive Vice President, Arkansas Children’s CHAMPIONS STAFF: Editor Becky McCauley Contributing Writers Ashley Leopoulos, Becky McCauley, Jennifer Reed Designer C. Waynette Traub Photographers Kayla Broadway, Katie Childs, Amber Fenix, Whitney Richmond, Scott Rundle 2
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Celia Swanson Joe Tucker Emeritus Directors Robert G. Cress Don Edmondson Henry Rogers, MD *Executive Committee Current as of January 1, 2020
Your Gifts
Change Lives Many children across the state lack access to important dental care. Yet, a simple toothache can become a complicated issue, leading to problems with eating, speaking, playing and learning. Children lose millions of school hours each year because of dentalrelated illness. And tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic childhood illnesses, five times more common than asthma. In 2009, with the support of generous people like you, Arkansas Children’s began connecting underserved children to preventive and restorative dental services. Dental outreach solutions across the state include four mobile dental clinics, a traveling school-based dental sealant program and a school-based clinic in the Little Rock School District.
Thanks to you, Arkansas Children’s is improving access to preventative dental care across the state:
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million school hours lost each year to dental-related illness
13,100
38,200
79,000
children screened and given fluoride application through the Dental Sealant Program
dental sealants applied through the Mobile Dental Clinics and the Dental Sealant Program
dental examinations in the Mobile Dental Clinics stationed throughout the state
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Mobile Dental Clinics provide comprehensive dentistry including tooth extractions, root canals, fillings and crowns
All data gathered from April 2009–June 2019.
Your generosity helps children avoid illnesses that begin with poor oral health. Thank you for championing children through Dental Outreach programs! GIVING.ARCHILDRENS.ORG • CHAMPIONS • F E B R UA R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 0
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Heart of a Champion The
With your support, Paragould toddler receives follow-up heart care close to home at the Arkansas Children's Hospital Jonesboro Clinic BY BECKY MCCAULEY
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eventeen-month-old Autumn Kiser is an independent, sassy li le girl who can be a li le bashful around people she doesn’t know. The youngest of four, Autumn receives lots of a ention, love and care from her adoring twin sisters Jamya and Jakayla, who are 14, and big brother Jermichael, who is 8. When Autumn was just a few months old, her mom Semethia began to have an unse ling feeling that something wasn’t quite right with Autumn’s heart. Semethia was concerned because Autumn’s heart seemed to beat too fast, but she was assured this can be normal for newborns. But when Autumn came down with a cold last fall that continued to worsen despite Semethia’s best efforts, she became convinced Autumn’s heartbeat was anything but normal. “I could look at her stomach and tell her heart was having a hard time pumping,” says Semethia. “I took her to see her primary care doctor because she wasn’t ge ing any be er, and I was still worried about her heart. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray a er tests for RSV and strep came back negative.” The chest x-ray was alarming— 4
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“I’m so thankful to everyone who donates, especially for kids with heart diseases like Autumn.” – Semethia Kiser
Autumn’s heart appeared to be enlarged. A er the doctor detected a heart murmur while listening to her heart, he referred them to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) Jonesboro Clinic. ACH Jonesboro Clinic Cardiologist Dr. Sam Lee immediately ordered an echocardiogram and an EKG. The tests showed Autumn had been born with a condition called atrioventricular canal defect. Atrioventricular canal defect is a combination of heart problems resulting in a defect in the center of the heart. The condition occurs when there’s a hole between the heart’s chambers and problems with the valves that regulate blood flow in the heart. “Dr. Lee was very straightforward with me,” says Semethia. “He came in with a piece of paper in his hand and showed me what a healthy heart
• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
looks like, and then what Autumn’s heart looked like. When he told me she would have to have surgery, I was shocked. But Dr. Lee explained everything to me in a way I could understand. It was very reassuring.” In mid-December, Autumn had surgery at ACH in Li le Rock to repair the defect in her heart. Semethia says she was scared at first, because she’d never been through something like this with Autumn’s older siblings. “This was open-heart surgery. I was so scared, but I also understood this was what Autumn needed to be healthy,” says Semethia. Autumn spent a week in intensive care at ACH. Semethia remembers one nurse in particular who made a big impression on her. “She was very pregnant—nine months pregnant. But if I needed
Full-Time Pediatric Cardiologist Joins ACH Jonesboro Clinic
AUTUMN KISER 17 MONTHS PARAGOULD something, she was always willing to get it for me. And she was so sweet with Autumn. She even took Autumn on her first-ever wagon ride in one of ACH’s li le red wagons.” It was a difficult time for Semethia, but she’s grateful for the care she and Autumn received at ACH. “The hardest part of all this was taking care of a child who’s had open-heart surgery, and making sure I was doing everything correctly a er I took her home,” says Semethia. “But the hospital showed me how to bathe her, hold her, pick her up and clean her incision. And they’re available for me to call any time I need help. I haven’t had any problems, but just knowing they’re available if I need them is such a comfort.” Autumn is doing well, but she may need further surgeries as she grows. One of her heart valves is still leaking a small amount of blood, so Autumn
will continue follow-up visits with Dr. Lee at the ACH Jonesboro Clinic. Semethia is happy to have care for Autumn just 25 minutes from her home in Paragould. “As a single mom with four kids, it’s so much more convenient and comforting to have the ACH Jonesboro Clinic so close.” For the first time in 17 months, Semethia has been able to sleep a li le easier. “I don’t have to worry about watching Autumn laboring to breath at night any more, trying to catch her breath. It’s a huge relief. I’m so thankful to everyone who donates, especially for kids with heart disease, like Autumn.”
Your support gives kids like Autumn access to care close to home. Thank you for championing children like Autumn!
Children with heart defects living in Northeast Arkansas now have a full-time cardiologist dedicated to their care at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) Jonesboro Clinic. Last October, Dr. Sam Lee began seeing patients five days a week at the ACH Jonesboro Clinic. The clinic offers nationally recognized heart care, drawing on the latest advancements in technology. Before joining the Arkansas Children’s team, Dr. Lee served as a full-time pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. A graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, Lee joined Children’s Hospital of Richmond in 2005. “Children with heart problems need the expertise of a pediatric cardiologist, and they now have more opportunities to seek that care right where they live, learn and play through the ACH Jonesboro Clinic,” says Paul Seib, MD, chief of cardiology at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and an associate professor of cardiology in the UAMS College of Medicine. “With Dr. Lee’s expertise, we’ll be able to help even more Northeast Arkansas children have healthy and happy hearts.” The ACH Jonesboro Clinic is located at 520 Carson Street. To make an appointment, call (870) 201-8937.
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Parker’s Hospital Because of your support, Central Arkansas cleft lip and palate patient receives dental care and other services at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. BY JENNIFER REED AND BECKY MCCAULEY
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s an operating room nurse in the Heart Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), Shelly Molle e knows the news she and her husband Eddie received nine years ago at an ultrasound during her second pregnancy could have been much worse. But still, learning their unborn baby would be born with a cle lip and palate was scary. “In that moment, you really don’t know what that means,” she says. “It’s just a scary, unsure time.” Because of you, the Molle es, who live in Maumelle, just outside Li le Rock, didn’t have to go through this experience alone. Doctors at ACH began planning baby Parker’s treatment before he was born. He was only hours old when he first visited his
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plastic surgeon at ACH, the late Dr. Barbara Honnebier. She brought Parker a stuffed puppy—which he still has—looked the baby over, and checked on Shelly. “We knew our family was in good hands,” says Shelly. “We had looked at hospitals out-of-state because we wanted to be sure we were making the right choice for Parker’s care. A er we met with Dr. Honnebier and the cle lip and palate team, we immediately trusted them and felt like ACH was the best fit for our family.” Three weeks later, Parker was fi ed with a custom-molded, retainer-like nasoalveolar molding (NAM) device, which he wore to help bring his lip and palate together, preparing the area for surgery. Parker was the first child to have a NAM made and monitored at ACH.
• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
A child born with a cle lip and palate faces years of treatment and surgeries to address the complex issues resulting from the condition, such as eating, speech and dental. At 3 months old, Parker had surgery to close the cle in his lip. It was primarily a cosmetic procedure, but it allowed him to drink from a bo le more easily. At 12 months old, Parker had another, more difficult operation to close his hard and so palates, and two months later, a second operation on both palates. Most recently, in January 2019, Parker had an extensive surgery to gra bone from his hip into his alveolar ridge, which is the bony structure that lies directly behind the upper front teeth and is important in speech.
PARKER MOLLETTE AGE 9 MAUMELLE Left: Parker Mollette in January 2020; middle: Parker and his sweet smile before his first surgery; right: Parker and his big brother Preston compete in the Angel One 5k race, hosted by the Arkansas Children’s Angel One Transport program.
Because of you, Arkansas Children’s provides specialized care to patients like Parker. Thank you for championing children at Arkansas Children’s. Another surgery is being planned that will address dental issues such as extra teeth that grew high in the bone structure, behind his nose. He will also need orthodontia work as he gets older. “We’ve really fallen in love with the ENT team and the Dental Clinic staff,” Shelly says. “We’ve formed close relationships with everyone. We are always treated as if we’re family.” Parker loves coming to ACH and o en refers to it as “my hospital.” “For a child who’s had four surgeries that resulted in considerable pain, he doesn’t think about that when he walks through the doors,” says Shelly. “He doesn’t feel fear when he sees the doctors who have performed his surgeries…it’s high-fiving and talking about ACH summer camp.”
Parker’s not the only one who loves coming to ACH. When he was born, Shelly worked in law enforcement. The daughter of a nurse, she had always been adamant that she would not follow in her mother’s footsteps. But Parker’s experience at ACH changed the course of her career. “I saw how our lives were touched by ACH,” she says. “I wanted to give the same thing to other families who were going through scary times.” In 2012, Shelly began a nursing degree. A er graduation, she applied to and was hired at the place that had given her family so much. Now 9 years old, Parker is a loving, outgoing and talkative boy. His parents are active in a local running club, and Parker and his big brother Preston o en participate
in 5k races. Parker has received speech therapy at ACH, visits the ENT Cle Lip and Palate team and Dental Clinic at ACH regularly, and also receives services through Audiology, Nutrition and Child Life. Shelly and Eddie are grateful for donors who make the topquality care at ACH possible. “We can’t thank people who support Arkansas Children’s enough,” says Eddie. “I have a hard time pu ing it into words, but I don’t think donors realize how much impact they make on patients and families.” Shelly adds, “Their gi makes a huge difference. Even if we can’t pinpoint exactly what or who it goes to. Donors to Arkansas Children’s affect so many people, whether they realize it or not.”
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BIG HEART
Because of you, Northwest Arkansas toddler receives lifesaving care at Arkansas Children’s Northwest and Arkansas Children’s Hospital BY ASHLEY LEOPOULOS
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n December 19, 2018, Ashley and Truman Yeary of Van Buren watched their 8-month-old son Sawyer being wheeled into the operating room at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) to have his tiny heart repaired. They prayed they would spend Christmas with their young son. When Sawyer was just 4 days old, his pediatrician discovered a heart murmur. When Sawyer’s congestion didn’t improve with medication and he began to lose weight, the Yearys were urged to seek care for their baby at Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW). ACNW cardiologist Dr. Kevin Hinkle discovered Sawyer had tetralogy of fallot, a congenital heart defect comprised of four serious issues, including a hole in his heart. He was also diagnosed with an abnormal opening in the wall dividing the upper chambers of his heart. Sawyer needed open-heart surgery to save his life. “We never thought twice about going to Arkansas Children’s,”
explains Ashley. “We’d never needed it, but I had heard about all the great things happening there.” At ACH, Dr. Lawrence Greiten performed the surgery. Ashley and Truman were updated throughout Sawyer’s operation as his care team successfully repaired the defects in Sawyer’s heart. Just five days a er the surgery— Christmas Eve—Ashley and Truman’s wish came true: They were able to take Sawyer home and spend Christmas together as a family. “It was truly a Christmas miracle,” says Ashley. Then, just five weeks postsurgery, Sawyer needed ACH again. He contracted RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), pneumonia and parainfluenza. These infections in his upper and lower respiratory system made it difficult for Sawyer to breathe. He was rushed by an Angel One ambulance to ACH where he spent 10 days in the pediatric intensive care unit. Thankfully, Sawyer’s condition improved but, unfortunately, the illnesses had
BEADS OF COURAGE is a program used by more than 300 pediatric hospitals worldwide, including ACH and ACNW. Using colorful beads, children like Sawyer mark their journey through strength and resiliency. Each bead represents a treatment, needle stick or other medical procedure for a patient.
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caused permanent lung damage. Now 20 months old, Sawyer continues to visit a number of subspecialties at ACNW for follow-up care including Cardiology, Pulmonology, Genetics and ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat). “Arkansas Children’s knows Sawyer and understands what he’s been through,” says Ashley. “It’s been amazing having him receive care at ACNW. It’s only 40 minutes away from our home, and it’s so much more reassuring to have them close.” Thanks to donors like you, li le Sawyer is thriving. He loves to play outside and with his dogs Mya, Kiera and Piper. He visits speech, physical and occupational therapy weekly to help him reach his developmental milestones. “His heart has to pump harder and faster, but he’s not going to give up,” says Ashley. “He blows his goals out of the water. It’s amazing to see his transformation.”
SAWYER YEARY 20 MONTHS VAN BUREN
Sawyer Yeary has more than 58 beads on his Beads of Courage string. Each bead represents a treatment, needle stick or medical procedure.
Photo by Whitney Richmond
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WHY I GIVE
Making a Difference for Kids Board member and her family support Arkansas Children’s Dental Outreach programs in Southwest Arkansas BY ASHLEY LEOPOULOS
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rkansas Children’s Board and Arkansas Children’s Foundation Board member Sonja Yates Hubbard and her family knew, the moment they heard about the Arkansas Children’s Dental Outreach program, they wanted to help. The family is passionate about supporting their community through many local charitable organizations, and Arkansas Children’s work in Southwest Arkansas to impact child oral health is no exception. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. With support from donors like you, Arkansas Children’s is commi ed to our promise: Unprecedented child health. Defined and delivered. And statewide dental outreach solutions are helping move the needle on children’s health statewide. With more than 17,000 children living in Southwest Arkansas, the Hubbard and Yates family of Texarkana knew the need was great. They hosted a family meeting to discuss how
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they could impact oral health in their region. In September 2019, the Yates and Hubbard family announced a historic gi of $1.25 million to Arkansas Children’s Dental Sealant Program, the family’s largest gi to date. Since 2009, Arkansas Children’s Dental Sealant Program has visited schools across the state and applied more than 79,000 dental sealants for children in Arkansas. The program provides oral health education and preventative care such as dental screenings, fluoride applications and dental sealants to protect children’s teeth from cavities through adulthood. “It’s heartbreaking to think that many children could suffer with painful and expensive dental issues throughout their entire lives that could so conveniently and cost-effectively be prevented with a simple dental sealant,” explains Sonja. “The blessing to be able to help made the decision easy.” This generous gi was made by matriarch FaEllen Yates and the Yates Foundation, which includes FaEllen’s daughters Stacy Yates and Sonja (Yates) Hubbard. Sonja’s husband Bob Hubbard, and FaEllen’s three grandchildren—
• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
The Yates and Hubbard family supports Dental Outreach programs in the Southwest region of Arkansas. From left to right: Bob Hubbard, Sonja Yates Hubbard, Lauren Hubbard, FaEllen Yates, Kenzie Floyd, Stacy Yates and Yates Floyd. Kenzie Floyd, Yates Floyd and Lauren Hubbard—are also involved with the foundation. This gi was made in honor of the late Jim Yates, patriarch of the Yates family and co-founder of E-Z Mart Stores. “The Yates and Hubbard family has always been focused on helping others. Our family business
was built on that principle,” says Sonja. “Arkansas Children’s is commi ed to quality care that ensures a healthier tomorrow for the children of our state. It’s not just a futuristic ideal but a daily occurrence that can’t continue without planning and support.”
Your gift will deliver unprecedented child health in Arkansas. A gift of any size makes a difference. Call (800) 880-7491 or visit giving.archildrens.org today. GIVING.ARCHILDRENS.ORG • CHAMPIONS • F E B R UA R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 0
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HELP ME HEALTHIER HAVE A
TOMORROW
JOIN US TODAY. Make your gift to champion Abigail and children like her. Your gift of $25, $50 or more to Arkansas Children’s will help kids like Abigail get better today and be healthier tomorrow. Visit giving.archildrens.org or call (800) 880-7491