THE MAGAZINE OF ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
Kids, Healthcare Heroes and YOU Childhood illlness and injury doesn't stop for COVID-19. Because of you, children like Easton are receiving expert, life-saving care at Arkansas Children's.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
Your Generous Gifts Dear Champion for Children, These are unprecedented times. And as the saying goes, unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. With the recent surge of the COVID-19 Delta variant, compacted with historically high volumes of pediatric respiratory illnesses and a nationwide nursing shortage, children’s hospitals across the country are facing difficult challenges. Thankfully, your support helps keep Arkansas Children’s at the forefront of caring for the children of our state every day. This issue of Champions is a little different. As one of our most loyal supporters, we wanted to share with you both the difficulties and the triumphs Arkansas Children’s is experiencing right now. A triumph in the making is little Easton Williams, a young patient facing stage 4 cancer with his family by his side. Read his story on pages 4–5, and give yourself a pat on the back—it’s because of you that Easton, and so many other kids, are receiving life-saving care at Arkansas Children’s. One of the most important roles of Arkansas Children’s is advocating for children. If it’s right for kids, we will fight for it. Which is why Arkansas Children’s is encouraging everyone who is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s the best way to protect yourself and your family…especially the young children in your life. I encourage anyone who is unsure about the vaccine to reach out to a trusted medical professional to understand what’s right for you. And I hope you’ll turn to pages 6–7 to learn more about COVID-19 and the vaccine from Dr. Rick Barr, one of our many physicians who are caring for Arkansas’ children every day. On pages 8–9, you can learn about some of the challenges our staff is facing right now, and some wonderful ways you can help. And finally, on pages 10–11, you’ll meet team members who are on the front line and who remain passionate about providing child- and family-centered care. No matter what, Arkansas Children’s is here for the children of our state and beyond—because of you. Thank you for supporting our mission of making children better today and healthier tomorrow. As always, you are a true champion for children.
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 Nancy Benton 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 Trisha Montague Barbara Moore Beverly Morrow Cindy Murphy Marshall Ney Lynn Parker Terry Quinn Sue Redfield Kate Schaffer Jennifer Schueck
Fred Scarborough, CFRE President, Arkansas Children’s Foundation Chief Communications Officer & Development Officer, Arkansas Children’s Executive Vice President, Arkansas Children’s
Michael Shelby Belinda Shults* Isaac Smith Claudia Strange Celia Swanson Joe Tucker Emeritus Director
CHAMPIONS STAFF:
Henry Rogers, MD
Editor Becky McCauley Writers Becky McCauley, Blair Neel, Shannon Porter
*Executive Committee
Designer C. Waynette Traub
Current as of September 1, 2021
Photographers Beth Hall, Brandon Markin, Dero Sanford
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• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
YOUR CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS:
FIGHTING FOR KIDS DURING COVID-19
Childhood illnesses and injuries didn’t stop when COVID-19 came to Arkansas in March of 2020. Because of your support, neither did the expert pediatric care provided every day at Arkansas Children’s. However, we’re facing new, unimaginable challenges dealing with the ongoing pandemic on top of historically high numbers of children suffering from respiratory illnesses and a national nursing shortage. Arkansas Children’s is more grateful than ever for your support through these difficult times. Unquestionably, COVID-19 has impacted all of our lives—but the impact of your support can be felt throughout the hospital system as we pull together to provide rightsized care at the right time for the children and families in our state and beyond. You help Arkansas Children’s remain a staunch advocate for children and families as we work to educate our communities about the importance of hand washing, social distancing and the COVID-19 vaccine. Because of you, Arkansas Children’s will continue forging ahead to meet these challenges. We are grateful, more than ever, for your generosity and your compassion for our children, families and the healthcare heroes who give their hearts, time and dedication every single day.
Some of the challenges children and Arkansas Children’s are facing:
2,021 *
600+ 180+ 100+ 25+ #1 *
**
CASES OF PHYSICAL ABUSE of Arkansas’ children in 2020 RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV) CASES treated at Arkansas Children’s in July 2021 compared to about 50 in a typical summer KIDS TREATED FOR COVID-19 at Arkansas Children’s as of September 1 OPEN NURSING POSITIONS available at Arkansas Children’s as of September 1 Children treated at Arkansas Children’s for multisystem inflammatory syndrome DUE TO COVID-19 Arkansas has the highest rate of childhood trauma in the U.S.
*U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services **Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health 2019 Survey
You are a true champion for children now and always. If you would like to make a gift, visit giving.archildrens.org, call (800) 880-7491 or use the enclosed envelope.
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My Hospital Home Because of you, Sheryl Williams’ grandson, Easton, receives expert, loving care at Arkansas Children’s. BY BECKY MCCAULEY
S
heryl Williams can’t imagine life without her 3-year-old grandson, Easton. When Easton was a few months old, he came to live with Sheryl and her husband. About a year ago, they officially adopted Easton, and they love being “Paw Paw” and “Maw Maw” to their little boy. During these busy, happy times, the Williams family never dreamed they would end up at Arkansas Children’s, fighting for Easton’s life. Heartbreak and Hope When Easton first visited Arkansas Children’s, he was running a fever and complaining of pain in his hips. After several visits to his pediatrician hadn’t given them any answers, Easton and Sheryl made the two-and-a-half-hour trip from their home in Horseshoe Bend. An MRI of his abdomen changed their lives forever. Easton was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. “It was like being punched in the stomach,” says Sheryl. “I panicked. I cried. I wanted that terrible mass out of my child as soon as possible.”
After receiving the devastating news, the Williams family had a big decision to make about where to continue Easton’s treatment. Sheryl says, “We had to choose which hospital we would trust with our grandson’s life. We chose Arkansas Children’s...and I’m so glad we did.” Because of your support, surgeons at Arkansas Children’s were able to remove the tumor. The cancer hadn’t affected his organs, but sadly, it had spread to his bones. It’s been one of the most heartbreaking things Sheryl has ever endured. “It’s all I can do to get through the next hour…the next minute…the next second.” But in spite of the agonizing worry and fear, Sheryl is grateful for the expert, loving care Easton is receiving from the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Arkansas Children’s. You Help Provide Easton’s “Hospital Home” Sheryl has been comforted by the kindness and concern of the doctors, nurses and staff. “When you cry, they cry,” she says. “They have so much compassion and are
Because of your generosity, Easton receives healing from one of Arkansas Children’s T.A.I.L.S. (Therapeutic Animal Intervention Lifts Spirits) dogs.
doing the best they can to make kids healthy.” Easton calls Arkansas Children’s “my hospital home.” A Long Road to Health Easton is receiving chemotherapy to kill the cancer in his bones. Before he began chemo treatments, his stem cells were harvested at Arkansas Children’s. When he finishes chemo, he’ll receive those cells back to help his body produce new, healthy cells. Easton still has a long road back to health, and Sheryl doesn’t know what the future holds. But she does know that, without you, kids like her little boy wouldn’t receive the life-saving care they need.
Your generous support helps kids like Easton receive life-saving treatments at Arkansas Children’s. Thank you for being a true champion for children like Easton! 4
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• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
EASTON WILLIAMS AGE 3 HORSESHOE BEND
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COVID-19
Q&A
with Dr. Rick Barr BY BECKY MCCAULEY
C
OVID-19 has changed the way we all live our lives. From masking and social distancing to school and business closures, the pandemic has brought about changes that, less than two years ago, none of us could have foreseen. Thankfully, because of you, Arkansas Children’s is still here, providing expert, child-centered care for sick and injured kids, and working every day to keep the children in your life safe. As a pediatric hospital system, one of Arkansas Children’s strongest obligations to our community is advocating for child health. Which is why we continue encouraging everyone to engage in preventive measures in an effort to protect the children in our state from the deadly pandemic—wearing a mask, social distancing, good hand hygiene and, most importantly, the COVID vaccine. Dr. Rick Barr, executive vice president, chief clinical and academic officer at Arkansas Children’s, has become a national voice of COVID-19’s impact on children in Arkansas and a strong proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine. Featured on CNN, MSNBC and the BBC, and in The Washington Post and The New York Times, Dr. Barr has spoken out many times about the importance of protecting our most precious resource—our children. 6
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I sat down with Dr. Barr to ask him some common questions about COVID-19: How is the Delta variant different than previous COVID-19 variants in regards to children? Dr. Barr: The simplest explanation of the Delta variant is as a different virus than the previous COVID variants. We’ve seen many more children hospitalized, and they’re hospitalized with pneumonia or upper respiratory infections directly attributable to COVID. Previously during the pandemic, we saw a lot of cases where the child was admitted to the hospital for an entirely different reason. We perform a COVID test on every new patient, and that's when we discovered they were positive even though they weren't showing signs of the virus. It often turned out their whole family was infected but had few or no symptoms. That all changed with the Delta variant. We’re seeing a lot more kids who are sick with COVID—some of them critically ill. Compared to the frequency of adult infections, infections in children are still fewer, but it is affecting kids much more often and much more seriously than previously.
• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
“The best way to protect your kids, and yourself, is to get vaccinated. If this is a difficult decision for you, I encourage you to talk about it with a trusted medical professional.” Dr. Rick Barr, executive vice president, chief clinical and academic officer, Arkansas Children’s
How important is it for eligible children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? Dr. Barr: The best way to protect your kids, and yourself, is to get vaccinated. If your children are under 12 years of age and not currently eligible for the vaccine, the best way to protect them is for every eligible family member to get vaccinated. If this is a difficult decision for you, I encourage you to talk about it with a trusted medical professional. The most likely source of a COVID infection in a younger child is transmission from family members. We’re very hopeful that, before the end of the year, the vaccine will be approved for children as young as 5 years.
mental health impact of being out of school, especially for some of our disadvantaged population, is devastating. So they need to be back in school, and it can be done safely. Regarding masks, Arkansas Children’s recommendation, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, is that all children in school wear a mask, use hand sanitizer and practice social distancing. And kids who can get vaccinated should be vaccinated. These are all very effective ways of decreasing transmission of the Delta variant as well as other COVID variants, and I encourage everyone who has children in their life to follow these guidelines to keep their loved ones safe.
What are the long-term side effects of being infected with COVID-19 in children? Dr. Barr: Early in the pandemic, we started monitoring patients for a condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) related to COVID in children. MIS symptoms were appearing weeks or even months after infection, and could affect the heart, kidneys, intestines, and other parts of the body. Arkansas Children’s has seen about 25 MIS cases since the beginning of the pandemic, and there has been about 4,000 total cases in children’s hospitals nationwide, so it’s still relatively rare. We don’t yet know if the surge in the Delta variant is going to result in a spike in MIS in children, but it’s something we’re definitely watching for.
Thank you for sharing all of this with us. Is there anything else you want our readers to know? Dr. Barr: Please do everything you can to keep children in your life safe. Wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands...and, if you're eligible, get vaccinated. And if you are unsure about the vaccine, talk about it with a trusted medical professional. With your help, Arkansas Children’s is committed to advocating for and improving the health of children of our state throughout the pandemic and beyond. Now more than ever, your support helps fulfill our mission of making children better today and healthier tomorrow— thank you!
Was Arkansas Children’s concerned about children attending school in person? Dr. Barr: Yes…we were worried about children attending in-person school. But we also know from the pandemic that kids need to be in school. The social, emotional, and
Together, we can keep kids safe. For information about the COVID-19 vaccine, testing sites and more, visit archildrens.org/coronavirus
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Kids, COVID-19 and You As the pandemic continues to impact all of us, your generosity helps Arkansas Children’s serve families and children across the state. BY SHANNON PORTER
T
he global COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all of us in big ways—and kids are especially vulnerable.
More Childhood Illnesses With the highly contagious Delta variant spreading throughout our country, more children in Arkansas are falling ill with COVID-19. In July, the average number of days on a ventilator and days spent in the hospital doubled for COVID-19 patients at Arkansas Children’s. And, in August, Arkansas Children’s had more children admitted for COVID-19 than ever before—higher than the previous peaks 8
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in January and July of this year. Nearly all of the patients in ICU and on ventilators have been unvaccinated, even though they’re old enough to receive the vaccination. Complicating the matter, Arkansas experienced a historically high respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season—a viral infection which impacts mostly young children and babies and can be severe— during the summer. Our teams treated more than 600 cases of RSV in July compared to approximately 50 cases in a typical summer. Because of these rising pediatric infections, this year marked the busiest July on record for Arkansas Children’s.
• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
The number of sick kids in our hospitals has been on the increase. But your support has helped Arkansas Children’s rise to the challenge of treating children battling COVID-19, RSV and other serious illnesses and injuries.
Nationwide Nursing Shortage At this time of incredible need, hospitals across the country are experiencing a severe shortage in nursing staff. In fact, the Arkansas Children’s team is understaffed across the health system by about 100 nurses, or 25–30 nurses per shift. The nursing crisis is the most serious many of our nursing leaders have ever experienced. Nurses are an integral part of a patient’s care team. They help keep patients safe, assist families in understanding and coping with the stress and heartbreak of having a very sick, hospitalized child and, most importantly, are critical to helping children get better. With your help, Arkansas Children’s continues to invest in our nurses and is aggressively recruiting to hire more nurses. Now, more than ever, we are grateful for your generous support of the nursing team at Arkansas Children’s.
COVID-19 and Mental Health Children have also been impacted by the pandemic in other ways: ongoing stress, fear, grief and uncertainty. Rates of depression and anxiety have increased, says Greg Adams, social worker and program coordinator for the Center of Good Mourning at Arkansas Children’s. “We know more children are suffering,” Adams says. “Kids are isolated, their regular lives and routines are interrupted. They’re facing stresses they didn’t have prior to the pandemic.” Stresses such as physical and emotional separation from family and friends, disruptions in school attendance and education; missing sporting events, proms, graduations and vacations; and losing feelings of security and safety are all contributing to the increased number of children who are struggling through these difficult times.
And, devastatingly, some children are learning to cope with loss. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an estimated 40,000 children in the United States have lost a parent to COVID-19. That’s a 20 percent increase in parental deaths, Adams says. Thankfully, because of you, Arkansas Children’s is able to offer support for families experiencing loss through the Center for Good Mourning. For more information on education, program development and grief support, call (501) 364-7000 or email goodmourning@archildrens.org.
Child Abuse and Neglect Unfortunately, COVID-19 has also had a negative impact on child abuse and neglect. At the David M. Clark Center for Safe and Healthy Children, child abuse cases did not slow down after the pandemic hit in 2020, says Dr. Karen Farst, medical director for Team for Children at Risk. However, there was a shift in the complexity of cases. “There are more indications that family stressors may be leading to more severe cases of neglect and physical abuse compared to pre-COVID cases,” Dr. Farst says. Dr. Farst has also heard from colleagues involved in domestic violence-related cases that there was a sharp rise in need for services during and after the shutdown. “Domestic violence is directly linked to an increased risk for child abuse,” says Dr. Farst. But because of your generosity, the David M. Clark Center for Safe and Healthy Children is dedicated to the care and treatment of neglected and abused children and their families. It’s a single, safe place for children to receive medical, psychological and social health services.
You are a Champion for Children Arkansas Children’s is grateful to have you with us in this fight to continue providing the same worldclass care to our friends, neighbors and the entire Arkansas community. You are a true partner and a true champion for children.
Thank you for being there for patients, families and the entire Arkansas Children’s team during these unprecedented times. You help make kids better today and healthier tomorrow. GIVING.ARCHILDRENS.ORG • CHAMPIONS • S E P T E M BE R /O C T OBE R 2 0 2 1
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WHY I SERVE
Healthcare
Heroes Safety. Teamwork. Compassion. Excellence. These are the four values that drive every team member at Arkansas Children’s every day. At this time of incredible need—with COVID-19 numbers rising in the state and RSV, a pediatric respiratory illness, at historically high volumes—more children are becoming ill and hospitalized. But with your help, the healthcare heroes at Arkansas Children’s continue to demonstrate these values in abundance. Two nurses share the stories of heartbreak, hope and helping hands they see every day at Arkansas Children’s—and how you can help them care for Arkansas’ sickest children. BY BLAIR NEEL
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Teamwork Through COVID-19 For Mary Salassi-Scotter, vice president of patient care services, the incredible teamwork she has witnessed throughout the pandemic stands out the most when thinking back on her long career at Arkansas Children’s. “I’m so proud to be a part of this place and to see everyone working together to keep the community safe,” says Mary, who began her nursing career at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) in 1977. “When I first started here, we had about 200 people, and now I see all 4,500 people jumping up to help. It has been such an amazing display of teamwork...like nothing I’ve ever seen.” “I’ve never been Of the frontline teams, Mary says the prouder to be a respiratory therapists have been true heroes part of who we during the pandemic and have been involved are and what we every step of the way. “They have been swabbing stand for.” patients for COVID-19 tests; they’re in the —Mary Salassi-Scotter, Emergency Department for initial treatment; vice president of they’re there for every patient who needs to patient care services be intubated and extubated; they’re there to turn patients over on their stomachs to help them breathe. Our incredible respiratory therapists have been there whenever we need them.” The teamwork Mary has witnessed extends beyond the frontline team members to every team across the healthcare system. “Overwhelmingly, every time we have asked for help from our teams, everyone puts their hands up,” she says. “Our materials management people are still combing the internet every single day to find supplies for us. When we need to make changes to our rooms for safety—for example, to create negative pressure rooms for our contagious patients—our facilities team walks the floors to find space to convert. The lab teams who were new to COVID-19 testing got it up and running at ACH and Arkansas Children’s Northwest. The volunteer engagement team gathered cloth masks for patients and families. Our boards of directors donated to the compassion fund so we could deliver food and goody bags to our teams when they desperately needed a boost.”
• CHAMPIONS • BETTER TODAY. HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
Thank you for being a champion for children and the entire team at Arkansas Children’s. Because of your support during the COVID-19 pandemic, miracles happen every day.
Perseverance in the PICU Hannah Jernigan has been a registered nurse (RN) for nearly four years, and works in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at ACH. The PICU has recently seen many COVID-19 patients as more children have become ill with the virus and other serious respiratory illnesses. Still, Hannah says it is a privilege to care for children during what is, undoubtedly, one of the hardest times of their families’ lives. There have been many difficult days for Hannah and her colleagues during this time of incredible need, especially since the nation was experiencing a nursing shortage before the “You help provide pandemic even began. “It’s hard knowing that for families we’re not able to provide the support our staff physically and needs—like time off to recover from the trauma emotionally.” of losing a patient—because we’re so short—Hannah Jernigan, RN II staffed,” says Hannah. “But our team has stepped up to the plate, and it’s special to be part of a team that works so hard day in and day out.” During the uptick in cases last winter, the PICU team pulled together to care for adult COVID-19 patients too. One of Hannah’s adult patients was at ACH from January to August and spent 210 days on ECMO, a heart-lung bypass machine that does the work of the those organs, giving them time to heal. “One day, I had a really bad shift—one of my pediatric patients passed away,” says Hannah, “but our COVID patient came off ECMO that same day. When they were discharged to another hospital closer to home for rehabilitation, I cried happy tears. It was a huge celebratory moment. I don’t say this lightly: It was a miracle that patient survived.” Hannah carries the success stories with her to keep her going on tough days. And she’s grateful to supporters like you. “Big things happen here in the PICU because of your money,” she says. “You help provide for families physically and emotionally, like when we paint a little girl’s fingernails and have cute socks to put on a little boy. Because of you, we’re able to do those little things. You help make things less scary and less hard for our patients and their families.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP You can support our healthcare heroes caring for the sickest children in Arkansas. Here’s how:
Compassion Snack Bags With your generous support, volunteers have packed and distributed thousands of snack bags to our frontline teams. The treats help provide a boost to these hardworking team members, especially on busy days. For every dollar you give today, we can provide a snack bag to an Arkansas Children’s team member!
Compassion Carts Volunteers also lift the spirits of Arkansas Children’s staff by rolling through the halls with cheerful compassion carts, stocked with treats and snacks from granola bars and muffins to Gatorade and water. Your generous gift of $100 or more will provide joy to our team by helping keep the carts stocked.
Healthcare Hero Meals When frontline caregivers don’t have a second to leave the unit for a bite to eat, your gifts are more important than ever. Your gift of $500 can purchase 50 warm meals to keep our teams going strong on tough days.
Get Involved Make your gift today at giving.archildrens.org. Or contact ACH Volunteer Engagement at (501) 364-1825 or ACNW Volunteer Engagement at (479) 725-6986.
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HELP ME HEALTHIER
HAVE A
TOMORROW
JOIN US TODAY. Make your gift to champion children like Mia. Your gift of $25, $50 or more to Arkansas Children’s will help kids like Mia get better today and be healthier tomorrow. Visit giving.archildrens.org, call (800) 880-7491 or send your gift in the enclosed envelope.