F O R T H E E M P L O Y E E S O F C I N C I N N AT I C H I L D R E N ’ S
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
WHAT’S INSIDE
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Financial Advocates Ease Pressure, Anxiety for Families
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Anita Brentley Challenges the Status Quo
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Crossing Paths Mentor Program Pairs Employees for Success
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Mary Allen-Staat: Building Families, Building Futures
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Julie Sullivan Leaves Them Smiling
MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What if we could be like George Bailey in the movie It’s a Wonder ful Life and see for cer tain the impact we’ve had on the lives of our family, friends and community? Wouldn’t it be great to know that our good intentions and hard work were making a positive difference? At Cincinnati Children’s, we’re luckier than most, because we do get to see proof that our efforts pay off— in the scan that shows a child’s cancer is gone; in the research that brings a new vaccine to the market to prevent a devastating illness; in the relief on a parent’s face when they hear their son or daughter is going to survive a traumatic injury. But there are many other ways to make a difference that aren’t as dramatically obvious. It could be as simple as taking a moment to ask about a coworker’s ill family member or walking a distracted mother to her child’s clinic appointment. Like toppling the first in a line of dominos, one act of kindness can set in motion a series of positive effects that lifts everyone to a better place. In this issue, we look at how we are living out this core value in our various roles across the medical center. It’s a tiny glimpse of a very large (and impressive) picture, and I wish there was enough time and space to tell every one of your stories here. This holiday season and throughout the year, please know that the care you take in serving our patients, families and each other is noticed and deeply appreciated.
Cindy Duesing, Editor
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theknow L A R G E S T D O N AT I O N E V E R W I L L E X P A N D COLLEGE HILL
The Convalescent Hospital for Children presented Cincinnati Children’s with a $20 million gift over eight years at a ceremony at College Hill on Oct. 4. This is the single largest contribution ever made to the medical center and will be used to expand mental health facilities and long-term and respite care services.
Programming will be broadcast to TVs in patient rooms on Channel 33. Patients will be able to visit the studio to participate or dial in by calling 3-3333 from their rooms. Cincinnati Children’s is the sixth pediatric hospital to partner with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation to build a studio that makes kids the stars.
“This transformative gift will make it possible for us to better meet the growing need for mental health and long-term care for kids and teens in our area,” said Michael Fisher, president and CEO. “We are extremely grateful to the Convalescent Hospital board for their support.” Approximately $11 million of the gift will be dedicated to expanding facilities at the College Hill Campus. This includes constructing a three-story building to accommodate all residential patients, renovating the existing facility and reconfiguring all rooms to accommodate one patient per room. Acute-care inpatients and residential-care patients will now be located in separate (but connected) buildings due to their differing healthcare needs. The project is scheduled to begin by the end of this year. Cincinnati Children’s will use approximately $9 million to provide long-term care and respite services for children with very complex conditions who need skilled nursing and medical care over an extended period of time. Targeted for the Liberty Township Campus, details regarding this project will be announced at a later date.
C I N C I N N AT I W A L K S F O R K I D S B R E A K S RECORDS
This year’s Cincinnati Walks for Kids was a record-breaking success. We surpassed our stretch goal of $900,000— making this our most successful walk to date. Thanks to all who participated for your outstanding support.
SE ACREST STUDIO SET TO OPEN
On Nov. 18, Cincinnati Children’s and the Ryan Seacrest Foundation will unveil Seacrest Studios broadcast media center in the Sabin Center prefunction area. The studio will house WKID33, our station for entertainment, learning and health programs. The station is designed just for kids and will operate out of the Division of Child Life.
VAC C I N E R E D U C ES SY M P TO M S O F NOROVIRUS
An investigational vaccine appears generally well tolerated and effective against the most common strain of norovirus, reducing the main symptoms of the gastrointestinal (GI) infection, vomiting and/or diarrhea, by 52 percent, suggests research presented at IDWeek 2013™ in October. Currently, there is no treatment or cure for norovirus, the most common cause of severe GI infection in the United States. Norovirus is highly contagious. Significant outbreaks occur in healthcare facilities, childcare centers, cruise ships and other places where people are in close quarters. Each year, one in 15 Americans are infected and as many as 800 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The overall cost of the disease in the United States is $5.5 billion annually. “Norovirus is a global issue and most, if not everyone, have experienced it to some degree,” said David Bernstein, MD, MA, professor of pediatrics and lead author of the study. “The results of our study are promising, and our next step is to test this vaccine in a real-world setting. If it continues to prove as effective as our initial results indicate, it could be used for those at a higher risk of severe disease, infection or transmission,” said Bernstein. “Or it could be offered to everyone.”
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F I N A N C I A L A D V O C AT E S
Ease Pressure, Anxiet y for Families The Martin* family first ran into a rough patch in 2006 when Hurricane Katrina hit. Husband Jim lost his job and, along with it, his comprehensive health insurance coverage. The family was forced to sell their home and most of their belongings to move to Cincinnati. Jim found a new job, but he was earning only a fraction of his former salary, and his insurance plan was “the pits.”
“By the time the parents get to us, they are often frustrated and distraught,” says Kristen Otten, who despite her slender build, is a bulldog when it comes to digging through multiple layers of charges to figure out who’s paid for what. “They come to us with a shoebox full of bills, afraid and overwhelmed. The first thing we have to do is listen.”
Then in 2007, 16-year-old Tyler Martin awoke disoriented with a severe headache. His parents took him to a nearby emergency room. Staff there sent him to Cincinnati Children’s, where he underwent brain surgery that night. A second brain surgery soon followed, after which Tyler was sent to the rehab floor. As if the stress of their son’s health crisis weren’t enough, Jim and his wife, Elaine, now faced staggering medical bills. Says Elaine, “That’s when we first met our family financial advocate. She quickly calmed our fears and helped us believe everything would be okay. I consider her my personal hero. Surgeons and nurses saved my son, but she saved my sanity.”
Otten and Carrie Keneipp have worked together as family financial advocates for nearly eight years. Keneipp is the “front end” of the team or the first point of contact for families. “I find out what they need help with specifically,” she says. “Maybe their child needs expensive medical equipment or a medication that has a high co-pay. Maybe they’ve maxed out their insurance. I look at the big picture to see if they qualify for Medicaid, Social Security, Title V funding or financial assistance through the hospital or another nonprofit.”
The Family Financial Advocate program at Cincinnati Children’s is one of only a few such hospital programs in the country. The advocate’s role is to connect families with financial resources to help cover out-of-pocket costs and guide them through the complicated maze of health insurance. *Names have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.
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Keneipp helps the family sort out the paperwork and holds their hand to walk them through the process of applying for assistance. Otten works on the back end of the program. She deals more directly with the insurance companies, Revenue Cycle staff and division staff to make sure charges are
Picture on left: Hailed as heroes by those they serve, Carrie Keneipp (l) and Kristen Otten wade through paperwork so families don’t have to.
accurate and that claims are paid accordingly. “For example, I work a lot with families who have twins or triplets,” she explains. “Sometimes the insurance company will deny benefits because they see two children in one family with the same birth date being treated and they think there’s been a duplication of services. I create spread sheets detailing which insurance has paid what, current balances owed and where the balances are sitting (collections, pre-collections or in an active CCHMC account). This helps both the families and the insurance companies correct any inaccuracies and get a better view of what’s going on.” What’s going on is often too much for families to understand or deal with, especially when a child is chronically ill, critically injured or dying. The purpose of the Family Financial Advocate program is to give parents the ability to focus on caring for their sick child by alleviating some of their financial worries. A R E WA R D ING JOB
Both Keneipp and Otten agree that their jobs are tough but rewarding. They have to be multi-taskers, answering phones, emails, faxes and frequent knocks at the door. They mail forms for programs to families, including a check list for the required documentation, e.g., paycheck stubs, W-2s, birth certificates, etc. All of this comes back to be processed and submitted to the proper agency. “There’s no way you can be stagnant in this job,” says Keneipp. “You must constantly be learning about new
I N F I S CA L Y E A R 2013:
3,353 6,000
NEW REFERR ALS
FA M I L I E S H E L P E D
resources and changes in existing ones. We rely heavily on our team of fellow family financial advocates, intake specialists, application processors and student helpers. No one can know everything. Some have expertise in funding from the Bureau for Children With Medical Handicaps (BCMH). Others are great at getting Medicaid waivers. And families are always coming to us with new problems. Just when we think we’ve seen everything,
we get a case where we think, ‘Look at that!’ So we rely on each other to brainstorm a solution.” In the last fiscal year, the program had 3,353 new referrals. Combined with recurring volume, the total number of families helped was over 6,000. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there will be even more changes to keep up with and more insured families who need help navigating the system. Job burnout is a real concern, and management makes an effort to combat it with flexible scheduling and a focus on improvement to make processes more efficient. But helping families is clearly a passion for all of the advocates. Says Otten, “In many cases, we’ve never even met the family, but they treat us like one of their own because we’ve worked with them for so long. The parents of one girl who had two transplants over the years sent us pictures of her at school, prom and graduation. We watch these kids grow up.” Adds Keneipp, “Once you’re a family’s financial advocate, you’re their financial advocate. And once you get them a waiver, you’ve changed their life forever. As I learn about new resources, I keep their needs in mind in case there’s something that could help them. Sometimes, I wish I’d known about certain programs earlier so we could have made a connection. It drives us to learn as much as we possibly can about what funding is out there.” One family whose premature twins spent months in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit racked up nearly $2 million in bills. Though the babies had primary and secondary health insurance, the billing process had snarled to the point where the charges weren’t being paid. It took Otten more than two years of contacting the insurance companies to get the family’s accounts straightened out. “The ultimate goal of our program is to make sure the families get the care they need, to reduce their out-ofpocket balances to zero and to obtain the correct payment from the insurance companies for the treatment and services we provide,” says Keneipp. The difference family financial advocates make for families is tangible every day. Otten is still touched by one little girl she met who jumped up and hugged her, saying, “We prayed for you. You’re like magic! You made all the bills go away!”
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A N I TA B R E N T L E Y
Cha ll e nge s the S ta tu s Q u o It’s late Wednesday afternoon at Carmel Presbyterian Church in Avondale. Young mothers from the community trickle steadily into the church hall through the basement door facing Lee Street, pushing strollers, balancing diaper bags and toddlers on their hip. A few dads, grandmas and sisters accompany them. Anita Brentley, MEd, MPH, a senior specialist in community engagement for Every Child Succeeds, welcomes them all to this monthly gathering with a hug and a smile, calling each one by name. She’s the mom of all moms—a nurturer, a teacher, a friend, who wants to help these young women be the best they can be—for themselves and for their children. Brentley first joined Cincinnati Children’s as an injury prevention coordinator in 1999. She became part of Every Child Succeeds in 2005 to work with at-risk mothers in the Avondale community. Every Child Succeeds provides intensive and extended home visiting services to first-time mothers in Ohio and Northern Kentucky who are primarily young, low-income and socially isolated.
dads in attendance split off to their own group meeting in another room (Avondale SOLDIERS, i.e., Strong Organized Leaders Developing in Every Responsibility), while the moms take part in an educational session. Sitters care for the children to allow the moms to focus on the evening’s topic. “We reinforce what the moms are learning during their home visits, like the importance of immunizations, breast feeding and child safety,” says Brentley. “We connect them with experts from Cincinnati Children’s and the community. The sessions are interactive and at their level. I tell them that information is power. It takes them beyond where they were and helps them make decisions based on knowledge.” R E M O V I N G O B S TA C L E S
Brentley grew up in a middle class family in Middletown, OH. Her parents valued education and were always involved in the community. When Brentley was in grade
When the Avondale group first started, only five moms showed up. Together, the women developed a mission statement that reads: “Starting prenatally, we want healthy, happy babies; we want to remain resourceful and instill values in our child’s life that will last a lifetime.” The mission has become a mantra that appears on posters, banners, T-shirts and other materials. “It’s a powerful statement,” says Brentley, “and we want the moms to see it everywhere.” Each meeting starts with a simple meal—homemade soup, salad, crackers—prepared by volunteers. Afterward, any
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Anita Brentley (seated) chats with neighborhood mom, Ronesha Clay, as she signs in for the monthly meeting.
school, her mother was working on her master’s degree at Miami University in Oxford. “I spent a lot of time visiting my Uncle Buddy on Blair Avenue in Avondale while Mom was in class. I have many wonderful memories of this neighborhood,” she says. That love of the community is evident in her approach to the young women she mentors. “Our moms range in age from 13 to 35,” she explains. “They live near each other, sometimes even right next door, but they often don’t know each other. Being in the group provides an opportunity for peer mentoring and forming play groups. They become social partners, helping each other navigate the situation they’re in.” The mothers are often in crisis. They live with routine chaos. Says Brentley, “If we can remove the crises from their lives—whether it’s an eviction notice, food insecurity or lack of transportation—then they can focus on being a better parent.” Brentley praises the home visitors who meet weekly with each mom. “They are so good at embracing them wherever they are on their journey,” she says. During the meetings, Brentley celebrates and encourages moms and their accomplishments, but she also recognizes the major role fathers play in their children’s lives. “We did one project where the dads built bookshelves for their children,” she says. “It gave these men, who are often unemployed, a sense of pride at providing for their child, and the moms got to see the dads as a contributor. When completed, every mom and child received a bookcase with books for both of them.”
world. She didn’t like anything or anyone, but even so, she never missed a home visit or a group meeting. This went on for two years until someone gave her a supply of baby food—a high-demand item around here. She brought the baby food to the group and shared it with the other moms. This was a big break-through. We celebrated her generosity. The other moms thanked her and hugged her. From then on, her attitude changed. She graduated from our program and is in school now working on a business degree. She still comes back to mentor other moms.” Every Child Succeeds is reducing infant mortality and improving the quality of life for mothers and their babies through early intervention. The Avondale program has spread to Lincoln Heights, Corryville/Mt. Auburn and Price Hill. Brentley says working with these moms has humbled her. “They have experienced so much tragedy—rape, incest, poverty,” she says. “They aren’t in their situations by choice. But they want and deserve a better life. I feel frustrated when people judge them when they have no idea what these women are going through. But I don’t have time for frustration. I’d rather focus on being supportive. I say to them, ‘Let’s figure out how to get you to your goal.’ And then we do whatever it takes to get it done. It’s a privilege to be part of that change.”
R e d u c i n g In fa n t Mo r ta l i t y Children enrolled in Ever y Child Succeeds (ECS) are less likely to die as infants. From 1999 to 2009, nearly 90 children may not be here today without ECS in their first year of life.
Brentley also manages a local pantry called the Avondale Caring Network. Any mom in the community with a child, age 0 to 3 years, may shop there once a month. The pantry features a work station where the moms can sign up to clean toys or sort clothing. Each mom must volunteer for 30 minutes before she can shop for herself.
ECS
S U P P O R T I S A T W O - W AY S T R E E T
United States
The Avondale program also emphasizes the importance of giving back. Every holiday, each mom brings 25 cents to contribute to P&G’s Safe Water Project. The money they collect is enough to provide safe drinking water for a family in an undeveloped country for one month. Giving back made a huge difference for one troubled mom. “She came into our program when she was pregnant,” Brentley recalls. “She was homeless and afraid of the
LOCATION
Kentucky Ohio
# OF INFANT DEATHS PER 1,000 BIRTHS
4.7 6.7 7.5 7.7 10.9
Hamilton County
11.3
Cincinnati
CINCINNATI
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C R O S S I N G PAT H S
Me n to r Prog ra m Pa i rs E m ploye e s fo r S u cce s s When Khadija Cole and Justina Dunigan had their first meeting as part of the Cincinnati Children’s Mentor Program, Cole wasn’t sure how she was going to help Dunigan. In fact, she thought the situation was rather impossible.
used, followed by input from the Diversity Action Council which looks at the applications and helps make informed matches. “We are the only group at Cincinnati Children’s that does across-the-institution matching,” Domingo-Snyder says. “That really is the beauty of the program.”
The Mentor Program pairs mentors and mentees with a two-fold goal: to provide career development assistance and to network colleagues across the medical center. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion took over management of the program about three years ago. Originally having started as a grassroots effort, the Mentor Program has grown and become more formalized in its recent past. Cole and Dunigan are one of about 100 pairs who were matched up in this year’s program.
After thoughtful consideration of Dunigan’s resistance to going back to school, Cole suggested online classes as an option. Both mentor and mentee agree that Cole’s presentation of the solution was key in Dunigan’s acceptance of it. “I came up with a way to present the information to her so it was beneficial to her,” says Cole. She also drew from her own similar experience of obtaining her master’s degree while having a young child at home.
Dunigan is an administrative assistant with Gastroenterology. Having worked for Cincinnati Children’s since 2002, she has long had the drive to grow into another internal position. She has an associate’s degree and knew that a bachelor’s degree was crucial to advancing her career. But she has other responsibilities too. She’s a working mom with a husband and children who also need her time. College, she thought, was not an option. Cole is a business manager for Immunobiology and Molecular Immunology. She has a master’s degree and has been in her position with Cincinnati Children’s for three years. When the two first met, Cole listened openly as Dunigan explained her situation. Dunigan was firm about one thing: A bachelor’s degree would take too much time away from her family and would bring on too much of a financial burden. Cole silently wondered how she would help her mentee when she knew a college degree would give her the knowledge and skills she needed to move ahead. The Mentor Program starts with a detailed application process. Prospective mentors and mentees fill out a questionnaire that seeks information about educational goals, career goals, personal goals, and barriers to attaining those goals. Those answers direct the mentormentee matching that then takes place. “A critical part of the program is the matching,” says program coordinator Eloiza Domingo-Snyder, a consultant with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. An automated filter is first
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MISSION POSSIBLE
This time it was Dunigan’s turn to listen. Eventually, she started exploring online courses with the help of CCHMC’s EdAssist program. She found a degree program within her family’s budget that would allow credits from her associate’s degree to transfer. Along the way, Cole continued to give her guidance and encouragement. “Khadija believed in me and was really helpful,” says Dunigan. “She showed me that I could make it work.” This fall, Dunigan enrolled in her first semester and is now working toward her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management with a specialization in healthcare management.
Khadija Cole (left) talks with mentee Justina Dunigan about her online college courses.
“It hasn’t been all smooth sailing,” Cole says. “It took a lot of talk and transition. But that’s what the program is about.” Along with Cole and Dunigan’s one-on-one meetings, the Mentor Program also involves group meetings plus workshops for the mentees. In the end, both agree it’s been a successful crossing of paths. “Khadija has been a great motivator and source of support,” says Dunigan. “That was something I didn’t have within Children’s before.” As for Cole, she’s gained satisfaction from the results that
have come out of her mentoring experience. “I’ve enjoyed using my ability to work with people to try to help them succeed,” she says. “If this program gets one person to progress in life, it’s doing its job.” N O W A C C E P T I N G A P P L I C AT I O N S
Interested in applying for next year’s Mentor Program? Find an application on the Mentor Program’s page on CenterLink.
Mary Allen-Staat:
BUILD ING FA MILIES , BUILD ING FUTUR ES Adopting a child can be an emotionally fraught proposition. Adopting a child internationally adds layers of complexity to the process. Mary Allen-Staat, MD, knows that professionally as director of the International Adoption Center (IAC) here at Cincinnati Children’s. She knows it personally as the mother of three children adopted from El Salvador, Ecuador and Colombia. Staat remembers it well. She and her then-husband traveled to Colombia to adopt their middle child, Emily, in 1995. They had been told that Emily had a hole in her heart—a problem, but one that could be fixed. When they arrived, however, the news was dire. Emily would need a heart and lung transplant, officials said. Shaken and confused, they left the orphanage without her.
kept thinking about how afraid she’d been and how they almost hadn’t adopted Emily. “I was fortunate enough to have someone to talk to who knew what questions to ask and could reassure us,” she says. “I thought, all families should have that resource in a crisis like that.” Staat began researching what it would take to put such a program together here. She worked with key CCHMC leadership to develop a business plan and raise funds. She also put together an advisory board that included a large percentage of internationally adoptive parents. Together, they crafted a vision and mission statement and officially established the International Adoption Center in 1999.
“It was heartbreaking,” she says.
FILLING A NEED
Staat was working at Johns Hopkins Hospital at the time. She spoke with a colleague there who was a cardiologist. “She advised me to have an echocardiogram done on Emily, along with some other tests,” she recalls. “The tests came back showing no problems—not even a hole in her heart. We brought her home, and everything was fine.”
The IAC is not an agency. They don’t arrange adoptions. But they do support the family through the adoption process. “The family initiates the adoption through whichever agency they choose,” says Staat. “We review the child’s records to see what their medical issues are and where they are developmentally. Then we discuss our findings with the parents so they can make an informed decision.”
That experience changed Staat’s career course. The same year, she was hired at Cincinnati Children’s as an epidemiologist in the Infectious Disease division. But she
Staat helps families understand what resources they’ll need to care for their child. Will they have the time, the
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finances, the ability to cope with certain challenges? Says Staat. “It’s important for everyone to go into this with the right expectations.” Since most parents must travel to get their child, the IAC also helps them get the immunizations they need. They can call Staat any time while they are abroad if problems come up. Once they arrive back in the States, parents bring their child in for a consultation after two weeks. They see a team of clinicians, including Staat, a nurse, an occupational therapist and a mental health specialist. The children are
B R OA D E N I N G T H E I M PAC T
Staat has taken on the challenge of looking beyond the IAC to do research and publish on a multitude of topics that can make a difference for all internationally adopted children. “We have summer intern students who work on answering an infectious diseases research question every year,” says Staat. “As a result, we have a wealth of data that has helped us develop evidence-based guidelines of care.” These guidelines now appear in the Red Book, which is the reference book for diagnosing and treating infectious diseases. Most recently, Staat and her team have started doing research on how brain function may be different in children who have been institutionalized and malnourished in those first critical years of life. “We want to find a way to intervene earlier to make a difference for these children,” says Staat. The number of international adoptions in the US has decreased from 23,000 in 2004-2005 to 8,000. Many
Mary Allen-Staat, MD, is surrounded by her children, George, from El Salvador; Kate, from Ecuador (second from right); and Emily, from Colombia.
often malnourished and developmentally delayed. Some have parasites or infections. The family is seen a month later and then six months afterward. “We establish a good immunization plan for the child and make referrals if other services are needed,” says Staat. “Our intention is not to replace the primary care provider. We care for some of the very specialized needs of an internationally adopted child so he or she can be a ‘regular’ child when they see their own pediatrician.” The IAC is in it for the long run, helping families with mental health issues that may arise, especially in adolescence. “Some kids start thinking about their birth parents and want to explore a little more. It can cause conflict with their adoptive family,” says Staat. “Some are also at risk for learning issues. We don’t want to blame every problem on adoption, but we don’t want to ignore how it might play a part, either.”
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We are absolutely committed to being here for these children and their families long term. I love seeing the kids, especially those with special needs, come home and learn to be confident and have joy in their life. — MARY ALLEN-STA AT, MD
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countries have closed their doors over concerns about corruption in the system. In the IAC, the totals have dropped from 250 children served to 100. “We’re seeing fewer children, but they are older and have more medical issues, says Staat. “We’ve also begun to assist refugees and immigrants.” Regardless of where they come from or what their situations are, Staat and her team are passionate about getting the kids off to a good start. She says, “We are absolutely committed to being here for these children and their families long term. I love seeing the kids, especially those with special needs, come home and learn to be confident and have joy in their life.”
J U L I E S U L L I VA N
L ea ve s The m S m il i ng
Julie Sullivan, RN, grew up in a large family whose members were always extending themselves to others in need. From a very early age, she watched and admired how her mother took care of people, and she knew she wanted to emulate that. At the time, a woman’s career choices were fairly limited to being a housewife, teacher, secretary or nurse. “I chose pediatric nursing because I wanted to work with kids,” she says. “Nowadays, I would have so many more career options, but I feel like I totally made the right choice. I can’t imagine not being a nurse.” Sullivan has worked in the operating room for 17 of her 40 years at Cincinnati Children’s, moving out to Liberty Campus when it opened. She could have been content knowing she makes a difference for her patients every day. But her ingrained desire to do more demanded a greater outlet. Sullivan first started volunteering at the Walnut Hills soup kitchen in the late 1980s. Later, she got involved with The Literacy Network, Girls on the Run and Bethany House
where she and a neighbor co-founded a wine-tasting event that today generates a significant portion of the nonprofit’s annual income. Then came Operation Smile—an international organization that provides cleft palate repair for people all over the world. “The opportunity fell in my lap,” says Sullivan. “It was 1990. We had a new plastic surgeon working in the OR. One day he said to me, ‘Listen, I’m going to Africa with Operation Smile, and one of the nurses had to drop out. Would you want to go?’ I was the plastic surgery coordinator at the time, and I said, ‘Sure!’ I went one time, and I was hooked.” THE BEGINNING OF AN ADVENTURE
That first trip paved the way for 25 more journeys to countries all over the world, including Nicaragua, Ghana, Peru, Paraguay, Thailand, Egypt, Cambodia, Russia, Panama, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar and Morocco. Says Sullivan, “In other countries, if you have a cleft palate, you are shunned by society. In Madagascar, kids are not allowed to go to school unless they have it repaired.”
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The number of children born with cleft palates far surpasses the number of plastic surgeons who can repair them. But there is a global effort to address the problem.
The trips require patience because the travel time is long. But she has fun, and she’s grateful to her coworkers for allowing her to be flexible with her schedule.
“Repairing a cleft palate changes the life of the child, the family and the community,” says Sullivan. “Think of what it means to be able to smile, to speak without an impediment, to experience a kiss. At the beginning of the mission, we screen about 500 patients. When we leave, roughly 150 have been helped with surgery. I do this because I think it’s important to give back, but I come home overflowing. The richest thing you can have in life is that experience of giving and the opportunity to travel and see what you’re not able to see in your own back yard.”
She also appreciates her supportive husband. “I was never able to have children,” she says. “So I asked God to please let there be some way to be with them. Working at the medical center and going on these mission trips have filled a gap. I’ve had more freedom than most to pursue this labor of love.”
One of her favorite memories is when a care team member handed a 14-year-old Nicaraguan boy a mirror following his surgery. He looked at his face, beamed and said, “Now I can be loved.” He returned the next year to tell the children waiting for surgery not to be afraid.
CHANGES WITHIN
Working with Operation Smile has changed Sullivan in ways that aren’t as easily discernible as the changes her patients undergo. “When you stay in one place and do the same thing every day, you forget there might be 10 other equally valid ways to accomplish the same goal. I have learned a lot about the provision and management of
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When I work with people from other countries, other religions, it demystif ies our differences and helps me see we have more in common than not.
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— JULIE SULLIVAN, RN
quality care by working with healthcare professionals from around the globe.” The mission trips have also altered Sullivan’s world view.
Julie Sullivan, RN, shown here with a patient in China, says her missions abroad have changed her perspective of the world.
Sullivan also remembers four men with cleft palates, ranging in age from 20 to 78. “They shaved their mustaches before surgery, and after we repaired them, they were dancing around with joy,” she says. All mission participants pay a fee of $500 per trip, which covers airfare, a hotel, breakfast and lunch. Sullivan takes PTO—usually three weeks at a stretch—so she has time beyond the 10-to-12-day mission to see the country.
360°
“When I work with people from other countries, other religions, it demystifies our differences and helps me see we have more in common than not,” she explains. “People want to do good things, and sometimes they’re limited by their resources. But no matter where people live, no matter what their religious belief, everybody loves their children and wants what’s best for them. What greater common ground to start from is there than that?!” For more information about Operation Smile, visit www.operationsmile.com.
snapshots
Department Scheduling Center Role Senior scheduling agent What I love most about what I do is providing more than families expect. When I’m not here, you can usually find me on a soccer field coaching my son’s team. A phrase that describes me Be the one to see things through. What I love about CCHMC are my peers and being in a position to help families. I was born in Cincinnati. I attended “West Hi the best high school” and the University of Cincinnati. The guiding principle of my life is A man’s word is his bond. Person I admire most is my wife, Doris, because she takes care of me and our sons and is beautiful. People would never guess that I shot a basketball at the UC vs. XU Crosstown Shoot-Out basketball game at halftime from half court and made it. What’s on my bucket list to renew my marriage vows at the 25-year mark and lose 10 pounds before I visit the beaches of Monte Carlo.
Department Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence (also work on projects in General & Community Pediatrics and the Emergency Department) Role Project manager What I love most about what I do is being able to turn an idea/plan into something real and tangible. When I’m not here, you can usually find me playing with my daughter. A phrase that describes me Service-oriented What I love about CCHMC is its appreciation for diversity. I was born in Flint, Michigan. The guiding principle of my life is to learn from others, extend yourself beyond your comfort zone, and as Ellen says, “be kind.” Person I admire most I find admirable qualities in many of the people I work with and am close to personally. People would never guess that I took Tae Kwon Do in college. What’s on my bucket list to travel the globe.
Department Materials Management Role Supply chain associate What I love most about what I do is delivering things that are essential to keep the medical center running. When I’m not here, you can usually find me with my family, probably at some all-you-can-eat restaurant. A phrase that describes me Social butterfly What I love about CCHMC is that it’s a whole different culture, full of special people doing their best to help sick children. I was born to make people smile and help them in any way possible. The guiding principle of my life is to enjoy life with my family and friends. Person I admire most is my wife, Edna Morales. She is a strong fighter and even during very difficult times and unfair situations, has been able to succeed. People would never guess that I moved from my native country, Puerto Rico, to Kentucky because my son needed a liver transplant. We came to CCHMC for his medical care.
Department Cancer Biology Role Research associate/ bioinformatician What I love most about what I do is coding and playing with big data. When I’m not here, you can usually find me at home, the gym or at the library or bookstore with my son. A phrase that describes me Family man What I love about CCHMC is the great people, research environment and supports. I was born in Seoul, South Korea. The guiding principle of my life is To every thing there is a season. Person I admire most is my son. People would never guess that I have a black belt in Taekwondo and can play the ukulele. What’s on my bucket list I’d like to buy a big, deepsk y telescope.
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thebuzz “Rt. Lt. Colonel Cornelia B. Callison, a genteel southern RN who taught that the care of the patient and family came first.” Anne Longo, RN, PhD, Center for Professional Excellence
“I tend to be very scheduled, organized and structured. My three
WHO HAS MADE THE
kids teach me every day to
BIGGEST DIFFERENCE
laugh more and to color outside the lines.”
IN YOUR LIFE — AND HOW? “My mother. She taught me to love unconditionally and
Mary Beth Nuss, Research Operations
accept others for who they are, despite any differences.” Mona Valentine, Liberty Campus/Radiology
“Dr. Beverly Connelly has made a big difference to me— providing me with education, excellent leadership by example, as well as a friendship I am
“My parents shaped
grateful for.”
me into the person I am today. They demonstrated some of life’s most important
Shelly Griffin, Facilities Management
values: love, spirituality, “Nurses Whitney Brady and Becky Baute, and Drs. Jim Greenberg and Pat Brady have provided me with career opportunities and mentored me towards achieving my goals.” Julie Zix, RN, Emergency and Critical Care Administration
360°
accomplishment, education and resilience.”
“My parents demonstrated that a
Mona Miliner, Home Care Services
strong work ethic and positive attitude are the keys to success. They often said the good things in life are earned— and well worth the effort.” Barb Dilbert, RN, Same Day Surgery
milestones 35
Congratulations to the following employees who celebrate milestone ser vice anniversaries in N O V E M B E R and D E C E M B E R !
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Laurie Grimme, Oncology
Pamela Buchanan, Hospital Billing Operations
Carolyn Horne, Food Services
Carrie Burns, Billing and Coding
Solomon Hughes, Veterinary Services
Deena Casey, Radiology
Kimberly Mollman, Accounting
Melinda Dighe, Interventional Radiology
Deborah Riddle, Pathology
Tina Tittle, Planning
Mike Sowers, Design/Construction/Space Management
Debbie Wilkerson, Access Services Guang Zhu, Pathology
30 Melvin Gordon, Radiology Maureen O’Sullivan, RN, Same Day Surgery Gregg Shelton, RRT, Epic Mar y Vetter, RN, Transport Timothy Weaver, PhD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology
See a complete list of milestone service anniversaries online in this week’s edition of CenterNews.
25 Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, PhD, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Diana Howard, Laboratory Informatics Renee Jackson, Adolescent Medicine Therese O’Flaher ty, RD, Nutrition Therapy Tammy Potts, RN, Otolaryngology Center Rober t Schultz, Building Maintenance Rene Shelton, RN, B4/Newborn Intensive Care Unit Renee Wieman, RD, Nutrition Therapy
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3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9012 Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026
Volunteer in the Spotlight Phyllis Kelsch has known her share of heartache. The retired educator from Pendleton County, KY, lost her husband to a major heart attack in 2000. Three years later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then she lost a wonderful nephew who was killed in a freak traffic accident on a foggy morning while driving to work. These challenges have deepened Kelsch’s faith and her sense of compassion for others in difficult circumstances. In March 2011, Kelsch’s youngest granddaughter was born with spina bifida and had the first of nine surgeries at Cincinnati Children’s to treat her condition. “When I retired in July of that year, I decided to start doing more things for others to show that you can get through tough times when life doesn’t seem fair,” she says.
Phyllis Kelsch Kelsch volunteers with Child Life in the Cancer and Blood Disorder Unit and in Guest Services every Tuesday. “As a volunteer, I see and hear so many tragic stories,” she says. “But you can’t let those circumstances bring you down. You may be a bright spot in the patient’s day. Sometimes the parents just need someone to listen, and the children want to get their minds off what they are going through. I try to be that outlet for both parties.” Kelsch recalls one little girl who requested a special toy. “I knew we didn’t have it in our department,” she says. “So I offered her a variety of other options, but she was set on that particular toy. Luckily, I was able to find it in another department. When I returned with it, she jumped from the exam table into my arms and said, ‘You found it!’ as she smiled from ear to ear. It may have been a small thing to do, but it was worth the effort to see her beautiful smile and get such a special hug.” Kelsch is inspired by the courage and compassion of the patients and families. “I learn so much from watching the parents interact with their children and witnessing their faith in God. We take so much for granted. These families need all the encouragement and support we can provide.”
a moment in history David Glass, MD, was recruited as the second director of the Division of Rheumatology in 1987. He established a basic research program that has become the nation’s leading center for the study of the role of genes in causing juvenile arthritis and other rheumatic disease in children. He later became associate director of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation. He passed away at age 70 on November 18, 2012.
1980s