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December 19, 2025

The holiday spirit radiated across the fourth floor of the Medical Center Pavilion as Texas Children’s team members gathered for the second annual Employee Tree Stroll. The moment they stepped into the space, our team members were surrounded by a wonderland of creative trees that brought smiles to their faces.

Designed through J&J Flooring’s Helping Hands™ initiative, the two-foot decorated trees reflected the imagination and care of designers and architects from across Greater Houston. From playful pop-culture favorites to nostalgic childhood themes, each tree was thoughtfully crafted for patients spending the holiday season in the hospital.

Talented carolers from the Houston Grand Opera filled the air with seasonal melodies, while the sweet scent of hot cocoa drifted through the Pavilion. Employees strolled from tree to tree, snapping photos, sharing laughs and soaking in the festive atmosphere. After the stroll, the trees were delivered to patients’ rooms, offering children and families a warm holiday touch during their stay.

The event’s impact was reflected not only in the decorations but also in the voices of those who make moments like these possible. Leaders and staff shared why the event holds special meaning for the hospital.

“This is a tremendous event for us and one of the best things we do all year,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dan DiPrisco. “We’re so grateful to J&J Flooring for providing 249 trees for our patients to enjoy in their rooms. No one wants to be in the hospital over the holidays, and being able to pick out a tree helps make their stay feel a bit more like home.”

Child Life Activity Coordinator and lead organizer of the event Nelly Woodward said, “This event is so special because it allows our patients to have a little space of their own to continue holiday traditions with their families, even while at our hospital.”

“I loved seeing the variety of trees created for our patients,” Perioperative Nurse Sophia Bailey added. “Each one is a little spark of joy that helps brighten their holiday season.”

The Employee Tree Stroll is more than a holiday event. It’s a meaningful pause in a busy season and a chance to connect, reflect and celebrate the joy of giving. Most of all, it’s a reminder of the hospital’s core mission: caring for patients and families, especially when it matters most.

View the photos capturing the wonderland of trees below!

International Business Development Specialist Claudia Flores-Smith knew her 14-year-old son Camilo, who is an athlete, was in good hands when he was treated at our hospital as a baby for a stroke that later led to cerebral palsy. Claudia’s trust in our doctors laid the foundation for the ongoing support Camilo has received throughout his medical journey here.

Every step of Camilo’s progress has been fueled by the relentless dedication of our physicians, therapists and exercise specialists from the Texas Children’s The Woodlands Motion Analysis and Human Performance Laboratory. Thanks to their expert care, he’s able to do what he loves most —playing sports— in hopes of one day competing in the Paralympics.

“I felt grateful to be part of the team at Texas Children’s,” Claudia said. “I have been working here for 27 years. As a mother, it was very comforting to know that Camilo was being seen by our doctors, by Texas Children’s doctors, who are the very best doctors in the nation.”

Click here to watch the video about how our caring providers are helping Claudia’s son on his journey to overcoming cerebral palsy and achieving his athletic dreams.

December 15, 2025

As we wrap up sharing our new HEART Values badge backers and U.S. News & World Report badge reels across Texas Children’s, Medical Center team members are invited to pick up theirs beginning Monday, December 15. These items celebrate our shared pride and serve as a reminder of how our HEART values drive excellence every day. 
 
Medical Center Pick-Up Details 
 
Dates: Monday, December 15 – Friday, January 2 
 
Badge reels and backers will be available in clearly marked baskets at the security desks in the following Medical Center locations: 

• West Tower — 1st Floor Security Desk 

• Feigin Tower — 1st Floor Security Desk 

• Legacy Tower — 1st Floor Security Desk 

• Pavilion for Women — 1st Floor Security Desk 

• Pavilion Tower 2 — 3rd Floor Security Desk 

• NRI — 1st Floor Security Desk 

• Meyer Building – Across from 1^st Floor Security Desk 

All Other Locations 
 
Distribution for community hospitals, TCP practices, Specialty Care and Urgent Care practices, Texas Children’s Health Plan, and support buildings has been coordinated locally and is either already completed or underway. 
 
Please check with your local leaders for pickup details at those sites. 
 
A Quick Reminder 
These items are for team members. You are welcome to pick up items for your unit, but please avoid keeping a backstock so all colleagues can share in the pride. 
 
Distribution Questions? Contact Texas Children’s Communications. 
 
Thank you for living our HEART values each day and for the pride you bring to Texas Children’s. 

 

When a premature newborn born in May at the North Austin Campus developed neonatal kidney injury (AKI) earlier this year, the Level IV NICU care team faced an extraordinary challenge. To support the infant’s tiny, fragile system, they turned to an advanced technology rarely used outside of major pediatric hospitals: the cardio-renal pediatric dialysis emergency machine known as Carpediem™. 

Designed specifically for newborns and infants who are too small for standard dialysis machines, Carpediem™ allows providers to deliver continuous renal replacement therapy at a scale safe for even the smallest patients. For Austin, it marked the first time a baby received this treatment locally. The achievement brought together specialists from multiple disciplines across the hospital. 

A New Level of Collaboration 
Amy Gunderson, one of the NICU nurses who cared for the baby, said the experience highlighted how vital clear communication and shared trust are in complex cases. 

“There are so many machines and monitors in play that it can be overwhelming for parents,” Amy said. “Part of our job is helping them understand what each one does, so they feel included in their baby’s care.” 

Amy and her NICU colleagues worked closely with ECMO specialists and dialysis nurses to monitor every detail of the infant’s care. “It’s not just about what one person does,” she said. “When you have a small, tight-knit group that communicates well, you can take on something this complex with confidence.” 

Specialized Support at Every Step 
Respiratory therapist and ECMO specialist Rachel Snellenberger played a key role in managing the circulatory side of care. Her experience with life-support systems provided crucial insight into how to safely maintain blood flow through the Carpediem™ circuit. 

“With Carpediem™, the volumes are so small that even minor changes matter. We’re constantly checking anticoagulation levels, looking for air bubbles and helping the bedside nurses troubleshoot,” Rachel explained. 

Rachel described the case as a true collaboration. “We all rely on each other’s eyes and skills,” she said. “The NICU nurses know these babies best, and the renal team understands the machine’s nuances. It takes everyone working together.” 

Engineering Care for the Smallest Patients 
For Yadira Muñoz, a dialysis nurse with more than 20 years of experience, the experience was both familiar and entirely new. 

“Carpediem™ resembles a regular hemodialysis machine, but it’s smaller and designed for babies based on their exact weight,” she said. “We’re able to do safely for infants what we used to only do for bigger kids or adults.” 

Before beginning treatment, the Austin dialysis and NICU teams spent hours in training, practicing simulations and troubleshooting with the equipment manufacturer. “We got a really good in-service,” Yadira recalled. “They walked us through everything so that when the time came, we were ready. We followed every step, and the treatments went safely.” 

As with any first-time procedure, there were challenges that required quick thinking and open communication. “There was a lot of troubleshooting,” she said. “We’d all put our brains together—nurses, physicians, ECMO specialists—to figure out what might be causing an alarm or pressure change. Everyone communicated constantly, and we kept each other updated.” 

Learning and Leading Together 
Across every shift and discipline, teamwork defined the experience. Yadira said input from each role shaped treatment decisions: “The NICU nurses would tell us, ‘The machine runs better when he’s on his left side,’ or ‘He gets cold when the treatment goes longer.’ That kind of information helps us adjust flow rates or temperature. It’s all connected.” 

Rachel agreed, noting how the Austin campus fosters collaboration. “Everyone is willing to help,” she said. “If you have a question, someone will stop and work through it with you. It’s a learning environment for all of us.” 

For Amy, those relationships and shared moments of problem-solving made the experience deeply meaningful. “You see how everyone’s expertise comes together for one purpose: to give a fragile baby the best chance we can,” she said. 

A Milestone for Austin 
For the Austin team, the successful use of the Carpediem™ system represents a technical milestone and reaffirmation of our mission and culture. 

“It gives me a sense of accomplishment to know we can do this here,” Yadira said. “If another baby needs this treatment, we’ll be ready.” 

As the Austin campus continues to grow, the collaboration among its nurses and specialists will continue to define an identity that is rooted in expertise, teamwork and compassionate care for every child. 

Our Kidney (Renal) Services team made a strong impact at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2025, the world’s premier kidney meeting that brings together thousands of clinicians, scientists and researchers to share groundbreaking advances in nephrology.

The annual gathering serves as a vital platform for exchanging new discoveries, discussing emerging therapies and strengthening collaborations that ultimately shape the future of kidney care. Our physicians, advanced practice providers, dietitians and fellows on the Kidney (Renal) Services team helped drive these conversations forward by sharing new research and clinical insights in pediatric nephrology.

Chief of Renal Service Dr. Michael Braun said, “This meeting highlighted the tremendous work that our entire care team is doing to impact the lives of children with kidney disease.”

“It also highlights the exceptional collaborative environment that exists with our critical care medicine colleagues at Texas Children’s Hospital,” he added.

Members of the team delivered a wide range of oral presentations, chaired sessions and poster presentations, underscoring the depth and breadth of expertise within the transformative program.

Presentations at ASN Kidney Week 2025 included:

• Molly Vega, PhD, Renal Dietitian, Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Nephrology
  Oral Presentation: “Early Enteral Failure Predicts Survival in Children Receiving CRRT”

• Jessica Geer, MSN, CPNP-PC, CNN-NP, RN, Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Nephrology
  Oral Presentation: “Decisions for Youngsters Moving from Pediatric and Adult Kidney Care”

• Ayse A. Arikan, MD
  Session Chair: “AKI and Hepatorenal Syndrome: Diagnosis, Management and Treatment”

• Sameer Thadani, MD
  Posters:

  • “Burden of Intradialytic Hypotension in Acute Dialysis in Pediatric Patients”

  • “Ultrafiltration Thresholds Associated with Intradialytic Hypotension in Children Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis”

  • “Machine Learning–Based Fluid Trajectories and Associated Outcomes in Critically Ill Children”

• Allison Giglio, Second-Year Nephrology Fellow
  Poster: “Hypertension Resolution Following Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in a Pediatric Population in Texas” 

• Bianca Saenz, Third-Year Nephrology Fellow
  Poster: “A Case Report of Focal Glomerulosclerosis-like Features and Proteinuria in an Adolescent with Unilateral Renal Artery Stenosis”

• Sal Maffei, Critical Care Nephrology Clinical Instructor
  Poster: “A Clinical Decision Support System for Community-Acquired AKI in Children: Maintenance Phase”

• Molly Vega, Renal Dietitian
  Poster: “Secondary Carnitine Deficiency and Supplementation: Prevalence of High-Risk Children Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis”

• Jordan Marquess, Third-Year Nephrology Fellow
  Poster: “Prevalence and Timing of AKI in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation”
   

In addition to attending the national meeting, the team hosted the Pediatric Paracorporeal and Extracorporeal Therapies Summit. The event included discussions on maternal and neonatal acute kidney injury, extracorporeal support, patient-centered outcomes and emerging research priorities in pediatric critical care nephrology.

Both events highlighted our Kidney (Renal) Services team’s leadership on a local and national scale. These team members not only produce high-impact research, but they also help shape the direction of pediatric kidney care, advance multidisciplinary collaboration and drive innovations that improve outcomes for patients.

Texas Children’s is proud to announce that our HEART in Action program has earned Gold in the 2025 Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards in the category of Excellence in Action – Organizational Teamwork and Collaboration.

Often referred to as the Academy Awards of human capital management, the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards honor organizations around the world for standout achievements in learning, leadership development, and culture transformation.

This year, Texas Children’s stands among global Gold winners such as Ernst & Young, KPMG, AstraZeneca, GE HealthCare and Google.

This recognition reflects the strength and impact of HEART in Action and the incredible collaboration it took to bring our values to life across the system. With over 98% of our team members completing HEART in Action sessions, this achievement belongs to all of us.

Thank you for continuing to champion our values and for helping shape a culture that truly sets Texas Children’s apart.

To learn more, visit the full winners list: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/winners/.