Nicole Sanders shares how her participation in Shared Governance prepared her for her new position in quality improvement, and how opportunities like this can help nurses grow professionally and prepare them to take on new roles to advance patient care and outcomes. Read more
About 900 people packed into the auditorium at the University of Houston’s Student Center South on the evening of December 8 to attend Texas Children’s Second Annual Candle Lighting Ceremony, which remembers, honors, mourns and celebrates the lives of children gone from this world too soon.
Hosted by Texas Children’s Palliative Care Team (PACT), the ceremony was held in conjunction with the Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting Day, which unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour at 7 p.m. on the second Sunday in December in memory of children who have passed away. All families whose children died and were patients at Texas Children’s Hospital were invited to attend.
Prior to the event, the 700 plus family members shared a meal while the 60 plus children played in designated childcare rooms. During the ceremony, a slide show of those lost gave faces and names to those who have died, as did a display of paper hearts hung on trees at the front of the auditorium. Attendees were encouraged to write their child’s name on the hearts. Texas Children’s Vice President of Nursing Heather Cherry welcomed attendees and Jan Wheeler, a parent with Project Joy & Hope, shared an honest and encouraging reflection of her experience losing a child. Toward the end of the ceremony, five candles were lit at the front of the room – one for grief, another for courage and the rest for memories, love and hope.
Taryn Schuelke, the grief and bereavement specialist with the Palliative Care team and ceremony chair, said she is pleased so many families attended second annual candle lighting.
“We are honored to have known these children and to be able to honor them. It means the world to the families that we remember their children,” she said. “We also are thankful to have so many people who are willing to help make such a special remembrance happen.”
Some of those people and organizations include:
The Pediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT) is an interdisciplinary team comprised of attending physicians, physicians in training, advanced practice nurses, a nurse, chaplain, social worker, grief and bereavement specialist, research coordinator and administrators who work together to provide excellent palliative care to patients and their families across the Texas Children’s Institution.
The team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide care in either the inpatient or outpatient setting in partnership with other health care providers. The team also supports staff. Just last year, the program earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Palliative Care Certification, making Texas Children’s Palliative Care Program the first of its kind in Houston and one of only 90 across the United States to receive such a distinction. To learn more about the team, click here.
Patients and their families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women received a special visit from Santa Claus last week.
Dressed in his holiday best, Old Saint Nick brought some holiday spirit to families whose babies are in the NICU this time of year. Texas Children’s Hospital’s NICU is the largest in the nation and provides level IV care, the highest level available for premature and critically-ill newborns.
Santa’s visit was hosted by the Newborn Center Family Advisory Committee and First Memories Texas, a volunteer organization dedicated to helping families whose infants are in the NICU and CVICU at Texas Children’s celebrate, honor and tell their children’s stories through photography and album-making.
Texas Children’s kicked off the holiday season with all three hospitals hosting annual tree lighting ceremonies. The ceremonies included appearances from Santa and Mrs. Claus, caroling from local high school choirs, snow, crafts and much more. Employees also talked about what makes the holidays special in their person lives and at Texas Children’s. View more
The holidays are in full swing, and we want you to take precautions to stay healthy. Click on the graphic to see five ways you can protect yourself, your family and our patients from those dreaded bugs that circulate during the cold weather months.
As a Texas Children’s employee, it is important to make informed, thoughtful decisions about what you choose to post online. Learn more about how to be social media savvy. Read more
Hosted by Cox Media Group Houston, the two-day event will be held December 12 and 13 on the third floor of the Pavilion for Women near the Bistro Café.
Throughout the 48-hour period, people are encouraged to open their hearts and wallets in support of the radiothon while listening to radio personalities from The Eagle (106.9 & 107.5), Country Legends (97.1) and The New 93Q (92.9) interview patients, their families and many of our clinical experts.
Every dollar donated to the radiothon will help Texas Children’s continue to fulfill its mission to create a healthier future for children and women throughout our global community by leading in patient care, education and research. More specifically, the money will benefit Texas Children’s Cancer Center.
For more information about the Cox Media Group Houston Radiothon, click here.