January 11, 2017

11117texansspirit640Texas Children’s employees know how to show their team spirit!

Last week, several Houston Texans fans across the Texas Children’s system sported jerseys, shirts or team colors to support our home team, who, for the second year in a row, clenched the AFC South title and are now in the playoffs.

On January 7, in front of a home crowd of 71,790, the Houston Texans defeated the Oakland Raiders 27-14 in the AFC Wild Card game to advance to the next round of the NFL playoffs. The Houston Texans will continue the postseason with a trip to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional round. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 13, at Gillette Stadium.

To continue our support of the team, Texas Children’s employee fans are encouraged to wear Texans jerseys, shirts or team colors on Friday, January 13, and Saturday, January 14. Khakis or similar slacks may be worn but no denim jeans, as we wish to present a spirited yet professional appearance to our patients and their families.

The Houston Texans organization has been an incredible partner for Texas Children’s. Together with their enthusiastic players, cheerleaders and TORO, we continue to reach thousands of children in our local communities through fun and educational camps, school programs, special hospital visits and appearances.

As we cheer on the Houston Texans, especially in this Saturday’s game with the New England Patriots, please share with us examples of your team spirit! Send photos of you and your co-workers in your Texans gear to HR Communications at dialogue@texaschildrens.org.

January 10, 2017

11117kidstriinside300

The 50 complimentary spots offered below have been filled. If your child would still like to participate, you can register them at the link below for $50 per child.

http://www.houstontexans.com/kids/triathlon/registration.html

 

Want to help build a generation of healthy, active children? Sign them up for the 2017 Houston Texans Kids Triathlon and Texas Children’s Hospital will pay their registration fee.

As the event’s presenting sponsor, the hospital will foot the bill for 50 children of employees to participate in the event slated for May 20 and 21 at NRG Stadium. The complimentary registrations are not retroactive, therefore if you have already signed up for the event, we cannot provide a reimbursement.

Drawing more than 3,000 participants ages 6 to 15, the event is expected to be the largest USATriathlon sanctioned kids triathlon in the world for the fourth consecutive year.

Click here for more information and here to watch a video of last year’s event.

If you are interested in receiving one of the complimentary spots, please fill out this form and submit it to Alexandra Comerota at alexandra.comerota@houstontexans.com. The deadline to use these complimentary registrations is Wednesday, March 1, so don’t delay!

January 4, 2017

1517newparentemployeesupportgroup250Having a new baby is a life-changing experience, filled with both joy and challenges. For many new and seasoned parents, a baby can bring unexpected difficulty and stress as they adjust to new family dynamics and feeding routines.

During such times in early parenthood, social support can help parents manage their stress, feel more confident in their parenting abilities as they discover new information, and share common experiences and knowledge.

To help support our many new parent employees, Texas Children’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), in partnership with The Women’s Place at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, is debuting a new parent employee support group, beginning Wednesday, January 4.

“During my pregnancy, I researched a neighborhood mothers’ group, but when talking to a colleague here, she encouraged me instead to reach out to her friend in another department,” said Vice President of Human Resources Catherine Codispoti. “That’s when I realized we have a fantastic parent support group right here at Texas Children’s.

“Many of our colleagues who work with us every day have struggled with similar parenthood issues/concerns, and as a community, we have an unbelievable wealth of first-hand wisdom and knowledge on how to balance major life commitments such as families, careers, friendships, and communities.”

The new parent employee support group is an open forum and welcomes all Texas Children’s employees who are new parents. The group will meet from noon to 1 p.m. every Wednesday at The Women’s Place in Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women. Employees do not have to register and there is no cost – simply complete these two short forms and bring them along to your first meeting. Paper copies will also be available when you check in at The Women’s Place.

In addition to the group meeting, parents also can join the online community on Yammer to ask questions and share resources with fellow colleagues. Contact Texas Children’s Information Services help desk at ext. 4-3512, option 2 to get a Yammer account and join the “New Parent Employee Group.”

1517patientexperience640When Brande Nester’s son, Bennett, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor at 18 months old, his diagnosis meant frequent visits and prolonged hospital stays for treatment at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“My son was diagnosed with pineal pilocytic astrocytoma,” Nester said. “The type of brain tumor is very common but the location of his tumor is very rare since it is located in the middle of his brain.”

After his cancer diagnosis in 2011, Bennett and his family had been in and out of Texas Children’s, sometimes spending up to six weeks at the hospital. But through all the ups and downs, it was the compassionate care and support from his care team that made all the difference to Bennett and his family.

Nester recalls a time when her son spent Christmas in his hospital bed at Texas Children’s.

“All of the nurses on the oncology floor were wonderful and tried to make us feel at home,” Nester said. “They helped decorate his room and some were dressed up in their holiday attire. There were so many volunteers and donors coming in with gifts for Bennett which made it extra special for him and for us.”

Just like any parent of a sick child, the emotional and financial stresses were taking a toll on the Nesters who had to juggle time off from work to be with their son for his chemotherapy treatments. But Texas Children’s staff alleviated much of their burdens and made sure they were comfortable throughout their hospital stay.

“Every time we’ve been an inpatient here, they’ve all been so wonderful,” Nester said. “They made sure we had the resources we needed. If we were tired, especially when our son was here the first time, they made sure we had a room at Ronald McDonald House so we could rest and take a shower. Whatever we needed, they’ve always watched out for us.”

Today, 6-year-old Bennett is doing well. After undergoing several unsuccessful rounds of chemotherapy, he completed proton radiation in February 2015 which significantly has shrunk the tumor in his brain.

“The tumor is stable now, so we’re just going to continue with MRIs every four months, and as long as no new symptoms present themselves, he’s going about his life as a normal child,” Nester said.

As a way to give back to Texas Children’s, Nester has partnered each year with Build A Bear to distribute bears to sick patients at Texas Children’s. When Bennett was in the hospital, one of the gifts that he received was from two sisters who had lost a sibling to cancer. They had given him a Build a Bear and his eyes lit up. Nester told her husband, “If we’re lucky enough to leave this hospital, I want to do this next year. We’re going to pay it forward.”

Since the launch of Bennett’s Bears in 2012, the Nesters have donated more than 8,000 Build a Bears to Texas Children’s patients.

“Half of the time, I just look at the parents just to see their expression because they haven’t seen their child smile in a very long time,” Nester said. “It’s so rough having your child in that hospital bed knowing they can’t get up. If your child smiles for that one little second, it is a wonderful experience for the parent.”

122716toby350pgTexas Children’s patients were recently treated to a friendly visit from a guest therapy dog named Toby. During his stay, the 160-pound white and brown fur ball let patients pet, pat and hug his thick neck. His presence garnered smiles and a lot of wows.

The St. Bernard’s owners, Stanley D. Stearns, Jr. and Judith Stearns, stopped by Texas Children’s Hospital on December 14 to share Toby with the children and to deliver the first installment of a half-a- million-dollar donation to the Cancer Center.

The Stearns family made the donation in support of the hospital’s Osteosarcoma Research Program. Osteosarcoma is an aggressive bone cancer that often times is deadly in children and adults. Texas Children’s is performing cutting edge research on osteosarcoma and has made significant inroads into better understanding the biology of this devastating disease.

“We are thrilled that Mr. and Mrs. Stearns have decided to work with us and donate to this critically important cause,” said Dr. David Poplack, director of Texas Children’s Cancer Center. “This will greatly help in our quest to perform cutting edge research for this disease.”

Toby and the Stearns live in Houston, Texas and Gig Harbor, Washington and began their interest in osteosarcoma when their last St. Bernard, Gabriel, passed away from canine osteosarcoma. To learn more about Toby and what services he provides, visit his Facebook page.

December 13, 2016

When Desiree Bradley delivered her daughter, she wasn’t sure how long the little girl would survive due to an extremely rare genetic disorder called Jarcho-Levin Syndrome, which affects the spine, ribs and respiratory system. Nine years later, however, Deonc Bradley is a sassy, joyful girl who can periodically be seen bouncing down the halls of Texas Children’s Hospital, where she sees 13 different specialists for her condition.

“If Deonc was cared for anywhere else but Texas Children’s Hospital, I truly believe she would not be here,” Desiree said. “So anything I can do to help Texas Children’s be the best place it can be, I’m willing to come out here and do.”

The Bradley family was one of several patient families that participated in the 2016 Texas Children’s Radiothon. Hosted by Cox Media Group Houston, the two-day event was held December 1 and 2 on the third floor of the Pavilion for Women near the Bistro Café.

Throughout the 48-hour period, people opened their hearts and their wallets donating $655,039 to 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.

Texas Children’s employees gave $4,000 to the cause. Executive leadership matched those donations and added their own bringing the total amount given by Texas Children’s employees to $7,000. The Snowdrop Foundation – which was started by Kevin Kline with The Q Morning Zoo on The New 93Q, made a donation of $150,000. The foundation is dedicated to assisting patients and families at Texas Children’s Cancer Center through funding for continued research to eliminate childhood cancer and scholarships for college bound pediatric cancer patients and survivors.

“This event makes a huge difference, and it tells our story,” said Jennifer Smart, a manager in the Office of Development and the program director for the hospital’s Children’s Miracle Network Program. “We couldn’t do it without them, so of course, we’re very appreciative of that.”

View a photo gallery from the event below.

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, the Pediatric Tower expansion and the new campus Texas Children’s is building in The Woodlands.

Christi Brooks with the New 93Q and Country Legends 97.1 has participated in the radiothon since its inception and said she’s met so many families over the years who have been touched by the “miracles” that happen every day at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“Thank God we have a facility like Texas Children’s Hospital here in our back yard,” she said. “This really is truly an amazing place of miracles.”

Desiree agreed and said Texas Children’s is her and Deonc’s home away from home.

“It’s a very special place, and until you step in these walls, you don’t understand just how special this place really is.”

121416ambassadorspg640On December 1, more than 250 revelers gathered at the home of Judy and Glenn Smith for the inaugural Ambassadors for Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands Holiday Party.

Catered by Jackson & Company, guests were welcomed to the fête by an abundance of holiday décor capturing the season’s spirit. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were passed before guests made their way outside to a lavish, heated tent adorned with chandeliers and greenery for remarks and dinner.

Michelle Riley-Brown, president of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, welcomed attendees and shared the success of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands’ outpatient services thus far. Following personal remarks from Glenn Smith, a check for more than $1 million was presented to Riley-Brown on behalf of Ambassadors for Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands.

The hospital’s inpatient services, including the emergency center, will open in April 2017.