October 3, 2017

Last week, NASA astronauts and a Roscosmos cosmonaut from its international partners worked hand-in-hand on a beautiful art project with the bravest heroes of all, patients at Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

As part of NASA’s Spacesuit Art Project and the Periwinkle Arts In Medicine program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, NASA astronauts Jack Fischer, Nicole Stott, Mike Foreman, Doug Wheelock and Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut Nikolay iTikhonov spent the morning with the children painting on fabric pieces that will be used to create the VICTORY and EXPLORATION art spacesuits.

“The opportunity to work with NASA and its international partners on this incredible project is such an honor,” said Carol Herron, Periwinkle Arts In Medicine program coordinator at Texas Children’s Cancer Center. “For our patients to create amazing art with these amazing astronauts and then see their work in space will be truly inspiring.”

The EXPLORATION suit, the fourth spacesuit of the Spacesuit Art Project, one of the two spacesuits worked on last week, can be seen on permanent display in the following months at Space Center Houston, NASA’s Johnson Space Center visitor center.

View photos from last week’s event, including a shot of one of the spacesuits below.

The VICTORY spacesuit, the fifth spacesuit created, symbolizes the end of the cancer journey, something every staff member, patient and family at Texas Children’s Cancer Center strives for. Getting each patient to that moment where they ring the end-of-treatment bell is everyone’s goal – the ultimate victory.

The VICTORY spacesuit cover is planned to be worn on the outside of a Russian Orlan Spacesuit and is planned to be jettisoned into space from the International Space Station during a Russian spacewalk later in 2018 as the first ever orbiting art exhibit in space.

You can follow the Spacesuit Art Project’s progress on Social Media at:

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/spacesuitart/
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+SpacesuitprojectOrg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spacesuitart

More about the NASA Spacesuit Art Project:
The Spacesuit Art Project began in Houston through a partnership between NASA, the Arts in Medicine program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and spacesuit company ILC Dover to help raise awareness to the issues surrounding childhood cancer and to reveal the positive connection between the arts and the healing process. The project has grown into a global collaboration of the five international space agencies that built the International Space Station and pediatric cancer patients and hospital’s Arts in Medicine Programs from the respective partner countries in the United States, Canada, Russia, Europe, and Japan. It continues to grow globally with this Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Periwinkle Foundation event, and with more and more hospital participation around the world. The Project brings childhood cancer patients, their families, doctors, hospital staff, International scientists, engineers, astronauts and cosmonauts together through this unique endeavor. It is an amazing story of human triumph and hope by combining science, technology, the arts, and the indomitable human spirit. The spacesuits are a stunningly beautiful representation of what can happen when art, science, and the healing process unite. All of the spacesuit replicas travel to events, museums, conferences and other relevant places as a communications tool to help to raise awareness to the issues surrounding childhood cancer.

The Periwinkle Arts In Medicine program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center has been dedicated to bringing the healing power of the arts to patients throughout their cancer journey for over 20 years. To learn more about the program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, visit txch.org/arts-in-medicine.

More than 50 children got to put their fishing skills to test at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus during Way Fish Day.

Sponsored by Way Companies, a local energy management solutions business, and organized by Child Life, the event featured a makeshift pond full of fish ready to be caught by eager, excited children with fishing poles.

Over the span of two hours, 62 patients at West Campus each caught a fish, releasing them back into the “pond” shortly afterward.

For some it was another chance to do something they love. For others, it was a shot at trying something new.

September 26, 2017

Each fall, we ask that you get vaccinated against the flu virus to not only protect yourself but to protect those around you. We know that our employees are instinctively driven to do the right thing for our patients and that means getting vaccinated against the flu every year.

Here’s what to expect for 2017.

Flu season details
  • NEW – Upon vaccination, staff will receive a 2017-2018 flu season sticker to place on their badges.
  • Flu vaccines will become available at our flu vaccination events beginning Tuesday, September 26. See Required Influenza Vaccination Policy and Procedure for more details.
  • Employee Health will be administering free flu vaccines to Texas Children’s employees, medical staff, volunteers, and Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities. Click here for the BCM Occupational Health Program schedule.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts this year’s flu season will begin in October. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protecting against flu and its potentially serious complications. To learn more about our upcoming flu season, click here.
Vaccine administration

Prior to receiving your vaccine, Texas Children’s employees are to complete their Flu Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal. Click here for portal instructions.

This process greatly reduced the wait times for flu vaccination last year as well as eliminated the need to scan or fax the flu consent forms to Employee Health.

Thank you in advance for doing the right thing and receiving your flu vaccine!
Note: Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities will continue to complete paper consent forms when they receive the flu vaccine.

September 12, 2017

Each year in September, Texas Children’s Cancer Center goes gold to honor the courageous journeys of our patients and families who have been touched by pediatric cancer and to create awareness about the challenges these children and their loved ones face. It is also a special time to honor the Cancer Center’s staff and everyone involved in the care and support of those who come to Texas Children’s seeking our aid.

Today, you will hear from patients, family members, doctors and other medical staff as they explain why they Go Gold in September and what makes raising awareness about pediatric cancer so important. Throughout the month, there are several events scheduled across the organization geared toward raising awareness about childhood cancer. Some of those event are listed below. Please check the Connect calendar and the Cancer Center’s Facebook page for additional details.

Upcoming cancer awareness activities:

  • September 7-30 – Smart Financial Center in Sugar Land will be lit gold
  • September 12 at 10 a.m. – Main Campus Going Gold Parade/Ribbon Tying and Purple Songs Can Fly Book release in clinic
  • September 16-19 – Houston City Hall will be lit gold
  • September 16 – Sickle Cell Education and Research Day and Purple Songs Can Fly book release at River Oaks Bookstore
  • September 20 at 10 a.m. – The Woodlands Going Gold Parade and Ribbon Tying Event
  • September 21 at 10 a.m. – West Campus Going Gold Parade and Ribbon Tying Event
  • September 25-29 – Global Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) Awareness Week (concluding with September 29 as “Sport purple for platelets day”)
  • September 27-28 – Ewing Sarcoma Conference

To learn more about Texas Children’s Cancer Center, click here.

September 11, 2017

It’s hard to believe that less than a week ago Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Greater Houston area dumping foot after foot of rain into our communities’ streets, homes and businesses. Since then, people across the region – including many employees at Texas Children’s – have been working around the clock to try and put their lives back together again.

Many of those directly affected by the storm are looking for help, and many of those who were spared by the storm’s wrath are more than willing to lend a helping hand. As you move forward with your recovery efforts, please remember there are guidelines Texas Children’s employees must follow when seeking and receiving aid.

One most important guideline to note pertains to the use of the Texas Children’s name and/or logo. Using the organization’s name and/or logo is not allowed when soliciting funds or other types of help unless the request is done in an official capacity. Therefore, individual employees should not mention Texas Children’s or their employment with the organization when seeking aid whether it be via an email to colleagues, a GoFundMe page, an Amazon Wish List or a post on social media.

Additional guidelines about giving and accepting gifts in your role at Texas Children’s can be found here.

“We understand that many of our employees are suffering due to the storm and are in need of help, however it is important that everyone follows our policy to not use the Texas Children’s name or logo in any way other than in an official capacity,” said Director of Risk Management Melissa Murrah. “There are many other ways to seek help and offer aid, such as donating to our Employee Financial Assistance Fund.”

Many Hurricane Harvey relief opportunities can be found here and include ways to donate money to employees affected by the storm, how to apply for employee assistance funds and an Employee Resource Network developed to help employees with needs related to Hurricane Harvey and connect with employees who would like to volunteer their services of a resource.

If you have a question about giving or receiving gifts pertaining to the storm, please contact Compliance and Privacy (ext. 4-2085 or compliance@texaschildrens.org).

September 8, 2017

Some Texas Children’s patients recently got the chance to kick off the upcoming Houston Texans season right by attending a special event near the Choo-Choo Hut just inside the entrance of the Abercrombie Building.

On the count of three, the children peeled a sheet of paper off of the large glass windows that encases the intricate model train exhibit. Behind the window was an exhibit transformed into a Texans wonderland.

See photos from the event below.

“Oh, my goodness!” screamed 8-year-old Alejandro Mendoza as he pointed to a pile of footballs inside one of the trains carriages. “Wow!”

In addition to getting an up-close-and-personal look at the train decked out in Texans helmets, flags, banners, footballs and more, patients got to visit with two Texans cheerleaders, Ana Karen and Alexys, as well as Toro, the Texans lively mascot.

Dressed in her Texans cheerleading outfit, 6-year-old Claire Kochenowermet was especially excited about seeing Toro, one of the only Houston sports mascots she hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting.

After posing for a photo with Toro, Claire bashfully nodded her head when she was asked if she was enjoying herself. Her mother, Jodie Kochenowermet, said it was nice to see her daughter smiling and having fun.

Alejandro’s mother, Maria Sanchez, said her son has been at Texas Children’s for a month and does not get the opportunity to leave his room very often. So, to see him not only get to leave his room, but to do so for such a special event “feels really good.”

Don Bozman, the professional model builder hired to construct the train at Texas Children’s Hospital, still helps manage the maintenance of the train and attended last week’s event.

“The smiles on the faces of the patients and their families is what keeps me wanting to do this,” Bozman said. “It’s great to see them all so happy.”

Come check out the train yourself! It will be decorated in Texans gear until Halloween.

Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands had an excellent turnout of families at its first celebration of Kids Eat Right Month.

Working together, Food and Nutrition, and Clinical Nutrition Services encouraged children and their families to create and enjoy their own food art. Children learned how to make their own snails, butterflies, or banana race boats using healthy foods.

Chef Luis also prepared an edible rainbow of colors to remind children the importance of eating various types of foods. Even the pickiest eaters couldn’t resist!

Educational material and hands-on learning opportunities also were available to help teach kids how to build a healthy plate.