April 10, 2018

Texas Children’s employees and Houston-area residents came out in full force to participate in the sixth annual Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Marathon Foundation Family Fun Run at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

On April 7, more than thousands of people of all abilities participated in the non-competitive 1K and 3K courses. Following the race, participants enjoyed the H-E-B sponsored Family Fun Zone, which was packed with snacks, entertainment and 40-plus attractions.

Houston Marathon Announcer Mark Purnell kept everyone energized in his role as master of ceremonies cheering on the crowd and announcing any and all special guests, including Dr. Daren Molina with Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus Sports Medicine and members of the Texas Children’s Ukulele Choir. Prior to the race, Molina led runners and walkers in some warm-up stretches and exercises and members of the Ukulele Choir sang the National Anthem.

“Everyone had a great time at West Campus’ sixth annual Family Fun Run,” said Matt Timmons, director of business operations and support services at West Campus. “All morning, families had fun with each other and got some exercise.”

Sara Montenegro, assistant vice president at West Campus, said participants also learned about and connected with local vendors and resources.

“We really see this Family Fun Run as a way to bring our community together,” Montenegro said. “We want to be a valued partner and resource for this community and our annual Family Fun Run is just a fun way to bring our community together and highlight the importance of adopting active, healthy lifestyles.”

Get a first-hand look at the fun by:
Viewing a photo gallery of the event below.
Taking a look at our Facebook photo album from Saturday.
Don’t forget about the second annual Family Fun Run event at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. It will be on Saturday, May 5 and will offer a 1-mile course. Post-race activities will follow. Click here to register and learn more about the upcoming event.

April 3, 2018

Now that there are officially two lively golden retrievers walking the halls of Texas Children’s Hospital Medical Center Campus, the Pawsitive Play program has become everything our president and CEO expected and more.

Bailey, the hospital’s newest service dog, was recently welcomed by Mark Wallace and his wife, Shannon. The Wallaces donated Bailey as a gift to Texas Children’s in memory of their beloved dog, Cadence, after making the rounds with the hospital’s first therapy dog, Elsa, and realizing that being a service dog was a lot of work.

“This is a massive organization, and lots of different buildings and hundreds and hundreds of really, really, sick patients,” Wallace said. “So Shannon said we need to sponsor a second Pawsitive Play service dog, and I said OK, let’s do it.”

Their generous pledge and initial $80,000 contribution to the program will enable Texas Children’s to hire more animal-assisted therapy coordinators and therapy dog teams specifically trained to provide therapeutic interventions to patients and families in Legacy Tower.

The Pawsitive Play program began in December 2015 with a generous donation from the Shackouls family.

“It is our hope that the support and love these therapy animals provide will help countless children in making their treatment and recovery journeys brighter,” Bobby and Judy Shackouls said. “We look forward to watching this program grow into something even bigger because every child, no matter their age, gender, background or health condition, deserves to feel the unconditional love and comfort these animals can provide throughout the healing process.”

Bailey, like Elsa and other therapy dogs, offers distraction and motivation to patients undergoing certain medical procedures. However, it’s not just her that aids in this process. Bailey’s handler, Adair Galanski is a Texas Children’s child life specialist who collaborates with medical teams, and physical and occupational therapists to visit with five to 10 patients each day who are having a particularly difficult time during their hospitalization.

“As much as I love my job, and think I’m good at what I do, I can never have that same connection with families that Bailey brings,” Galanski said. “Bailey is that peacemaker and that bridge for us to be able to really connect with kids who might not want to connect through words, but can connect through her.”

Although Bailey has already started seeing heart and critical care patients, she was hired to work specifically in the hospital’s newest expansion, Legacy Tower. The doors of the first phase of Legacy Tower will open to patients, families, and employees like Bailey on Tuesday, May 22.

As soon as the Wallace’s laid eyes on Bailey they knew they had made the right decision and look forward to many more furry friends joining our team in the future.

“These wonderful dogs are adding a lot to the culture of the hospital,” Wallace said.

March 27, 2018

Hundreds of children recently gathered with hospital staff at Texas Children’s Main, West and The Woodlands campuses to participate in one of the medical system’s most popular events – the annual Teddy Bear Clinic.

During the clinic, children are given the opportunity to act out the roles of various health care staff such as doctors, nurses, therapists and technicians. Children pretend to perform a variety of tests, exams and therapies to diagnosis their Teddy bear’s symptoms and heal its body.

Hosted by Child Life to celebrate national Child Life Week, the event celebrates our patients and families and how the intimate world of play is used to encourage children’s learning and support children’s coping.

This was the first year for the Teddy Bear Clinic to be held at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. On March 24, employees from more than 20 departments and units filled the hospital’s main lobby with medical equipment, games and activities. About 250 bears were handed out to children, who learned about each of the hospital’s departments. Members of the community, including Kona Ice provided by The Junior League of The Woodlands, chick-fil-A College Park, and Aon employees, joined in on the fun.

Texas Children’s marked the beginning of an exciting chapter in its history this month with the opening of Texas Children’s Urgent Care Westgate, the first Texas Children’s location in Austin. In preparation for the grand opening, welcoming and onboarding new members of our One Amazing Team in the capital city was a top priority.

Our new team members in Austin experienced Texas Children’s Hi for their first day on February 15, learning about the organization’s mission, core values and unique culture.

All materials at Texas Children’s Hi were presented with a celebratory feel, highlighting our distinct history and significant achievements, as well as Texas Children’s innovative future. At the end of their day, our new employees graduated from orientation with a sense of pride about being part of our one-of-a-kind organization.

“Part of the infinite passion you saw at Texas Children’s during the interview process is nothing compared to what you’ll see and experience here every single day. I know this first hand because I am a returning Texas Children’s employee,” said Hannah Pataky, Manager of Human Resources in Austin and Texas Children’s Hi facilitator. “We are an organization that truly lives its values, and our people are front and center in everything we do.”

Now, we are looking for top talent for our specialty care clinics opening in Austin in October of this year. Nearly 40 specialty-care positions will open throughout this fiscal year – from outpatient staff RNs, ambulatory service representatives and medical assistants, to radiology and ultrasound specialists, a social worker, clinical dietitian and more. All job openings will be posted internally before being announced to external candidates, giving Texas Children’s employees the first opportunity to apply.

“Our employees at Texas Children’s are our strength,” said David Wykes, director of Employee Relations. “That’s why we really encourage the internal transfer option. You know the organization, and you know our great culture we want to translate to Austin.”

A full list of available positions can be found on the Austin Careers page, along with answers to frequently asked questions and other resources.

March 20, 2018

Don’t miss out on the fun at the sixth annual Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Marathon Foundation Family Fun Run at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Registration for the event ends at 5 p.m. Monday, March 26, so hurry and sign up if you haven’t already.

West Campus will host the fun run at its campus on Saturday, April 7 with a 9 a.m. start time. The event will include both a 1K and 3K course. Following the run, families can enjoy various activities until noon at the Family Fun Zone.

Participants – including those who need walkers and wheelchairs – are welcome. There will not be prizes given to top finishers as all participants will receive an award for taking part in an event designed to educate and encourage Houston-area families to adopt active, healthy lifestyles.

Click here to register and learn more about the upcoming event.

Texas Children’s and the Houston Marathon Foundation also are hosting a Family Fun Run in The Woodlands at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. For more information or to register for that event, click here.

Good luck and happy running!

March 13, 2018

On March 7, The Walt Disney Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger announced an innovative plan that will dedicate more than $100 million to bring comfort to children and their families in hospitals across the globe, beginning right here at Texas Children’s.

During a special media event held in the lobby of Texas Children’s Legacy Tower, Iger and Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace shared this exciting announcement and partnership with employees and several members of the hospital’s executive leadership team.

This patient-focused initiative will roll out over five years, expanding the Company’s rich legacy of supporting children’s hospitals, which dates back to Walt Disney.

“Disney’s timeless stories have touched hearts and lifted spirits for generations, and we believe they can bring comfort to children and families going through a very difficult time,” Iger said. “Using the powerful combination of our beloved characters and legendary creativity, we’re planning to transform the patient experience in children’s hospitals around the world – creating a personalized and engaging atmosphere that will inspire young patients and ease the stress of a hospital stay.”

Leveraging its renowned “Imagineers” – the global experts in theme park and family entertainment design – the company plans to introduce a rich array of distinctly “Disney” elements into children’s hospitals. Concepts for these elements include:

  • A new RFID-based system allowing patients to customize their hospital visit by choosing their favorite Disney stories and characters, which will surround them during their stay. The system will unlock special elements to further personalize and enhance the experience, such as “enchanted” artwork that comes alive.
  •  Themed treatment and patient rooms featuring interactive murals of Disney stories, bed linens and gowns featuring each child’s favorite characters, and personalized in-room entertainment. Additionally, well stocked mobile “play carts” will include Disney-themed games and activities to give families something to do together to help alleviate stress and boredom.
  •  Disney first-run movies and television shows, available in-room and in themed pop up movie theaters in the hospital, and other Disney entertainment options.
  •  Disney customer-experience training for doctors, nurses and staff. The renowned Disney Institute, a part of The Walt Disney Company that provides professional development training focused on leadership, employee engagement and high-quality service, will create a customized program for health care professionals designed to foster a less stressful, patient and family-centric hospital experience.

View a photo gallery below.

“We are honored to be the inaugural hospital to collaborate with Disney on this exciting patient-focused initiative,” Wallace said. “Patient care is at the center of our mission, and in addition to providing the highest-quality medical care to children, we strive to make the hospital experience as enjoyable and stress-free as possible for every patient and their family. We are looking forward to working with Disney to enhance our efforts in this area.”

Disney is working with a panel of medical experts, including doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, parents and child life professionals from around the world to advise on the best ways Disney can help hospitals – like Texas Children’s – create a more personalized and comforting experience for patients and families.

Following this big announcement, Wallace presented Iger with a colorful illustration of the first Texas Children’s Hospital building dating back to 1952 which was commissioned by Walt Disney himself. This gift symbolized the hospital’s continued collaboration with Disney.

Wallace also gave Iger a tour of Texas Children’s Legacy Tower and patients and their families enjoyed a Disney character party in The Zone featuring Mickey Mouse, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Black Panther.

If you have noticed two furry four-legged employees around the hospital, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. At the end of February following Child Life’s explosive gender reveal, Texas Children’s new therapy dog began walking the halls and immediately putting smiles on employees, patients and visitors faces.

Bailey is an 18-month-old golden retriever that wears a green vest with her Texas Children’s badge, and a red bow attached. She is part of Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program that uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by reducing their anxiety, perception of pain and fear of hospitalization.

Bailey offers distraction and motivation to patients undergoing certain medical procedures, but it’s not just her that aids in this process. Her handler, Adair Galanski, is a Texas Children’s child life specialist who collaborates with medical teams and physical and occupational therapists to visit with five to ten patients each day who are having a particularly difficult time during their hospitalization.

“We go and see families for a lot of different things, whether it’s medical procedures, emotional support, or maybe something even more complicated than that,” said Galanski. “The minute Bailey comes through the door, even if a family was really frustrated or if a child was crying, or if they had just received devastating news, everyone gets excited. They say, ‘Oh my gosh, is that a dog? Is it here to see me? That’s amazing!’”

Recently, Bailey took a small tour around the hospital to become more acclimated with patients and her co-workers. Her first stop was to meet Texas Children’s President and CEO, Mark Wallace. He and his wife, Shannon, recently donated Bailey as a gift to Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program in memory of their beloved dog, Cadence.

Their generous pledge and initial $80,000 contribution to the program will enable Texas Children’s to hire more animal-assisted therapy coordinator and therapy dog teams specifically trained to provide therapeutic interventions to patients and families in Legacy Tower.

As soon as Wallace laid eyes on Bailey he knew she was a perfect fit for Texas Children’s.

“Bailey, you come from a good family and now you’ve got a great family here at Texas Children’s,” Wallace said. “We’re going to take good care of you, and you’re going to help our patients feel better and relax, and feel loved and nurtured.”

Just like any other employee, Wallace greeted her with the warmest welcome, encouragement, and motivation to succeed in helping patients and their families.

“You’re going to help take their minds off of not feeling real good, and you’re going to be there, even to help their mommy and their daddy, maybe their grandma and grandpa, maybe their brothers or sisters,” Wallace said. “You’re an important part of this one amazing team that we have at Texas Children’s.”

After breaking the ice with the boss, Bailey’s next stop was meeting up with, what employees refer to as, her big sister. According to Galanski, normally at the beginning of most of their days, she and Bailey will visit with child life specialist and animal-assisted therapy coordinator, Sarah Herbek, and Elsa, Texas Children’s first therapy dog. This quality time allows the hospital’s canine kids to spend time with each other as well as bond more with their handlers.

“She has a great relationship with Elsa and I love that I get to work with her all the time. It’s like therapy for me too,” Galanski said. “You just can’t ever really have a bad day when you’re with her.”

Following the brief playdate, Bailey headed to spend some time with Texas Children’s patients. A normal visit with Bailey usually involves the patients taking her for a walk, playing with toys, or feeding her treats whenever she is not soothing their pain or fear. Engaging in any activity with Bailey can change a patient’s entire day.

“As much as I love my job, and think I’m good at what I do, I can never have that same connection with families that Bailey brings,” Galanski said. “Bailey is that peacemaker and that bridge for us to be able to really connect with kids who might not want to connect through words, but can connect through her.”

Although Bailey has already started seeing heart and critical care patients, she was hired on to work specifically in the hospital’s newest expansion, Legacy Tower. The doors of the first phase of Legacy Tower will open to patients, families, and employees like Bailey on Tuesday, May 22.

She will be groomed weekly and her paws will be wiped down daily. Patients who are allergic to dogs will not be consulted and the dog will not go into patient rooms without first receiving verbal permission from a guardian and the medical team.

“I love what I do, and I love her, so I want to tell everyone about her. I want everyone to experience Bailey,” Galanski said. “I want everyone to have a little piece of unconditional love that she gets to bring to everybody.”

If you see Bailey around the hospital, feel free to greet her and make her feel welcome. She loves belly rubs and snuggling with the patients, but when you come in contact with her in the halls and call her name, she’ll wag her tail enthusiastically to show her appreciation and excitement to be part of the Texas Children’s family.