February 21, 2017

Earlier today, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama of the Republic of Botswana and the Honorable Minister Dorcas Makgato of the Ministry of Health and Wellness through public-private partnerships with the governments of Botswana, Uganda and Malawi, announced a $100 million initiative to create an innovative pediatric hematology-oncology treatment network in southern and east Africa. The comprehensive initiative called Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) will build long-term capacity to treat and dramatically improve the prognosis of thousands of children with cancer and blood disorders in southern and eastern Africa.

In the United States, 80 percent of children with cancer survive. In sub-Saharan Africa, the overwhelming majority of pediatric patients do not survive. The mortality rate is estimated to be as high as 90 percent, meaning thousands of children die from cancer across Africa each year. This is in large part due to an inadequate healthcare infrastructure and a significant lack of expert physicians and other healthcare workers trained to treat children with cancer. The most common types of childhood cancers are blood cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma.

Global HOPE will partner with local Governments and Ministries of Health to build medical capacity to diagnose and treat pediatric blood disorders and cancer in Botswana, Malawi and Uganda. The initiative will also create significant clinical, educational and research capabilities. Doctors, nurses and ancillary professionals will be recruited from around the world to provide training to local healthcare professionals and to begin treating children with blood disorders and cancer immediately.

“This project is building on a solid foundation for pediatric cancer treatment in Botswana that began with pediatric oncologists from Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers,” said His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama of the Republic of Botswana. “The Global HOPE program will bring to Botswana the latest bio-medical technologies and the potential to work with local institutions such as the Botswana Innovation Hub and University of Botswana to quickly increase the survival of children with cancer and life-threatening blood disorders in Botswana and the region.”

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is committing $50 million over five years to fund the training of healthcare providers as well as clinical infrastructure and operations. BIPAI will raise an additional $50 million for the initiative.

“We are eager to get started on this critical initiative to help children with blood disorders and cancer. Working with our partners and drawing on our expertise of building sustainable health systems in underserved countries, we will help make a significant difference in the outcomes for children while creating a blueprint for other countries to follow,” said Dr. Giovanni Caforio, chairman of the board of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and chief executive officer of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. “This initiative builds on 18 years of success of the Foundation’s SECURE THE FUTURE program and will offer new hope to families impacted by pediatric blood disorders and cancer.”

As public-private partnerships, the various governments will each play an important role in developing the pediatric hematology-oncology network, assisting with the training, technical assistance, logistics and resources to support Global HOPE.

The Global HOPE initiative will train an estimated 4,800 healthcare professionals from Botswana, Uganda, Malawi and other African countries, including doctors and nurses specializing in pediatric hematology-oncology and social workers. The program estimates that over 5,000 children will receive care in the first five years.

“With only five pediatric oncologists currently in the countries of Botswana, Malawi and Uganda combined, there are simply not enough expert doctors to treat all the children diagnosed with blood disorders and cancer. We believe in these countries there are more than 11,000 new cases annually of pediatric cancer and 40,000 new cases of serious, life-threatening blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and hemophilia. Because of these staggering numbers, more healthcare providers with special expertise are urgently needed,” said Dr. David Poplack, director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers and Professor of Pediatric Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine. “Global HOPE will help build capacity in the region to diagnose and care for children with blood disorders and cancer, offering the potential for transformational change in survivorship for these children.”

The Global HOPE initiative will be modeled on the work of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, BIPAI and the Governments of Botswana, Uganda and Malawi, which created the largest pediatric HIV treatment network in the world, leveraging existing experience, infrastructure, and public/private partnerships created through the initiative. Since 2003, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and BIPAI have trained 52,000 healthcare professionals and currently provide care for nearly 300,000 children with HIV and their families in sub-Saharan Africa, lowering the mortality rate for these children to 1.2 percent.

“The success we’ve had in radically changing the course of pediatric HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa is due in large part to the tremendous support provided by the country governments, healthcare providers on the ground and donors who have made our work possible,” said Dr. Mark W. Kline, president and founder of BIPAI, physician-in-chief of Texas Children’s Hospital and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “We look forward to helping patients and their families by embarking on this unchartered area of cancer care in Africa. Working with our partners, we aim to build a self-sustaining infrastructure that changes the tide of these childhood diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.”

About the Republic of Botswana and the Ministry of Health and Wellness

Botswana is a country with two million inhabitants in southern Africa with abundant and diverse natural resources. The official languages are English and Setswana. Since independence in 1966, Botswana has been a parliamentary republic; the chief of state and head of government is the president. Botswana’s economy is a success story in southern Africa due to the investment of the government in the education, health, clean water and telecommunications sectors to create a better standard of living for its citizens and to foster a conducive environment for free enterprise to prosper. The Ministry of Health and Wellness aims to improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of every citizen of Botswana to fully contribute to the development of Botswana through a healthy nation.

About the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is committed to improving the health outcomes of populations disproportionately affected by serious diseases by strengthening healthcare worker capacity, integrating medical care and community-based supportive services, and addressing unmet medical need. The Foundation engages partners to develop, execute, evaluate and promote innovative programs to help patients with lung cancer and removing barriers to accessing care in the United States, HIV and comorbid diseases such as cervical and breast cancers and tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa, hepatitis B and C in China and India and veterans’ mental health and well-being in the U.S. Since 1999, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s SECURE THE FUTURE® initiative has been working with partners in Africa to provide care and support for communities affected by HIV, tuberculosis, women’s cancer and most recently, lung cancer. Global HOPE will apply this same transformational model to pediatric oncology and hematology in a number of the same geographic areas.

About Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers at Texas Children’s Hospital

Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers is the largest pediatric hematology-oncology program in the U.S., treating patients from 35 states and 26 countries. The centers perform advanced patient care, cutting edge clinical and laboratory research and has largest training program for pediatric hematology-oncology in the U.S. With a staff of renowned experts, the centers have developed a wide array of programs aimed at curing children with diagnoses ranging from the most common to the very rare. The team of 186 faculty and nearly 1,000 staff have pioneered many of the now standard treatments for pediatric cancer and blood disorders. TXCH has a long-standing commitment to improving global health.

About Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital

Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing pediatric and maternal health care in resource limited settings. BIPAI medical teams offer free medical care and medical education for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, malnutrition, obstetrics/gynecology, hematology/oncology and more. Partnering with Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, BIPAI operates in 11 countries, caring for nearly 300,000 children and their families.

Click here to read a story about the Global HOPE announcement in the Houston Chronicle.

February 7, 2017

2817DevonwithpatientVT640In case you missed it on Super Bowl Sunday, Texas Children’s patients took center stage right before the on-the-field action during FOX Sports’ pregame show.

The segment highlighting Texas Children’s focused on a very special football-themed party with Houston Texans defensive end, Devon Still. The party, held in December, was a treat for Cancer Center patients and their families.

Devon’s daughter, Leah, who is now in remission following a battle with neuroblastoma, also joined the football-themed fun. The group, gathered at the Cancer Center, played football with Devon, made jewelry with Leah and received signed copies of the book “I am Leah Strong.” The pair also spent time talking with patients in their rooms.

As the father of a child who battled cancer, Devon shares a unique perspective with the families. He offered words of encouragement and let the families know they are not alone in their fight, encouraging words for which one mother was especially grateful.

“We had the honor and privilege of meeting Leah [and Devon] tonight at Texas Children’s, and we also met more fighters and parents of cancer patients,” she said. “Once again, I am deeply moved, and my emotions rise to see the grave and harsh realities of childhood cancer. Being back on the ninth floor is the most humbling experience. I continually pray for a cure for all cancer.”

January 31, 2017

Five Texas Children’s nurses and two patients from Texas Children’s Cancer Center will get a chance of a lifetime to watch the football game at NRG Stadium this Sunday, thanks to the generosity of Texas Children’s community partners, Direct Energy and Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels Program.

Surrounded by colorful balloons and football-themed décor, Texas Children’s and Direct Energy hosted a pep rally on Tuesday at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women to present five heroic nurses with a pair of football tickets to Sunday’s game.

Evelyn Barren, a staff nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, was surprised to learn that she was one of the winners. When asked who she’d like to bring to the game, she had one special person in mind.

“I have a friend who works at Texas Children’s whose daughter is performing at the game with her high school,” Barren said. “Since she doesn’t have a Super Bowl ticket, I will surprise her with one so she can see her daughter perform at the game.”

The selected winners were among the recipients of Texas Children’s 2016 Nursing Excellence Awards. Click on the names below to read their heroic stories:
Amy Aaronson
Evelyn Barren
Colleen Brand
Leah Garza
Christopher Sturrock

Also, two Cancer Center patients – Eden Green and Cristian Beasley – are going to the championship game thanks to Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels program, a nonprofit organization committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer.

Eden, an 11-year-old rare tumor patient, and Cristian, a 16-year-old leukemia patient, both have trudged a long road fighting their disease. Each has undergone at least one surgery, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and countless doctor’s visits.

Fortunately, both patients have won their battle against cancer and while both patients come back to Texas Children’s Cancer Center for routine follow up visits, each child is living a relatively normal life. Eden is pursuing acting and modeling, and Cristian, a huge football fan and former player, recently was given clearance to start playing again.

To help mark these milestones, Hyundai Hope for Wheels surprised the patients with tickets to the big game and will be capturing their experience via social media. You can follow Eden and Cristian on Sunday at @hopeonwheels (Twitter) and @hyundaihopeonwheels (Instagram). Also, click here to watch KHOU News 11’s story on Cristian’s reaction to getting to go to Sunday’s game.

Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, Cristian’s doctor at the Cancer Center, said the game day tickets are a remarkable kickoff to her patient’s own football career.

“He had a rough journey, and to think he’s recovered enough to be able to play football is amazing,” Dreyer said. “He’s given his recovery 1,000 percent, and now that work is really paying off. I’m thrilled he will get to celebrate at the game this Sunday.”

2117FOXsportspregame640When 60 million people tune in to watch the professional football championship game this Sunday, Texas Children’s patients will take center stage right before the on-the-field action during FOX Sports’ pregame show.

The segment highlighting Texas Children’s will focus on a very special football-themed party with Houston Texans defensive end, Devon Still. The party, held in December, was a treat for Cancer Center patients and their families. Devon’s daughter, Leah, who is now in remission following a battle with neuroblastoma, also joined the football-themed fun. The group, gathered at the Cancer Center, played football with Devon, made jewelry with Leah and received signed copies of the book  “I am Leah Strong.” The pair also spent time talking with patients in their rooms.

As the father of a child who battled cancer, Devon shares a unique perspective with the families. He offered words of encouragement and let the families know they are not alone in their fight, encouraging words for which one mother was especially grateful.

“We had the honor and privilege of meeting Leah [and Devon] tonight at Texas Children’s, and we also met more fighters and parents of cancer patients,” she said. “Once again, I am deeply moved, and my emotions rise to see the grave and harsh realities of childhood cancer. Being back on the ninth floor is the most humbling experience. I continually pray for a cure for all cancer.”

To watch the segment tune in to FOX this Sunday, February 5 beginning at 1 p.m.

January 24, 2017

12517DrSusanBlaney175Deputy director of Texas Children’s Cancer Center Dr. Susan Blaney recently was appointed to the hematology-oncology self-assessment team of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). In this role, Blaney will develop content for Maintenance of Certification exams, one component of which is self-assessment.

Founded in 1933, the ABP is one of the 24 certifying boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties. The ABP is an independent, nonprofit organization whose certificate is recognized throughout the world as a credential signifying a high level of physician competence.

In addition to her duties with the Cancer Center, Blaney is executive vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. She also is the vice chair of the Children’s Oncology Group, the National Cancer Institute supported clinical trials group and the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to pediatric cancer research.

Blaney served as the co-director of the Developmental Therapeutics Program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center where she performs pre-clinical and clinical studies of new antineoplastic agents. A primary focus of her research is the development of new drugs for the treatment of central nervous system tumors in children with a particular emphasis on the development of new agents for intrathecal administration.

January 4, 2017

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.