July 3, 2018

Texas Children’s Neuroscience team recently held a special retirement celebration for long-time neurologist and Blue Bird Circle Clinic Medical Director Dr. Robert Zeller.

More than 100 guests attended the celebration including Texas Children’s Chief of Neurology Dr. Gary Clark, Chief of Neurosurgery Dr. Howard Weiner, Dr. Huda Zoghbi, director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s, and many of Zeller’s colleagues, friends, and volunteers from the Blue Bird Circle.

For more than 30 years, Zeller devoted much of his life to delivering care to patients in the Blue Bird Circle at Texas Children’s. But as his colleagues will tell you, his compassion goes beyond the clinical setting. In 1993, he established Camp for All, a barrier-free recreational facility that helps children – regardless of their medical condition or physical disability – experience the thrill of camping and nature just like other children. Aside from this notable achievement, Zeller started Camp Spike N’ Wave for patients with epilepsy which has grown in attendance year after year. This camp wouldn’t have been possible without Zeller’s instrumental efforts.

“I had a patient with epilepsy who couldn’t go to camp because camps wouldn’t accept children with this condition,” Zeller said. “This prompted me to develop a camp for children with special needs where they can discover life without barriers. Now, my kids and everybody else’s kids can go to Camp for All. It’s my way of giving back to my patients.”

While at Texas Children’s, Zeller received the 2015 Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Award from the Child Neurology Society. Click here to watch this tribute video that recognizes Zeller’s humanistic approach to patient care.

Congratulations Dr. Zeller for your contributions to Texas Children’s as you begin your retirement.

October 21, 2014

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Texas Children’s is all about improving patient outcomes. Every day, we’re creating a healthier future for children through excellence in patient care, education and research.

A perfect example of this is Texas Children’s Neuroscience Center, where neurologists and neurosurgeons partner with researchers from the Jan and Dan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) to improve the lives of children with brain disorders.

A video spotlight of the Neuroscience Center features powerful testimonials from patients and experts in the field. Dr. Gary Clark, chief of Neurology; Dr. Thomas Luerssen, chief of Neurosurgery; Dr. Huda Zoghbi, director of the NRI; and Dr. Anne Anderson, medical director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit; share their team’s contributions to the Neuroscience Center, which have led to incredible advances in the way we diagnose and treat neurological disease and improve patient outcomes.

Children receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary care from a diverse team of specialists at the Neuroscience Center. On average, more than 30,000 clinic visits and 900 surgeries are performed at our facility each year.

Patients like 17-year old Ellie – whose battled seizures since she was a year old – came to the Neuroscience Center after exhausting all avenues. Today, her future is bright.

102214neuroscienceinside640“When I was younger, I was not able to go out and do things on my own, like walk a dog or go to school,” said Ellie. “The seizures used to be daily, sometimes four or five times a day. Texas Children’s has given me my life back.”

Ellie’s story is one of many success stories emerging from the Neuroscience Center, where our team of experts use a multidisciplinary approach to improve patient outcomes.

“We coordinate multiple specialties to treat children with neurological disorders in a profoundly different way,” said Dr. Clark.

Neurologists collaborate with neurosurgeons to deliver complete care in more than 12 pediatric specialty clinics, including our recently expanded Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, which closely monitors and treats patients with epileptic seizures.

The Neuroscience Center brings together a diverse group of pediatric specialists representing different areas of expertise:

  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neurological Critical Care
  • Genetics

“From diagnosis to treatment – whether it involves surgery, inpatient rehabilitation or access to a clinical trial – patients receive the full complement of services in one location,” said Dr. Luerssen.

However, the Neuroscience Center would not be this successful without the support of the NRI at Texas Children’s. Under the leadership of Dr. Zoghbi, scientists work tirelessly each day to uncover the genetic mutations responsible for a number of rare neurological disorders.

“Without research, it’s almost impossible to understand these devastating disorders,” said Zoghbi. “The NRI is the home of many physicians and physician-scientists who study brain disorders, in the hope of developing new therapies to improve the quality of life for our patients.”

Click here to learn more about the NRI. Click here to visit the Neuroscience Center website.

June 3, 2014

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When you think of Texas Children’s Neuroscience Center, two distinct attributes come to mind: integrated expertise and comprehensive patient care.

“Every single day, our neurologists, neurosurgeons and clinical researchers work together to pioneer innovative therapies to improve the lives of children with neurological disorders,” said Dr. Gary Clark, chief of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience at Texas Children’s. “We needed a name that communicated this partnership and our firm commitment to providing high-quality comprehensive care to all of our patients.”

As a result, the neurology and neurosurgery divisions merged under one marketing umbrella to become the Neuroscience Center which focuses on a multidisciplinary team approach for treating childhood neurological disorders. If a neurologist diagnoses a brain disorder in a patient that cannot be treated by medication alone, for instance, then surgical treatment may be required.

Expert teams of neurologists collaborate with neurosurgeons daily to deliver complete care in more than 12 pediatric specialty clinics. Our Neuroscience Center brings together a diverse group of pediatric specialists representing different areas of expertise:

  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neurological Critical Care
  • Genetics

“By combining clinical care with easy access to surgery, our Neuroscience Center offers patients and their families access to treatment in one centralized location,” said Dr. Thomas Luerssen, chief of Neurosurgery and chief quality officer of Surgery at Texas Children’s. “From diagnosis to treatment, whether it involves surgery, inpatient rehabilitation or access to a clinical trial, our patients will have the full complement of services.”

Texas Children’s has consistently been ranked among the nation’s top children’s hospitals in neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report.

“Since neurology and neurosurgery are measured as one specialty program by U.S. News & World Report, it makes sense to market them together as the Neuroscience Center,” said Dr. Clark.

Texas Children’s is one of the largest pediatric neurological service providers in the country. On average, more than 30,000 clinic visits take place every year and more than 900 surgeries are performed by providers in our Neuroscience Center.

Click link to learn more about Texas Children’s Neuroscience Center.