Le Bonheur Children's Hospital

We held our inaugural School Nurse Conference here at Le Bonheur Children's last month! The conference served as an opportunity for local school nurses to receive additional training to help serve their students by offering current education and resources, as well as formal Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) hours to school nurses as they participated in the day-long training.

We had more than 100 local school nurses attend our conference to learn about resources related to mental health, cardiac risks in sports and va**ng among students. We look forward to hosting another conference for our school nurses next year!

On Friday, Feb. 10, four Le Bonheur Children's patients were on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation which provides heart and lung support) with only four ECMO pumps in the hospital. An extra pump is always needed in case one fails, but on this day, a fifth patient that was also expected to need ECMO treatment soon. It was imperative to acquire another pump, as soon as possible. Le Bonheur ordered a fifth pump, but it wasn’t set to be delivered for three days.

Institutional Advancement Senior Specialist Sandra Lewis, who serves as the fundraiser and liaison for FedExFamilyHouse, was determined to help. She immediately called the president of FedEx Express, John Smith. Despite being at the Super Bowl that day, Smith called the Akron, Ohio, team where the pump was waiting. The senior director of the Akron location volunteered to find a way to get it to Memphis. He got it on an evening flight and accompanied the pump, watching to make sure it was loaded on the plane.

Upon arriving in Memphis, Chief Medical Officer Rush Waller, MD, was there to receive it. The ECMO pump was on our property the same night. By utilizing her relationships, professionalism and quick thinking, Lewis was able to help solve a critical patient issue.

Lewis and Waller recently received a award for going above and beyond in their care.

We had a special visitor this week: Pei Pei the Panda with Panda Express at our Le Bonheur Children’s Panda Cares Center of Hope! Since 2020, they have raised $87,000 for the kids at Le Bonheur.

As part of Panda Cares Day, Pei Pei shared smiles, hugs and gifts with our patients and staff. Thank you for visiting and supporting our patients and families.

We welcomed royalty to Seacrest Studios at Le Bonheur Children’s this past week. Miss Volunteer America Berkley Bryant and Miss Teen Volunteer Anna Grace Loudenbeck stopped by to play Alphagories with our patients. Thank you for stopping by and spreading joy to our patients!

A beautiful day on the golf course benefiting Le Bonheur Children's! We held our annual Gurus of Golf event presented by Lexus at TPC Southwind. The event brought the best teaching pros in the world to spend a day working with players as they raised money to support Le Bonheur. This year, we raised $316,395! Thank you to our partners and participants.

Nature Photographer Curt Hart joined us for a story time in our Family Resource Center to share the magical world of bees! The book, written by past University of Memphis President Shirley Raines and photographed by Hart, was a hit among our young patients.

We had several special guests join us in Seacrest Studios at Le Bonheur Children’s! Chef Kelly English hosted our first “Cooking With Kelly” show with Le Bonheur Chef John Paul to show our patients how to make yogurt parfaits and smoothies. One of our patients, Piper, joined as a guest chef to whip up these delicious snacks using honey from Bee 901 Co. as we learned some healthy facts from our nutritionist. Thank you, Chef Kelly and Chef John Paul, for sharing these healthy recipes with us!

Physical Therapist Allison Tibbits works to rehabilitate children inpatient at Le Bonheur and creates a special bond with each of her patients. She always knows how to best encourage and uplift them. Whether it is gifting a Grizzlies game ball to a patient or helping a patient shower, Tibbits supports her patients any way she can.

One of Tibbits most notable acts has been her consistent efforts to advocate for mobilizing patients, specifically patients on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). She is an active member of Le Bonheur’s CHEER (Collaborating to Help Everyone Effectively Recover) program, which seeks ways to get patients moving with the goal of helping them recover quicker and get home sooner.

Tibbits has educated Le Bonheur’s ECMO team about the benefits of mobility and has also sought out innovative ways to help the most critical patients move by collaborating with other hospitals. Occupational Therapist Christina Norville said, “I have personally seen it make a huge difference for our kids while on ECMO, and it improved their outcomes once decannulated to recover quicker. I have never seen someone care for each individual patient as she does. We are lucky to have her.”

Allison recently received a award for going above and beyond.

For years, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital has recognized the critical role Emergency Medical Systems (EMS) providers play in the lives of critically ill and injured children. Our PediFlite team embodies our commitment to becoming a leader in pediatric emergency care for our young patients.

We are now a certified training center with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) after successfully implementing their ambulance operator course. Additionally, we have achieved instructor status in pre-hospital trauma life support and mental health resource officer training. These courses are now available to both the EMS community and Le Bonheur employees.

We are thrilled to partner with NAEMT and look forward to serving as a valuable resource for EMS professionals.

This year we are excited to announce The Pumpkin Run Series! Register for all three pumpkin run events in person or virtually and you will receive a special gift. Triple the fun this fall by registering today at www.pumpkinrun.org.

Today's Tiger Tailgate party at Le Bonheur Children's was unforgettable! University of Memphis Football Team brought their A-game to our young patients, families and Associates. They filled the day with smiles, autographs and incredible memories. Huge thanks to the Tigers for showing up in full force and making a difference on and off the field. We also want to thank all of our other community partners for helping make today possible. Go Tigers Go!

One example of when Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse AnnaBelle Johnson went above and beyond is when she helped a family through their NICU stay. When a baby in her care needed an MRI at night, AnnaBelle volunteered to take care of the baby that night, knowing she would have to get the baby there along with many machines and medications. After they returned from the MRI, she made sure the child got a good bath, something they hadn’t been able to get because they had been so unstable.

The morning after the MRI, AnnaBelle was still at work as the Easter bunny. When she finished seeing the other babies she came to the baby's room as herself. The family had just received very tough news about the MRI, and she immediately hugged them. She explained she has seen miracles in the NICU and the family found so much comfort in her words.

A few weeks later when their baby became much more stable, only requiring a feeding tube, they were moved to a new room. AnnaBelle was a charge nurse one night and arranged for the family to have a dinner together as a family of three. She went out of her way multiple times to ensure their child, and the family were taken care of and provided the best care possible.

AnnaBelle recently received a Daisy Award for going above and beyond in her work. This is just one example of the work she does every day at Le Bonheur.

Fever in children can be a scary thing for parents, often causing them to wonder if a trip to the emergency room is necessary. Le Bonheur Pediatrician Blake Bergeron MD, of Le Bonheur Pediatrics, shares the advice he often gives parents when their child feels feverish.

Understanding Kids’ Fevers: From Common Illness to Febrile Seizures Fever in children can be a scary thing for parents, often causing them to wonder if a trip to the emergency room is necessary. Le Bonheur Pediatrician Blake Bergeron MD, of Pediatric Consultants, shares the advice he often gives parents when their child feels feverish.

The 2nd Annual Healthier 901 Fest will be Saturday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shelby Farms Park! This free family-friendly event will include cooking demos from celebrity chefs, a kid's zone, food trucks and more. You don't want to miss this fun event!

https://ow.ly/u6rO50SUKjg

Ten-year-old George Brewer was rarely sick.

But the headaches he had started to experience were so severe that he could not stop vomiting. George’s concerned parents, Kevin and Cindy Brewer, rushed their son to Le Bonheur Children’s Emergency Department, where he underwent a series of tests and MRIs.

His diagnosis: a brain tumor that needed to be removed. The tumor was caught early, and surgery was successful. Le Bonheur had helped save their son during one of the scariest times of their lives.

And it left the Brewers with a question: what could they do to give back to the hospital that had given so much to their family?

The answer came unexpectedly.

Cindy and Kevin Brewer along with Kent Underwood, co-owners of LEO Events, a Memphis-based events management agency, were approached by one of their employees with an idea: She had been researching the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, a nonprofit started by American Idol’s Ryan Seacrest. Seacrest was building state-of-the-art broadcast studios in children’s hospitals across the country — allowing patients to get away from the burdens of being hospitalized for a while to be entertained.

What if they tried to get one for Le Bonheur?

Read how Kevin and Cindy Brewer helped Le Bonheur partner with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation to receive a studio in the hospital at https://ow.ly/hMnl50SV2bR

Le Bonheur General Pediatrician and Medical Director of Healthy Lifestyles Clinic Adebowale Odulana discusses the effects of sun on kids - what precautions to take, what to look out for and any other tips for staying safe outside during summertime on our latest episode of Le Bonheur's Peds Pod Podcast.

https://support.doctorpodcasting.com/client/audio-player/lebonheur/item/64946-sun-safety?s=Detail

TennCare and CoverKids is now offering up to 100 free diapers per month at local pharmacies for members under the age of 2! Visit https://ow.ly/icBn50STgU7 for more information and a full list of locations.

The following Memphis pharmacies are participating in the diaper distribution:
The Medicine Shoppe, 4770 Knight Arnold Rd.
Highland Heights Pharmacy, 4726 Poplar Ave., Suite #3
https://ow.ly/NKek50STgR6

TennCare Diaper Benefit

This past year Panda Express raised more than $18,000 for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Since 2020, they have raised $87,000 for the kids at Le Bonheur. We are so grateful for Panda Express and their Panda Cares initiative. We can't wait to see what they raise this year!

At Le Bonheur’s Germantown Emergency Department (ED), a 9-year-old patient was treated for severe asthma exacerbation. Through the course of his treatment, the care team made the decision to transport him downtown to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The patient’s mother expressed her desire to drive her son to the hospital herself and refused transport via ambulance. The physician tried to explain transporting him without an ambulance could be detrimental.

Technician Valerie “Rene” Nelson had a different approach and carried out the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Power of One mission of making a connection, listening to understand and honoring commitments. After establishing a positive relationship with the mother, Nelson went back to learn more about the reasoning to refuse an ambulance.

She learned that the mother was worried about leaving
her car in Germantown, so Nelson offered to ride in the
ambulance with the patient while the mother drove separately. “Ultimately, all the mother needed was someone to provide support, understanding and a plan that considered everyone involved. Because of Nelson’s benevolence, the patient arrived at Le Bonheur safely and received their needed care,” said Senior Director of Emergency Services Barbie Stewart.

Valerie recently received a award for going above and beyond to help this family. This is just one example of the amazing work she does every day!

You have the backpack and school supplies and the kids have picked out their new wardrobe.

But that's not all that should be on your back-to-school checklist. Before children dive back into the school routine, doctors say parents need to make sure they are both physically and emotionally ready to hit the textbooks.

"Definitely put that back-to-school check-up on your to-do list," Dr. Jason Yaun, a pediatrician at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital said. "It's a great time to get back in with your pediatrician. Make sure your child is up to date on everything that they need to start school."

How to physically and emotionally prepare your child to return to school FOX13 tells you which vaccinations your child needs to take before returning to school and how to get your child back on a regular sleep routine.

The day after he was born, doctors discovered that Winn had total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR). Winn was immediately transferred via ambulance to Le Bonheur and admitted to the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU).

At just 2 days old, Winn underwent open heart surgery to reconstruct his veins and get more oxygen to his lungs. His sternum was left open for 24 hours in case doctors needed to operate further. After 10 days in Le Bonheur’s CVICU and seven days in a step-down unit, Winn was discharged.

Following months of routine checkups and a successful open heart surgery, Winn was enjoying life at home with his parents. Yet one morning, Winn’s mom, Jessy, went in the nursery to comfort 8-month-old Winn who had woken up crying. She was terrified to discover her son was unconscious and his eyes were rolling back in his head. Winn needed an emergency heart catheterization and a stent placed immediately.

After the procedure, Winn’s lungs began shutting down. Jessy and Jeff endured the darkest 24 hours of their lives as doctors worked hard to determine the next best steps for Winn. Fortunately, doctors had a solution and they were able to alleviate Winn’s condition with steroids.

Winn returns every month for an echocardiogram to ensure his heart is functioning properly and a checkup with his Le Bonheur cardiologist. Thanks to the care he has received at Le Bonheur, 18-month-old Winn is hitting developmental milestones and thriving.

Read more about Winn's journey at Le Bonheur and our CVICU at https://www.lebonheur.org/publications/securing-the-promise/our-next-chapter/even-more-heart

During a January snowstorm, Neurology nurse Mary Harper Robinson made a wish come true for a patient with cerebral palsy. While most children his age were enjoying the snow day off from school, this patient was recovering from an extensive back surgery to improve his mobility. Despite the challenge, Robinson made sure her patient wouldn’t miss out on the fun.

The unit was short-staffed that day, but Robinson gave her patient a magical snow day and brought the snow to him. The child was able to make snowballs and build a snowman right from his hospital room.

The family was so grateful for her kindness that they shared this story with a local news station, and Robinson was featured on WMC Channel 5 News.

Mary Harper recently received a award for going above and beyond in helping her patient and their family. This is just one example of the amazing work she does every day.

One example of when Urology Clinic nurse Laura Luther went above and beyond is when she helped a family get the information they need. For the past two years, has quickly answered emails and phone calls, sat and talked with the family about their fears, helped them advocate for their child, and even checked on them as a parent of a special needs kid. She has shown more care and compassion than her job requires, which is indicative of the kind of person she is.

The patient's family cannot imagine what this medical journey would have looked like without her. She is knowledgeable in her field and has taken the time to teach them what she knows so that they can better care for their child.

Laura has recently received a Daisy Award for going above and beyond in her work. This is just one example of the work she does every day at Le Bonheur.

Yesterday was filled with smiles, laughter and delicious ice cream at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital! We hosted an ice cream party for our patients and families complete with a variety of flavors and toppings. Thank you to Forrest Spence Fund and Prairie Farms Dairy for making it all possible.

Join us for the 20th Annual Le Bonheur Pumpkin Run 5K. This year, we will host Pumpkin Runs in Memphis on Oct. 19, Tupelo, Miss., on Oct. 12, and Jackson, Tenn., on Oct. 5.

We are excited to announce the Le Bonheur Pumpkin Run Series! Register for all three events in person or virtually and you will receive a special gift.

This year's race promises to be a spooktacular event that will be fun for the whole family. Register today at www.pumpkinrun.org.

Lata Woods was shocked when her water broke at only 26 weeks pregnant. She began experiencing contractions two to three minutes apart. A few hours later, Lata and Jeremy welcomed their daughter, Jadence, who weighed less than 2 pounds. Following her birth, Jadence was unresponsive for several minutes and was immediately transferred to Le Bonheur via ambulance.

Jadence was diagnosed with a Grade 4 intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), a brain bleed, that was confirmed by ultrasound. Doctors put a device in Jadence’s head to pull fluid off her head every other day and the blood clot dissolved.

She was also diagnosed with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a congenital heart defect that is common in extremely premature babies, which doctors are hopeful will close on its own.

Once Jadence is big enough, she will have a shunt put in her head to drain fluid in her brain.

In addition to medical care given to patients, Le Bonheur also provides resources for parents like Lata and Jeremy. They have been able to attend support groups for parents of NICU patients and Lata is part of a meal voucher program for mothers pumping breast milk.

“There are a lot of highs and lows with having a NICU baby,” Lata said. “There is a lot of holding your breath and sometimes when we feel like we are headed in the right direction, something else seems to happen. Everyone at Le Bonheur has been really supportive and has made a stressful situation more bearable.”

Read more about Jadence's journey and Le Bonheur's NICU at https://www.lebonheur.org/publications/securing-the-promise/our-next-chapter/meeting-the-need

After a parent spent several days calling multiple hospitals to find a MEG scanning machine for her child, she contacted Le Bonheur. Neurology nurse Theresa Williard answered her call and listened to the parent's concerns and needs. She comforted the parent, explained how the machine works and where to find MEGs in the area. Because of her guidance, the parent was able to book her daughter's MEG scan at Le Bonheur.

Theresa recently received a Daisy Award for going above and beyond in her work. This is just one example of the work she does every day at Le Bonheur.