Buds in Scrubs: Dee Moore

February 15th, 2013

Children’s Volunteer Services presents:

Buds in Scrubs!

1.   Meet Dee:

“My name is Chaplain Dee Moore.  I am part of the chaplaincy team at Children’s and work at the St. Paul hospital site.  I have been working here a little over 13 years now and love it. I graduated from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan with an MPH. My first career was a nurse in public health.  I have also been a teaching assistant at Augustana College, worked in migrant health in the cherry orchards of Michigan, been a camp nurse at Interlocken National Music Camp in Michigan, and worked several years as station manager for the Detroit Visiting Nurse Association. I then felt very called into ministry and chaplaincy.  I attended Bethel Seminary in St. Paul and eventually ended up here to work as a chaplain.”

 2.   Favorite thing to do outside of work?

    “I love being outdoors and observing nature. Skies, birds, plant life – seeing them feeds my soul.  My new favorite thing to do outside of work is to hold my new granddaughter who was born in January.  The only problem is that she lives in Washington, D.C. I am also very committed to helping in Haiti and hope to continue involvement there. I am very involved in Charis prison ministry as well.”

 3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

“I have two daughters and one son-in-law. All live in Washington, D.C. I love them a lot!”

 4.   What is your favorite book and/or movie?

“Currently, I am hooked on watching Downton Abbey on a weekly basis. Fascinating! I have to say, my favorite book is the Bible.”

 5.   Who was your hero as a kid?

“I can’t remember, but think I could truthfully say… Superman!”

 6.   Who is your hero now?

“It is the staff and volunteers here at Children’s who are so committed, skilled, and caring in their care of the infants, children, and their families!”

 7.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

    “It would have to have chocolate in good amount! Would love to have kiwi in some, and raspberries in others, with sprinkles on top. I would name it  ‘Deelightful.’”

 8.   What do you love most about your job at Children’s?

“The kids! I feel so honored to be able to be with them here! Even when it is a tough situation, I feel it is an honor to be allowed in with the patients and their parents- seems like holy ground to me often.”

 9.   Share a work experience involving volunteers:

 “Volunteers add so much to this place and bring comfort to kids and their families!  From holding babies when parents can’t be here, to playing with kids who need good activities, to Lay Eucharistic  Ministers - all they do makes a difference.  They bring a ton of care and fun that is invaluable.  I currently feel very blessed to have Sasha, one of our therapy dogs, and her owner, Dave, with me at the weekly “Coffee Time with the Chaplain” in the PICU lounge.  Sasha and Dave are amazing in calming parents who are very tired and distressed.  After the coffee time, they then do some visits with me to kids in their rooms as appropriate. The team is always calming to all in the rooms.”

Thank you, Dee, for your incredible support to the staff, volunteers, patients and families!

Posted in Buds in Scrubs | 1 Comment »

Red-Vested Rockstar: Harper Skulley

February 8th, 2013

 

Children’s Volunteer Services presents: Red-Vested Rockstar!

Meet Harper!

1.   Why she ROCKS!!

“My family has been involved with various volunteer work for as long as I can remember.  When I found out that I could volunteer at Children’s when I was fourteen, I was really excited because I didn’t think I’d be able to volunteer at a hospital until I was an adult. I love reading and all kinds of books, so working in the Hide-a-Way Library is an absolutely perfect fit.” Harper has given her time to Children’s since  May of 2011. She has such positive energy, and is always willing to help! She is a joy to work with, and we believe that she brightens the days of the patients and families that she works with!

 2.   Favorite thing to do outside of volunteering?

“I love ballet:  I have been dancing classical ballet for twelve years and regularly perform with Ballet Minnesota. I also enjoy baking and crafts; really, anything artsy.”

 3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

 “My family has two bunnies named Mochi and Truffle.”

 4.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

“I love French macaroons, so some sort of dark chocolate macaroon bar with a lavender chocolate ganache center. I probably call it a MegaMac Bar.”

 5.   Share a favorite volunteer experience or story:

“I don’t know if I have a favorite volunteer memory, because every time I’m at Children’s is so special and I get so much back. I get to share my love of reading with kids, and seeing kids happily reading a pile of books always brightens my day.”

Thank you, Harper, for all that you do!

Posted in Red Vested Rockstar, Volunteer Profiles | 1 Comment »

Pediatric Grand Rounds: February 2013

February 5th, 2013

Grand Rounds: Meetings at which physicians discuss the clinical case of one or more patients. Grand rounds originated as part of residency training, wherein new information was taught and clinical reasoning skills were enhanced. Grand rounds today are an integral component of medical education. They present clinical problems in medicine by focusing on current or interesting cases (www.medterms.com).

Pediatric Grand Rounds at Children’s are open to all interested volunteers! Grand Rounds are held each Thursday from 8-9 am at the following locations:

Minneapolis Campus:

2525 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis:  video conference shown in Medical Education Room B-870

St. Paul Campus:

255 N. Smith Avenue, St. Paul:  live presentation in the John Nasseff Conference Center

February 2013 Sessions:

2/7: “Epilepsy: More than seizures. What every pediatrician should know”

Presented by Frank Ritter, MD, Pediatric Neurologist, Minnesota Epilepsy Group

2/14: “The evolution of pediatric procedural sedation”

Presented by Patricia Scherrer, MD, Pediatrician- Respiratory/Critical Care, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

2/21: “Morbidity and mortality conference”

Presented by Gigi Chawla, MD, Pediatrician, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

2/28: “Finding the elusive path towards prevention and a care for Type 1 Diabetes: The TrialNet Experience”

Presented by Brandon Nathan, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota

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Red-Vested Rockstar: Cooper Rapp

January 25th, 2013

Cooper playing the infamous Pac-Man game!

Children’s Volunteer Services presents: Red-Vested Rockstar!

Meet Cooper!

1.   Why he ROCKS?!

 Cooper, often known at Children’s as ‘Super Cooper,’ has been volunteering with us since 2011! He spends most of his time on the inpatient floors, but has also helped out in our hematology-oncology clinic and many other areas. Listen to how he got involved in volunteering: “I got into volunteering through my desire to pursue a career in the field of medicine. Also, because kids rock! I love to play video games, run, and eat good food. Aside from volunteering, I’m a student, researcher, and laboratory preparation assistant at the University of St. Thomas. GO TOMMIES!!”

 2.   Favorite thing to do outside of volunteering?

  “Outside of volunteering, I like to play Super Smash Brothers on the N64 or Wii with my friends.”

 3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

 “No kids, but an awesome little Tibetan Terrier named Ruby. Unfortunately, I’m allergic to most furry little critters, but for some reason, not to Ruby. Thank goodness!”

 4.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

 “Well, it would definitely have Whoppers, toffee, and caramel in it…also, whatever they put inside Three Musketeers bars, because that stuff is awesome. All that would be wrapped up in some thick milk chocolate, and it would be called Magnitude.”

 5.   Share a favorite volunteer experience or story:

  “A few months ago, I was volunteering at the hospital with a little boy who wanted to play Pokémon with me. He had a huge stack of cards… [and] told me that he didn’t want to play the normal card game, he wanted to play the “other” one. He explained that he wanted to play through the original GameBoy game story line using his actual cards. We each picked one of the original starter Pokémon (Pikachu included) and had our first rival battle with each other. Then, using our pooled knowledge of the original game, we constructed accurate lineups for each of the eight original gym leaders using what cards we had available. … After we had defeated Giovanni, I set up the Elite Four lineups for him to complete. Being the Elite Four, new rules came into effect. He had to beat each of the Elite Four simultaneously, with accumulating damage and knockouts carrying over into the next battle…After he defeated each member, it was time for his final battle with his rival… Needless to say, I was soundly defeated and we celebrated our new Pokémon champion, taking the time to induct each of his starting six into the ‘Pokémon Hall of Fame’. I spent three and a half hours reliving some of the best times of my entire childhood. Awesome.  Just awesome.”

 We think that YOU are awesome, Cooper!  Thanks so much for all that you do!

Posted in Red Vested Rockstar, Volunteer Profiles | No Comments »

Red-Vested Rockstar: Ardie Arko

January 11th, 2013

 

Ardie & Murray on Give to the Max Day

Children’s Volunteer Services presents: Red-Vested Rockstar!

Meet Ardie…and Murray!

1.   Why she ROCKS?!

 Ardie has brought two generations of therapy dogs to Children’s: her beautiful Sheltie, Molly, and now her handsome Sheltie, Murray! She began volunteering at Children’s in 2008, and is an integral part of our PAWH (Pets Assisting with Healing) program, volunteering multiple days each week! Here is her background story: “I was at agility training and discovered that my first Sheltie, Molly, could no longer be involved with agility due to a bad back.  Someone in the class suggested that we might want to pursue training as a therapy dog team.   I was completely unaware that such an activity existed, so I began my research.  Molly and I began the training program, became registered as a therapy dog team, and began visiting regularly at Methodist Hospital.  I retired and became available during days that enabled us to become part of the teams at Children’s Hospital, and I have been working in the rehab areas of Children’s-St. Paul, Minneapolis, Maple Grove and Minnetonka, as well as visiting patient floors at Children’s-Minneapolis.”

 2.   Favorite thing to do outside of volunteering?

 “As a result of my interest in therapy work, I joined a group called North Star Therapy Animals and am currently a board member and treasurer.  I love reading and belong to a mystery book club.  I have a new grandson and love to spend lots of time with him, as well as with my daughter and her husband.  I do a bit of fishing and a lot of gardening in the summer time, and enjoy a warm ten days in the winter (not here!).”

 3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

 “Our dog Molly passed away a few weeks ago, but Murray has been taking her spot in the therapy dog arena.  He is now four years old and really enjoys the children.  We also have two cats, Max and Franky.  We have three grandsons – would love a granddaughter but probably not going to happen!”

 4.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

 “This one will be a work in progress…!”

 5.   Share a favorite volunteer experience or story:

 “I have had so many great experiences as a therapy dog team.  One Saturday, I received a phone call from Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis about a little girl who had had surgery on Thursday, but the staff was having a really hard time getting her to sleep.  She loved dogs with a passion, and we were asked to visit to see if we could to possibly help her rest.  I placed Murray in bed with her and, of course, she was delighted.  She petted him, hugged him and talked to him.  After a bit of time, she asked her father for her blanket, which he provided with a great deal of hope.  We had thought she was going to curl up and possibly sleep with Murray next to her.  Not so: she took the blanket and covered Murray with it.  Murray went to sleep!  However, much to our delight, she fell asleep a bit later.”

Posted in Red Vested Rockstar, Volunteer Profiles | No Comments »

Bringing the Spirit of Volunteerism to Advocacy

January 7th, 2013

Did you know that Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota has an Advocacy and Health Policy department? This department’s staff dedicate their time to promoting policies, initiatives and laws that support kids’ health, as well as Children’s ability to provide the best care possible.

As someone who already devotes your personal time to serving the needs of children, you understand the value of volunteerism and the positive difference that it can make in someone else’s (and your own!)  life. Advocacy is really an extension of that value because when people speak up for the issues that matter to them, like children’s health, we can have a big impact on the lives of many. Since the concepts of volunteerism and advocacy embody the same core values, we wanted to share more about our advocacy work so you can get involved if you’re interested!

Children's Advocacy Team: Kelly Wolfe, Anna Youngerman and Katie Rojas-Jahn

The advocacy team at work

Influencing government

A lot of what the Advocacy team does revolves around local, state and federal government policies. We work to inform policymakers about the most pressing health concerns faced by children in our region, and the value of a health care provider focused exclusively on kids.

For example, one of the public health care programs in Minnesota is called Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and it plays an important role in making sure kids have access to care. In 2011, 430,901 kids were covered through Medical Assistance.  As one of Children’s advertising posters states, “Any kid can get sick. Not every kid can afford to.” Because Children’s treats every child seeking care, regardless of ability to pay, the advocacy team works to make sure that Medical Assistance is funded appropriately to meet pediatric health care needs.

We also support programs at the state and federal level that fund education for pediatric students, residents and fellows to develop knowledge in their chosen specialties. Unfortunately, this funding has been threatened in recent years (in 2011, the state-based funds for this work, called MERC, were cut by 50 percent), so in 2013, Children’s will advocate for the preservation of remaining funds and restoration of the cuts.

In the community

The Advocacy and Health Policy team also supports ongoing community work to address some of the public health concerns facing kids today. Childhood obesity is on the rise across the U.S., and Minnesota is no exception. In our recent report, Children’s Check-Up 3: Starting Early to Prevent Childhood Obesity, we discussed the importance of starting early in the fight against obesity.

We also support the work of Vida Sana Minneapolis, a community-based program spearheaded by our own Dr. Julie Boman that provides community-based, culturally-appropriate programming for Latino families to reduce childhood obesity.

You can be a powerful advocate!

We hope that you’ll get involved with this work by signing up to be a part of our Children’s Advocacy Network (click the “Action E-list” link when page loads)—we’ll keep you updated on our work and let you know when you can take action in support of children’s health.

You can also follow the Voice for Kids blog and @childrenspolicy on Twitter. If you have more questions about our work, please contact Katie Rojas-Jahn at Katherine.Rojas-Jahn@childrensmn.org or (612) 813-7111.

 

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Buds in Scrubs: Christy Gotto

January 4th, 2013

Children’s Volunteer Services presents:

Buds in Scrubs!

1.   Meet Christy:

“My name is Christy Gotto. I have been a registered nurse here at Children’s for seven and a half years, first starting on 7th Floor and now (for the last couple of years) in the NICU!”  Christy is a wonderful supporter of our volunteers, finding them plenty of kiddos to play with!

 2.   Favorite thing to do outside of work?

“I love to cook, bake, and (of course!) spend time with my family.”

 3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

“We have one son, Liam, who is almost 3 years old, and a new baby on the way next May.  We also have two dogs, Maverick and Dakota, who are 8 and 10 years old.”

 4.   What is your favorite book and/or movie?

“My favorite movie is Top Gun.”

 5.   Who was your hero as a kid?

“My dad.”

 6.   Who is your hero now?

“My grandmother, Eleanor.”

 7.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

    “These are difficult questions.  It would be called ‘A Whole Lot of Goodness,’ and contain all of my favorites: dark chocolate, coconut, caramel and pecans.”

 8.   What do you love most about your job at Children’s?

“I love being able to make a difference in some shape or form for our families and patients, even if it is just to make them smile for the first time that day.”

 9.   Share a work experience involving volunteers:

“One of our volunteers, Tom, came by almost every shift he volunteered to rock one of our older babies in the NICU that did not have family consistently here to be with her.  Her eyes lit up every time she saw him and he rocked her, which was her very favorite part of the day.”

Thank you, Christy, for all that you do to support and encourage our volunteers!

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Red-Vested Rockstar: Robert Mills III

December 28th, 2012

Robert delivering blankets!

Children’s Volunteer Services presents: Red-Vested Rockstar!

Meet Robert!

1.   Why he ROCKS?!

 “My lifelong dream has been to be a pediatrician.  After working several years in the education field, I decided to go back to school to pursue my dream and figured, what better place to gain experience working with children in a medical setting than at Children’s Hospital?” We are thrilled to have Robert volunteer with us on our St. Paul Campus. He has assisted with pre-surgery tours and on the inpatient units, excelling wherever he is placed! Robert has incredible energy, as well as a positive outlook:  he is an ideal volunteer!

2.   Favorite thing to do outside of volunteering?

“Outside of volunteering, I love to play on my XBOX 360.” We are sure that Robert gets plenty of practice here on the inpatient floors!

3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

“I have two sons, Elijah (7) and Aden (4).  I also have two pet goldfish that the kids named EJ and Julio.” :)

4.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

“If I could make a candy bar, it would have to be a mix of Snickers and Turtle.  It would include milk chocolate, peanuts, pecans, caramel, and creamy nougat.  I would name it a Snurckle.”

5.   Share a favorite volunteer experience or story:

“There was an 11-year-old who came in for the pre-surgery program when all of the other kids were five or younger.  He, of course, felt out of place with all of the younger kids, so I really tried to connect with him on an 11-year-old level to make the program enjoyable.  We talked about video games, what we liked and didn’t like about middle school,  and sports.  We both had a good time during PSP, and I found out that when he came back for his surgery, the first thing that he asked the Child Life Specialist was, “Where’s Robert?”  It was really cool to know that in our short amount of time together, I made a positive impression on his hospital experience.”

Thank you, Robert, for all that you do!

Posted in Red Vested Rockstar | No Comments »

Red-Vested Rockstar: Fatima Ahmad

December 14th, 2012

 

Fatima and her favorite childhood character... Elmo!

Children’s Volunteer Services Presents: Red-Vested Rockstar!

 Meet Fatima!

1.   Why she ROCKS!!

Some would describe this week’s Rockstar as a “positive, energetic person”…we could not agree more!  Fatima brings her energy, love of play, and honest desire to help others to our hospital every Thursday afternoon…and she is only a high school sophomore!  “I started volunteering because I wanted to make a change; I wanted to make a difference. The only problem? I was only about 14 when I first signed up! Luckily, Children’s allowed volunteers of my age.  I fell in love with everything about this hospital:  the kind people, the amazing volunteers, and the inspiring patients.  I just try to live an optimistic life.”

 2.   Favorite thing to do outside of volunteering?

“My favorite things to do outside of volunteering are probably reading and theater. Some of my favorite books include ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and ‘The Book Thief.” For theater, I like being backstage and helping there.”

 3.   Do you have any kids or pets of your own?

 “No:  sadly, I have no pets, and I’m too young to have children!”

 4.   If you could create a new candy bar, what would be in it and what would you name it?

“If I could make a new candy bar, I would name it Chuckles. It would be made of milk chocolate and inside would be caramel swirls.  It would have layers too:  one of chocolate, one of caramel, and one in the middle of white chocolate!”

 5.   Share a favorite volunteer experience or story:

“My favorite volunteer experience is probably sitting with a patient and playing Wii…which I am awful at!!  The patient and I had a blast playing Mario Kart and talking!”

Thank you, Fatima, for all that you do! 

Posted in Red Vested Rockstar | No Comments »

From Patient to Volunteer: Guest Blogger Meredith Shimek

December 10th, 2012

Meredith Shimek has been volunteering with Children’s Hospital for a year, playing with children and sharing her time on the inpatient units. As a senior in high school, Meredith is writing about her volunteer experience for class and was kind enough to share her story with us, as well!

Volunteer Meredith Shimek

“In the summer of 2009, I went to see my pediatrician for my 14-year physical.  I come from a tall Minnesotan family, and with a brother towering over 6’5”, when I had stopped growing at 4’11”, it became apparent that something was a little off. My pediatrician began running blood tests, and a couple of weeks later, I was diagnosed with Turner Syndrome. A month later, after an Upper GI Endoscopy, I was also diagnosed with celiac disease. As a teenager, I didn’t really know what to think about this new information, but now I do know that if not for my many appointments at Children’s Hospital, I never would have become a volunteer, or become interested in medicine.

As a kid, I never had an interest in the medical field. I was squeamish about blood and notorious for fainting when I’d get a flu shot- in short, the hospital was a place that I dreaded going to and had no interest in. After being diagnosed with Turner Syndrome, I went to Children’s Hospital many times for echocardiograms or blood draws. I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t eager to leave, but I would see other kids, younger than me, being wheeled into a room connected to IVs, and I would notice the dedication and tact of the Children’s staff. Everyone worked together to help these young people, and that was something I wanted to be a part of. I became increasingly interested in the medical field and wanted to help foster the environment that makes Children’s such a welcoming hospital.

As I started my junior year of high school, I began volunteering in the Pediatric Epilepsy Unit at Children’s. During my first month of volunteering, I spent my shifts with a little girl. At first, she would talk about how she missed her dog, or how she was distracted by her IVs, but in the following weeks, she would actually have a good time with me. We’d spend our time making friendship bracelets or discussing People magazine articles. She left the hospital happy, healthy, and excited to tell her 4th grade class all about the games she played, the people she met, and the artwork & scrapbook that we’d put together.

After a couple months of volunteering, I was already eager to be trained in other areas of the hospital. The first day of summer vacation, I started my shifts on an inpatient unit. I ended up spending the entire morning with a little boy, having our own little “bedside party” blowing bubbles and party blowers to help his lungs. On a day when his parents couldn’t visit him, it was great knowing that he didn’t have to be lonely.

There are a couple of reasons why I have loved my time at Children’s. It is a place that has inspired me so much as I see these kids become physically healthy.  It also means so much to be able to help them through their time at the hospital. Now I know that I am more open to changing my mind, and more eager to make a difference and dedicate myself to something that matters to me.”

Thanks, Meredith, for the time and energy that you’ve shared with the kids and families here at Children’s! We are so glad to have you here! 

Posted in Guest Blogger | 3 Comments »

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