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Action against gun violence: pediatric health care professionals pen open letter to Minnesota lawmakers

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (April 10, 2023) – Today, more than 160 pediatric providers from health systems statewide have joined Children’s Minnesota in calling on Minnesota lawmakers to take further action to prevent gun violence. This call to action was issued through the following open letter to state lawmakers:

If we, pediatric health care professionals, woke up tomorrow knowing how to cure childhood cancer, you can bet we would waste no time saving young lives.

If you, our Minnesota lawmakers, had the power to stop an even more insidious threat to kids, we trust you would act with the same urgency. Because no matter what that threat is, if it is killing our children, it needs to be stopped immediately.

Today in Minnesota, kids do face a threat more deadly than cancer. That threat is gun violence. Twice as many children in Minnesota died from gunshots than cancer in 2020, according to the most recent data. Across our country, guns are now the #1 killer of kids.

This is a pediatric public health emergency.

When a child is shot in Minnesota, we are the ones who deal with the devastation up close. We are the ones who desperately try to save their lives and repair their young bodies, blown apart by a bullet. We are the ones who try to comfort anguished family members. But it is not enough for us to treat kids after they are shot. We must prevent them from getting shot in the first place. We must stop this nightmare from playing out over and over in hospitals across Minnesota, and across the country. It’s a horror show no human should have to experience, let alone a child.

Minnesota lawmakers, we know you want the same thing we do — for all Minnesota kids to grow up safe and healthy.  Like us, you as public servants have a duty to protect the young people of our state. We know you understand that keeping Minnesota kids safe from harm isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a public health issue.

And there is some good news. Unlike cancer, gun violence is preventable. There are pragmatic measures you can take to protect our children without restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens.

These measures are part of omnibus public safety bills moving through the legislature (HF2890/SF2909). The bills include policies that would keep guns away from people who are at extreme risk to themselves or others; that would expand background checks for gun sales and transfers. Studies show these policies save lives. For example, Connecticut’s extreme risk law has reduced firearm suicide rates by 14%.

Minnesotans want these safety measures passed. A recent statewide poll shows 92% of Minnesota voters support required background checks for all firearms sold in our state; 76% of Minnesota voters, including 72% of gun owners, want to keep guns away from people who pose a threat to themselves or others. These are common sense protections that kids in Minnesota deserve.

Please listen to Minnesotans. Listen to us. These policies will help keep guns out of the wrong hands. They will save lives.

We don’t yet have the power to cure childhood cancer. But you have the power to protect our kids from gun violence. This legislative session, you have an opportunity to ensure fewer families are devastated by preventable tragedy.

We implore you to pass these policies. Please put the health and lives of Minnesota children first.

Pediatric health care professionals signed on to gun violence prevention open letter

  • Anjali Aggarwal, MD
    Fairview
  • Elizabeth Anderson, RN, BSN
    Lakeview Hospital
  • Mary Grace Aviles, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Roger Aviles, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Dawn Baddeley, MSN, RN, CENP
    Gillette Children’s
  • Tori Bahr, MD
    Gillette Children’s
  • Callie Becker, MD
    University of MN Physicians
  • Diana Becker Cutts, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Bonnie Bentson, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Erica Blake, PA-C
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Elena Bond, MD
    Fairview
  • Iris Borowsky, MD, PhD
    University of Minnesota Medical School
  • Mariya Bowen, NP
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Sarah Brandt, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Lauren Bray, MD
    Fairview
  • Gail Brottman, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Nicholas Brown, MD
    Fairview
  • Calla Brown, MD, MHR, FAAP
    University of Minnesota
  • Rachel Bye, MD
    Fairview
  • Alyx Bystrom, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Jacquelyn Campbell, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Michelle Chestovich, MD
  • Lindsey Chmielewski, MD
    CentraCare
  • Jessica Cici, MD
    Fairview
  • Kimberly Cochran, MD
    Allina Health
  • Sonja Colianni, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Sarah Conlin, MSN, CNRN, CPN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Eileen Crespo, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Dina Curran, MD
    Fairview
  • Christina Cusic, MD
    HealthPartners
  • Adriana Dhawan, MD
    Fairview
  • Elissa Downs, MD, MPH
    Fairview
  • Christina Dunn, MD
    Fairview
  • Judith Eckerle, MD
    University of Minnesota Medical School
  • Stella Evans, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Lorir Fahs, MSN, RN, PHN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Eduardo Fastag-Guttman, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Tim Feyma, MD
    Gillette Children’s
  • Elsa Fiebiger, DO
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Sara Friedman, MD
    Allina Health
  • John Garcia, MD
    Gillette Children’s
  • Caroline George, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Lisa Gill, MD
    UMPhysicians
  • Jennifer Goldfarb, MSN, RN
    Fairview
  • Samuel Goldfarb, MD
    Fairview
  • Christine Gove, MD
    Fairview
  • Anne Griffiths, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Sixto Guiang, MD
    Fairview
  • Laura Hagemeyer, MD
    Fairview
  • Jessica Hane, MD
    Fairview
  • Dustin Hansen, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Melissa Hardy, MD
    Fairview
  • Meghan Harney, MD, FAAP
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Lauren Haveman, MD
    Allina Health
  • Julia Heneghan, MD, MS
    Fairview
  • Michael Hobbs, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Patricia Hobday, MD
    M Health Fairview
  • Cynthia Howard, MD, MPH
    Fairview
  • Sarah Hoyt, APRN, CPNP-PC
    Gillette Children’s
  • Mollie Huepfel, LGSW
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Janet Hume, MD,PhD
    University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital
  • Rita Hurd, MD
    Allina Health
  • Fareeda Hussain, MD
    Mayo Clinic
  • Emma Ibrahim, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Steven Inman, MD
    Children’s Health Network
  • Alexa IntVeld, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Elizabeth Jarrett, MD, MPH
  • Vaishali Jhs, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Ivy Johnson, RN
    Fairview
  • Brian Joy, MD
    Fairview
  • Emily Kevan, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Anupam Kharbanda, MD,MSc
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Emily Kidd, MD
    Allina Health
  • Leslie King-Schultz, MD, MPH
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Meghan Kinsel, DO
    Allina Health
  • Andrew Kiragu, MD, FAAP, FCCM
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Justin Kirven, MD
    Allina Health
  • Stephen Knier, DO
    Southdale Pediatric Associates
  • Jason Koch, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Emily Koeck, MD
    HealthPartners
  • Nathaniel Kreykes, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Lisa LaForest, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Megan Lapic, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Catherine Larson-Nath, MD
    Fairview
  • Caitlin Lingbeck, CPNP-PC
    Gillette Children’s
  • Sandy Liu, MD
    University of Minnesota
  • Stephen Lutz, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Jonna Maas, MD
    Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center
  • Rhamy Magid, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Sheilagh Maguiness, MD
    Fairview
  • Tara Maranda
    Gillette Children’s
  • Stacene Maroushek, MD, PhD, MPH
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Alexandra Marquez, MD
    Fairview
  • Brandie Martin
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Roberta McKenzie, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Claire McNeil, MD
    Allina Health
  • Christina Mikesell, DO
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Julie Mills, CNP
    Gillette Children’s
  • Anna Milz, MD, MPH
    Fairview
  • Saira Mitha, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Brooke Moore, MD, MPH
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Justine Mrosak, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Timothy Neis, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Mee Lee Nelson, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics Associates
  • Michele Newcomer, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Angela Noble, MD
    Allina Health
  • Jeffrey Nowak, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Vicki Oster, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Rachel Overvig, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Brigid Packer, APRN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Megan Paulsen, MD
    Fairview
  • Kristin Peterson, MSN, RN, CEN
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Paolo Pianosi, MD
    Fairview
  • Stephanie Pickthorn, MD
    HealthPartners
  • Michael Pitt, MD
    Fairview
  • Rachel Poeppelman, MD, MHPE
    Fairview
  • Frances Prekker, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Lance Reed, RN, BSN, CPN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Joseph Resch, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Gretchen Rierson, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Brianne Roby, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Michaela Rokosz, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Annalisa Rudser, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Christina Russell, MD
    Fairview
  • Daniel Saltzman, MD, PhD
    University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital
  • Peter Scal, MD, MPH
    University of Minnesota
  • Amy Schlosser, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Sarah Jane Schwarzenberg, MD
    University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital
  • Kara Seaton, MD
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Stephen Selinsky, MD
    Fairview
  • Miriam Shapiro, MD
    University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital
  • Kevin Sheridan, MD
    Gillette Children’s
  • Andrea Singh, MD
    HealthPartners
  • Kelsey Sjogren, CPNP
    Fairview
  • Emma Solheim, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Marie Steiner, MD, MS
    University of Minnesota
  • Katie Stromberg, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Britta Sundquist, MD
    Southdale Pediatrics
  • Stephanie Swanepoel, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Beth Swanson, DO
    Fairview
  • Rahul Tamhane, MD
    Allina Health
  • Alicia Teagarden, DO
    Children’s Minnesota
  • Beth Thielen, MD, PhD
    Fairview
  • Lisha Thomas, MD
    Fairview
  • Emily Torell, MD
  • Susanna Tran, APRN, CNP
    Gillette Children’s
  • Alycia Trossen-Kapur, MD
    Allina Health
  • Walter Truong, MD
    Gillette Children’s
  • Jessica Vang, CNP
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Richard Velders, MD
    Hennepin Healthcare
  • Maria Vu, MD
    Minnesota Women’s Care
  • Dee Vue, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • John Wagner, MD
    Fairview
  • Christine Wegwerth, RN, BSN, CPN, CRRN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Sheri Williams, MD
    Southdale Pediatric Associates
  • Jameel Winter, MD
    Fairview
  • Timothy Wood, MD
    Allina Health
  • Amy Wudel, MD
    Fairview
  • Sally Wulfing, RN
    Gillette Children’s
  • Padma Yarrapureddy, MD
    Park Nicollet
  • Lauren Yauch, DO, MPH
    Gillette Children’s
  • Brianna Yund, PhD, LP
    Fairview

 

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