M A T T E R SThe Newsletter of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth

Still ChampionS

of hopealSo:

advanCeS in GenetiCSShow promiSe

Still ChampionS

of hopealSo:

advanCeS in GenetiCSShow promiSe

Spring 2008

2 M A T T E R S

Welcome to CHaD Matters!

In the ten years since the inaugural issue of CHaD Matters, extraordinary advances

have been made in pediatric cancer treatment, genetics and virtually every aspect of

pediatric medicine and surgery. Our two Champions of Hope featured in our cover

story – Emma and Brendan – used those years to become robust young people following

their treatment for leukemia at CHaD.

Medical care delivered at CHaD is constantly improving with new instrumentation,

devices, medications and improved management. Moreover, we are strongly committed

to providing safe and quality care to all of the children we care for. In this issue, we take a

look back at where we’ve been, and also a look ahead to even brighter prospects for other

Champions of Hope that we see here at CHaD every day.

So much is possible with your engaged interest and support.

Paul A. Merguerian, MD

Medical Director, CHaD (Interim)

Program Director, Pediatric Urology

contentsThanks to the 2008

CHaD Partners who have

underwritten and provided

substantial support of our

events and activities.

Partners

CHaD Matters is published by the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. Please address corre-spondence to: Sharon Brown, CHaD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, or email to CHaD.Community.Relations@Hitchcock.ORG.

Contributors: Cathy Bean, Sharon Brown, Elizabeth Clarke, Timothy Dean, Tracey Jacobi, Tammy Lambert, Melissa Mashaw-Gomeau, Da-vid McWilliams, Rolf Olsen, Toby Trudel. Photos: Bob Falco, Daniel Levesque, Tom McNeill, David McWilliams, Robert Sterling, Mark Washburn. Design: Jennifer Hopkins, Porter House Design. Printing: Imperial Company.

3 Dr Alan Rozycki Retires

4 Advances in Genetics and A

Mother’s Devotion Lead to

Treatment and Hope

6 Three New CHaD Doctors:

Simon C. Hillier, MD,

Pediatric Anesthesiology

Jack van Hoff, MD,

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Dorothy W. Wortmann, MD,

Pediatric Rheumatology

8 Still Champions of Hope

10 Shield Our Children from Harm:

Unsung Heroes

10 New at CHaD: Robotic Surgery

11 Pediatric Hitchcock Early Response

Team

12 Together for Kids

13 ACT – Achieving Continence Together

CHaD’s Clown Fish Exploration Trail

14-15 Fun & Activities

9th Annual CHaD Ski & Ride Festival

at Dartmouth

Cannon Mountain Ski

Day for Kristen’s Gift

CHaD Battle of the Badges

Back Cover Calendar of Events

© 2008, all rights reserved,Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

M A T T E R S 3

For more than 35 years, Dr. Alan Rozycki has been an

exceptional clinician, educator and thinker at Dart-

mouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He retired at the end

of December 2007.

Dr. Rozycki served as the principal investigator for several

clinical trials and brought the fruits of his research into the

clinical arena. Over the years he has served as a mentor to many,

and his work has been published in esteemed peer-reviewed

journals. Although Dr. Rozycki dedicated much of his career to

medical student education, he was committed to his active pedi-

atrics primary care practice, developing enduring relationships

with many patients, and providing comprehensive continuity

and advocacy, especially for children with special healthcare

needs. In 1994, his eminent service earned Dr. Rozycki an ap-

pointment to the rank of full professor.

Dr. Rozycki has distinguished himself as a leader in several of

CHaD’s clinical areas. To name a few, he has served as Director

of the Normal Newborn Nursery, Section Chief of General Aca-

demic Pediatrics, Program Director of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Regional Pediatric/Family HIV Program, and he developed

CHaD’s Spina Bifida program.

Dr. Rozycki will be missed, not just here at CHaD, but

throughout our region and beyond. Please join us in wishing

him a happy and adventurous retirement.

Dr. Alan Rozycki Retires

In early March, the excitement was

palpable when more than

100 employees and vendors

of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club

stores from across NH, VT and

northern MA gathered at DHMC

to celebrate their fundraising for

CHaD. During 2007, they raised

a record sum of $412,000, bringing the

seven-year total to over $1.8 million.

“I’ve always felt good about fundrais-

ing for CHaD,” says Jeff Godois of the

Manchester, NH, Sam’s Club. “One dol-

lar at a time and it makes things better

for everybody.”

New Hampshire Wal-Mart stores in

Rochester, Keene, Plaistow, Newington,

Epping and Seabrook held events rang-

ing from raffles and craft shows to golf

tournaments, motorcycle runs, car shows

– even a “Pie the Managers for CHaD”

event! Seabrook’s greeter donned a CHa-

Dasaurus costume created by his wife,

raising $21,000, propelling his store to a

tie with the Keene Wal-Mart for first place

in CHaD fundraising for 2007. Many ven-

dors also participated through the “Help

a Child Smile Golf Tournament” and pro-

grams of their own. Kellogg’s raised a

record $10,000 for CHaD.

“CHaD affects a lot of my as-

sociates and their families. It’s

a wonderful organization,” said

Leslie Thompson, Market Man-

ager for 11 New Hampshire stores.

“It’s a great passion of mine, getting my

stores involved. We like to challenge each

other to raise more.”

Thompson challenged her market,

“I’m going to up the ante and throw out a

challenge to my market to break $175,000

this year.” Other market managers re-

sponded, and soon they had a collective

goal of $500,000. History tells us that

they’re likely to meet – or even exceed

– that goal, one dollar at a time.

“One Dollar at a Time” Adds Up to $1.8 million

As a tribute, the”Alan Rozycki Commitment to Excellence Award” was initiated to honor the individual in General Pediatrics who best embodies his extraordinary efforts; always making a positive difference in the lives of the children, families, and the Upper Valley community. This year’s recipient was Dr. Todd Poret.

CHaD’s Sharon Brown welcomes Market Manager Leslie Thompson and Store Manager Tony Tiner both of whose leadership have been key to the growth and success of Wal-Mart’s support.

Jack Kelly, retired from Interstate Brands Co., Peter McMurray from Coca Cola and Mark Ciaranella, Wal-Mart , are three long time supporters of CHaD.

4 M A T T E R S

It’s a Wednesday afternoon in the pedi-

atric infusion unit, and the Campbells

are well into their routine. Every week,

Matt and his son Owen, age 3, travel from

their home in Rutland, Vt. to Lebanon and

back so that Owen can receive specialized

treatments for a rare genetic disorder.

“Owen loves coming to the hospital,”

says Matt. “It’s pizza time and movie time,

and there are a lot of cool toys to play with.”

As Matt talks, Owen uses his dad’s chest as

a pillow while watching the Disney movie,

“Bug’s Life” on a portable DVD player. To-

day, they’re joined by Owen’s brother Aidan,

age 6, who watches “Harry Potter and the

Sorcerer’s Stone” on a nearby television.

Some might consider having to make a

weekly 2 ½-hour commute which includes

a five-hour hospital visit a hardship. “Some

weeks can be tough, but it’s definitely been

worth it—Owen is getting great care here,”

Matt says. “I’m just thankful that we were

able to get him diagnosed when we did,

and that there’s a treatment available now

that can help him.”

Genetics Alters Treatment Plan

During the summer and fall of 2006,

CHaD geneticist John Moeschler, MD, col-

laborating with colleagues at Duke Medical

Center, helped to pinpoint Owen’s disorder as

Hunter syndrome or mucopolysaccharidosis

II (MPS II)—a serious, extremely rare heredi-

tary disorder that primarily affects males.

“Hunter syndrome is one of several

related MPS lysosomal storage diseases,”

explains Moeschler, who specializes in ge-

netics and child development

and oversees Owen’s care.

“Kids with Hunter’s are miss-

ing an enzyme that breaks

down certain chemicals that

occur naturally in the cells.

As these chemicals build up,

they cause progressive cogni-

tive deterioration, multiple or-

gan disease, and a shortened

lifespan.”

Though not nearly as com-

mon, there is also a mild form

of Hunter syndrome. “Us-

ing advanced genetic testing

techniques, it’s now possible

to identify differences in the

gene that predict severity,” says Sheila Up-

ton, MGC, a pediatric genetic counselor at

CHaD who works with Moeschler to pro-

vide support and care coordination for the

Campbells. “If Owen’s mutation had been

severe, the family was going to pursue a

cord blood transplant which might help

some patients but has very significant risks.

Because it was a less severe mutation, they

ended up altering their treatment plan.”

Traditionally, the only treatment for

mild Hunter’s has been supportive and

palliative care. But in July of 2006, only a

few months before Owen’s diagnosis was

confirmed, the FDA approved a promising

new enzyme replacement therapy called,

“Elaprase.” “With help from the pharma-

ceutical company (Shire), the institution,

Advances in Genetics and A Mother’s Devotion Lead to Treatment and Hope

M A T T E R S 5

and the research community, we were able

to meet the Campbells’ needs and set up

therapy for Owen here in December of ‘06,”

says Moeschler.

A Mother’s SacrificeThe true hero behind Owen’s diagnosis

and treatment is his mom, Amy, who tragi-

cally passed away in June of 2007 after an

18-month battle with breast cancer. “She

was a fantastic mother and wife, and she

was tremendously devoted to the boys,”

Matt explains. “But when she should have

been concentrating on fighting her cancer

and getting well, she diverted all of her en-

ergy towards finding help for Owen.”

Amy’s crusade for her son began with

a fateful visit from a friend who had been

her midwife at Aidan’s birth. “Her friend

had stopped by our babysitter’s house and

noticed that Owen’s belly was distended,”

recalls Matt. “They started talking about his

two hernia surgeries, his sleep problems, his

speech issues, his ear tubes, and how he’d

had his adenoids and tonsils taken out. As

part of her studies, the midwife had done a

paper on MPS—as soon as she shared her

suspicions with us, Amy started researching

for him every day. That led her to CHaD and

the MPS test.”

Before the Campbells knew whether

Owen’s condition was severe or mild, Amy

took Owen to North Carolina for two weeks

of follow up testing to see if he was a candi-

date for a cord blood transplant. She set up

a web site for Owen and organized two fund

raisers to help defray medical expenses.

Even at her sickest, she insisted on coming

to all of Owen’s infusions at DHMC. “We

always believed that she was going to be a

long-term survivor,” says Matt. “Those were

extremely rough times for us as a family, but

I’ve never seen someone dedicate their life

to a cause the way she did for Owen.”

A Hopeful PrognosisWhile the Campbells are still adjusting

to life without Amy, Owen is responding

well to his treatments. “He’s getting physical

and occupational therapy, and he has hear-

ing aids which he’s used to wearing now,”

says Matt. “We’ve also got him enrolled in

an early pre-school program for kids with

special needs which he loves.”

“Dr. Moeschler, Sheila, and the nurses

here have been great,” he says. “It’s not just

their expertise. It’s the way they’ve been

so supportive and caring through every-

thing—they always revolve their schedules

around us. In fact, they’re helping me look

into setting up Owen’s infusion treatments

in Rutland which would be a lot more con-

venient.”

“It’s very possible that gene therapy will

lead to a cure for Hunter’s in the next 10 to

15 years,” adds Matt. “By then, Owen will

hopefully be a healthy and independent

adult, and be able to fully appreciate all that

his mother did for him.”

I’m just thankful that we were able to get

him diagnosed when we did, and that

there’s a treatment available now that

can help him.” Matt Campbell

6 M A T T E R S

I n t r o d u c I n g

Three New CHaD Doctors

Dr. Dorothy W. Wort-

m a n n a r r i v e d at

CHaD in February,

af ter ser v ing since 2000 as

Physician-in-charge in Pediat-

ric Rheumatology at the Uni-

versity of Oklahoma School of

Medicine in Tulsa, where she

also held a faculty appointment as Clinical

Associate Professor in Pediatrics. Currently

Dr. Wortmann is the only pediatric rheuma-

tologist in New Hampshire.

“It’s so rewarding to work with children,

especially helping families to sort through

sometimes complex challenges,” according

to Dr. Wortmann. “I fell into my specialty

through an unexpected opportunity for a

fellowship in pediatric rheumatology and

I’ve been here ever since, with absolutely no

regrets.” With a sister in Vermont, a brother

in southern New Hampshire, and a son in the

Boston area, plus the appeal of all the outdoor

activities available in the region, moving to

the Upper Valley was an easy decision.

Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Wort-

mann earned a BA at Mount Holyoke Col-

lege, intending to become a nurse. Follow-

ing the counsel of her advisor, though, she

went on to earn her MD at the University of

Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City,

KS. She was a pediatric intern and resi-

dent at the University of Michigan Medical

Center in Ann Arbor, where she received

fellowship training in pediatric rheuma-

tology. Dr. Wortmann also served as a ci-

vilian pediatrician with the Department of

the Army in Seoul, Korea, and in Colorado,

and she’s held faculty and staff appoint-

ments at Children’s Hospital or Wisconsin,

the Medical College of Wisconsin, and East

Carolina University School of Medicine. At

Dartmouth Medical School, Dr. Wortmann

holds the faculty rank of Visiting Associate

Professor of Pediatrics (Rheumatology).

CHaD is pleased to wel-

come Jack van Hoff, MD,

as Section Chief of Pedi-

atric Hematology/Oncology and

Associate Professor of Pediatrics at

Dartmouth Medical School. “What

really matters are the patients, the

personalities,” according to Dr. Van

Hoff. “This job can be very stressful and time

consuming. But as the cover story of this is-

sue shows, good care can save lives. And that

makes the rest of it worthwhile.”

After earning his medical degree at the

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New

Jersey, Dr. van Hoff served as a pediatric

resident and received fellowship training in

pediatric hematology/oncology at Yale-New

Haven Hospital in Connecticut. With Board

Certification in Pediatrics and Pediatric He-

matology/Oncology, Dr. van Hoff has a broad

interest in all forms of childhood cancer, and

a special interest in brain tumors.

He led the pediatric neuro-oncology

program at Yale for years and plans

to pursue similar interests here at

DHMC. Dr. van Hoff is also pleased

to have the opportunity to engage

with a number of DHMC colleagues

who are active internationally.

In determining if DHMC and CHaD

would be a good fit, Dr. Van Hoff reports,

“I carefully evaluated the team here in the

Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology,

and also the doctors we need to collaborate

with – surgeons, pathologists, radiation on-

cologist and others. I’ve been very pleased

that my early confidence and enthusiasm

has been borne out by my experience here

over the last several months. This is an ex-

tended team that works together very well

in the complex realm of caring for children

with cancer.”

Anesthesiologist Simon

C. Hillier, MD, recently

joined CHaD from Riley

Hospital for Children in Indianap-

olis, Indiana, where he also served

on the faculty of Indiana Univer-

sity School of Medicine. “I moved

to DHMC and CHaD because I

was impressed by the existing pediatric

anesthesiology faculty, led by Joe Cravero,”

Dr. Hillier said. “From an academic per-

spective, it has certainly been intellectu-

ally invigorating to practice as part of the

Dartmouth Anesthesiology team and get

involved in some research again.”

Hillier adds that opportunities for out-

door activities in the region were also very

appealing, “In our spare time my wife (Kim)

and I like to hike, bike, scull, and explore

the upper valley. Rowing on the Connecti-

cut River was a major draw for us.”

Dr. Hil l ier attended medi-

cal school and held internship

and residency positions in Man-

chester, England. He participated

in pediatric critical care and pe-

diatric anesthesia fellowships at

The Hospital for Sick Children,

University of Toronto, in Ontario,

Canada, where he was also a pediatric resi-

dent. Dr. Hillier volunteered his services as

pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist for the

International Children’s Heart Foundation

in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, and Lima,

Peru, providing cardiac anesthesia services

to approximately 25 patients during each

mission, and also teaching local anesthesia

and critical care doctors. Dr. Hillier is Board

Certified in Anesthesiology (1991) and holds

the faculty rank of Professor of Anesthesiol-

ogy at Dartmouth Medical School.

Pediatric Anesthesiology

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Pediatric Rheumatology

M A T T E R S 7

The March of Dimes and CHaD’s

Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) have

teamed up to create a new posi-

tion called a Family Support Specialist. The

person chosen for this position will serve

as on-site resource for inpatient families in

the ICN, represent the CHaD in the Nation-

al March of Dimes NICU Family Support

Network and generally promote patient and

family centered care in the ICN.

The Family Support Specialist will collabo-

rate with the ICN multi-disciplinary team to

identify the needs of inpatient ICN families

and represent their experiences, ideas and

recommendations in ICN meetings and qual-

ity improvement initiatives. The Specialist will

also chair the ICN Parent Council and serve as

a liaison to the CHaD Family Advisory Board.

The ICN and the March of Dimes look forward

to offering a new dimension of assistance to

the families of the ICN.

Advancing Family Centered Care March of Dimes/CHaD Intensive Care Nursery Family Support Specialist

Corporate supporters become

true CHaD Champions when

their employees get personally

involved in CHaD events. Kohl’s staff

members have provided invaluable as-

sistance at several events through their

‘A-Team’ program. As an added bonus,

each ‘A-Team’ generates an additional

$500 grant for CHaD, contributing toward

a generous total of $24,915 raised through

Kohl’s programs, all to support CHaD’s

Injury Prevention Center.

An ‘A-Team’ from the West Lebanon

Kohl’s, led by Store Manager

Dede Carpenter, assisted

during CHaD’s ski event at

Whaleback Ski Area. CHaD’s

Injury Prevention Center re-

ceived support from a Tilton

Kohl’s ‘A-Team’ during the

annual ‘Safe Kids 200’ bike

event at NH International

Speedway. In March, an ‘A-Team’ from the

Hooksett store helped out at CHaD’s ‘Battle

of the Badges’ hockey event at Man-

chester’s Verizon Wireless Arena,.

CHaD events often require

hundreds of energetic volun-

teers, so it’s great to know that

Kohl’s ‘A-Teams’ are always ready

to lend a helping hand.

CHaD’s Injury Prevention Center received support from a Tilton Kohl’s ‘A-Team’ during the annual ‘Safe Kids 200’ bike event at NH International Speedway.

8 M A T T E R S

Photographs by Robert D. Sterling Bob Sterling photographed Brendan and Emma for

the first issue of CHaD Matters and he was very pleased to be asked to take the photos

for this story. Over several years, Bob, a professional photographer from New London, NH,

has volunteered his time and many talents to CHaD and other nonprofit organizations. Bob

contributed several days of his service and countless priceless images during last summer’s

CHaD Regatta on Lake Sunapee, many of which were published in the last issue of CHaD

Matters. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of David’s House.

Still Champions of Hope

Still Champions of Hope

M A T T E R S 9

To five-year-old Emma Furlone, 6’ 2”

Brendan Shea, 15, was a great “tree.”

“Whenever she’d see him, she’d run

up and jump on him and start trying to wrestle

with him,” recalls Emma’s mom, Beth. “And

he’d pick her up and tip her upside down,

which always made her giggle.”

The cover photo of the first issue of CHaD

Matters, taken in July of 1997 at a CHaD pic-

nic, captured a similar moment between

the two (inset photo on cover). “It’s a great

picture,” says Brendan’s mom, Katie. “If you

didn’t know who they were you would never

have guessed that these were kids that had

gone through cancer.”

In fact, at the time the photo was taken,

Emma and Brendan had just finished their

last chemotherapy treatments at CHaD,

reaching a pivotal point in a mutual three-

year battle against acute lymphocytic leu-

kemia (ALL). While they came to CHaD as

strangers, the experiences that the Furlones

and Sheas shared as families with cancer

created a bond that has endured to this

day—and seen Brendan and Emma through

more than a decade of clinical remission

from ALL.

Dramatic advances in the diagnosis and

treatment of leukemia have made hope

possible for families like the Furlones and

Sheas. “In the time I have been practicing

(25 years), the prognosis for leukemia has

jumped 25 to 30 percentage points,” says

CHaD pediatric oncologist Dr. Sara Chaffee,

who treated both Emma and Brendan. “And

as more sophisticated protocols have been

developed, it has improved our ability to ad-

just therapies based on a patient’s risk and

minimize long-term side effects.”

Determination and HumorBrendan was nearly 13 years old when he

and his family learned that he had ALL from

Chaffee. “I had maybe five minutes of panic,

I cried with my family, and then it was like,

‘Alright, so what do we do?’” says Brendan,

who would use his competitive nature as

well as his love of playing practical jokes on

CHaD’s staff to help him and his family cope

with his disease.

Despite having to endure the chemo

as well as radiation treatments—which

made him so sick he lost 50 pounds at one

point—Brendan, remarkably, maintained

his honor roll status, playing both baseball

and basketball at Amherst Middle School

and Souhegan High School. Since graduat-

ing from American University in Washing-

ton, DC, in 2003, he has worked in medical

sales for Johnson & Johnson, and is plan-

ning on getting engaged soon. “We knew

each other in elementary school, lost touch,

then reconnected last year—who knew the

5th grade crush would be the one?” he says,

laughing.

In 2006, Brendan was diagnosed with

thyroid cancer, most likely a result of the

radiation treatment he received for ALL. He

has had two successful surgeries along with

radioactive iodine treatments, and remains

a champion of hope. “Brendan has the in-

nate ability to focus on what he has gained

as opposed to what he has lost,” explains

Katie. “While cancer continues to be a part

of his life, he’s never let it define him.”

“Lady Emma”Nicknamed “Lady Emma” by CHaD staff

for her ability to light up a room with her

smile, Emma was only two and a half when

she was diagnosed, too young to understand

what the word “leukemia” meant. “I remem-

ber my mom telling me that I had a ‘boo boo’

in my blood and that I needed to get help

from the doctors to fix it,” she recalls. “At

that age, going to CHaD became a routine

and felt normal to me.”

The experience felt quite different for

her parents. “I was a nervous wreck and

constantly worried about everything,” says

Beth. “Often, Katie and I would be at David’s

House at the same time since the kids’ hos-

pital stays were on similar schedules—she

was a great source of comfort and support

for me. When your kids have this type of

cancer, you spend a lot of time at the hospi-

tal and it becomes your second home. Both

of our families grew close to the entire pe-

diatric oncology team.”

Now a 15-year-old honor student at

Keene High School, Emma plays Olympic

development soccer and made the varsity

team last fall as a freshman. At one of her

games, Brendan paid her a surprise visit.

“I went running over at half time to see

my parents and there he was,” she says. “I

looked at him for a moment, then my brain

clicked and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness; it’s

Brendan!’ We gave each other a big hug—it

was so great to see him.”

Unexpected BenefitsAs long-term survivors of ALL, Brendan

and Emma have come to appreciate some

of the positive aspects of their experiences.

“It’s not only made me stronger, but also a

better person,” says Brendan, who still visits

members of his original care team. “I think

I have more compassion and empathy for

those around me, and I try not to sweat the

small stuff.”

“I think it’s made us closer as a family,”

says Emma. “And I’ve really grown to ap-

preciate the people at CHaD and what they

put forth for patients and families like ours.

I hope to go into the medical field some

day so that I can help others the way CHaD

helped us.”

In the time I have been practicing (25

years), the prognosis for leukemia has jumped 25 to 30

percentage pointsDr. Sara Chaffee

10 M A T T E R S

Dr. Daniel Herz

Since 1977, Centurion has served the insurance needs of the people and businesses of the Northeast. We offer personal,commercial and high-level specialty market insuranceproducts nationwide on a retail and wholesale basis.

Simply call Centurion Insurance Group’soffice, identify yourself as a CHaD supporter, and request a package quotefor home, auto and umbrella insurance.Centurion will donate $10 to CHaD,whether you purchase the policies or not. It’s that easy!

CHaD will receive a much-needed gift, and you gain access to Centurion’srenowned coverage expertise and service.

To participate, call 603-643-2000 or 800-258-3056 and ask for ourpersonal lines department.

QuotesforKids

Support CHaD with

New at CHaD: Robotic Surgery

Robots are not just toys for

kids anymore. Now they’re

important surgeons’ tools at

CHaD.

Dr. Daniel

Herz, one of

C H a D’s p e -

diatric urolo-

gists, recently

added robotic

surgery to his

bag of tricks.

The daVinci™

robot allows Dr.

Herz to perform “minimally invasive”

precision laparoscopic procedures

that would otherwise require a major

“open” surgery through a large inci-

sion. Using the robot allows children

to recover faster, decreases post-

operative pain and reduces the risks

of infection, since incisions are only

5-10mm long.

The robot is “scrubbed” at the

operating table while the surgeon

operates the robot remotely from

a separate 3-D console across the

room without scrubbing. There is a

“scrubbed” technician who, instead of

handing instruments to the surgeon,

changing the robot’s instruments at

the surgeon’s request.

Despite the robot’s cost, there is

no extra cost for the robot to the in-

surance company, patients or their

families.

CHaD’s Child Advocacy and Pro-

tection Program (CAPP) and The

Family Place in Norwich, Ver-

mont, two regional Child Advocacy Cen-

ters, are partners in a joint effort called

“Shield Our Children from Harm 2008.”

The focus of this collaboration is to address

child maltreatment in ways that help signif-

icantly reduce the impact of child abuse in

our communities. On April 1, at the annual

multi-disciplinary professional conference,

four “Unsung Heroes” were honored for

their dedication, compassion and efforts

going above and beyond the call of duty

each day in dealing with child abuse issues

in our region. This year’s recipients were

Deborah Pullin, ARNP, Child Advocacy and

Protection Program, CHaD (seated front

left); Detective Corporal Frederick Boggess,

Hartford Police Department (seated front,

center); Amanda Jewell, Division for Chil-

dren, Youth, & Families, Claremont Dis-

trict Office (rear left); and Detective Jesse

Vezina, Claremont Police Department (rear

center). Also pictured are Jeanne McMahan

of The Family Place (seated front right) and

CHaD’s Cathy Brittis. Congratulations and

thanks to all those who are shielding our

children from harm.

Shield Our Children from Harm: Unsung Heroes

©2008 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

M A T T E R S 11

Families know best their child’s early

warning signs and now there’s a new

way for them to call for help.

In January 2006, DHMC established

the adult Hitchcock Early Response Team

(HERT) to react quickly when patients

shows signs that they might deteriorate to

cardiac or respiratory arrest (Code Blue).

While adult patients might decline to an

arrest over six to eight hours, pediatric pa-

tients often deteriorate suddenly and signs

of decline can be very subtle, so anticipating

a child’s condition becomes critical.

A need for a similar team was identified

in CHaD and in December 2006 CHaD de-

veloped Pediatric HERT led by Dr. Michele

Vander Heyden, Bridget Mudge, RN, MS,

and Scott Slogic, RT. The pediatric team in-

cludes an experienced pediatric critical care

nurse, a respiratory therapist, a critical care

provider (resident, nurse practitioner or phy-

sician assistant), and the direct care nurse(s).

In addition there are many people behind the

scenes who work to ensure that all emergency

equipment, emergency drugs and other sup-

plies are available for bedside use.

Initially, nurses and physicians activated

Pedi HERT in response to specific concern-

ing conditions (e.g. labored breathing, or

extreme agitation,). Since parents know

their children best and can more readily

discern subtle changes, ‘family concern’ has

been added to the list of HERT activation

criteria and a way for parents to activate the

team was recently implemented.

“The Pedi HERT team is designed to

improve safety and the quality of care de-

livered to our patients, and we are pleased

with the number of improvements made

based on this initiative” according to Dr.

Vander Heyden.

Pediatric Hitchcock Early Response Team

What’s better than kids and

baseball? Kids and base-

ball celebrities!

Thanks to the generous support of

The Fisher Cats Foundation, the 2008

Granite State Baseball Dinner raised

over $100,000 at this year’s premier

event, with 50% of the proceeds going

to CHaD and the other half supporting

scholarships for college-bound New

Hampshire high school seniors.

The staff of the New Hampshire

Fisher Cats and their catering firm Cen-

terplate, plus a strong squad of commu-

nity volunteers, led by Steve Cohen of

Devine, Millimet & Branch, comprised

the winning team who pulled off the

event with style and flair of the baseball

dinners of old. Held at the New Hamp-

shire Armory in Manchester, over 900

guests were greeted by the smell of pop-

corn and a visual feast of red, white and

blue bunting, balloons and baseball

memorabilia while they gathered the

autographs of baseball greats like Chris

Carpenter, Johnny Pesky, Jim Rice, Pat

Hentgen, Rich Gedman and others.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats owner

and Chairman of the Fisher Cats Foun-

dation Board Art Solomon said, “We

want to thank the New Hampshire base-

ball community and all of our honored

Granite State Baseball Dinner guests for

making this donation possible.”

Dr. Paul Merguerian, Interim Di-

rector of CHaD notes, “Events like the

Granite State Baseball Dinner directly

support the kids and families at CHaD,

and we want to express our deepest ap-

preciation for the valued partnership

between New Hampshire’s baseball

team and New Hampshire’s children’s

hospital.”

Granite State Baseball Dinner

L to R: Senator Jack Barnes, Johnny Pesky, Senator Ted Gatsas and Governor Lynch. With the Red Sox for 57 of his 69 years in baseball, Pesky was honored by the state of New Hampshire for his service to baseball and its fans.

Granite State Baseball Dinner Chair Steven Cohen and DHMC President Nancy Formella flank Don Orsillo, the voice of the Red Sox.

retreats, and skills days, staff members have multiple opportunities to discuss ideas and also to make changes that will further improve patient satisfaction.

placed patient and family satisfaction on the agenda for every staff meeting in both units. A section in each unit’s newsletter was devoted to the topic of patient satisfaction. Staff members were asked to identify specific things that an individual could do to enhance patient satisfaction. Nursing staff members continued to examine variables such as age, length of stay, number of previous hospitalizations, and, as changes were made (e.g., instituting a tour of the unit for the child and the parent), they evaluated if these changes resulted in an improvement in patient satisfaction. The staff made a commitment to review the satisfaction data every month. Finally, a multidisciplinary group was formed to address any overall concerns with patient satisfaction that required involvement of members of the broader care team.

Each unit now routinely posts graphs of satisfaction data so staff can monitor improvement. Through this process, staff members in both Pediatrics and the PICU have been much better informed in this past year about how patient satisfaction is measured and how the actions of individuals can impact satisfaction. By keeping it as a topic of discussion at monthly staff meetings,

Because patients are DHMC’s ultimate customers, their satisfaction is crucial to our success. A review of relevant data

can be critical in identifying opportunities for improvement in patient care. For several years, DHMC has used Press Ganey® Patient Satisfaction Data to help us understand how satisfied patients are with our care.

The Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurses determined that they wanted to find ways to improve their patient satisfaction scores. In December 2006 and January 2007, all nursing staff members (RNs, LNAs and secretaries) from both units attended sessions where they reviewed and analyzed the most recent patient satisfaction data. The focus was to identify what nurses could do to improve patient and family satisfaction. In these initial meetings, the staff analyzed the survey results according to age groups and length of stay for each unit to determine if there were age groups they needed to focus on or if length of stay on the unit made a difference.

After reviewing the data, team members developed a plan to address patient satisfaction in a variety of ways. They

Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Improving Patient Satisfaction

PICU nurses Justin Harris, RN, and Nancy Thomas, RN.

Quality of Care:

2007 DHMC NURSING ANNUAL REPORT 15

12 M A T T E R S

In September, leaders of children’s

hospitals from across the country an-

nounced the establishment of a new

foundation, Together for Kids (together-

forkids.org), with a mission to raise funds

nationally to help member hospitals cope

with dramatic increases in the healthcare

needs of children. CHaD is a founding mem-

ber of the organization, currently consisting

of 53 hospitals that serve children in 47 U.S.

communities of all sizes. CHaD’s David Mc-

Williams is vice chair of the alliance’s Board

of Directors.

At a National Press Club media event,

honorary co-chairs, retired NFL star Jason

Sehorn and his wife, actress Angie Harmon,

urged support for the new group. “As par-

ents of two children, Angie and I know that

nothing is more important than keeping

our kids healthy and safe,” said Sehorn. “As

a country, we need to make an investment

in the future of our kids.”

Sehorn pointed to troubling statistics

that demonstrate the need to focus more

resources on children’s health. “Since the

1980s, the percentage of overweight chil-

dren has jumped from 6 percent to 17 per-

cent, the number of children with asthma

has doubled, and the number of uninsured

children has risen to more than 11 percent

of all kids,” noted Sehorn. “While the needs

are increasing, funding for children’s hospi-

tals is declining.”

Together for Kids, w il l raise funds

through national corporate sponsorships

and events. Spectrum Brands, makers of

Lady Remington products, is Together for

Kids’ first national sponsor, and this fall a

national ‘Walk Across America’ will encour-

age individuals to raise funds for children’s

hospitals.

Th ree yea r

old Janaya

is t y pic a l

of children who are

helped by Irving Oil’s

Fuel the Care pro-

gram. Since the fam-

ily lives in Barnstead,

every appointment

involves a round trip

of about 150 miles.

“It’s an unexpected

cost that you don’t

plan for when you have a sick child,” says

Janaya’s mother Joyce, “so the Irving Oil

vouchers have really helped, especially

when you have a family with seven chil-

dren to care for.”

Fuel the Care is in its 5th year sup-

porting CHaD families. To date, CHaD

has given out Irving

Oil vouchers to 5,500

families.

“W hen a ch i ld

needs medical care,

the last thing a par-

e n t s h ou l d h a v e

to worr y about is

travel costs,” said

Rob Wilson of Irving

Oil. “Through Fuel

the Care, we hope

to lessen that stress

and keep families together during a dif-

ficult time.”

Fuel the Care vouchers are distrib-

uted by CHaD’s Family Center, and can

be redeemed at Bluecanoe, Mainway and

Big Stop locations.

DonatesTravel Vouchers for Distant CHaD Families

Photo L to R: Rob Wilson, from Irving Oil; Kathy Stocker, CHaD Family Center; Joyce and her daughter, Janaya.

Retired NFL star Jason Sehorn and wife, actress Angie Harmon, urge support for the new group.

M A T T E R S 13

The pediatric specialty groups of Urol-

ogy, Gastroenterology and Nutrition

from CHaD in Manchester have joined

with the staff from the Mental Health Center of

Greater Manchester to create a new clinic for

children with urinary and bowel incontinence.

The ACT clinic – Achieving Continence To-

gether – uses a multi-disciplinary approach to

address the many issues associated with child-

hood dysfunctional elimination, which includes

day or nighttime wetting, urinary urgency,

frequency, recurrent urinary tract infections,

constipation and stool soiling. The ACT Clinic

team includes physicians and nurse practitio-

ners with specialty training in Gastroenterology

and Urology, as well as nutritionists and psy-

chologists who are

dedicated to help-

ing children with

ch i ld hood dys-

functional elimi-

nation

The program is

currently offered

to patients ages

5 years and older

in the Southern

New Hampshire

region. For more information about the ACT

Clinic, please contact (603) 695-2745.

ACT – Achieving Continence Together

The Clown Fish Exploration Trail is

the first of three planned indoor

walk ing trai ls

at DHMC. It was

created by in in-

ter-departmental

team with par-

ticipants from

the CHaD Fam-

ily Center, DHMC

Arts, the Health Improvement

Program (HIP) and Public Affairs & Mar-

keting. The idea is to create an in-

door trail system that is fun,

interactive and even helpful.

In addition to providing

exercise, trails will

showcase DHMC’s

extensive art

d i s p l a y s ,

and provide

way f inding

assistance, as families need to navigate

among CHaD clinics and services in vari-

ous locations around DHMC.

The Clown Fish Exploration starts out-

side of the CHaD Family Center on Level 6

of the Doctor’s Office Building and takes

walkers on an exploration – through the

eyes of a child – of the entire building. Trail

maps can be found in the CHaD Family

Center. Be sure to stop by next time you

visit!

CHaD’s Clown Fish Exploration Trail

Dr. Marc Hofley and Mary Gheen, CPNP, review an x-ray.

14 M A T T E R S

The region’s near-record snowfall provid-ed excellent conditions for the 9th Annual CHaD Ski & Ride Festival, on March 22, at Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme, NH. More than 120 participants enjoyed a host of activities on the perfectly packed slopes, and there was excitement indoors too, with a raffle and silent auction featuring such prizes as Voikl Skis, a Nitro Snow board, Private tennis lessons and Bretton Woods ski passes, all generously donated to CHaD.

Tele Atlas North America was the un-derwriter for the event and also captured the prize for the Largest Team, with 12 orange-clad employees hitting the hill that day. “Un-derwriting the Ski & Ride Festival provided our employees with an opportunity to orga-nize some fun internal fundraisers that rein-

forced the importance of teamwork and generosity. We view our involvement as a win for both Tele Atlas and CHaD!” reports Maureen Williams, Tele Atlas Community Manager.

Other sponsors included The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation, Hyper-therm, Northeast Delta Dental, Bank of America, Ameriprise Financial, Evergreen Capital Partners, LLC, Di-matix and Mascoma Savings Bank.

Thanks to our volunteers, sponsors, participants and donors, a total exceeding $94,000 has been raised to support patient and family centered care at CHaD.

fun activities&9th Annual CHaD Ski & Ride Festival at Dartmouth

Skiway

Skiers from across New England gathered at Cannon Mountain Skiway in Franconia, NH, for the 6th Annual Kristen’s Gift Ski Day, supporting CHaD’s pediatric oncology fund. This year’s event raised more than $22,000 – much more the previous year. Leading the fundraising effort again this year was 12-year old Taylor Cudhea, who singlehandedly raised more than $4,000. To raise pledge money, Taylor went door-to-door with her own custom-made brochure and winning smile, asking shops, businesses and residents to sponsor her cause. The event featured a full

day of family skiing on Can-non Mountain’s beautiful slopes, followed by an ex-citing raffle and live auction, with more than $12,000 in donated prizes. Many of the younger par-ticipants took turns on the famous “spinning wheel” provided by Roger Proulx of Nassau Broadcasting, coming away with some fan-tastic prizes. The corporate underwriter for the event was FairPoint Communications. Other major sponsors were Squam River Landing and the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Cannon Mountain Ski Day for Kristen’s Gift

Taylor Cudhea, with proud dad Cameron at her side, raised over $4,000.

Founders of Kristen’s Gift, John and Patty Xiggoros, thank Taylor Cudhea and all the participants for their support of the fund which is named in memory of their daughter Kristen.

One of our volunteers was not only wildly impressed with the CHaDasaurus inspired sheet cake, but ready to dig in!

Aren’t they cute?! This team dressed for the occasion—with funny wigs andall—adhering to a Skifest trademark “where silliness meets the slopes!”

Team Tele-Atlas shows off their orange pride as the event’s underwriter and largest team, who raised over $4,500 dollars!

M A T T E R S 15

CHaD Battle of the BadgesOn March 30, the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH hosted the ultimate face-off of heroes. From across the state, NH Police and NH Firefighters joined forces to play hockey to benefit the children and programs of CHaD. In-spired by WMUR TV’s Jamie Staton and underwritten Bank of America, the inaugural CHaD Battle of the Badg-es came to life and raised more than $72,000!

Volunteers from CHaD’s corporate friends Best Buy, Kohl’s and Wal-Mart showed up in force along with others from the community, creating a volunteer team of close to 100 strong to ensure the day ran smoothly. Best

Buy stores from Manchester and Portsmouth, NH had a friendly game on ice to determine the better store on skates, and found they were being followed by the law…the Capitol Lawmen and the NH State Troopers. Combined, these four teams raised over $18,000.

At 5 PM the bragging rights were on the line. Merchants Auto put our heroes in uniform, and the players hit the ice. The NH Firefighters owned the title as Highest Fundraisers, and when the final horn blew, the NH Police had won the game. But of course, the biggest winner of the day was the Chil-dren’s Hospital at Dartmouth.

CHaDat

fun activities&

The CHaD Battle of the Badges Highest Fundraising team, the NH Firefighters with Miss New Hampshire and Honorary Coach, Rick Middleton after a well played game.

The Winners of the Inaugural CHaD Battle of the Badges, the NH Police, joined

in the team color by Miss New Hampshire, Rick Middleton and CHaD Kids.

Honorary Coach and hockey legend “Nifty” Rick Middleton with team captains Micky Drouin of the NH Firefighters and Wayne Sheehan of the NH Police.

NH Police team’s Captain Wayne Sheehan shakes the hand of 4 year old Hunter Drouin who assisted with the award ceremony, while Miss New Hampshire, Rick Middleton and Jamie Staton look on.

Miss New Hampshire, Rachel Barker, and her CHaD assistants for the Award Ceremony.

M A T T E R SThe Newsletter of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth

One Medical Center DriveLebanon, New Hampshire 03756

Address Service Requested

NoN-Profit

U.S. PoStage

Paid

LebaNoN, NH

Permit No. 211

Night at the RacesSaturday, June 7Quechee, VTAs part of the CHaD Classic weekend, join us for gala evening of dinner and electronic horse racing. You can bet on your favorite or even own your own horse for the evening. With prizes for the winners, you can’t lose and it all helps the kids at CHaD. For reservations call: Quechee Club, (802) 295-9536

CHaD ClassicGolf TournamentMonday, June 9Quechee Club,Quechee, VTSponsored by QLLA Chari-ties, this prestigious tourna-

ment is a yearly sell out. Registration is 8:30am with an 11am Shotgun start; dinner immediately following. For reservations or sponsorship opportunities contact: Gail Ferney, (802) 296-7128 or jngferney@aol.com

Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Mo-tor SpeedwayFriday, June 27Loudon, NHStart your engines. . .and join us for the 16th Annual

Governor’s Breakfast at New Hampshire Motor Speed-way! The Governor’s Breakfast will be held on Friday, June 27, 2008 at 8:00am, the weekend of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Hear racing stories over bacon and eggs with drivers from the Camping World Series East and the Whelen Modified tour! Tickets are $30. Reserve yours today by calling (603) 653-3437. Corporate tables are also available.

Health and Safety FairSunday, July 27Colburn Park, Lebanon, NHCHaD is joining Upper Valley Radio for Sundae in the Park! In addition to ice cream sundaes, this fun event will now feature a pediatric health and safety fair spon-sored by CHaD, from 11am to 4pm. For more information, contact: Tracey Jacobi, (603) 653-3437 or Tracey.Jacobi@Hitchcock.org

2008 Kristen’s Gift Celebrity Golf TournamentMonday, August 11Manchester Country Club, Bedford, NHJoin retired celebrities from the Red Sox, Bruins and other area sports teams for an exciting day

on the links at one of New England’s most prestigious golf courses. Space is limited to 32 foursomes. Last year’s event was sold out! The day includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, tee prizes, cocktail hour, dinner and a fantastic auction. For more information contact: Toby Trudel, (603) 629-1862 or Toby.Trudel@Hitchcock.org

3rd AnnualCHaD Half MarathonSaturday,September 6Hanover, NHThe event keeps all of the unique elements that have made it such a success in the past, including, a 3 leg relay option, the late after-noon start that challenges runners to reach the Dart-

mouth Green before sunset, and barbeque and block party at the finish. The 13.1 mile course gently winds

through scenic New England from start to finish and is ASATF certified. For more information contact: Kim Kraus, (603) 650-3431 or Kim.Kraus@Hitchcock.org, or go to www.CHaDhalf.org

The CHaD RegattaSunday, September 21Sunapee,New Hampshire:Row, row, row your boats on the official last day of summer. A rowing regatta, a midday

BBQ, community events and day long family fun! Partici-pants and event day volunteers needed. For more informa-tion, please contact: Elizabeth Clarke at 603-650-3437 or Elizabeth.Clarke@Hitchcock.org

CHaD Seacoast ClassicFriday, October 10Barrington, NHThe CHaD Seacoast Classic, October 10th, is at the beauti-ful Nippo Lake Golf Club, Bar-rington, New Hampshire. With a scramble format and tee off at 9:00 AM, registration fee is $100. A light breakfast and cof-fee start the day, followed by 18 holes of golf and finish-ing with a luncheon, raffle and awards ceremony. Chaired by New Hampshire State Representative Dale Sprague, this year’s tournament is dedicated to the memory of former House Minority Leader, Mike Whalley. Sponsorship opportunites are available. For more information, contact: Toby Trudel at 629-1862 or Toby.Trudel@Hitchcock.org.

Calendar of Events

The CHaD Regatta

CHaD Seacoast Classic