Children's Mercy Kansas City

We love a celebration! ?? 13 years ago, our Elizabeth J. Ferrell Fetal Health Center opened its doors for the first time. Maddox, the first baby born in our Fetal Health Center, is now in the 8th grade and is thriving. “He is doing so well!” said his mom, Lindsay. “Last year he had a heart catheter and did a treadmill test. He rocked it and totally shocked everyone with how well he did.” The long-term success of our Fetal Health Center patients like Maddox wouldn’t be possible without our team members. “I would like to thank everyone who has been working hard to support our patients and families over the years,” said Melanie Foltz, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Nursing Director of the Fetal Health Center. “There are not enough words to express my gratitude for the heartfelt work that you do. Each of your contributions are what make the Fetal Health Center so wonderful.” ??

Physicians carry a high emotional burden, and the depression and suicide rates for this group are higher than the national average. Approximately 300 to 400 physicians die by suicide each year. Please join us in a moment of silence on Sept. 17th at noon to remember those dedicated physicians who have touched countless lives. Team members from Children’s Mercy and many of our neighboring hospitals will gather at 23rd and Holmes to support one another and pay tribute to those we have lost. The University of Kansas Health System Mosaic Life Care University of Missouri-Kansas City Saint Luke's Health System University Health KC If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call, text or chat 988. Find tools and resources for suicide awareness and prevention here: https://cmkc.link/3lK0Zow

Grateful is an understatement! ?? Thank you to the KC Outlaws and their sponsor Breedlove Wound Care for an incredible donation to Children's Mercy! From visiting kids in the hospital to giving patients a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Outlaw Days, their commitment to our community will help deliver hope and healing to children and families across the region!

Tonight, our Children’s Mercy Research Institute will light up in red and blue along with all of Kansas City’s skyline to serve as a tribute to the resilience and unity of our nation. Join us in reflecting on this day of remembrance and hope. ?? ??

School counselors and social workers can be a great resource for families who need a little extra support. As part of our commitment to supporting mental health initiatives in the community, we’ve partnered with Blue Valley Schools to embed a full-time social worker in 32 of the district’s 40 schools (8 schools employ their own social worker). These Children’s Mercy team members can work alongside district staff to help students sort through issues and find solutions in all aspects of their life. ?? Amber Wesley, LMSW, full-time social worker at Blue Valley West High School since 2017, explains it this way: “We are a link between the school counselors and other school support staff, as well as to the community resources many students and families need. We can walk them through the often-complicated process to find and access those resources.” Parents and caregivers can ask their child’s school what resources they have for mental health support, such as counselors, social workers and school psychologists. We also have free resources on our website: https://cmkc.link/3MCjGHV

Reconnect with your Children’s Mercy care team at Dream Big Day! ?? ? Register now for a day of celebration and fundraising to provide hope, answers and care to patients and their families! Sign up at https://cmkc.link/3XJYAOJ

Congratulations to Dr. Douglas Rivard who was recently named Executive Vice President and Physician-In-Chief. With nearly 2 decades at Children’s Mercy, Dr. Rivard is a nationally recognized leader in pediatric interventional radiology. In his role, Dr. Rivard will have oversight of the overall physician practice, clinical departments, key service lines, ambulatory clinics, Graduate Medical Education, Quality and Safety and the Center of Wellbeing. Congratulations to Dr. Rivard! Learn more: https://cmkc.link/4d1kuRA

The human brain is fascinating. ?? Our new Advanced Neuroimaging Lab provides state-of-the-art insights into each patient’s unique anatomy through a more comprehensive visualization of the inside of the brain. This helps our clinicians diagnose and treat neurological conditions as effectively as possible. “We combine different approaches in understanding the pediatric brain with the primary end goal of providing patients with new ways to diagnose and treat their condition,” explains Dr. Avner Meoded, the lab’s director. The lab uses a specialized type of MRI known as Diffusion Weighted/Tensor Imaging (DWI/DTI), which is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique capable of depicting the wiring diagram of children’s brains. By combining DWI/DTI with fiber tractography, clinicians can visualize how different areas of the child’s brain are connected. Congratulations to the team on this incredible step forward for our patients!

Our ECMO team is an outstanding example of how we live out our mission, driven by the relentless pursuit of clinical, research and academic excellence. They bring an innovative, determined attitude to each unique patient in their care. ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) is a machine that does the work of the heart and lungs when a child’s body needs time to heal from serious illness or injury. Our transport team brings kids to Children’s Mercy from all across the region for specialized, intensive care like ECMO. And children who are already patients here and need extra support can immediately get connected with the ECMO team. Our program is one of just a few that are recognized as a Platinum Center of Excellence by the ELSO (The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization) because of the extraordinary level of care we provide for our patients. Find out more about this treatment and the amazing team that makes it possible: https://cmkc.link/4eaX8cZ

*taps mic* is this thing on? ??? Yep, it is! Follow us on Threads for even more great things from Children’s Mercy! https://cmkc.link/3XxNlby