“I was diagnosed with a childhood cancer known as osteosarcoma when I was 23 years old. The cancer was located in my left leg. I couldn’t walk, for fear of snapping my femur, so I spent the majority of that year in a wheelchair.
I had five inches of my bone removed and replaced by metal rods and a magnet. The magnet was part of a new therapy to lengthen my bone, and helped to close the gap in my leg left from the bone removal. I went through extensive physical and aqua therapy.
A memorable experience during my cancer journey at UH Rainbow was Angie’s Garden. It brought me happiness and peace in the midst of pain and uncertainty.
After 15 chemotherapy treatments, enduring nearly every side effect chemo has to offer, my doctor pronounced me cancer free! I have relearned to walk, dance, run, and jump! I am currently completing a degree in communications.
To kids and young adults battling cancer, enjoy the little things like flowers on the rooftop, and never stop fighting!” - Champaigne Corfee, cancer survivor and featured guest during the Hyundai Hope On Wheels virtual hand print ceremony.
#EndChildhoodCancer #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth
When it comes to recurrent ear infections, if three infections occur within six months, or four within one year, it’s time to talk with a specialist. Early intervention can help avoid hearing loss, delayed speech and more.
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Recurrent Ear Infections: Rodmicka’s Story
Conjunctivitis (pink eye) can seems to appear out of nowhere – but bedding, such as pillowcases and sheets, could be to blame. Learn more about places at home that can harbor disease-causing germs.
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8 Areas of Home That Are Important To Keep Clean
Wishing a Happy 2nd Birthday to our facility dog, Melena!
Melena, a Golden Retriever, is one of University Hospitals first full-time facility dogs. She is specially trained to keep children calm during medical procedures and provide support to patients and family members. Melena spends her work day with child life specialists in pediatric hematology and oncology at UH Rainbow’s #AngiesInstitute.
#ThisIsRainbow #FacilityDog #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #MilestoneMonday
Parents can help prevent and relieve most cases of constipation by making sure their child’s daily diet includes plenty of water and other fluids (such as clear soups).
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Easy Ways To End Constipation in Children
We are excited to share UH Rainbow physician researcher Dr. Alex Y. Huang is a recipient of Hyundai Hope On Wheels 2020 Hope Scholar Grant. The $300,000 grant will support his lab’s research on osteosarcoma. “We are working to better understand how the body's immune system functions when cancer cells are present,” says Dr. Huang. “Our ultimate goal is to discover a way to trigger the immune system to fight back against cancer on its own.”
There are over 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Pediatric cancer researchers depend largely on private funding for groundbreaking therapies to get off the ground and to advance treatment approaches to the next phase of testing, ultimately, bringing better therapies and cures to kids with cancer. With this latest grant, UH Rainbow has received more than $2.5 million in funding from Hope On Wheels.
“Children and young adults fighting cancer are warriors in every sense of the word,” says Dr. Huang, who has been researching pediatric cancer for more than two decades. Dr. Huang lost his cousin and best friend at a young age to osteosarcoma. That experience, and the many patients he has cared for at UH Rainbow’s #AngiesInstitute, continues to inspire his work to find better treatments, improved clinical outcomes and ultimately a cure.
UH Rainbow recently welcomed patients to the new Andrew Uhrman Pediatric Cancer Inpatient Unit, completing the Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute, one of the first hospitals in the country designed with spaces tailored for teens and young adults. Uniquely connected to the adult cancer facility UH Seidman Cancer Center and a part of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Angie’s Institute offers a lifetime of care and support services for pediatric cancer patients. Learn more: uhrainbow.org/angiesinstitute
The grant award will be presented to Dr. Huang virtually next week.
#ThisisRainbow #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #HyundaiHopeOnWheels
Nearly all children have been infected by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by age 2. While it’s usually minor, as Dr. Erin Frank explains, it can lead to serious health concerns in some cases.
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RSV: A Common Virus That Can Spell Trouble For Some Kids
It’s unknown if mothers with COVID-19 pass the virus into their milk. But even if they do, the mother’s antibodies also pass into her milk. These antibodies work better than most medicines to protect baby from viruses.
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Breast-Feeding With COVID-19: Is It Safe?
About 28% of 2- to 5-year-olds have cavities in primary teeth, according to The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Read how parents can help create good dental hygiene habits.
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Top Toothbrushing Tips for Kids
“I found out I was pregnant right before all the restrictions came with COVID-19. It was stressful at first, there was so much unknown. My husband and I discussed a more holistic approach to pregnancy with University Hospitals midwifery group. We joined Centering Pregnancy at UH Ahuja Medical Center and I am so glad we did!
It has been a wonderful support system for my physical and mental health. There are six other couples in our group due around the same time. We share questions, concerns, and motivate each other. In a way, the #coronavirus brought us all together. It’s so helpful to know you aren’t alone.” – Ashley Howard
Ashley and her husband Jeremy welcomed their first child, a boy, over the weekend! This week is National Midwifery Week. To learn more about UH’s midwifery team and Centering Pregnancy program visit:
https://www.uhhospitals.org/services/obgyn-womens-health/patient-resources/pregnancy-resources/centering-pregnancy
📸: Ashley and her newborn son with UH midwives Celina Cunanan and Amy Rogers. #NMW2020
Children react, in part, to what they see from adults around them. As a result, parents can play a role in reducing COVID-19-related stress. UH Rainbow experts share how.
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14 Wellness Tips for Kids From Our Doctors
It can be difficult for patients and families affected by a cancer or blood disorder diagnosis to meet others who share a similar experience. That’s where Iris S. & Bert L. Wolstein's HOPE – Healthy Outcomes, Positive Energy – comes in! HOPE encourages survivors of cancer and blood disorders to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. When kids have the chance to play sports together, they are able to bond with others in a similar situation.
These connections and experiences go a long way toward improving a child’s overall wellbeing. Free and open to all kids and teens on or off treatment, no matter where they receive medical care. HOPE participants gain confidence, learn new skills, and make new friends. To learn more visit: https://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/services/pediatric-cancer-and-blood-disorders/patient-resources/HOPE
📸: Photos were taken in 2019, before COVID-19. Since March 2020 HOPE has been hosting virtual BINGO, cooking classes, and other fun activities to build camaraderie during this difficult season.
#ChildhoodCancerAwareness #SickleCellDiseaseAwareness #ThisIsRainbow
“When our sweet Stella was born, she suffered a brain injury called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy that impacts processing and coordination. We spent 10 days in the NICU at UH Rainbow, and will never forget the roller coaster of emotions and expectations for our baby girl. The doctors and nurses kept us informed and made us feel like a respected part of the team. Neonatologists Dr. Monika Bhola and Dr. Babu Achanti were simply amazing. We are forever grateful to the UH Rainbow NICU team for the care they provided Stella and our family.
As Stella grew up, it was a journey of ‘wait and see’. Pediatric neurologist Dr. Nancy Bass was a critical part of the journey, checking in on Stella’s progress regularly. Though we miss frequent visits with Dr. Bass, we are proud to report Stella graduated from her close care. She continues to defeat the odds, and works immensely hard at the challenges that remain.” – Shelby Rauen, Stella’s mom
📸: From the NICU to conquering a climbing wall, 6-year-old Stella is an inspiration for us all!
#MilestonesMonday #ThisIsRainbow
Thanks to allergens like ragweed and mold, fall doesn’t spell the end of allergy season. But simple changes, like keeping household humidity between 30 – 50%, can help minimize exposure.
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Still Sneezing? Fall Doesn't Mean the End of Allergy Season
Kids are spending more time in front of screens due to COVID-19 – but how much is too much? Dr. Carolyn Ievers-Landis joins the Healthy@UH Podcast to explain.
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Podcast: Should Parents Limit Screentime?
Some parents worry that rushing to pick up a crying baby reinforces crying, but that’s not the case. In fact, when children know someone is there to calm them, they’ll often learn to calm themselves.
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4 Questions Every New Parent Has
Given COVID-19, is trick-or-treating safe this year? Dr. Amy Edwards explains the risks and her recommendations on how to celebrate Halloween while staying healthy.
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How To Celebrate Halloween During COVID-19
It’s true – children can be allergic to cold weather. The condition, called cold urticarial, is fairly rare and remains somewhat mysterious. Here’s what parents should know.
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Children Really Can Be Allergic To Cold Weather
Tony gained confidence (and an extra three inches in height!) after undergoing an intense, 12-hour surgery to correct his forward and sideways spinal curvatures.
A triplet and lifelong patient of UH Rainbow, Tony was the only of his siblings diagnosed with congenital kyphosis and scoliosis as a baby. His condition wasn’t painful and didn’t hold him back from anything. But the more he grew, the more noticeable his hump became.
Tony first met UH Rainbow’s new Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics Dr. Michael Glotzbecker last fall. “He talked to me and my parents for at least two hours,” said Tony. “He was so down to earth and confident in his ability to help me. I always knew that if I waited until adulthood, the recovery would likely be longer and more difficult. Ultimately my decision came down to a bigger risk with a bigger reward.”
After hours of research, and with unwavering support from his parents and brother and sister, Tony made the brave decision to undergo a vertebral column resection or VCR. He would be the first teen in Northeast Ohio to undergo such a procedure.
Dr. Glotzbecker partnered with Dr. Christopher Furey, Chief of the Spine Center at UH Cleveland Medical Center, to rebuild Tony’s spine. The surgery involved two foot-long titanium rods, 16 screws and an expandable mesh cage to remove the curvature from the base of Tony’s spinal cord and the hump from his upper back. The goal of the VCR is for pieces of bone to grow within and around the cage, eventually encasing it in new bone and bridging the gap in the spine where it once curved.
The surgery was a great success, and Tony was discharged from Rainbow a week later. Just two months after that, he was playing trumpet in the Medina High School marching band!
To learn more about orthopedic care at UH Rainbow, visit:
https://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/services/pediatric-orthopedics
#ThisIsRainbow #MilestonesMonday
📸: Top, left to right: Pre-op Tony, sister Mia and brother Gio. Bottom, left to right: Post-op Gio, Mia and Tony, three inches taller!
Masking plays a major role in reducing COVID-19 spread, but seeing adults in masks and getting used to wearing one can be unsettling for children. Use these tips to help youngsters feel comfortable and involved.
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How to Help A Child Get Used to Wearing a Mask
Studies have found that 81% of mobile phones play host to infection-causing microbes. Dr. Amy Edwards shares how to keep germs on devices and other high-touch spots to a minimum.
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8 Areas of Home That Are Important To Keep Clean
According to the Ohio Department of Health, 23,000 Ohio children have been infected with COVID-19, with most cases appearing in children 14 – 17 years of age. Here’s what parents should know.
UHHOSPITALS.ORG
Coronavirus in Children
The holidays can be difficult for children in the hospital, especially during these unprecedented times. To make it feel a bit more like home, Mattel and Fisher-Price are donating toys to Speak Now for Kids #SpreadJoyWithToys campaign.
Help give our patients the gift of play. It is easy to participate, simply visit https://bit.ly/SpreadJoy20 and submit a nomination for UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
#ThisIsRainbow #ThankYou
A key to establishing body positivity – take the conversation away from weight, instead focusing on health, physical fitness and good nutrition. Dr. Carolyn Ievers-Landis explains more.
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How Parents Can Help With Healthy Body Image
Does picking-up a crying baby reinforce crying? As Dr. Megan Delp explains, the opposite is actually true. When children know someone is there to calm them, they’ll often learn to calm themselves. Read her answers to other common parenting questions.
UHHOSPITALS.ORG
4 Questions Every New Parent Has
Nearly all children have been infected by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by age 2. While it’s usually minor, as Dr. Erin Frank explains, it can lead to serious health concerns in some cases.
UHHOSPITALS.ORG
RSV: A Common Virus That Can Spell Trouble For Some Kids
If a child is exposed to another student with COVID-19, do they need to stay home from school? And should they be tested for COVID-19? UH Rainbow experts explain.
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School and COVID-19 Exposure
How much sleep a child needs – including during unpredictable COVID-19 schedules – should be based on parents’ observations rather than national guidelines. Dr. Carolyn Ievers-Landis shares why.
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Sleep Tips for Children and Teens During COVID-19
Do sports drinks really help young athletes – or are there better ways to improve athletic performance and recovery? Listen in as we speak with UH pediatric sports medicine specialist, Dr. Laura Goldberg, and explore the science.
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Do Sports Drinks Improve Athletic Performance for Kids?
When PJ Ross was 3 months old, UH Rainbow specialists discovered he had unilateral craniosynostosis – a birth defect in which bones on one side of the skull grow together too early, severely limiting room for brain growth. After multiple surgeries and coordinated team care, PJ is now a healthy, active 8-year old. Read his incredible story.
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PJ's Story: Overcoming a Potentially Life-Altering Diagnosis
