Children's Mercy Kansas City

Every day, Children’s Mercy employees are selflessly helping others. Helpers are everywhere you look around here, and we love when they get recognition for the life-changing work they do. Please help us congratulate our Pediatric Medical Specialty Team and Pediatric Pandemic Network teams who were on the scene the day of the February #SuperBowl victory parade shooting. They recently received the LifeLine Award from the International Association of Emergency Managers for their rapid and coordinated response. Our close collaboration with other first responders and health systems in the #KansasCity community allows us to provide top-notch care to all who need it during crisis situations. Way to go, team! 👏 👏 👏 #EmergencyManagement #FirstResponders #PediatricPandemicNetwork #KansasCityStrong

Give it up for our #VolunteerOfTheMonth, Christy! 👏 Christy started her journey at Children’s Mercy as a dedicated employee spending 10 years in our Gastroinestinal Department, then another 5 years in our ENT Department at Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas. After an impressive 15-year tenure, Christy retired but couldn’t stay away for long. Inspired by the mission and the incredible patients, she returned to volunteer in our gift shop! Christy cherishes the chance to interact with patients and their families, and she loves staying connected with her former colleagues. Thanks for all you do, Christy! 🌟

“There were several times we thought Brecklynn wasn’t going to live. But we’ve had an awesome amount of support here at Children’s Mercy,” shares Brecklynn’s mom, Amber. Strong, 💪 sweet 🥰 and bright ☀️ 9-month-old Brecklynn has faced immense challenges, including probable VACTERL association disorder and a restricted rib cage. Her condition causes spine, kidney, esophagus and heart defects as well as limb abnormalities. After experiencing severe vomiting episodes at 3 months old, she was transferred to Children’s Mercy, where she has received extraordinary #BuiltForKids care. Several intubations led Brecklynn’s care team to recommending a tracheostomy, which has made a world of difference in her day-to-day life. Brecklynn’s trach has enabled her to progress significantly in the last 6 months that she’s been in our PICU. So much so, her mom Amber is expecting she will be able to go home in September. “The doctors and nurses have been phenomenal and Brecklynn’s care in the PICU has been exceptional,” Amber said. “With Children’s Mercy, we found that trust, which made all of our struggles a lot easier.” 🩷 We’re so proud of you, Brecklynn! Keep shining!

Have you dreamed of becoming a pediatric nurse and helping kids heal? We’d love for you to join us at our Discover Nursing at Children’s Mercy event on Sept. 6 from 1 to 5 p.m.! Learn about current openings, meet unit leaders and staff and hear from our talent acquisition team. We hope to see you there! Register here: https://cmkc.link/4cEiYVl #NowHiring #NursingCareers #Pediatrics #NurseJobs

Congrats to our July #VolunteerOfTheMonth, Tracy! 🎉 Tracy has been a volunteer in our Oncology Unit onsite parent room for almost 2 years. She was inspired to serve after her son began receiving treatment for leukemia in 2018. “Everyone was so amazing when my son was going through treatment,” Tracy said. “It made the hardest days something we could get through. I knew I wanted to give back – Children’s Mercy was such a big part of our story that it only made sense to volunteer here.” Thank you for your dedication to our patients and families, Tracy! 💙

🚨 Accreditation Alert! 🏆 As researchers and clinicians discover more and better treatments for conditions like congenital heart disease (CHD) that were once life-limiting for children, new partnerships between pediatric and adult hospitals are emerging. For 28 years, our Heart Center has teamed up with Saint Luke's Health System Mid America Heart Institute to provide the Kansas City Adult Congenital Heart Association (KCACHD) program. This partnership provides a seamless continuum of care for individuals with CHD from childhood to adulthood. Now, the joint program has earned accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), and the clinic team could not be happier. “As the only ACHA accredited program in Kansas or Missouri, we continue to showcase the great work done by both Children’s Mercy and Saint Luke's in congenital heart disease care, the strong collaboration our programs have — and the ongoing commitment to lifelong treatment of congenital heart disease in this region,” said Children’s Mercy Heart Center physician Dr. Brian Birnbaum. Learn more: https://cmkc.link/4fUXTsr

Join our Ward Family Heart Center on Oct. 4 and 5 for the 7th Annual Cardiac Forum. Hear from our speakers about imaging, cardiovascular surgery, and electrophysiology innovations, as well as complex conversations around equity and inclusion, provider burnout, and new programs. Register here: https://cmkc.link/3WUfhWR

Clinicians know that when your patients are kids, it’s vital for parents and caregivers to understand their child’s condition and treatment options. That’s why our Cardiac Patient & Family Advisory Council in collaboration with our Ward Family Heart Center team organized a Heart Parent Symposium. Parents and caregivers got a behind-the-scenes look at the cardiac catheterization lab and operating room, plus updates on the latest advances in heart research, from the team. They also had the opportunity to learn about trauma-informed parenting and connect with other families who are going through a similar situation. 🩺 Thank you to our incredible Heart Center team for bringing parents even more deeply into their child’s care.

Having a sense of purpose, being supported and feeling happy in your work are vital – especially for those caring for the littlest and most vulnerable of patients. We’re thrilled to be recognized as a Joy in Medicine program by the American Medical Association, which honors organizations for their commitment to physician wellbeing. For tips to avoid provider burnout and ways to prioritize wellbeing, listen to our Transformational Pediatrics Podcast episode featuring our Chief Wellbeing Officer, Dr. Stephanie Burrus. https://cmkc.link/4a0VVD2

As the first health system in the United States to offer a certificate program in pediatric bioethics, we recently welcomed Dr. Mahlet Abayneh, a neonatologist, and Redeat, a neonatal nurse educator, from St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During their visit, Dr. Abayneh and Redeat engaged in enriching discussions, shared their invaluable insights and learned about our innovative bioethics practices. This knowledge exchange bridges cultural and medical gaps and strengthens collective efforts to provide the best care for our youngest patients. Our pediatric bioethics program addresses complex ethical issues in child health care and ensures every decision made is in the best interest of those we serve. By partnering with international clinicians like Dr. Abayneh and Redeat, we continue to foster a global community of health care professionals committed to ethical excellence. https://cmkc.link/4fJBfTP