The PRIDE+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), which fosters a supportive community for LGBTQ+ employees and allies at Cook Children's, is hosting a variety of informative and engaging webinars and other events during June that are open to all Cook Children's employees.
We invite you to watch a video in which you'll hear from members of the PRIDE+ ERG, as they share their stories and explain what Pride Month means to them and what it means to be an ally.
View a video of a special blessing by Director of Spiritual Care Jennifer Hayes, MDiv., BCC.
In this week's episode of the Raising Joy Podcast, hear from Jacob Hall and Tara Drake, co-leaders of the PRIDE+ Employee Resource Group (ERG). They discuss the importance of ERGs in the workplace, the initiatives of the PRIDE+ ERG, and how Cook Children's is creating an inclusive environment for all.
And don't forget to stop by Camelot Court to enjoy a slice of rainbow cake and or sugar cookie with rainbow sprinkles, offered each day throughout June.
Cook Children’s Lead Neurosciences Researcher Addresses Congress Members on Capitol Hill
Christos Papadelis, Ph.D., is one of many scientists addressing U.S. Congress members this week about current treatments for neurological and psychological disorders.
He was invited to Washington, D.C. to speak as a part of Brain Mapping Day on June 5. The presentation underscores the importance of translating advancements in neurosciences and technology into clinical practice. Dr. Papadelis leads the Neurosciences Research Center at Cook Children’s, which conducts groundbreaking studies and collaborates in care for patients with seizures.
Dr. Papadelis is bringing awareness to our research to help patients become seizure-free and informing lawmakers on how policies in health care can help advance efforts to treat children with epilepsy. These breakthroughs in neuroscience can improve the lives of children treated at Cook Children’s and beyond.
Newsweek has named Cook Children's one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024. We're introducing you to some of the women who make Cook Children's such an amazing place.
You may not know Nancy Cychol, but if you live in Fort Worth or Prosper, you’ve seen her work and the magic it brings.
As Cook Children’s executive vice president and chief of hospital services, part of Nancy’s job is to ensure the environments of our medical centers are safe and suitable for children. That means it also must be fun, or as we like to say at Cook Children’s — magical.
After all, she’s the woman behind the can’t-miss annual Christmas lights display at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth.
From the spectacular holiday displays to the giant rocking chair statue she commissioned as a one-of-a-kind climb and play structure (where she is pictured), Nancy is always thinking about how to make Cook Children’s a place where kids can just be kids. As a long-time pediatric nurse and a self-proclaimed kid at heart, it comes naturally to her.
But along with the fun is a serious dedication to her work. Nancy can trace her dream of becoming a nurse to childhood when, at just 6 years old, she would draw pictures of herself as “Nurse Nancy.” Fast forward to now and she’s been taking care of kids and making them laugh and smile for more than four decades. First, as a pediatric ICU nurse in Indianapolis and, beginning in 1984, as the director of Cook Children’s Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care units.
Today, “Nurse Nancy” is a part of the senior executive leadership team leading one of the largest pediatric health care systems in the country.
“The vision of strong women like Ida Turner and Mrs. Cook continues to inspire us today. Their commitment to the children in our community, especially the most vulnerable, still serves as the foundation of the supportive and empowering environment we have today for the women at Cook Children’s. It’s an honor to be a part of a legacy where others can make a real difference in the lives of children and their families.”
Who Inspires You? Celebrate the Women Professionals of Cook Children's at Our Respect and Kindness Lunch and Learn
Have you ever met a woman who left a lasting impression on you? Join us for a special Women of Cook Children's Lunch and Learn where we celebrate the incredible women who inspire us!
This engaging event is all about lifting each other up and supporting one another. Newsweek may have named us America's Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024, but behind the headline you can get to know some of the amazing women at the heart of our success at Cook Children's.
Here's what you can expect:
Share Your Stories: We encourage you to bring stories of the women who have inspired you in your life. What qualities did they possess that made such an impact?
Open Discussion: Let's celebrate each other's journeys and the unique strengths we bring to the table.
Networking and Support: Connect with your fellow colleagues and build a strong network of empowered women.
This Lunch and Learn is more than just a meeting, it's a chance to connect, be inspired, and celebrate the amazing women of Cook Children's!
Tuesday, June 11, 2024, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.
Recap: This week, the PRIDE+ Employee Resource Group hosted a virtual Lunch and Learn program focused on the importance of respect and kindness for the LGBTQ+ community. Missed it? We are providing a recap of each week's lunch and learn conversation on the Connect Newsroom.
Webpage: Keeping Up with the Fight for Our Health Plan
We’ve created a webpage to help you find information about the flawed process that led the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to deny renewal of Cook Children’s Medicaid contract for CHIP and STAR Kids. And, you can learn about the families that will be devastated by this decision.
It's a comprehensive resource that includes facts, news media coverage, editorials and op-eds, and photos. Check it out here: SaveCookChildrensHealthPlan.com
Kindness, Respect and Generosity Take a Front Seat in Newly Renovated Hochberger Auditorium
As a Cook Children’s employee, you are the heart and soul of our organization. Your co-workers, fellow staff members, retired staff, teammates and friends are important to you, and that makes them important to us. That’s why we are pleased to offer a new opportunity exclusively for Cook Children’s employees. You can honor the people who create moments of magic for you, your patients and your team by purchasing a Hochberger Auditorium chair plaque in their name. Located on the back of the chair, these personalized, engraved plaques are limited and sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Here is the backstory: At just 3 years old, King went from a spunky, full-of-life toddler to a “brand new child with no memory or ability to speak, swallow or walk.” Both of King’s carotid arteries, the main supply of blood for over two-thirds of the brain, were severely injured during an accident. He also suffered a stroke shortly after. With such a fragile blood supply to his brain, King is at risk of having another stroke at any time. If he gets too dehydrated, or his blood pressure changes abruptly and dramatically, he could have a stroke. But thanks to the care and guidance of the neurology team at Cook Children’s, King is “clearing every obstacle that comes his way” eight years later.
As an energetic 11-year-old, King is an avid baseball player and the biggest Texas Rangers fan. He plays many different positions on his little league team, all with just his left hand. His love for the sport is something he quickly bonded over with his neurologist Fernando Acosta Jr., M.D.
Dr. Acosta and King have always had a special bond. However, Dr. Acosta is known for being a loyal Houston Astros fan. The two bantered throughout the 2023 season until the Rangers and Astros met in the playoffs. King “got the last laugh as the Rangers beat my beloved Astros,” says Dr. Acosta. “When he came back for a follow-up appointment after the World Series, he was all decked out in his Rangers championship gear and gave me a hard time.”
But little did he know, Dr. Acosta was about to receive a gift better than a World Series ring. King surprised Dr. Acosta with the game ball he received for making the catch to win the game for his Little League team. “It sits on my office center stage where I see it every day. It inspires me at all times, especially when I may need a pick-me-up during a long day.”
VIDEOS: Lights, Camera, Awards: Four Telly Awards
We’re honored to announce that the Cook Children’s Marketing Department received esteemed gold and silver Tellys for two videos produced in 2023. The videos were created in partnership with the Center for Community Health to promote water safety for the Lifeguard Your Child initiative and fentanyl awareness for their poison prevention initiative.
Awards were won in the following categories:
• Lifeguard Your Child 2023 is the Gold Telly Winner in Branded Content - Social Responsibility
• Poison Prevention 2023 is the Silver Telly Winner in Branded Content - Social Responsibility
• Poison Prevention 2023 is the Silver Telly Winner in Branded Content - Social Impact
The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. Founded in 1979 to honor local, regional and cable television commercials, with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after, the award has evolved with the rise of digital video to include branded content, documentary, social media, immersive and more. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving over 12,000 entries globally from six continents and all 50 states, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world.
Please read this spotlight article about Andy Kreutzer, Ph.D., a research scientist who is working with John Robertson, M.D., in Prosper's Exercise Respiratory Center, which is dedicated to advancing research and understanding in pediatric respiratory health, with a specific emphasis on conditions such as exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) in children and adolescents. Read more on the TCU Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences website.
Summer 2024 Mask Fitting Updates from Occupational Health
As a reminder, all employees who are required to wear respirators must complete the annual OSHA Respiratory Questionnaire and complete an annual respirator fit test.
For those employees with either an expired respirator fit test, or have a fit test that will expire by July 31, 2024: Occupational Health has added additional mask fit appointments to the June and July OHM portal (accessible through Workday).
If your fit test has expired or will expire by July 31, 2024: it is imperative that you schedule and keep your appointment to ensure compliance with OSHA regulation and CCHCS policy 950 (Respiratory Protection Program). If you do not sign up for an appointment or you fail to show up for your appointment, your department leadership (up to and including your company vice president) will be notified.
We are experiencing high fit test volumes at this time. In an effort to ensure health system compliance, please sign up ONLY if you are expired on your mask fitting or due by July 31 so we can accommodate everyone. Please book only ONE appointment so we can accommodate all requests.
If you are due for mask fit in August or later, please do not sign up now. A new Occupational Health Portal System will roll out and be active by August 1. Wait until the new Portal System opens for August and beyond sign ups. There will be plenty of mask fitting opportunities.
Three-peat: Jane Justin School is a School of Excellence
For the third consecutive year, Jane Justin School has been selected as a School of Excellence by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET). Selection as a NASET School of Excellence is the highest level of recognition a private special education school can achieve through their professional association. This honor is presented to private special education schools that meet rigorous professional criteria and have demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education. We are so proud of the team members who brought us this honor once again.
Employees Care Coke Float Event
Prosper, Calmont and Fort Worth night shift: “float” on over for an Employees Care Coke float thank you event. We want to celebrate and express our gratitude to YOU, our Employees Care donors.
Join us:
1-2:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 19 at Medical Center-Prosper — classrooms 1621 and 1622
1:30-3 p.m., Wednesday, June 26 at Calmont Office Building– 3rd floor break room
6 – 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9 at Medical Center-Fort Worth, Atrium. We’ll have coffee and donuts for you!
Donors: Haven't received your t-shirt yet? We'll have it ready for you.
Foster Care Month: A Q&A with a Cook Children's Foster Parent
Did you know that the Cook Children’s Fostering Health Program provides comprehensive health care services for children, foster families and biological parents?
Jamie Miller and her husband are foster parents who have worked closely with the clinic for three years. Since then, they have fostered 14 children. Most of their placements have been two or more children at a time.
In celebration of National Foster Care Month, we spoke with Jamie about her experiences as a foster parent. Read her interview on Checkup.
News from Around Cook Children's
Sign up is open now for a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, June 24 in Family Support Room A in the Medical Center-Fort Worth. Find a time here.
We’re hosting Agility, Conditioning and Stretching camps at the John and Tracy Sellers Sports Complex this summer. Licensed athletic trainers will direct each fun-filled camp to help your athlete accomplish performance goals in a safe manner. Learn more and register here.
Send Us Pics for Father's Day. It's June 16
Dads become our heroes, story-tellers, and No. 1 supporters. We celebrate fathers and all that they do. This Father's Day, we're asking you to send us a photo of you and your dad. And if you are a father, you can send us a photo of yourself with your children (of any age). We will share these in the Connect Newsroom. Email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.
The PRIDE+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), which fosters a supportive community for LGBTQ+ employees and allies at Cook Children's, is hosting a variety of informative and engaging webinars and other events during June that are open to all Cook Children's employees. 
Cook Children’s Lead Neurosciences Researcher Addresses Congress Members on Capitol Hill 
Nancy Cychol, Executive Vice President, Hospital Services
Webpage: Keeping Up with the Fight for Our Health Plan
VIDEO: Bonding Over Baseball
Please read this spotlight article about Andy Kreutzer, Ph.D., a research scientist who is working with John Robertson, M.D., in 
