ChildrenÕs Hospital2018 Clinch Ave. ¥ P.O. Box 15010Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-5010

We always try to stay current with friends of the hospital.If for any reason you should receive a duplicate issue,please notify the hospital at (865) 541-8257.

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PA I DPERMIT 433

KNOXVILLE, TN

Invest In The Future2004 ChildrenÕs Miracle Network Telethon is June 5-6

The three-year, $47.5 million expansion iswell under way and scheduled to becompleted in mid-2005. This expansionwas designed to better meet the needs ofthe increasing number of childrenreceiving care at ChildrenÕs Hospital.

In addition to segments live fromChildrenÕs Hospital, the telethon will alsofeature great entertainment from thenational telethon at Walt Disney World,including a concert by the talented multi-award winning singer Lee Ann Rimes.

The success of this yearÕs ChildrenÕsMiracle Network Telethon is crucial inhelping ChildrenÕs Hospital grow to betterserve the children of East Tennessee.Funds raised at the telethon will be usedto purchase new and sophisticatedmedical equipment for various hospitaldepartments, including the NICU, theOutpatient Clinics, Respiratory Care,Endocrinology, the Emergency Department

In 1983, ChildrenÕs Hospital became acharter member of the ChildrenÕs MiracleNetwork and participated in the firstChildrenÕs Miracle Network Telethon. Thatyear, the local telethon raised $95,487, allof which remained at ChildrenÕs Hospitalfor the direct benefit of its patients. Lastyear, the 21st annual CMN broadcastcontinued to be a testimony of the progressChildrenÕs Hospital has made over theyears by raising more than $1.9 million.

Of course the telethon is not the onlything that has grown at ChildrenÕsHospital over the years. During the 1983-84 fiscal year, the number of visits childrenmade to ChildrenÕs Hospital for injuriesand illnesses was less than 40,000. Thatnumber has grown to more than 130,000patient visits in the 2002-03 fiscal year.

To accommodate this continued growthand better serve our patients, ChildrenÕsHospitalÕs facilities are also growing.

and the Laboratory. For complete details ofwhat the telethon funds will purchase, visitour Web site at www.etch.com.

Children are the future, so please investin the future of thousands of children bysupporting the 2004 ChildrenÕs MiracleNetwork broadcast on WBIR-TV Channel10 on Saturday, June 5, and Sunday, June 6,live from ChildrenÕs Hospital. Your supporthelps ensure each child who comes toChildrenÕs Hospital, now and in the future,is able to receive the care he or she needs.

For more information about theChildrenÕs Miracle Network or theChildrenÕs Miracle Network Broadcast, orif you would like to volunteer at thetelethon, please call (865) 541-8441.

by Casey LaMarr, student intern

Board of DirectorsJames S. Bush

Chairman Robert Madigan, M.D.

Vice Chairman Robert M. Goodfriend

Secretary/Treasurer Michael Crabtree Dawn Ford Peyton Hairston Jeffory Jennings, M.D. Bob Koppel Donald E. Larmee, M.D. Dugan McLaughlin Chris Miller, M.D. Alvin Nance Dennis Ragsdale J. Finbarr Saunders, Jr. William F. Searle III Bill Terry, M.D. Laurens Tullock Danni Varlan

Medical Staff Chris Miller, M.D.

Chief of Staff Lewis Harris, M.D.

Vice Chief of Staff David Nickels, M.D.

Secretary

Chiefs of Services Lise Christensen, M.D.

Chief of Medicine Cameron Sears, M.D.

Chief of Surgery David Birdwell, M.D.

Chief of Pathology Clifford J. Meservy, M.D.

Chief of Radiology Mike Mysinger, D.D.S.

Chief of Dentistry Mark Cramolini, M.D.

Chief of Anesthesiology

Administration Bob Koppel

President Paul Bates

Vice President for Human Resources Joe Childs, M.D.

Vice President for Medical Services Rudy McKinley

Vice President for Operations Jim Pruitt

Vice President for Finance Beckie Thomas, R.N.

Vice President for Patient Care

A quarterly publication of East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, It’s About Children is designed to inform the East Tennessee community about the hospital and the patients we serve. Children’s Hospital is a private, independent, not-for-profit pediatricmedical center that has served the East Tennessee region for more than 65 years and is certified by the state of Tennessee as a Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center.

Ellen Liston Director of Community Relations

David Rule Director of Development

Wendy Hames Editor

Neil Crosby Cover/Contributing Photographer

“Because Children are Special…” ...they deserve the best possible health care given in apositive, child/family-centered atmosphere of friendliness,cooperation, and support - regardless of race, religion,or ability to pay.”...their medical needs are closely related to theiremotional and informational needs; therefore, the totalchild must be considered in treating any illness or injury.”...their health care requires family involvement, specialunderstanding, special equipment, and specially trainedpersonnel who recognize that children are not miniatureadults.”...their health care can best be provided by a facilitywith a well-trained medical and hospital staff whoseonly interests and concerns are with the total health andwell-being of infants, children, and adolescents.”

Statement of Philosophy East Tennessee Children’s Hospital

www.etch.com

The Bottom LineArtwork by some of Children’s Hospital’s special patients

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by Destinyage 4

by Angelage 2 1/2

by Kattieage 10

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In late February, ChildrenÕs Hospitalopened a new 22,500-square-foot facilitydesigned for the unique needs of specialchildren. The East Tennessee ChildrenÕsHospital Rehabilitation Center, locatedat Pellissippi Parkway and WestlandDrive off I-140, serves children agesbirth through 21 with a variety ofspecial needs.

The new facility provides a family-focused and child-family centeredsetting. The Rehab CenterÕs daytreatment program for medically fragilechildren, ChildrenÕs Corner, hasincreased its patient capacity from 15 to27 children daily at the new location.ChildrenÕs Corner is designed to helpthese children transition to a lessintensive care setting.

Other additions to the center include

individual treatment areas; a parentconference room with an extensivevideo library; a computer lab to helpchildren use technology for greaterindependence; state-of-the-art computertechnology for rehab staff to use inworking with patients; and atherapeutic playground to providehandicapped-accessible opportunitiesfor children to play with others andbuild skills in independent movementwith wheelchairs, crutches and walkers.

The Rehabilitation Center is adepartment of East TennesseeChildrenÕs Hospital and providesphysician-directed rehabilitationservices to nearly 1,500 area childreneach year. The center has served theEast Tennessee region since 1947, andits programs help children and theirfamilies develop their potential andimprove quality of life.

While work on the new RehabCenter has been completed, majorconstruction on the main campus ofChildrenÕs Hospital continues.Unpredictable weather is always afactor in major construction, but goodprogress is being made toward thecompletion of the 115,000-square foot,seven-story patient tower at the cornerof Clinch Avenue and 20th Street. Due to heavy rains during the past fewmonths, major milestones have beenpushed back about a month. Thefollowing is an update on what hasbeen completed and what is plannedfor the next few months:¥ Work is continuing on the lower level

of the tower to create patient rooms.¥ The towerÕs steel structure is now

under roof.¥ The setting of new heating and air

conditioning units on the south side of the hospital has been completedfor the renovation of the Second,Third and Fourth floors.

¥ Utility work on the lowest level has been completed, and work on the new cafeteria will soon be underway.

¥ Renovation of about 90,000 square feet of existing hospital space is scheduled to begin in the latter part of 2004. Included in this work will be the upgrading of all semi-private impatient rooms with half baths to private rooms with full baths. This $31.8 million expansion and

renovation of ChildrenÕs Hospital willultimately allow for more space andcomfort for patients and families.Features will include 95 private patientrooms with full baths, an expanded 13-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unitand an expanded 44-bed NeonatalIntensive Care Unit. The hospitalÕslicensed beds will increase from 122 to152, and a larger EmergencyDepartment will increase from 18 to 34beds. In addition, the Surgery andRadiology Departments will beexpanded.

by Matt Rongey, student intern

New Rehab Center offers expanded services

On the cover: Bill Williams, anchor emeritus of WBIR-TV Channel 10, with Kate (left) and Hannah Felton

&Hannah,

Lily Kate

Medical Center. During her 25th week ofpregnancy, she began to experiencesome contractions and was put on bedrest. On the Sunday of her 26th week,her doctors had her admitted to FortSanders Regional for monitoring.Medication to stop the contractions wasunsuccessful, and Dr. Roussis deliveredthe three little girls by Caesarean sectionthat Thursday, January 25, 2001. Theirdue date was April 25.

In addition to Labor and Deliverystaff from Fort Sanders Regional,physicians, nurses and respiratorytherapists from the Neonatal IntensiveCare Unit at ChildrenÕs Hospitalattended the birth to immediatelyprovide care to the girls and thentransport them to the NICU atChildrenÕs. Premature infants typicallyare hospitalized until close to theiractual due date, which for the Feltongirls would mean up to three months.

"We were really nervous," Johnnasaid. "Whatever Dr. Roussis said waswhat we were going to do. I was justpraying, almost na�ve to thinkeverything was going to be fine.

"They were screaming little babies, sotiny, and they showed them to us andthen they wheeled them away to theNICU at ChildrenÕs," she continued. "Iknew they were in good hands É wejust knew everything was going to befine."

"Baby A," as she had been knownduring the pregnancy, was namedHannah, and she weighed 2 pounds, 1.5ounces. "Baby B," Lily, was 1 pound, 15ounces; and "Baby C," Kate, was 2pounds, 4 ounces.

Johnna needed to be mobile after herC-section, so as soon as it was allowed,John wheeled her to ChildrenÕs Hospitalto visit the babies. (ChildrenÕs Hospitalis connected to Fort Sanders Regional byan underground tunnel, allowing for thesafe, quick transport of newborns to theNICU, as well as offering new momswho are still hospitalized at Fort Sandersan easy way to visit their babies.)

"I remember John wheeling me overthere for the first time and, of course, Ijust broke down because they were sotiny," Johnna said. "I just wanted to holdthem, but I knew I couldnÕt. It was OKbecause they were in good hands."

The girls required oxygen only for abrief time, less than many preemies.They were doing very well and weregaining weight, sometimes just a half anounce, but for John and Johnna, every

little bit was important. "Of course wewould be there every day," Johnna said."It was the biggest thing to find out howmuch they had gained that day."

John said the nurses were more thanhappy to answer their many questions,such as how to read the monitors andhow to push the right buttons to quiet abeeping monitor. "The monitors willdrive you crazy," he added. "ItÕs all alearning process, and itÕs not one youwant to do more than once."

On Friday night, February 9, Johnand Johnna visited the girls in theevening. They were doing well, so thecouple decided to take a break and go toa movie. The next morning, Johnnavisited the girls by herself and calledJohn to tell him Lily had an infection.John came straight to ChildrenÕs, andthey talked with Dr. Stephen Prinz,neonatologist, who said Lily had

necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Agastrointestinal disease that mostlyaffects premature infants, NEC involvesinfection and inflammation that causesdestruction of the bowel (intestine) orpart of the bowel.

The Feltons stayed until late Saturdaynight, and then went home. About 6:30Sunday morning, Dr. Prinz called andsaid they needed to come back to thehospital to give the OK for a procedureto drain the infection. Throughout thatday, they remained by LilyÕs side. "Wecould see she wasnÕt doing any better,"John said, and for the first time thecouple realized Lily might not get well.

Johnna and her mother stayedthrough the night. "I couldnÕt leave her,"Johnna said. "I had that feeling that thiscould be the last night with her."

John came back to the hospital thenext morning, February 12: "When I sawher on Monday morning, I knew therewas no turning back, sheÕs not gettingany better."

Dr. John Howick, a neonatologistwho had attended the Felton girlsÕ birth,spoke to John and Johnna about LilyÕscondition. "Dr. Howick said, ÔSheÕs not

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going to make it,Õ" John said, and he andJohnna made the difficult decision tohave Lily removed from the machinesthat were keeping her alive.

They were with Lily when she died,as were some of the nurses. "It has to bethe hardest job in the world to be anurse, because you could see theemotion in their eyes," John said. "It waskilling them too, It was tough. But theywere just as kind to us as they could bein that situation."

SURVIVING TRIPLETS"The next day, we were back up

there again. We had the receiving offriends at our house, and we did all that,and we had the burial," John said. "Butwe still had two girls, and we had to bethere for them. We never missed a day."

At one point there was concern thatKate also might have NEC, butfortunately she didnÕt. "From that pointon, as far as I can remember, it wassmooth sailing," John said.

The NICU staff does not tell familieswhen a baby will be discharged untilshortly before the discharge, perhaps aday before. Sometimes things canhappen suddenly, and it is difficult forparents to expect to bring a baby homeon a certain date and then not be able to

for some reason. So on March 27, whenJohn and Johnna arrived for their dailyvisit, they were surprised and excited tolearn that Hannah and Kate would gohome that day.

They weighed a little over 4 poundseach and were two months old. "Ofcourse to us they were huge," Johnnasaid, because theyÕd already doubled

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The loss of a child can be overwhelming. But when 19-day-old Lily Claire Felton died at Children's Hospital,her parents couldnÕt go home to grieve Ð they had two more tiny baby girls still in the hospital who needed them.

Lily and her sisters, Hannah Gayle and Kate Lauren, wereconceived through fertility treatments. Their parents, John and Johnna Felton of Knoxville, were looking forward to theirarrival, and Johnna was experiencing a very healthy tripletpregnancy. She was working in pharmaceutical sales and was

active and on her feet. "I was the ideal patient expectingtriplets," Johnna said.

Because she was expecting triplets, Johnna was a patient ofDrs. Perry Roussis and Gary Stephens, perinatologists(specialists in high-risk pregnancies) at Fort Sanders Regional

&Hannah,

Lily Kate

Hannah (left) and Kate

Kate (left) and Hannah

Lily Felton

their birth weight and were now biggerthan many of the babies in the NICU.

The girls were on heart monitors athome for several months but otherwiserequired no special care at home. Theyalso were followed by Nadine Trainer,M.D., pediatric physiatrist at theChildrenÕs Hospital RehabilitationCenter, and the family pediatrician, JoePeeden, M.D. They monitored the girlsÕdevelopment periodically, but theydeveloped normally according to their"adjusted age."

Preemies are given an "adjusted age"based on how many weeks prematurethey were at birth. This age is importantwhen evaluating development, becausepreemies develop more slowly than full-term infants for the first year or two. For

example, a premature infant who wasborn six months ago but was threemonths premature has an adjusted ageof three months; so the baby should beat the developmental level of a typicalthree-month-old, even though he or sheis actually six months old.

Hannah walked at 17 months (whenher adjusted age would have been 14months), and Kate walked at 18 months(when her adjusted age would havebeen 15 months). "So they were a littlebit behind, but theyÕre three years oldnow, and theyÕre caught up," John said.

"They are thriving," Johnna said."TheyÕre like every little three-year-oldgirl would be."

More than three years since LilyÕsdeath, the Feltons find it difficult toexplain the fact their two girls aretriplets. Although they are not identical,Hannah and Kate do look somewhatalike with similar hairstyles and oftenthe same clothes.

"I think the biggest hurdle toovercome with having surviving triplets

is to explain that to a stranger," Johnnasaid. "I donÕt want to forget Lily; I neverwill. And thatÕs why I always includeher when I say they are survivingtriplets when someone asks if they aretwins. They are triplets, and they alwayswill be."

They know that is something Hannahand Kate will have to deal with as theyget older, as well. "We talk about Lily tothem now, and we always will," Johnnasaid. "We hope theyÕll remember her asmuch as we do."

MIRACLES"With them being the miracles that

they are, I donÕt take them for grantedever," Johnna said. "I just appreciatetheir life, and I feel so lucky to havethem in our life."

In January 2004, the Feltons talkedabout another miracle they wereexpecting. When Johnna passed her 27thweek of pregnancy that month, "I washolding my breath the whole day Éplease donÕt let me go into labor all ofthe sudden." John added, "We love thepeople at ChildrenÕs, but we hope wedonÕt see them this time."

Johnna made it past the 27th weekmark and through the rest of thepregnancy. Due on April 11, Sadie JaneFelton was delivered in a scheduled C-section at Fort Sanders Regional onApril 2. She weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces.

IN THE NICU"If any of our friends were to have a

child at ChildrenÕs, I can tell them withconfidence they are going to be in goodhands, and not to worry," Johnna said.

John added, "ItÕs a great group ofpeople up there. ItÕs a great experienceworking with these people. ItÕs not agreat experience being there, but theymake it a whole lot easier."

GRIEF RESOURCESChildrenÕs Hospital makes every effort to

provide the best care to our patients, butsometimes, children are just too sick orinjured too seriously to recover. In thesecases, best efforts and the best in medicaltechnology sometimes simply arenÕt enough.Such was the case with Lily Felton.

Grief, the normal response of sorrow,emotion and confusion that comes fromlosing something or someone important, is anatural part of life. If a parent loses a child,grief is the natural response. But anotherimportant response is finding an outlet forthe grief.

When a child dies at ChildrenÕs Hospital,grief-counseling resources are provided to thefamily. ChildrenÕs Hospital chaplains andsocial workers work with the familythroughout the loss.

"We provide grief literature, invite them tolocal grief counseling groups, and celebratetheir children through our annual Memorialservice and a Christmas ornament inremembrance of the children," said PastoralCare Director Rick Callaway. "We alsoremain in contact with the family throughpersonal phone calls, memos and letters."

Grief lasts as long as it takes the parent toaccept and learn to live with the loss. Formany parents, grieving may take many years,and the length of grieving is different for eachperson. There is no normal timeline for grief,emotion or acceptance.

The following organizations and Web sitesprovide information and support for copingwith grief:¥ The Compassionate Friend: A national self-help support organization for thosegrieving for the loss of a child or a sibling.The local support telephone number is (865)687-2117, or the organization can be reachedon the web at www.compassionatefriends.org¥ Healing Hands Haven: An East Tennesseesupport group for parents who have lost achild during, before or after birth. The localtelephone number is (865) 675-8000.¥ Mothers In Sympathy Support (M.I.S.S.):A nonprofit international organization thatprovides immediate and ongoing support togrieving families, empowerment throughcommunity volunteerism, public policy andlegislative education and programs to reduceinfant and toddler death through researchand education. www.misschildren.org¥ Empty Arms, Heavy Hearts: A support sitefor anyone who has lost a child -- fromconception to adulthood. www.childloss.com.¥ Brief Encounters: A non-profitnonsectarian support group for parentswhose babies died before, during or afterbirth. www.briefencounters.org

by Tanya Marshall,Associate Director for Public Relations

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Why Pediatrics?Children are the “fun” of medicine and arerewarding to treat. The pediatrician canshape and influence the future health ofeach generation.

Greatest Influence – My father. He modeledand taught “slow to anger and quick to helpothers.” He also always looks for the goodin people and in life situations.

Philosophy – To provide complete,compassionate health care to children andtheir families.

Proudest Moment as a Pediatrician – Whenthe mother of a patient stated, “He is notreally sick; he is just acting like it so he cansee Dr. Ward.”

Ward Phillips, M.D.Age – 39Wife – Regina Phillips, M.D.Children – Hannah, 15; Ben, 11; Luke, 4;and Daniel, 3

Name of Pediatric Practice –Phillips Medical Group, P.C., Talbott

Personal Interests –Exercise, gardening, sports medicine, music

Academic Background/Prior Experience –B.A. – Carson-Newman College, JeffersonCity, 1987M.D. – University of Tennessee, Memphis,1991Internship – UT Memphis, 1992Residency (internal medicine and pediatrics)– UT Memphis, 1992-95

Pediatrician Profiles

unlimited potential. By encouraging ahealthy lifestyle and preventive health careearly, many adult diseases may be avoided.In pediatrics, the goal is to instill thesevalues and show kids how to stay healthy.

Greatest Influence –My parents, who taught me to pursue mydreams; my grandfather, who used his lifeto share his faith; and Jesus Christ, theGreat Physician.

Philosophy –Treat each patient with the same care,diligence and respect I’d give my family.Listen to parents’ and patients’ concerns.Don’t assume anything, and explaineverything thoroughly.

Proudest Moment as a Pediatrician –Attending the birth of my first daughter, asthe pediatrician, on my first day as anattending physician.

Russel Rhea III, M.D.

Age – 39Wife – JeanChildren – Rachel, 10; Rebekah, 8; Mark, 5;Jacob, 2; Tyler, 1

Name of Pediatric Practice – Children’s Faith Pediatrics, Knoxville

Personal Interests –Hiking, swimming, boating, historicsightseeing with the family

Academic Background/Prior Experience –B.S. – Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pa., 1986M.D. – Meharry Medical College, Nashville,1990Internship and Residency – Children’sHospital, Dayton, Ohio, 1990-93

Why Pediatrics?Children have a remarkable resilience and

“Children are the ‘fun’ of medicine and are rewarding to treat.”

“Treat each patient with the same care I’d give my family.”

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Kate (left) and Hannah

Tw0-week-old Sadie Felton with her big sisters Kate(center) and Hannah.

Since opening its doors in 1937,ChildrenÕs Hospital has changed andgrown tremendously. It had humblebeginnings as a small hospital forchildren with polio. Today, ChildrenÕs isa Comprehensive Regional PediatricCenter offering a wide range ofpediatric health care services.

Throughout its history, ChildrenÕsHospital has been the first in the regionto offer a number of unique, specializedservices. The focus of each of these firstshas been the special needs of infants,children and teens. This emphasis onchildren is what makes ChildrenÕsHospital unique among medical centers.

Quintuplets Ð ChildrenÕs Hospitalprovided care in our Neonatal IntensiveCare Unit for TennesseeÕs first survivingquintuplets, the van Tols. Willem Scott,Sean Conner, Isabella Marie, Ashley Faithand Meghan Ann were born January 14,2004, between 12:22 and 12:24 p.m. andweighed between 2 pounds, 8.8 ouncesand 4 pounds, 0 ounces. The bigger,stronger boys went home first, onFebruary 6. Isabella went home February9, and the other two girls went home

February 15. The proud parents, Willemand Shannon van Tol of Knoxville,welcomed their five healthy babiesduring a Cesarean section at Fort SandersRegional Medical Center, across the streetfrom ChildrenÕs Hospital. The birth tookplace during ShannonÕs 33rd week ofpregnancy, after she had been on bed restfor about 8 weeks. Among the 28 healthcare professionals attending the deliverywere five neonatologists, five neonatalnurses and five respiratory therapistsfrom ChildrenÕs Hospital. They were onhand to immediately provide specializedneonatal care to the quints and transportthem to the NICU at ChildrenÕs.TennesseeÕs first set of quintuplets weredelivered at Vanderbilt Medical Center in1997; only one of the five babiessurvived.

Subspecialists Ð ChildrenÕs HospitalÕsfirst pediatric subspecialist, JohnMaddox, M.D., pediatric general surgeon,joined the hospital staff in October 1964;he remained the only pediatricsubspecialist on staff at ChildrenÕs formore than a dozen years. Dr. Maddoxretired in 2003 after nearly 40 years at

ChildrenÕs Hospital. Since the late 1970s,a part of ChildrenÕs HospitalÕs missionhas been to recruit fellowship-trainedpediatric subspecialists in a variety offields from across the nation. Today,physicians in 27 pediatric subspecialtiespractice at ChildrenÕs Hospital.

Pediatric Emergency Department Ð In 1970, ChildrenÕs became the firsthospital in the area to offer emergencymedicine services exclusively to pediatricpatients. Three years later, the PediatricEmergency Group was formed,providing physician coverage in thedepartment 24 hours a day. Because ofrapid growth in this service, a wing wasadded to the hospital in 1981 for a newEmergency/Outpatient Department. Lastyear, children made almost 62,000 visitsto the Emergency Department. Itcontinues to be staffed 24 hours a day,seven days a week by the ChildrenÕsPediatric Group Ð physicians speciallytrained in pediatric emergency medicine.The Pediatric Emergency Department isbeing expanded as part of ChildrenÕsHospitalÕs three-year expansion plan. TheED will increase from 18 to 34 beds; the

larger, more comfortable space will becompleted by December 2004.

Child Life Ð The first Child LifeDepartment in the state was establishedat ChildrenÕs Hospital in February 1978because of the hospitalÕs concern for thetotal child. Child Life staff focus on theemotional, social, creative andeducational needs of patients at thehospital. They use group and one-on-oneplay and interaction to help children copewith the hospital experience. Theybelieve strongly in the philosophy that achild should not have to stop being achild just because of a hospitalization.

Neurology Ð The Oliver William HillJr., M.D., Pediatric Neurology Laboratoryopened in September 1983. In addition tobeing the first pediatric neurology lab inTennessee, it is one of only about 10accredited pediatric labs nationwide. TheNeurology Lab performs tests onchildren with seizure disorders,migraines, learning disabilities, sleepdisorders and other diagnoses. TheNeurology Laboratory is funded in partby the annual ChildrenÕs HospitalInvitational Golf Tournament, whichtakes place each May at Fox Den CountryClub.

Home Health Care Ð When ChildrenÕsHospital began a home health careservice in 1984, it was the only pediatrichome health program in Tennessee.Today, the Home Health Caredepartment has grown so much that ithas its own offices in Farragut, Tenn. The

Home Health Care Department offersnursing, respiratory care, rehabilitation,infusion therapy and other services tochildren in the comfort of their ownhomes. Home Health also offers anenteral feeding program for almost 200patients; it is a unique program thatmany other home health agencies are justbeginning to offer. The number of homevisits made by Home Health Care staffhas doubled just since the early 1990s tomore than 12,400 in the 2002/03 fiscalyear. The goal of ChildrenÕs Home HealthCare is the same as that of the hospital Ñto provide children with needed care inthe least restrictive and most comfortablesetting possible.

Pet Therapy Ð In 1987, members ofÒHABITÓ (Human Animal Bond inTennessee) began a pilot program tovolunteer with their pets in CHIPS, theChildrenÕs Hospital Inpatient PsychiatricUnit, now closed. The pet owners andtheir pets made regular visits to CHIPS tospend time playing with the patients inthat unit. The program, which eventuallybecame permanent, was the first suchhospital pet therapy program in the state.In 1995, ÒHABITÓ expanded to theHematology/Oncology OutpatientClinic. The opportunity to interact withfriendly dogs helps pediatric patientsforget about their treatment for a whileand focus on something else.

Pediatric Transport Service Ð In 1993,ChildrenÕs Hospital initiated a pediatriccritical care transport service to transport

critically ill infants, children and teens tothe hospital from hospitals throughoutthe region. The service, which was thefirst of its kind in East Tennessee, usesspecially equipped hospital-to-hospitalambulances, each of which is essentiallyan intensive care unit on wheels. ThePediatric Transport Service shares theambulances with ChildrenÕs HospitalÕsNeonatal Transport Service, which beganin 1980 to transport premature and sicknewborns to the hospitalÕs NeonatalIntensive Care Unit.

Partners in Pediatrics Ð In 1996,ChildrenÕs Hospital established Partnersin Pediatrics, a pediatric physician-hospital organization that works withthird-party payors to ensure the areaÕspediatricians and family-practicephysicians can provide children with themost appropriate health care. During thistime of rapid change in insurance and thegrowth of managed care, Partners alsohelps to ensure physicians areappropriately represented with the third-party payors. Partners in Pediatrics is theonly physician-hospital organization inEast Tennessee and one of only a handfulin the country dedicated solely to thedelivery of pediatric health care.

ChildrenÕs Hospital is proud of theseÒfirstsÓ in our history. But the ones whobenefit from these ongoing efforts are thechildren of East Tennessee, who deservethe best health care possible in anenvironment that caters to their uniquepediatric needs.

“Firsts” highlight Children’s Hospital’s history

Co-chairs Becky Vanzant and Karen Waldbauer and assistant co-chair Linda Redmond

Willem and Shannon van Tol with their fiveinfants (left to right), Willem, Sean,Isabella, Ashley and Meghan.

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ÒWhere Your Heart Finds ChristmasÓis the theme for the 20th annual Fantasyof Trees. Co-chairs Karen Waldbauerand Becky Vanzant and assistant co-chair Linda Redmond are busyplanning this yearÕs event, set forNovember 24-28 at the KnoxvilleConvention Center.

Thousands of volunteers willcontribute more than 110,000 hours oftheir time throughout 2004 for the event,which will feature designer-decoratedholiday trees, festive and colorfuldecorations, gingerbread houses,childrenÕs activities, non-stop liveentertainment and assorted holiday shops.

This yearÕs event will feature eightnew childrenÕs activities including ÒMyHoliday Apron,Ó where children candecorate their own apron for helpingprepare holiday goodies, and ÒSoftieSnowman,Ó which allows children to

design their own snowman made of felt.For the 20th anniversary, several new

activities and events are planned.Children will help create a large, uniqueHoliday Mosaic featuring a festiveholiday scene. Also, a festive previewbrunch will allow area businesses,organizations, groups and individualsto enjoy a holiday meal before theThanksgiving weekend and catch aglimpse of the Fantasy of Trees beforethe show opens to the public. Fantasyvisitors will also have even more itemsto enjoy this year as three new designercategories have been added to theevent.

Proceeds from the 2003 Fantasy ofTrees totaled $288,068, and the eventhosted 51,462 visitors. The funds raisedfrom the event were used to purchasenew and replacement equipment for thenew Rehab Center and the services it

provides. The Rehab Center, a 22,500square-foot facility located offPellissippi Parkway and WestlandDrive, opened in February.

For more information about the 2004Fantasy of Trees, contact the ChildrenÕsHospital Volunteer Services andResources Department at (865) 541-8385.

by Matt Rongey, student intern

Fantasy of Trees names new co-chairs, sets theme

modeled after an event they hadattended in Chattanooga. They beganchairing the event in 1993, and it hassold out every year since then. Over$200,000 in net proceeds were raised in2003, bringing the eventÕs 10-year total toover $1.6 million.

Another member of GoodyÕs teamalso received a Philanthropy Day award.The late Pam Williams, formerCorporate Communications Manager forGoodyÕs, received the OutstandingVolunteer Fundraiser Award. Williams,who lost a battle with cancer inNovember 2003, spent much of herprofessional career in service to charities,which benefited from her marketingskills and her passion for children.

One of WilliamsÕ responsibilities wasto allocate GoodyÕs annual charitablebudget. After discussions withGoodfriend, Williams developed aphilanthropic contributions policy andphilosophy that reflects the companyÕscommitment to the needs of children andfamilies. Under WilliamsÕ leadership,GoodyÕs became a philanthropic leaderin all the communities where their 332stores are located.

Williams first became involved withChildrenÕs Hospital through the Fantasyof Trees. She was a Committee Chair in1989 before moving into a Vice-Chairrole in 1991. Williams recruitedvolunteers and worked at the show for14 years. In recent years, Williamscoordinated the Fantasy of TreesÕCelebrity Corner; she worked year-round to collect celebrity merchandise tobe auctioned or purchased in this shop.Under WilliamsÕ leadership, CelebrityCorner has raised over $50,000 for theFantasy of Trees. After joining GoodyÕsFamily Clothing in 1995, Williams alsobecame an instrumental part of the team

Every year, the Great SmokyMountain Chapter of theAssociation of FundraisingProfessionals presents thePhilanthropy Day awards.This year, three of thewinners were nominated byand are supporters of EastTennessee Children’s Hospital.

Bob and Wendy Goodfriend receivedthe Outstanding Philanthropist Awardbecause of their tireless work for thebenefit of the community. Mr.Goodfriend, who serves as the Chairmanand Chief Executive Officer of GoodyÕsFamily Clothing, Inc., not only has astrong commitment to achieving businesssuccess but also a commitment to supportthe community. Among his communityinvolvements is the United Way; he haspreviously served as a United WayChairman for the local campaign.

The Goodfriends have supportedChildrenÕs Hospital for the past 20 yearsthrough the annual ChildrenÕs MiracleNetwork Telethon. They began theirsupport in 1983 with a gift of $10,000 atTelethon after their son Jeff was treatedin the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit atChildrenÕs Hospital. Since that time, Mr.Goodfriend has added a program tomatch gifts made by his employees andhas matched pledges called in byviewers to the Telethon. TheGoodfriendsÕ continued support hasinspired GoodyÕs employees to increasefund-raising efforts in their stores,ranging from bass tournaments to thesale of ÒMiracle Balloons.Ó Telethon giftsin 2003 from the Goodfriends, GoodyÕsemployees and GoodyÕs corporate giftstotaled over $448,000.

The Goodfriends approached theChildrenÕs Hospital administration in1992 about a celebrity gala, Center Stage,

planning for Center Stage, bringingcreativity and leadership to thecommittee.

The 2003 Outstanding FoundationAward went to The William B. Stokely,Jr. Foundation. The foundation givesmore than $500,000 per year. The giftsstretch across a broad area and includecharities in Kansas, Missouri, New York,Virginia, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee.

In the local community, thefoundation has supported the ÒNineCounties, One VisionÓ program and hasfunded local schools, the University ofTennessee, law enforcement, theKnoxville Museum of Art, the KnoxvilleSymphony and Friends of the GreatSmoky Mountains. The foundation alsocontributes to ChildrenÕs Hospital andother organizations that deal withchildrenÕs issues such as the Boys andGirls Club, Project Grad, Mission ofHope, Juvenile Diabetes ResearchFoundation, Junior Achievement,Tennessee Baptist ChildrenÕs Homes andmany others. These contributions havetouched the lives of thousands of children.

The Stokely Foundation is also amajor sponsor of the Fantasy of Trees.Through contributions to the Fantasy ofTrees, the foundation helps fund thepurchase of much needed medicalequipment for various departments atChildrenÕs Hospital.

ChildrenÕs Hospital nominated or co-nominated all three winners. ÒWe areextremely grateful for the efforts of theGoodfriends, Pam Williams and theWilliam B. Stokely, Jr. Foundation,Ó saidBob Koppel, President of ChildrenÕsHospital. ÒEach has helped ChildrenÕsHospital tremendously and is verydeserving of the recognition and honorbestowed upon them by the Associationof Fundraising Professionals.Ó

by Matt Rongey, student intern

Local Children’s Hospital supporters honored

Last year, Children’s Hospital andWBIR-TV Channel 10 created a programto recognize children from throughoutEast Tennessee who have donesomething out of the ordinary.

ÒWe were looking for outstandingyoungsters who had done something amazing:overcome an incredible physical or emotionalsituation, demonstrated outstanding talent andachievement through their art, or exhibited apassion for helping to make life better forothers,Ó said Jeff Lee, WBIRÕs GeneralManager.

The program, 10 Amazing Kids, waslaunched in December with announcementson WBIR-TV asking viewers to nominate achild they knew who had done somethingexceptional. Dozens of entries recognizedoutstanding East Tennessee children, and theselection process was extremely difficult. Eachof the 10 Amazing KidsÕ stories was featuredon ÒLive at 5Ó on WBIR-TV in April.

The 2004 10 Amazing Kids are:Trevor Bayne, age 13, Gresham MiddleSchool Ð TrevorÕs teachers said he Òexemplifiesthe attributes of leadership to his home, schooland community. He is a champion in everyaspect of his life. This 4.0 student has mademany sacrifices since age 5 to achieve hisdream of becoming a NASCAR driver, whilebeing a positive role model for children andadults. Another of his recommendations said,ÒHe is humble, considerate of others and kind-hearted. He shows good sportsmanship at therace track and is respectful in school to histeachers and peers.ÓJared Brentz, age 15, South-Doyle HighSchool Ð Born with a severe physicalcondition, this freshman has faced moreadversity in his short life than most will see ina lifetime. An amazing student, great golferand gutsy wrestler, he is also a doubleamputee. His college and career counselor saidJared Òwears a smile instead of a cloud of selfpity. Amazing is a word that personifies himperfectly. He is beloved by the South-Doylefaculty and staff but, more importantly, by hispeers. The lesson learned (from Jared) is thatdisability does not equal defeat.ÓCarissa Cash, age 12, Whittle SpringsMiddle School Ð This energetic and inquisitivesixth grader has made a difference as a

classroom volunteer. ÒShe has proven to be adetermined, capable and skillful assistant, andas part of the Project GRAD system in theclassroom, Carissa has been a dedicatedleader/manager. She has kept the room quietand her classmates focused on their work. Inthe future, I believe that she will become agenuine talk show host, an honest politician ora truthful teacher. She will inspire others toachieve their goals.ÓNolan Crone, age 10, FarragutIntermediate School Ð NolanÕs teacher saysthere are few days in her classroom that theword ÒamazingÓ doesnÕt come to mind.Although Nolan has spina bifida and isparalyzed from the waist down, he doesnÕt usethe word ÒcanÕt.Ó ÒHe is anxious to do all ouractivities. His tenacity and positive attitude areamazing to observe each day.Ó His fellowstudents see on a daily basis how difficultsituations are for Nolan, but he shows themhow hardships can be overcome. Hisclassmates enjoy being NolanÕs helper inschool each week.Caitlin Hairrell, age 9, Karns IntermediateSchool Ð To learn why Caitlin is an amazingkid, ask Sam, a special needs dog with cancerwho has benefited from CaitlinÕs fund-raisingefforts. Sam needed a heated bed to help withhis condition, so Caitlin sold lemonade, dogbiscuits and bookmarks to raise money. Theboard of directors at the Tennessee ValleyGolden Retriever Rescue said, ÒCaitlin is a rolemodel for all children. She exemplifies ahumane, caring attitude towards pets andchildren, a trait to be desired in our sometimesviolent and cruel world.Ó Matheu Harrill, age 13, Vonore ElementarySchool Ð Monroe CountyÕs mayor calls thiseighth grader a bright spot who exemplifieswhy Tennessee is known as the VolunteerState. His teachers say MatheuÕs sense ofvolunteerism is much needed in todayÕssociety. ÒMatheu does not always gravitatetoward what is most popular but is firm tograsp his individuality based on the familyvalues that have been instilled in him. Hisparents encourage him in all endeavors, but itis MatheuÕs choice to accept nothing but hispersonal best.Ó Chelsea LaPrade, age 7, TNT PrimarySchool (New Tazewell) Ð Chelsea went to

check on an elderly neighbor last fall andheard the woman calling for help, so shefound someone to assist her. The lady hadsuffered a heart attack, and ChelseaÕs help wasan important factor in saving her life.ÒWithout ChelseaÕs persistence, who knowswhat might have happened to this elderlylady,Ó said one of her teachers. In addition,ÒChelsea is always polite and generous. I havenever heard her utter a mean word to otherchildren, and that is pretty rare for a seven-year-old.ÓMadison Lyleroehr, age 16, South-DoyleHigh School Ð This teenager turned herexperience with scoliosis surgery into abooklet to help others. She also used hersinging talents to raise over $5,000 forKnoxvilleÕs Volunteer Ministry Center througha benefit concert and CD sale. The personnominating her added: ÒMore than any child Iknow, Madison leads by example. She is aloyal friend, a delight to be around and also agreat student. Smart, compassionate, giving,brave, mature and self-effacing Ð what betterqualities for a role model at any age?ÓTreven Treece, age 9, Hillcrest Elementary(Morristown) Ð Born three months premature,Treven is now a healthy nine-year-old wholoves life. He is active in community theater, isa straight-A student, excels at sports andparticipates in church activities. His mom saidhe works hard for what he earns, knows theimportance of a good education and alwaysstrives to do his best. He recently said to her,ÒMom, I just want to help people,Ó and hedoes that daily. His teacher said he is alwayscheering up his classmates and encouragingthem to be their best. Summer Simmons, age 6, Lenoir CityElementary School Ð Profoundly affected bythe events of September 11, 2001, Summerbegan a ÒRandom Acts of KindnessÓ programin her community: she swept porches,delivered doughnuts to a fire station, pickedup trash and delivered bones to police dogs.Her first grade teacher said she thrives onhelping others. ÒShe has an outstanding workethic and sets an example for the rest of myclass to follow. Summer loves to help herclassmates and has the patience andunderstanding of a child twice her age.Ó

10 Amazing Kids recognized by WBIR-TV 10, Children’s Hospital

1110

The family of Pam Williams (left to right): Gene Lawson, Cherie Lawson, Kayli Sinnamon and Gary Williams

Chelsea LaPradeCarissa CashTrevor Bayne Nolan Crone Treven TreeceMatheu HarrillJared Brentz Summer SimmonsMadison LyleroehrCaitlin Hairrell

Bob and Wendy Goodfriend with their daughter-in-law, Kaye Goodfriend (left), and son, Jeff Goodfriend (right)

Kay and Bill Stokley (center) with their daughter, Shelley Stokley (left), and son, Clay Stokley (right)

13

CHAMPIONS DAYTo help kick off Telethon 2004,

ChildrenÕs Hospital invites members ofthe East Tennessee community toparticipate in Champions for ChildrenÕsDay. This year on June 4, individualsare asked to show their support for thehospital by purchasing a ChampionsDay T-shirt and wearing it to work,school or anywhere that day to showtheir support for the hospital.

The shirts have the same design asthose worn by volunteers on thetelethon set and are available forChampions Day participants prior tothe telethon. If you wish to purchase ashirt, call the Development Office at(865) 541-8441.

TENNESSEE RIVER 600Looking for a way to enjoy the

beauty of the Tennessee River and helpthe community at the same time? TheTennessee River 600 is the event foryou. On July 25, personal watercraftenthusiasts will begin at KnoxvilleÕsVolunteer Landing and take a weeklongjourney down the river. The voyagewill end at Pickwick Landing nearMemphis on July 31. Check in andregistration begin July 24.

This 600-mile trip will help raisefunds for the Tennessee WildlifeResources Agency and the fourchildrenÕs hospitals along the route:East Tennessee ChildrenÕs Hospital;T.C. Thompson ChildrenÕs Hospital inChattanooga; ChildrenÕs Hospital ofBirmingham, Ala.; and LeBonheurChildrenÕs Medical Center in Memphis.Participants must be at least 18 with avalid driverÕs license. Registration is$250 and includes dock fees, T-shirt anda safety vest.

The deadline to register is June 25.For more information, call theChildrenÕs Hospital Development Officeat (865) 541-8441 or visit the eventÕsWeb site at www.tennesseeriver600.com.

BOOMSDAY On Sunday, September 5, the city of

Knoxville will say good-bye to thesummer of 2004 with the largest LaborDay weekend celebration in theSoutheast. Boomsday annually drawsaround 250,000 guests to NeylandDrive on the banks of the TennesseeRiver for a day of food, entertainmentand fun. After the sun sets, a spectacularfireworks show will be presented fromthe Henley Street Bridge.

The celebration, which hastraditionally taken place on Labor Day(Monday), has been moved to theSunday prior to Labor Day this year toallow even more people to enjoy theevent and fireworks display.

Again this year, volunteers fromChildrenÕs Hospital will be at the eventto sell soft drinks to the thirsty crowd.Beverage sales at Boomsday benefitChildrenÕs Hospital; last yearÕs eventraised more than $10,000 for the hospital.Call (865) 541-8567 to volunteer.

TUNNEL THUNDER RIDEThe sixth Annual Tunnel Thunder

Ride will take begin at Jaycee Park in

Clinton September 11. The first bike outwill start at 11 a.m. and the last out willbe at 12 noon. The event is a poker runto the Cumberland Gap, and the grandprize for the day is $250.

The cost for the event is $10 perperson with lunch and a T-shirt includedfor all participants. There will also be asilent auction, door prizes and a liveband. This yearÕs ride, which benefitsChildrenÕs Hospital, is presented by theVolunteer Road Riders. For moreinformation, visit www.volrr.com or callBeverly Michaels in the ChildrenÕsHospital Development Office at (865)541-8745.

by Suzann Hollingsworth, student intern

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S T O B E N E F I T C H I L D R E N ’ SMark your calendars now for several upcoming events designed to entertain families and benefit Children‘s Hospital.

Thanks to the generous people of East Tennessee who host and participate in these events, Children’s Hospital

can continue to provide the best pediatric health care for all the children of this region.

Dates to RememberUpcoming events to benefit Children’s Hospital

JuneChampions Day

June 4TelethonJune 5-6

JulyKingsdown Miracle Mile

July 17Tennessee River 600

July 25-31

AugustKaraoke in the Park

August 28

SeptemberBoomsday

September 5Tunnel Thunder Ride

September 11For more information about any of these events,

call (865) 541-8441 or visit our Web site atwww.etch.com and click on “Coming Attractions.”

12

Many times we hear fromgenerous friends who want todo more to help the childrenentrusted to our care.

They may be Radiothon or Telethondonors. They may be making gifts inhonor or in memory of someonespecial. They may be designers for ordonors to the Fantasy of Trees. Perhapsthey participate in one of the many golftournaments that benefit our medicalfacility or work as a volunteer in thehospital.

There seems to be a common theme.These individuals see what is beingdone for area children by the medicaland hospital staff, and they also seewhat the community is doing to ensurethat the finest pediatric care continuesto be available to every child. Theybecome interested and want to do moreto help.

There are so many different ways tohelp ChildrenÕs Hospital, as we oftendiscuss in this publication. If you are alandowner who wishes to help thehospital, you have some specificoptions if you wish to make a gift ofland:

I. A direct donation of land. Youmay have some acreage or somebuilding lots in a subdivision, orperhaps you inherited your auntÕshome and donÕt really have a need forthe property. You can help area childrenand possibly receive an income taxdeduction by donating the property toChildrenÕs Hospital. If you have hadthe land more than a year, it has

Estate Planning...ÒYour land can help sick and injured childrenÓ

IncludeChildren’s Hospitalin your estate plans.Join the ABC Club.For more information,call (865) 541-8441.

Please send the free brochure titled ÒReflecting on TomorrowÓ

Name______________________________ Address__________________________________________

City___________________________ State_______ Zip_____________ Phone#(______)___________

r Please call me at the above phone number for a free confidential consultation concerning planned giving.

r Please send me more information about deferred giving.

r I have already included ChildrenÕs Hospital in my estate plan in the following way:

__________________________________________________________________________

r Please send me information about the ABC Club.

ChildrenÕs Hospital Development Office (865) 541-8441

probably increased in value. If you sellthe land, you will likely have capitalgains tax to pay; but by donating theland to ChildrenÕs, you can avoid someor all of that tax.

II. A life estate gift of yourpersonal residence. You can make a lifeestate gift that offers you and yourspouse the right to live in your homethe rest of your lives and ensures thatthe property will come to ChildrenÕsHospital after you have both passedaway. You are responsible for thenormal expenses of utilities, repairs andproperty insurance on the home as longas you live there. It is possible toreceive an income tax deduction for thistype of gift, as well.

III. A gift of land that returns anincome to you. Perhaps you have someproperty you can part with but need

the income it could produce. You candonate this land to a trust that will sellit, invest the proceeds and pay you andyour spouse an income for a specifiedperiod of years or for the rest of yourlives. The principle comes to ChildrenÕsHospital at the end of the trust. It is alsopossible for you to receive an incometax deduction for this type of gift.

We encourage you to consult yourtax advisors to determine how a gift ofland to ChildrenÕs Hospital might affectyour tax situation. We would bepleased to work with you and youradvisors on such a gift. Please call,David Rule, Director of Development,or Teresa Goddard, SeniorDevelopment Officer, at (865) 541-8441if you are considering such a gift tohelp ChildrenÕs Hospital.

comes to food, but many fast food mealssupply more fat, salt and calories thanactual nutrition. Some restaurants offervery nutritious selections such as saladbars, plain baked potatoes, chili, low fatmilk, low fat frozen yogurt, fruit juiceand grilled chicken sandwiches. Manygrocery stores offer prepared foods withnutritional value; fresh fruits and ready-made deli sandwiches make greatalternatives to traditional fast foods.

How can parents help a child whoalready has a weight problem?

A child who is already battling aweight problem should visit a familypediatrician or a registered dietitian.Good and bad eating habits begin athome. Parents should set an example fortheir child by following the samehealthy habits that they want for theirchild. Once you have identified yourchild's sources of fat, sugar and otherunhealthy intakes and offered healthieralternatives, the next step is exercise. A growing child needs at least 45-60minutes of physical activity every day.Encourage your child to develop activehabits even if he or she is not used togetting exercise. Find out what they liketo do and make efforts to support orparticipate in the activity. It is important

IT ÕS THE

LAW!The state of Tennessee

has a new child passengersafety law that goes

into effect July 1.

The new requirement in the law isthat children ages 4-8 who are less than 5feet tall, regardless of weight, are requiredto ride in a belt-positioning booster seat,located in the rear seat when available.Previously children ages 4 and older werenot required to be in a booster seat.

Here’s a quick overview of the state law:

¥ All children ages 12 and under should ride in the back seat when available.

¥ Any child under 1 year old (even if he or she weighs more than 20 pounds) or any older child weighing less than 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing car seat.

¥ Any child ages 1-3 and weighing more than 20 pounds should ride in a forward-facing car seat.

¥ Children and teens ages 9-17 must use a seatbelt system.

¥ The driver of the car is responsible for ensuring children under age 16 are properly restrained. If a childÕs parent or guardian is in the car but is not the driver, the parent or guardian is responsible, rather than the driver. Fines are issued for violation of the laws.

Watch for a comprehensiveoverview of child passengersafety in the next issue of

It’s About Children.

14 15

exercise are some of the leading causesof obesity. A family history of obesityalso increases a child's risk of becomingseriously overweight. Check with thefamily pediatrician, who can determineif a child is above the ideal weight forhis or her height. Family membersshould encourage healthy eating habitsand participation in physical activity.Sitting down together for meals enablesyou to act as a role model for goodeating habits.

What should I do when my childvisits someone who may not beconcerned about healthy eating?

One of the most important things isto educate your child about healthyeating habits. Set limits for grandparentsor other family members your child maybe visiting. As a parent, play an activerole in educational eating. Encourageyour child to include a salad or vegetablesin meals when eating outside the home.

Obesity in school-age children in the United States has become an edpidemic.If a childÕs weight is 20 percent or more in excess of the standard weight for height, he or she is

considered obese, and excess body fat can alter the normal growth pattern in children. A quarter ofschoolage children are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for disease and low self-esteem.

"Childhood obesity is a nationalepidemic that affects both the physicaland emotional welfare of our futureadult population," said Heather Edgley,M.D., pediatric hospitalist andEmergency Department physician atChildren's Hospital. Dr. Edgley offersthe following answers to commonquestions about obesity.

What problems may result fromobesity in children?

Children who are overweight are ata higher risk for developing high bloodpressure, diabetes, sleep disorders andother weight-related problems. An obesechild's self-esteem also is negativelyaffected.

What are some of the leading causesof obesity, and how can it be prevented?

Unhealthy habits such as eating fastfood on a regular basis or lack of

Obesity

to emphasize an active lifestyle and thatexercise can be fun. The best way toencourage exercise is by doing it as afamily activity.

What resources are there for myfamily for learning to make healthychoices and losing weight in a healthymanner?

Children's Hospital offers a "Making Healthy Choices" class. In thisclass, a registered dietitian discusseswith families how to make appropriatehealthy food choices, suggestssubstitutes for foods that promoteweight gain and suggests methods forincreasing activity into a daily routine.There are also other resources such asbooks and web sites on nutrition,exercise and recipes for further success.Visit the Children's Hospital web site atwww.etch.com and click on the HealthLibrary section.

Are there any other tips or things toconsider to improve my family's nutrition?

Leading a healthy lifestyle can bebroken down into a simple three-stepprocess. Step 1 is to get the facts about ahealthy family lifestyle such as eating ahealthy diet that includes fruits,vegetables and whole grain products inappropriate portions. After you have thefacts, step 2 is to apply the facts to theentire family and eat better. Step 3 is toget active. Families do not have to visit agym several times a week to be healthy.A 45-minute walk at a brisk pace a fewtimes a week can burn the caloriesneeded to lead a healthy lifestyle. Formore information about this three-stepprocess, visit the U.S. Department ofHealth & Human Services atwww.smallstep.gov.

compiled by Matt Rongey, student intern,and Janya Marshall, Associate Director for

Public Relations

Are there tips for making betterfood choices?

A registered dietitian whospecializes in child or adolescentnutritional needs along with a familypediatrician can provide a source ofinformation for your family. Avoidpreparing fried and high-fatconvenience foods. Encourage yourchild to avoid sodas; drink water or 100-percent fruit juice instead (be sure toread juice labels as many brands are not100-percent juice). Eliminate unhealthyfoods from the household rather thanhaving foods in the house that yourchild is not permitted to eat. Keepinghealthy snacks in a place your child caneasily get to them will also help promotebetter choices.

Is there a way for busy families toeat healthier?

Families want convenience when it

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Reminder:Children’s Hospital offers a variety of Healthy Kids Community Education classes every monthon such topics as Infant/Child CPR, Making Healthy Choices, Safe Sitter and many others.

Heather Edgley, M.D.

For more information or to register for any of the classes, tobe added to the Healthy Kids mailing list for announcementsof upcoming classes or to receive our free Healthy Kidsparenting newsletter, please call (865) 541-8262.Announcements about upcoming classes can be seen onWBIR-TV 10 and heard on area radio stations. Or visit our

Web site at www.etch.com and click on "Healthy KidsEducation and News."

ChildrenÕs HospitalÕs Healthy Kids Campaign, sponsoredby WBIR-TV Channel 10 and Chick-Fil-A, is a communityeducation initiative of the hospitalÕs Community RelationsDepartment to help parents keep their children healthy.