In each issue of It’s About Children, we highlight some

of our former patients who have overcome medical

challenges. To submit your story for future use, write to:

Wendy Hames, Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 15010,

Knoxville, TN 37901-5010.

On May 23,1995, Brittany Rogers’ life changed

forever. Then two years old, Brittany was playing in

the yard of her family home in Kingsport, while her

father was mowing the lawn in another part of the

yard. Unaware that Brittany was approaching, her

father backed up the riding mower to mow a spot that

he had missed, and the mower hit Brittany. Her right

foot and leg were extensively damaged, including

partial amputation of her foot and soft tissue damage

to the rest of her leg.

Brittany was rushed to a local

hospital by ambulance and then

was flown by helicopter to

Children’s Hospital. She spent 18

days in the Pediatric Intensive Care

Unit on a ventilator, experiencing

several surgeries and life-

threatening infections; the open

wound had been exposed to an

incredible amount of dirt and

germs found outdoors.

Brittany RogersBrittany Rogers

Robert Madigan, M.D., pediatric orthopedic

surgeon, and Steven J. Smith, M.D., pediatric plastic

surgeon, performed the surgeries on Brittany’s foot.

Dr. Smith took muscle from her back and skin grafts

from her other leg to reshape her damaged leg and

create a “platform” large enough for her to walk on

where her toes had been.

In 1996, in recognition of her recovery from such

a serious injury, Brittany was selected as the first

Children’s Miracle Network Champion for the State of

Tennessee, representing East Tennessee Children’s

Hospital.

Although Brittany experienced a traumatic injury

and a partial amputation, this has not stopped her

from doing anything. Now 14 years old, she wears a

prosthetic on her right foot. Active in her church, she

has gone on several mission trips.

An excellent student in high school, she is

ranked in the top five in her class and is a

member of the National Science Honor Society.

Brittany participated in cheerleading in middle

school but found her niche – golf – when she

reached high school. She was nominated for

Homecoming Queen and served on the

Homecoming Court during the basketball and

football seasons this school year.

by Jessica Chambers,Guest Relations Representative

&B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r sDennis RagsdaleChairmanJeffory Jennings, M.D.Vice ChairmanMichael CrabtreeSecretary/TreasurerBruce AndersonDebbie Christiansen, M.D.Dawn FordKeith D. GoodwinSteven HarbLewis Harris, M.D.Dee HaslamBob KoppelA. David MartinDugan McLaughlinChristopher Miller, M.D.Steve SouthBill Terry, M.D.Laurens TullockDanni Varlan

M e d i c a l S t a f fDavid Nickels, M.D.Chief of StaffJohn Buchheit, M.D.Vice Chief of StaffJohn Little, M.D.Secretary

C h i e f s o f S e r v i c e sJeanann Pardue, M.D.Chief of MedicineMark Cramolini, M.D.Chief of Surgery

A d m i n i s t r a t i o nKeith D. GoodwinPresident/CEOBob KoppelPresident/CEO EmeritusLaura Barnes, R.N., M.S.N., C.N.A.A.,B.C.Vice President for Patient CarePaul BatesVice President for Human ResourcesJoe Childs, M.D.Vice President for Medical ServicesRudy McKinleyVice President for OperationsJim PruittVice President for Finance

A quarterly publication of East TennesseeChildren’s Hospital, It’s About Children isdesigned to inform the East Tennesseecommunity about the hospital and thepatients we serve. Children’s Hospital is aprivate, independent, not-for-profit pediatricmedical center that has served the EastTennessee region for 70 years and is certifiedby the state of Tennessee as a ComprehensiveRegional Pediatric Center.

Ellen ListonDirector of Community RelationsDavid RuleDirector of DevelopmentWendy HamesEditorNeil CrosbyCover/Contributing Photographer

“Because Children are Special…”...they deserve the best possible health care givenin a positive, child/family-centered atmosphere offriendliness, cooperation, and support - regardlessof race, religion, or ability to pay.”...their medical needs are closely related to theiremotional and informational needs; therefore, thetotal child must be considered in treating any illnessor injury.”...their health care requires family involvement,special understanding, special equipment, andspecially trained personnel who recognize thatchildren are not miniature adults.”...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 healthand well-being of infants, children, and adolescents.”

Statement of PhilosophyEast Tennessee Children’s Hospital

www.etch.com2

On the cover: Children’s Hospital’s new President/CEO, Keith D. Goodwin, ispictured with the Van Tol quintuplets - from left, Meghan, Ashley, Sean (in front),Willem and Isabella. The three-and-a-half-year-old Van Tols are Tennessee’s firstsurviving quintuplets and “graduates” of the Children's Hospital Neonatal IntensiveCare Unit. Read more about Children’s Hospital’s new president on pages 6-7.

NOWthen

Brittany today

Brittany on thecover of It’s AboutChildren withWBIR-TV’s BillWilliams in 1996

Brittany on the golf course

3

Children’s Hospital’s Social WorkDepartment has expanded the SpanishInterpretation Service to include a secondfull-time in-house interpreter. ElenaSimpkins and Kerri Fox provideinterpretative services on the Children’sHospital campus Monday throughSaturday during most business hours,including early morning surgeriesbeginning at 5:30 a.m. and most eveningsuntil 9:30 p.m.Additionally, Children’s Hospital is inthe process of developing a Spanishsection on its Web site, www.etch.com,which will include health informationalong with other hospital informationcurrently available on the main hospitalWeb site.

For more information aboutinterpretation services for patients atChildren’s Hospital whose primarylanguage is not English, visit theChildren’s Hospital Web siteat www.etch.com/interserv.cfm.

by Leslie Street, student intern

SS ee rr vv ii cc ii oo ss EE nn EE ss pp aa ññoo ll AAmmpp ll ii aa dd oo ss(( SS pp aann ii ss hh SS ee rr vv ii cc ee ss EE xx pp aa nn dd ee dd ))

CarePages service helps families stay in touchChildren’s Hospital continues to offer an innovative service for

the families it serves who have children with chronic or seriousillnesses and injuries. Called CarePages, the Internet-basedcommunications system offers an opportunity for families tocreate simple web pages about a sick or injured relative who is apatient at Children’s Hospital.

CarePages offers patient web pages that deliver emotionalsupport to Children’s Hospital patients and families by making iteasy for them to stay in touch during a hospital stay or any timethe child is receiving medical care. The service provides patientfamilies with an easier way to update relatives and friendswithout the need for repeated phone calls or e-mails. CarePagesalso makes it possible for relatives and friends to send messagesof encouragement, giving the patient and family much neededemotional support. A patient’s CarePage can be updated as oftenas the family chooses, and guests to the page can see the updatesabout the patient any time they access the family’s web page.

CarePages also makes it possible for families to help thehospital in return. Through CarePages, patients and families can recognize staff members who have provided superior levels of care.

Children’s Hospital’s CarePages can be accessed throughcomputers in the hospital’s Family Resource Center, in a patientfamily’s home or from any computer by visiting www.etch.com.CarePages are password-protected, secure, and comply with allpatient privacy regulations.

The service is offered free to Children’s Hospital patientfamilies, thanks to funds raised by the annual Star 102.1Radiothon.

VVVA life preserver, knowledge of CPR, a first-aid

kit and constant adult supervision — all are at

the top of the checklist for East Tennessee

parents as they set out to enjoy area pools and

lakes with their children this summer.

Parents learned about these much-needed

safety items and skills during a month-long

water safety campaign from mid-May to mid-

June sponsored by Children’s Hospital,

Campbell’s Pool and Spa, Dollywood’s Splash

Country and Kohl’s Department Stores.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, Children’s

Hospital staff and

representatives from the

campaign sponsors took to

the airwaves using area

television and radio station

interviews to remind

parents that adult

supervision is the key to

keeping children safe

around water this summer.

According to Dr. Lise

Christensen, Pediatric

Emergency Medicine

Specialist at Children’s

Hospital, most accidents

could actually be

prevented with increased

supervision. “Nothing, not even

swimming lessons or life preservers, takes the

place of good parental supervision around the

water. In my career, I have never seen a

drowning or near-drowning that could not have

been prevented with better supervision.”

As part of the campaign, two events gave

parents and children first-hand knowledge of

water safety. The events, hosted by Campbell’s

Pool and Spa on June 7 and by Dollywood’s

Splash Country on June 13, included CPR

demonstrations, safety tips for child-proofing a

pool, a checklist for essential safety items to take

to the pool or lake, information on chemical

safety and storage, and re-enactments by the

Splash Country safety team to show parents

how dramatic and frightening a rescue can be.

“We hope that parents never have to use

this information, but in an emergency, these

skills are truly lifesavers,” said Tony Campbell

of Campbell’s Pool and Spa.

Studies show an average of 1,000 children

nationwide die annually

due to drowning, and nine

out of 10 of these

drownings happened when

a child was “reportedly”

being supervised. It was

the goal of the campaign

to teach parents to be

vigilant water watchers.

“Accidents occur in

seconds. If you need to

leave the water, even just

to answer the phone or get

a towel, take your child

with you,” Christensen said.

For more information

about this year’s water

safety campaign and tips for keeping safe

around water this summer, visit the Children’s

Hospital Web site at www.etch.com.

by Seth Linkous

Associate Director for Public Relations

B u l l e t i n B o a r d

Water safety campaign educates Ea

st Tennessee’s parents

V

V

A simple call home from the school officethat Macie Hatmaker was not feeling wellturned into a major medical crisis for the 11-year-old in September 2006.

Then in sixth grade, Macie had beendealing with a mild cough over the weekend. Atypical preteen, she had experienced someallergies and asthma problems throughoutchildhood but was generally a very healthy girl.

On Monday, September 26, Macie headedoff to school in a new outfit that she wasexcited to show her friends. She had been thereonly about 30 minutes when she felt so ill thatthe school called her mother, Leslie Hatmaker,to come pick her up to go home. Macie was inpain and even was having trouble walking tothe school office to wait for her mother.

Leslie was home with their youngerdaughter, Abby, who was also sick. They pickedMacie up and took her to the pediatrician’soffice, and Leslie called her husband, Chad, tocome get Abby.

Their regular doctor at Knoxville PediatricAssociates, Bob Barnes, M.D., was not available so Macie was seen by one of his partners,Joseph Peeden, M.D. Dr. Peeden examined

Macie, ordered X-rays and put her on oxygen.He also called an ambulance to pick her up atthe office and transport her to Children’sHospital. Dr. Peeden, who called the hospitalEmergency Department to alert them aboutMacie’s pending arrival, told Leslie that Macieneeded to go to the ED immediately. In therush to get Macie to the hospital, Leslie didn’task questions and Dr. Peeden didn’t have timeto give a thorough explanation of what waswrong.

“I was scared. I was not sure what washappening,” Leslie said. “Macie was trying toreassure me!”

Even at her young age, Macie handled thecrisis well. “I was stunned and didn’t knowwhat was happening, but I stayed calm,” shesaid. “It was kind of weird and scary.”

When the ambulance arrived at Children’s,pediatric emergency medicine specialist HeatherEdgley, M.D., was waiting in the ambulancebay.

“I asked the doctor to explain everything tome. I said I didn’t really know what was goingon,” Leslie said.

Dr. Edgley explained what Dr. Peeden’s

office had told the ED – Macie hadexperienced a spontaneous pneumothorax,commonly referred to as a collapsed lung.Pediatric pulmonologist John Rogers, M.D., was waiting inside the ED to examine Macie.

“When I arrived, I was sent to the criticalside of the ER,” Chad said. There, hediscovered Dr. Rogers and Dr. Edgley alreadypreparing to insert a chest tube – right inthe Emergency Department. Dr. Rogers feltthe urgency of Macie’s situation demandedthe surgery take place immediately in the ED,rather than taking time to move her to theSurgery Department.

Chad described the surgery, which he wasallowed to watch, as “fascinating and scaryat the same time.” Dr. Rogers performed thesurgery while Dr. Edgley managed anesthesiafor Macie.

The lung had to be “reinflated.” Thechest tube removed the excess oxygen inMacie’s chest that was keeping the lungcollapsed, allowing the lung to expand. Asmall perforation in Macie’s lung had causedthe collapse – but it is unknown what caused the perforation.

4

M a c i eM a c i e

5

“I didn’t expect surgery,” Macie said.“After the surgery, I was sore and tired butotherwise felt fine. I’m glad I’d gone to thehospital – I don’t know if I’d be here now.”

“Everyone was very reassuring, verycalming,” Leslie said. “They walked usthrough it step by step.”

The Hatmakers were highly impressedwith Dr. Rogers, calling their relationshipwith the physician “exceptional.” He came tosee Macie every morning after she had dailyX-rays. He even walked Leslie down toRadiology several times to show her the X-rays and explain everything in detail. Thechest tube was in for several days, and later,it appeared necessary to reinsert the chesttube. Macie was being prepped for surgery,

this time in an operating room. Shortly beforethe surgery was to begin, Dr. Rogersdetermined it was unnecessary and literally ranthe halls to stop the procedure before it began.

“We were already big fans of Dr. Rogers,but we were sold when he came running downthe hall, out of breath, to stop the secondsurgery,” Chad said. “Tears were shed, we werevery happy – it was a big relief.”

After a week spent on the hospital’s SecondFloor general medical unit, Macie was able togo home. A dancer for many years, she was notallowed to dance, participate in physicaleducation classes with her fellow sixth graders at West Valley Middle School or do anythingelse active for about a month. But after thattime, she was able to resume all her regular

activities. Although the cause of the collapsedlung remains unknown, Macie has no long-term limitations.

Chad, an attorney, felt compelled toformally thank Drs. Rogers and Peeden inwriting for their “absolutely outstandingresponse” to Macie’s medical crisis. He praisedDr. Peeden’s quick reaction to the seriousnessof Macie’s condition in the pediatrician’s office and said Dr. Rogers“really cares about Macie’s welfare.”

The Hatmakers had never seen one of theirchildren hospitalized overnight before, so itwas a new experience. “Seven or eight days inthe hospital was a long time for us to build anew family or circle of friends,” Leslie said.“Our other kids visited Macie, and the staffwas great to them, too. Children’s is just a firstclass facility, and it was a lifesaving experiencefor Macie.”

Chad added, “You hope you never need it, but as we learned, you have no control overthat. It’s reassuring that we have that kind offacility in Knoxville … Before this, I didn’tdonate to the hospital. I thought they hadplenty of support. Now, I’m on the other sideof the fence. It takes support from EVERYONEto provide first class care with state-of-the-artequipment.”

Macie describes Dr. Rogers as “a greatdoctor. Everything was great, and it was greatcare. Everyone was really nice; people came to ask if I needed games, a snack or a drink.”

Now if her friends need to go toChildren’s, Macie said, “I tell them not toworry – it’s a great place. They’ll take care of you, and you’ll get better.”

Macie and her family, includingparents Chad and Leslie andyounger siblings Abby and Davis,appeared on both the Children'sMiracle Network Telethon (top)and the Star 102.1 Radiothon(bottom) for the benefit ofChildren's Hospital. On the CMNtelethon, the Hatmakers wereinterviewed by Mike Witcherfrom WBIR-TV Channel 10, andthey shared Macie's story withStar 102.1 morning personalitiesMarc and Kim at the Radiothon.

Mopping floors and picking up trash inpatient rooms as a part-time housekeeper seemsto be an inauspicious way to begin a career inhospital management. But for new Children’sHospital President/CEO Keith D. Goodwin, itprovided a variety of life lessons as well as aladder to management success.

His housekeeping experience offered “atremendous amount of interaction with patientsand families, who were hungry for ‘normal’conversation,” Goodwin said. “They saw me as a‘safe’ person. Unlike the clinical staff, I was notassessing, evaluating or treating. We just talked,and for me it was fun. I enjoyed that.”

The biggest lesson Goodwin says he learnedfrom his experience as a housekeeper is that“everybody needs to be valued for the work theydo. If you treat everybody with respect and makethem a part of the team, they will perform betterand have better outcomes,” Goodwin said.

Interviewed on just his second day on thejob, Goodwin said he was “incredibly impressed”with the staff of Children’s Hospital. “The staffare clearly committed to the children they carefor and to [retired President] Bob Koppel. He hascreated a wonderful team.

“My challenge will be to build on his legacy,”Goodwin continued. “It only takes a minute and

a half to realize he is a wonderful human beingand is very committed. This is not always presentin leadership.”

Goodwin found the hospital’s principles,philosophy and commitment to care to mirror hisown views, making the move here a very easytransition.

VISIONGoodwin said his vision for Children’s

Hospital in the coming days and years is tocontinue to be the major resource for the care ofchildren in our service area – both to meet ourprimary purpose of helping children who are sickor injured, as well as to be advocates for theprevention of sickness and injury.

Those areas of interest are what thiscommunity has come to expect from Children’sHospital over the past 70 years. The specificservices will continue to change as they havethroughout the hospital’s history – beginning asa polio hospital and evolving into thecomprehensive medical center it is today. Thechallenge will be to anticipate and prepare forthe future needs of our community and to adaptover time to those needs.

CHALLENGESGoodwin identifies a variety of

challenges he expects to encounter as President of Children’s Hospital: How to continue to be true to the mission of providing care to children regardless of their families’ ability to pay – the Open DoorPolicy – despite the financial challenges we face.How to recruit and retain talent. Withoutoutstanding physicians and hospital staff, we cannot continue to achieve our mission.Building on the success of the past – “This is a fun challenge, and one of the things thatattracted me” to the job.

WHY EAST TENNESSEE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL?

Columbus Children’s Hospital, whereGoodwin spent most of his career, is a 375-bedpediatric medical center with about 6,000employees. That is substantially larger than EastTennessee Children’s Hospital, with its 152 bedsand 1,800 employees. CCH also offers a fewspecialized services – such as organ transplants –that are not offered here and has made a majorcommitment to both clinical and bench relatedresearch.

But otherwise, “the clinical care is very similarand commitment to our patients and families isexactly alike,” Goodwin said. “It’s a high-qualityinstitution. I was attracted by the quality of careand by the synergy among the medical staff, the hospital staff, the Board of Directors and Administration.

“During my first interview, I was given an unannounced tour of the hospital,” hecontinued. “People looked so happy to be here,happy in their work – you sensed that. I just lefta place where that wasn’t always the case.”

Goodwin notes that he also liked the idea of working in a freestanding hospital rather thana part of a larger hospital system, and he alsoliked Knoxville, noting that it’s not TOO far away from his 2-year-old granddaughter incentral Ohio.

INTEREST IN PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE

Goodwin didn’t seek a career in pediatrichealth care management as much as it soughthim, but he quickly developed a passion for thework. A friend referred him to Columbus

6

NEW PRESIDENT READY FOR OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES

Children’s Hospital for a temporaryhousekeeping job during his college years.Through the years he received variouspromotions and had the opportunity to workwith clinical teams from all aspects of thehospital: from the NICU to the operating roomsto the outpatient clinics.

“I can’t do what a clinician does. I get tooemotionally involved,” Goodwin said. “But if Ido my job well, the clinical staff will have thepeople and resources they need to be successfulin their work. We have the opportunity toimpact a child’s life for 80-plus years. I amexcited about our impact on children and thislong-term commitment we can have to them.”

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITHPEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE

Goodwin had an early experience withpediatric health care when, as a child, his olderbrother was treated at Columbus Children’s for polio.

Later, he experienced the hospital as aparent. Goodwin said his own children were “soaccident-prone” when they were growing up,especially his son, who once grabbed a curlingiron and sustained second degree burns.Another time Goodwin’s son fell 15 feet out ofa tree, and Goodwin remembers sitting in theEmergency Department waiting to learn if theboy would be paralyzed. Seeing his feet movewas the happiest moment of Goodwin’s life,after the birth of his children. Goodwin’s sondid sustain injuries from the fall and required100 stitches, but the injuries were non-life-threatening.

“Having been a parent and having gonethrough that is terribly helpful,” Goodwin said.“To see through the eyes of a parent – it’s notjust the next patient, but it’s someone you lovemore than life itself.”

Goodwin says he has seen that samepassion reflected in the staff at Children’s andknows that is what “makes this a special place.”

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTBeyond his dedication to pediatric health

care, Goodwin has a history of supporting thecommunity in which he lives and works. He hasbeen actively involved with organizationsincluding Big Brothers and Big Sisters, RonaldMcDonald House, Juvenile Diabetes Board of

Central Texas, American Heart Association ofCentral Ohio, and his two alma maters, OhioState and Capital University. He also is a long-time proponent of the United Way.

At this time, Goodwin has no specificcommunity involvement plans for Knoxville butsaid he hopes to look for any opportunities thattie in to Children’s Hospital and especially tothe welfare of children. That will mesh wellwith his desire to maintain Children’s Hospital’sstatus as a community asset and a major localemployer.

LEGACYWhen Goodwin left Columbus Children’s,

he told the staff, “I think leadership’s legacyshould be to leave the place better than theyfound it.” Goodwin is not interested in personalaccolades, because “it’s not about me – it’sabout the work and the team.”

He likes the term “servant leader,” which hefeels is a good description of his philosophy ofmanagement. He was pleased to know that theterm was already part of the managementculture at Children’s.

PERSONALGoodwin moved to Knoxville in late May,

followed a few weeks later by his wife of 30years, Dianne Goodwin. She was a middleschool health and physical education teacher inOhio who remained there a few extra weeks tocomplete her teaching obligations.

The Goodwins have three adult children,son Ryan and daughters Regann and Rylie, as well as one grandchild, 2-year-old GraceElizabeth, about whom Goodwin says, “She’s fun and a joy in our life. We love herunconditionally and spoil her continuously!”

Goodwin said he enjoys golf, workingaround the house and reading. He perhaps has“adult ADD” in that he is usually reading up tofive different books concurrently.

The Goodwins are looking forward toexploring Knoxville and all of Tennessee,including visits to Dollywood, Nashville,Memphis and whatever other areas they learnabout.

“I like to play, to have fun in everything Ido. Laughter is therapeutic,” he said. “I have toenjoy what I do. I think we all should. Life’stoo short to do otherwise.”

The Goodwin File

New Children’s Hospital President KeithGoodwin spent most of his professionalcareer at Columbus Children’s Hospital (CCH),a 375-bed pediatric medical center. Duringhis 26 years in management at CCH (1977-96 and 1999-2006), he served in thepositions of Assistant Executive Director,President and Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO. At Columbus Children’s,Goodwin focused many of his efforts onprogram/service development, strategicplanning, physician recruitment, children’sadvocacy, fundraising, health care access forthe region’s children, facility expansion and a successful capital funds campaign.

Goodwin also served as administrator ofChildren’s Hospital in Austin, Texas, from1996-98 and most recently was president of Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, a222-bed hospital that is part of theOhioHealth hospital system.

A graduate of The Ohio State Universitywith a Bachelor of Science as well as acertificate from its Executive Program inHealth Care Financial Management, Goodwin also holds a Master of BusinessAdministration from Capital University in Columbus.

“Although we had four very strongcandidates from which to choose, we believeKeith is the perfect fit for both our hospitaland the community,” said Jim Bush,Chairman of the Board of Directors at thetime of Goodwin’s selection. “Throughout hiscareer, he has demonstrated a passion andcommitment to building an organizationalculture of service and support for sick andinjured children and their families. Hispositive relationships with medical andhospital staff, trustees and volunteers havebeen a hallmark of his leadership. Keith’sunderstanding of children’s health care,coupled with his management style andrelationship-building skills, will allow for asmooth CEO transition and ensure EastTennessee Children’s Hospital will continueon a road toward a very bright future.”

7

NEW PRESIDENT READY FOR OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES

There is no such thing as a “typical” day in ahospital. Day in and day out, patients enter our doorsfor care, but each child is unique, and each experienceis different. However, within each day at Children’sHospital, there are some common threads. Onecommon thread is the training and experience of thehospital’s staff — no matter what situation arises, ourstaff is skilled and prepared to meet the challenge. Forthe next several issues of It’s About Children, we areprofiling some of our staff and highlighting all ourclinical areas. We hope it will give you a glimpse intolife at Children’s Hospital.

CLINICAL NUTRITIONChildren with medical conditions often have

related nutritional issues. Perhaps the child’s illness orinjury prevents him or her from eating enough. Orperhaps the physician consults clinical nutrition forassistance with a specialized tube feeding. Whateverthe reason for the nutritional issues patients mayhave, Children’s Hospital’s clinical dietitians andclinical nutrition specialists work to individualize aplan of care and provide education for the child andfamily.

At Children’s Hospital, dietitians provide medicalnutrition therapy for general pediatrics as well asspecialty areas such as oncology, weight management,cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, failure to thrive, intensivecare, renal nutrition, metabolic disorders and diabetes.

The 10 members of the clinical nutrition staffprovide physician-ordered services for inpatient units,outpatient clinics, the Children’s HospitalRehabilitation Center and Children’s Hospital HomeHealth Care. It is the goal of the staff that, throughappropriate medical nutrition therapy, patients shouldbe able to recover more quickly and with fewercomplications. All of the staff are registered dietitiansand are licensed by the state of Tennessee.

SSaarraahh MMaatthhiiss,, RR..DD..,, LL..DD..NN..,, CC..DD..EE..Sarah Mathis, a clinical nutrition specialist, entered

the field of dietetics because she loves working withpeople. In nutritional counseling, there is a uniqueblend of science, psychology, counseling and teaching.It was this blend that made her interested in pursuinga career in dietetics. Every day Mathis helps familiesimprove nutrition and understand that other aspectsof their lives affect their overall health andhappiness.

“Food and nutrition affect and areaffected by every aspect of our lives: ourfamilies, our work, our emotions and thethings we do for fun,” she said.

Mathis received her undergraduateeducation in Nutrition and Food Science atMiddle Tennessee State University with aminor in Science and Psychology. She thenattended the University of Alabama atBirmingham, where she completed a nine-month internship in dietetics. After passingthe exam to become a registered dietitian,

Mathis developed interests in diabetes andpediatrics. Since then, she has chosen continuingeducation programs in these particular areas thathelp her grow as a dietitian and learn how to besthelp the patients she serves with diabetes.

A certified diabetes educator, Mathis says herfavorite part of this job is teaching children whoare newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and theirfamilies and watching them accomplish the goalsthey set for themselves.

“I love to teach parents and children skills to cope with a new diagnosis and to help make the transition to a new lifestyle easier,” she said.“There is nothing more rewarding that teaching a child and family a new concept and thenwatching them learn and apply it with confidence.”

One of Mathis’ favorite stories of working infood and nutrition is of a baby she began seeingearly in her career at Children’s. “It was a joy towork with his mom and dad on feeding him andcoming up with nutritional recommendations thatwould help him grow,” Mathis said. “It wasrewarding to see the baby’s weight increase with each new day in the hospital and that myrecommendations could help put his parents more at ease.”

Mathis continued to hear from the familyabout the baby’s growth and development and wasable to answer follow-up questions after they wenthome from the hospital.

Mathis says she chooses to work at Children’sHospital because she loves the opportunity to workwith children and families in an ongoing capacity.

“It’s great to have regular follow-up withchildren over the years who may be toddlers attheir diagnosis with diabetes and grow toteenagers who gradually have assumed moreresponsibility in taking care of their own health,”Mathis said.

After four years at Children’s Hospital, Mathissaid she loves working with a team of providerswho desire the best health and quality of life fortheir patients and who strive to make the patientand family a central part of the team.

MMyykkeell MMooooddyy,, RR..DD..,, LL..DD..NN..As an athlete in high school, Mykel Moody

learned a lot about diet and how it influenced herphysical abilities. She became interested in nutritionand continued to learn about the subject by enrollingin nutrition classes at Eastern Kentucky University inRichmond. After a few entry-level nutrition classes,Moody knew she wanted to be a dietitian.

“I wanted to share my passion and knowledge of nutrition with others,” Moody said. “As a dietitian,that is exactly what I get to do.”

Moody received her bachelor’s degree in dieteticsfrom Eastern Kentucky University and later completed a nine-month dietetics internship at the University ofAlabama at Birmingham (UAB). During the internship,Moody worked with dietitians in various settings andalso took some graduate classes.

Currently, Moody is in the process of completing a master’s degree in human nutrition from theUniversity of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Most of her classesare focused in science (chemistry and food science),math and food/nutrition (clinical, community, foodprep/purchasing).

“Dietitians are required to have a goodunderstanding of food and the human body and how the two interact with each other,” Moody said.“Dietitians must also have good communication skills to counsel patients and families.”

Moody has fond memories of her internship at UAB.“Attending UAB allowed me to be exposed to a widevariety of people and places which has made me amuch more open-minded individual,” she said. “I wasable to work with people from different cultures andwith individuals from low-income areas.” Moodybelieves that working with various groups of people has helped her to learn the importance of providingindividualized care.

Moody has been a clinical dietitian at Children’sHospital for nearly a year. “The work environment atChildren’s is the best,” she said. “Everyone here is sofriendly and enthusiastic.” According to Moody, theemployees at Children’s Hospital are genuinelyconcerned about providing the best possible care to thepatients, and she is proud to a part of that group.

by Bethany Swann, student intern

A day in the of Children’s Hospital

8

Sarah Mathis

Mykel Moody

him in 2001 toconsider a seat onthe Board, “I alreadyhad a love forChildren’s Hospitalat that time becauseI saw the wonderfulwork they did,”Nance said.

Through his workas ExecutiveDirector/CEO ofKnoxville’sCommunityDevelopment

Council (KCDC),Nance had a unique

opportunity to help the region’s families in twodifferent ways. Through KCDC, he works for betterhousing opportunities for lower income Knoxvillians,and through Children’s Hospital, he has the chanceto help improve the health of those families.

Nance describes the hospital as “a well-oiledmachine.” He was particularly impressed with thesubstantial amount of time the Board dedicated toservice delivery and the practice of medicine. “Theyare always looking at these things and at how toimprove. It’s a strong customer-service orientedorganization,” Nance added.

He did not realize before joining the Board justhow extensive the hospital’s reach was; he viewed itas a Knoxville asset but now realizes many familiestravel two to three hours to reach the hospital forthe services their children need. “A local hospital maynot be the best for children, and the need forpediatric health care is critical,” he said.

Nance said he has many good memories of his sixyears on the Board but notes he will especially missretired President Bob Koppel (now President and CEOEmeritus). “Although I have known Bob only sixyears, he is a great individual, and it feels like I’veknown him much longer. He can genuinely connectto people.”

James S. Bush

James S. Bushjoined theChildren’s HospitalBoard of Dierctorsin 1985 and hasserved as BoardChairman for thepast eight years.See page 16 formore about Bush,his years on theBoard, and thehospital areawhich will soonbear his name.

by Bethany Swann, student intern, and Wendy Hames, Associate Director for Publications

The face of the Children’s Hospital Board ofDirectors has changed this summer, as the Board hasadded two new members and said goodbye to twoothers. New Board members are Bruce Anderson andDee Haslam, while departing Board members are JamesS. Bush and Alvin Nance.

With these Board changes also comes a change inthe Board officers. Bush has been succeeded as BoardChairman by Dennis Ragsdale, who most recently wasVice Chairman. Jeffory Jennings, M.D., is the new ViceChairman, while Michael Crabtree continues asSecretary/Treasurer.

“Children’s Hospital expresses its appreciation to JimBush and Alvin Nance for their service to the Boardand their dedication to the children of this region. Weare grateful for all they have done to help Children’sHospital grow into the pediatric medical center that itis today,” said President Keith Goodwin.

“At the same time, we look forward to working withnew Board members Bruce Anderson and Dee Haslam,who both already had longstanding relationships withthe hospital,” Goodwin said. “They bring valuableknowledge to our Board and will undoubtedlycontribute much to the hospital’s ongoing success andgrowth.”

Bruce AndersonBruce Anderson,

an attorney withAnderson, Reevesand Herbert, hasbeen sharing hislegal expertise withChildren’s Hospitalfor a decade andwill now continueto be a part of thehospital’s future asa new member ofthe hospital Boardof Directors.Anderson has actedas one of Children’sHospital’s lawyersfor the past 10-12years and is excited to serve the hospital from adirector’s side on the Board.

Anderson and his wife, Monique, have brought theirtwo children — James, 21, and John, 16 — toChildren’s Hospital for minor issues over the years andrecognize how many families benefit from the hospital.

“I am very honored and excited to have thisposition on the Board because of what Children’smeans not only to my family but also to the entirecommunity,” Anderson said.

One of Anderson’s goals for his time on the boardinvolves the hospital’s quality management program.Anderson is interested in being involved with theboard’s responsibility in quality management. “To me,the quality of service to our patients is, and should be,our highest priority. Hopefully, my legal backgroundwill add an additional perspective to qualitymanagement,” Anderson said.

Other goals for Anderson involve the Board’sstrategic planning. “I have always had a strong interest

in this area of business management. Long rangeplanning is critical to the viability of the hospital,and I hope my experience in this area will be avaluable asset to the Board and to the hospital,”Anderson said.

“My representation of Children’s Hospital hasenabled me to experience many of the day-to-dayactivities of the hospital. I am coming to the Boardwith experience in health care from both a practicalside as well as a business point of view,” Andersonsaid. “I’ve always been very proud of the job thatChildren’s Hospital has done in this community andam excited about the opportunity to be involved inthe future of the hospital.”

Dee HaslamThe Haslams

have always beenstrong supportersand benefactorsfor Children’sHospital, andnow Dee Haslam,CEO of RIVRMedia, willsupport thehospital from anew position: asa member of theBoard ofDirectors.

Dee Haslamand her husband,Jimmy Haslam III,have three children: James, Whitney and Cynthia.The Haslams have a great respect and appreciationfor Children’s Hospital because of personalexperience: daughter Cynthia was hospitalized inthe Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unitas a newborn. She was treated there for severalweeks before being discharged home, and she isnow a healthy young adult.

The Haslam family name is synonymous withphilanthropy in East Tennessee. In 2006 theexpanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was namedthe Haslam Family NICU after the extended family’sjoint $1 million pledge to the hospital’s capitalfunds campaign.

The family’s history of support for Children’sHospital encouraged Dee Haslam to use herexpertise in media and marketing to help furtherthe hospital’s community reach on the Board. “Ihave always appreciated the organization, staff andwisdom of the hospital. I hope to contribute to thebest of my ability, to learn from the experience andto enjoy the fellowship of working with the rest ofthe Board,” she said.

Alvin NancePersonal experiences with his children instigated

Alvin Nance’s relationship with Children’s Hospital.Both his son, A.J. (age 19), and daughter, Jessica(age 23), had surgery at the hospital when theywere younger.

When former Board member Julia Tucker invited

of Children’s Hospital

9

Hospital adds Board members, says goodbye to retirees

Bruce Anderson

Dee Haslam

Alvin Nance

James S. Bush

Subspecialist Profiles

10

Subspecialist Profiles

B.S. – University of California, Davis, 1995M.D. – St. Georges University School of

Medicine, Grenada, West Indies, 1999Internship and Residency – University of

Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey,Newark, 1999-2002

Fellowship (Pediatric Cardiology) – Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 2002-2005

Fellowship (Pediatric Interventional Cardiology) –University of Texas, 2005-06

Family – Wife, Dimple; daughter Asha (age 5) and son Rohin (age 2)

Personal interests – family, basketball, traveling, cooking and eating

“Your priorities change as you get older,” heexplained. “The practice here offered a goodbalance between work and personal life.”

As a pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Sharma treatsconditions such as heart murmurs, chest pain, heartrhythm issues, children who pass out, “blue babies,”and infants with heart defects or lesions. He alsoincreasingly provides sports physicals for student-athletes; there is a great deal of media attentionwhen young athletes die, and parents often seekreassurance that their children are healthy enoughfor competitive sports.

Dr. Sharma’s skills are a good complement to thepediatric cardiologists he joined, Drs. JefforyJennings and Yvonne Bremer, at Knoxville PediatricCardiology, P.C. Dr. Bremer has expertise indiagnosing prenatal heart defects, and Dr. Jenningsalso is an interventional cardiologist. The threetogether can diagnose and treat a variety of cardiacconditions.

A significant challenge of pediatric cardiology,according to Dr. Sharma, is “the unexpected. Nomatter how much science we have, there is alwaysthe art of medicine. No two patients or cases arealike,” he explained. “We never take anything forgranted because we don’t know what mighthappen. Most cases follow an expected course, butthere are always cases that don’t.”

Another challenge is giving bad news to afamily. “How to give it is the hardest thing,” he said.“The family will remember HOW they are told andhow it is handled. They appreciate you being openand honest, and it is important to remember as thedoctor that it is normal for the family to be mad atthe person giving the news. How you express thenews is part of the family’s closure.

“Sometimes we can tell parents not to worry andput their mind at ease,” he said. “Parents want toknow if their child’s problem is the heart or not.

“My philosophy is that treating the patient isfirst and foremost. A close second is the family ofthe patient — I do not forget them, ever,” he said.

Working in conjunction with Drs. Jennings andBremer, Dr. Sharma will continue to provide the bestin pediatric cardiac care to the children of EastTennessee and neighboring states.

Pediatric cardiologist wants to promote healthy habits

Teaching young patients healthy habits, whenthey are impressionable and more easily influenced,can help them to be healthy adults. New Children’sHospital pediatric cardiologist Sumeet Sharma,M.D., maintains that goal as one of his focuses incaring for his patients.

“As a pediatrician, I interact with children whoare both well and sick,” Dr. Sharma said. “Childrendo not have a choice with their diseases. Theirpathology is usually due to something they areborn with, not a manifestation of their lifestylechoices. One of our goals is to give a child whohas congenital heart disease as normal a lifestyleas possible.”

Pediatric cardiology is interesting because it is“hands-on and visual,” according to Dr. Sharma,requiring the physician to see and think in threedimensions when viewing a two-dimensionalimage. Pediatric cardiologists routinely use multipletypes of imagery to recreate a model of the heart.

Dr. Sharma also specializes in and is fellowshiptrained in pediatric interventional cardiology. Usingthe Cardiac Catheterization Lab at UT MedicalCenter, Dr. Sharma is able to repair some heartdefects in a less invasive manner. “It is fun andtechnically demanding,” he said. “A heart is verysmall [in a pediatric patient], and it is challengingmaneuvering catheters in the heart.”

Interventional cardiology includes closing holesin the heart, stenting arteries, opening or relievingvalve obstructions and closing abnormal bloodvessel connections.

Dr. Sharma visited Knoxville in early 2006 whilelooking for a practice in need of an additionalpediatric cardiologist, and he was impressed withthe staff of Knoxville Pediatric Cardiology, P.C.,and the working environment at the hospital.(Interestingly, his first visit to the city had been asa young boy in 1982 for the World’s Fair.) Dr.Sharma and his wife, Dimple, a Kentucky native,thought Knoxville seemed a good place to raisetheir two young children, daughter Asha (age 5)and son Rohin (age 2).

Sumeet Sharma, M.D.

Cardiology offices have moved Knoxville Pediatric Cardiology, P.C.,

has moved to a new office location.

Drs. Jennings, Bremer and Sharma are

now seeing patients at the Children's

Hospital Koppel Plaza, Fourth Floor. Koppel

Plaza is located at the corner of Clinch

Avenue and 21st Street, next door to the

Medical Office Building where the practice's

office formerly was located. For information

or directions, call Knoxville Pediatric

Cardiology at (865) 522-0420.

11

Subspecialist Profiles

B.S. – University of Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y., 1995M.S. (Exercise Physiology) – Syracuse University,

1997M.D. – Upstate Medical University, Syracuse,

N.Y., 2001Internship and Residency – Winthrop University

Hospital, SUNY Stonybrook, Mineola, N.Y.– 2001-03

Fellowship (Pediatric Pulmonology) –Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, 2003-07

Family – Wife, Michelle N. Simpson; daughter Sierra Noelle (age 2 months)

Personal interests – global traveling, hiking, camping, cooking, fighting childhood obesity

Pulmonologist seeks to improve children’s lung health

Children’s Hospital’s newest pediatricpulmonologist, Sterling W. Simpson, M.D., M.S.,has an interest in childhood obesity. Thattypically is a problem for a pediatricendocrinologist and not really in the realm of apulmonologist. However, Dr. Simpson isconcerned about the many negative effects ofobesity on a child’s lung health.

“Childhood obesity encompasses a lot ofpsychosocial issues, and it’s both an endocrineissue and a pulmonary issue,” Simpsonexplained. “Although many people are aware ofthe risks and dangers of diabetes because ofobesity, many people don’t realize that aprimary health problem related to obesity isobstructive sleep apnea. Obesity can cause anarray of other subtle pulmonary symptoms thatparents may miss, such as pulmonary

first child, daughter Sierra, was born just twomonths ago.

Dr. Simpson, in his search for a practice tojoin, learned of the opportunity at Children’sHospital and found himself drawn to thehospital and its staff. “A main reason forchoosing Knoxville during my nationwide jobsearch was how impressed I was with thehospital, its staff, the Administration’sreputation, and finally, the first classpulmonary department,” he explained. Havinggrown up in upstate New York, with its lakes,rolling hills and great camping and hiking, Dr.Simpson was also drawn to this area’smountains.

As a pediatric pulmonologist, Dr. Simpsontreats a variety of conditions. One example ischronic lung disease in infants: “graduates” ofthe Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are usuallyfollowed by a pediatric pulmonologist for theirfirst few years of life. Dr. Simpson said this is arewarding component of his specialty — hiscare of these patients offers him theopportunity to affect their development intheir early years and, he believes, throughouttheir lifetime.

Other common diagnoses he treats arecystic fibrosis, sleep apnea (as mentionedearlier, often secondary to obesity), other sleepdisorders, congenital malformations of theairway, uncontrolled asthma, recurringpneumonia, chronic respiratory failure, chroniccough and exercise intolerance.

Cystic fibrosis is one of the more seriousconditions for a pediatric pulmonologist totreat, but “CF care has greatly improved ineven just the last five years, and it hasextended life spans into the late 30s,” Dr.Simpson said. New therapies and medicationsare greatly benefiting children with thisdisease, for which there remains no cure.

Other advances in medicine are enablingphysicians to better control asthma throughinhaled steroid treatment; diagnose conditionsmore easily with better MRI and CT scans; helpchildren with various sleep disorders throughthe newer field of pediatric sleep medicine;and improve the quality of life for childrenrequiring chronic ventilation assistance.

“Home mechanical ventilation is a bigadvance,” he said. “These kids wouldessentially live in a hospital before this becameavailable. Now these children are taken care of at home” in a more comfortable setting.

Children’s Hospital welcomes Dr. Simpsonto our medical staff and looks forward toworking with him and his colleagues inpediatric pulmonology in providing care to this region’s children.

hypertension” (increased blood pressure to thelungs that makes it difficult for the lungs andheart to provide enough oxygen to the body).

Although he is quick to point out that he isnot an expert on childhood obesity, Dr. Simpsondoes have significant knowledge and training inthe pulmonary complications that can arise in anobese child. “If I can do anything to raiseawareness of the problem of childhood obesity, Iwill,” he continued. “I have seen children reversesevere symptoms of apnea by losing weight.”

Dr. Simpson jokes that his wife, Michelle,calls him the “anti-juice doctor,” because hebelieves children drink far too much juice,resulting in too many calories — whichultimately contributes to obesity. “Children withweight problems are typically drinking four tofive glasses of juice a day. There is nothing injuice that they cannot get from a healthy diet,”he said.

He suggests a good replacement is a low-calorie beverage such as Crystal Light, whichcomes in a variety of flavors, tastes good (so itappeals to children) and has almost no calories.By making this simple switch, some overweightchildren could begin to lose as much as a pounda week — ultimately leading to an overallimprovement in health, including a reduced riskof diabetes and a reduced risk of lungcomplications.

Dr. Simpson’s concern about the childhoodobesity issue stems from his interest in helpingchildren. He discovered early in his medicalcareer that he was able to connect with childrenon a personal level. “There is no greater giftthan to be able to help a child become healthyor to help a child cope with a chronic illness,”he said.

Later he found he enjoyed caring for childrenwith more complex problems and felt he had askill in dealing with children in life or deathsituations: “Dealing with chronically ill childrencan be challenging. You’re dealing with thefamily unit as a whole, and it’s very important.

“I also really like pulmonary physiology, sothese things all steered me to my specialty,” Dr.Simpson said.

“I believe that when a patient and his or herfamily truly understand the child’s specificdisease process, anxiety is reduced andcompliancy [with recommendations andtreatment] is elevated,” Dr. Simpson said.“Children are smarter than most understand.”

In July, Dr. Simpson joined the Children’sHospital-based pediatric pulmonology practiceof Drs. John Rogers and Eduardo Riff. Dr.Simpson’s family lives in the neighboring stateof North Carolina, and he and his wife wereinterested in the southeast region of the countryas a good place to raise a family. The couple’s

S t e r l i n g W. S imp s o n , M .D . , M . S .

Donors throughout U.S. make IRA gifts toChildren’s and other charities

Include Children’s Hospital in your estate plans.Join the ABC Club. For more information, call (865) 541-8441.

Please send the FREE planning booklet, “Personal Financial Affairs Record.”

Name______________________________ Address__________________________________________

City___________________________ State_______ Zip_____________ Phone#(______)___________

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

� Please send me more information about deferred giving.

� I have already included Children’s Hospital in my estate plan in the following way:

__________________________________________________________________________

� Please send me information about the ABC Club.

Children’s Hospital Development Office • (865) 541-8441

Special tax provisionexpires December 31

In a previous issue of It’s About Children,we highlighted the new Individual Retirement

Account giving option available to donors ages

70 years and older.

This Charitable Rollover Provision was

enacted to allow individuals to donate funds

from their IRA to the charity of their choice,

and it has been very effective. Recent statistics

from the National Committee on Planned Giving

indicate that from August 2006 through early

June 2007, over $75 million has been given to

charities across the nation via this method.

There have been over 4,100 IRA gifts averaging

nearly $18,000 each.

The special tax provision was temporary and

expires on December 31. However, there is still

time for you to help Children’s Hospital by

making a gift from your IRA. Time is short, and

planning is important. Here are the key details:

• The donor must be at least age 70

at the time of transfer.

• The transfer must pass directly from the IRA

custodian to the qualifying charity.

• The transfer is limited to no more than

$100,000 per tax year.

• The transfer is not limited to

50 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI)

like other cash gifts.

Bob Koppel, who retired June 30 after 31

years as President/CEO of Children’s Hospital,

was honored recently by gifts made to the

hospital in his honor. Many hospital physicians,

employees, members of the Board of Directors

and other hospital supporters chose to

recognize Koppel’s dedication to Children’s

Hospital by making a financial donation to

the hospital in his name.

To date, 116 donors have given more than

$18,570 in Koppel’s honor. From those funds,

a bronze “Butterfly Bridge” sculpture was

purchased for placement in a flower garden

outside of the Koppel Plaza hospital office

building. The remaining funds have been

placed into a new restricted fund, “The

Koppel Fund,” which will be used to benefit

our patients.

Koppel expressed his thanks to the many

donors. “I have been honored to be a part

of Children’s Hospital for 31 years, and I am

grateful to the many individuals who have

so generously honored me through their

donations to help the patients of Children’s

Hospital,” Koppel said.

Koppel will continue to serve Children’s

Hospital for the next two years as President/

CEO Emeritus, focusing on strategic planning,

physician recruitment, fund-raising strategies,

donor relationships and advocacy of

Children’s Hospital’s interests to promote

quality children’s health care.

Estate Planning...

continued on page 15

Donations honor retiring presidentDonations honor retiring president

Bob and Ianne Koppel with the Butterfly Bridge Sculpture

UUPPCCOOMMIINNGG EEVVEENNTTSS ttooBBEENNEEFFIITT CCHHIILLDDRREENN’’SS

calendar of events

13

ETPMI Golf Tournament The East Tennessee Chapter PMI Golf

Tournament is scheduled for Friday, September

14, at Willow Creek Golf Club in Knoxville. The

entry fee of $100 includes breakfast, lunch, green

and cart fees, range balls, golf shirt, golf balls

and eligibility for contest prizes. Teams will be

composed of four people who will play in a

scramble format with a shotgun start at 8:30

a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the top three

teams, hole-in-one, closest to the hole and

longest drive.

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit

the Celiac Disease Support Group at Children’s

Hospital.

For more information about the ETPMI Golf

Tournament, contact the Children’s Hospital

Development Office at (865) 541-8608.

Tino Holiday Print Sale With the holiday season just around the

corner, many people’s thoughts are turning to

their shopping lists. Children’s Hospital is offering

a great place to find unique gifts for friends and

family at the 11th Annual Tino Holiday Art Sale.

On November 1-2, nationally known artist

Robert Tino of Sevierville will host a sale of his

work at Children’s Hospital in the Meschendorf

conference room. The sale will feature items for

all price ranges including note cards, matted 8x10

prints, art tiles, framed limited edition prints and

many more items featuring his artwork. Tino and

his wife, Mary John, will donate a portion of the

proceeds from the sale to Children’s Hospital.

For more information, contact the Children’s

Hospital Development Office at (865) 541-8441.

RM Technologies Golf Tournament

The Rodefer Moss Technologies Golf

Tournament will be September 20 at River

Islands Golf Club in Kodak, Tenn. Teams will

be composed of four players. The entry fee of

$150 per person (or $500 for a team of 4)

includes 18 holes of golf, cart and greens

fees, practice range, lunch, a goody bag, polo

shirt and eligibility for prizes.

All proceeds from the tournament will

benefit the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at

Children’s Hospital.

For more information about the RM

Technologies Golf Tournament, please contact

the Development Office at (865) 541-8745.

Mark your calendars now for several upcoming events toentertain families and benefit

Children's Hospital.Thanks to the generous

people of East Tennessee whohost and participate in these

events, Children's Hospital cancontinue to provide the bestpediatric health care to the

children of this region.

Fantasy of TreesThe 23rd annual Fantasy of Trees will take

a trip through the country to highlight many

different holiday traditions of the Southern

states. Held at the Knoxville Convention Center

on November 21-25, this event will feature the

theme of “Holiday Cheer Down South” and will

showcase traditions ranging from an East

Tennessee Big Orange “Vol-iday” to the Jingle

Bells and Jazz of New Orleans. New children’s

activities and shops will also reflect this year’s

warm theme.

The Fantasy of Trees features more than

300 beautifully decorated holiday trees and

other designer items; a variety of festive and

colorful decorations including an entire village

made of gingerbread houses; holiday gift shops

with items for all ages; daily live entertainment

at the “Fantast Theater”; special events

including the Babes in Toyland Parade, Santa’s

Senior Stroll and Kris Kringle’s Children’s Party;

and dozens of children’s activities and crafts

such as Gingerbread Kids Ornaments,

Tennessee Angel Deely-Bobbers and visits

with Santa.

For more information on Fantasy of

Trees, visit www.etch.com/Fantasy.cfm or

call (865) 541-8385.

by Leslie Street and

Bethany Swann, student interns

14

With young people spending more time on theInternet, a new form of bullying has emerged thatcan be just as hurtful and damaging as physicalaggression. This “cyberbullying” goes easilyunnoticed by onlookers and makes it simple for thebully to hide his or her identity. Parents need to bevigilant observers of their children’s computer use tomake sure they do not fall victim to onlineharassment. In this issue of It’s About Children, Dr. Nicole Swain, pediatric psychologist at Children’sHospital discusses ways to protect your childrenfrom various Internet dangers.

Q: What are some of the methods cyberbullies useto pick on others? Is it limited to InstantMessaging?

A: While anonymous instant messages are one ofthe main avenues of cyberbullying and onlinepredators, they can also use e-mail, cell phones,photos, videos and social sites like Facebook,MySpace and YouTube to humiliate or threatenothers. To help your children keep safe fromonline bullies and predators, encourage them tonever share their password with anyone nor giveout personal or contact information on publicWeb sites.

Many online networking sites like Facebookhave privacy settings to keep users safe fromunwanted share of information. Every user hasthe ability to set their level of privacy dependingon who they want to be allowed to viewpersonal information like their interests orpictures and who will be allowed tocommunicate with them.

Q: Even though I try to monitor my pre-teendaughter’s instant messaging on our computer, I can’t understand any of the acronyms sheuses! How can I decode this new “net lingo,”and are there any terms I should be particularlyworried about?

A: You are not the only parent who has beenbaffled by their child’s secret computerlanguage. All of those acronyms are calledcyberslang, and understanding it can helpyou protect your child from potential onlinebullies and sexual predators. Netlingo.comhas a dictionary of online jargon that isupdated daily. Some important cyberslangterms every parent should know include:

9 ASL: age/sex/location9 POS: parent over shoulder9 LMIRL: let’s meet in real life9 PAL: parents are listening 9 MorF: male or female9 SorG: straight or gay9 KPC: keeping parents clueless9 ADR: address9 P911: parent alert

Q: I’ve heard stories recently about childrengetting in trouble for staging online fights.Can you tell me more about this?

A: A trend that has recently surfaced involveschildren videotaping their fights and postingthe footage online. Besides the obviousdanger that comes from being in a fight, theperson behind the camera can get in serioustrouble as well. Anyone discovered filming afight can be charged with aiding andabetting. If your child participates physically,the charges increase to assault. If you eversee your child watching an online fight, turnoff the computer and explain theconsequences of online brawls.

Q: My nine-year-old son spends a lot of time on the computer surfing the Internet andinstant messaging his friends. But I worryabout him getting into trouble with strangersonline. What can I do to protect him?

A: Simple surfing and instant messaging withfriends are common activities for kids—andgenerally safe, if you have discussed somerules of use with them. Chatting withstrangers, however, may be a different story.Keep the computer in a common room (suchas a family room) rather than a bedroom sothat you can monitor Internet activity.Although there’s no way to know the actualrisk, the FBI cautions that children whoseInternet activity isn’t monitored are most atrisk for being exploited.

Take an interest in the sites your child isvisiting and the people with whom he ischatting (sometimes adults pose as kids orteens in chat rooms to seem less threatening).Warn him NEVER to give out his personalinformation (phone number, name, address,school name, etc.), agree to meet in-personanyone he meets in a chat room, or share anyphotographs.

Cyberbullying & other Internet Dangers

Urge your son to introduce you to any new“friends” he meets online and to tell you if he everfeels uncomfortable about conversations that takeplace. Keep constant open communication withyour child so that he feels comfortable coming toyou with this type of information. It is just asimportant to discuss Internet safety as it is todiscuss the dangers of drugs, alcohol, sex andsmoking. Most important, talk to him about thedangers of interacting with strangers online andremind him that people online often do not tellthe truth.

Finally, blocking and filtering software is availableif you want to make the financial investment forthis added safety.

Q: Are there any federal laws in place to help keep mychild safe while on the Internet?

A: Yes. A federal law has been created to help protectchildren while they are using the Internet. It isdesigned to keep anyone from obtaining children’spersonal information without you knowing aboutit and agreeing to it first.

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act(COPPA) requires Web sites to explain their privacypolicies on the site and get parents’ consent beforecollecting or using a child’s personal information,such as a name, address, phone number or SocialSecurity number. The law also prohibits a site fromrequiring a child to provide more personalinformation than necessary to play a game orcontest.

But even with this law, your child’s best onlineprotection is you. By talking to your child aboutpotential online dangers and monitoring his or hercomputer use, you will be helping your child tosurf the Internet safely.

compiled by Leslie Street andBethany Swann, student interns

15

Nicole Falvo Swain, Psy.D.

CCPPRRDates: August 20, September 17,

October 15, November 12 and December 3

Time: 6-9 p.m.

This class will teach caregiverscardiopulmonary resuscitation and chokingmaneuvers for children and adults. Thisclass also gives general home safety adviceand tips, and participants must be at least14 years old. This course is $20 per person.

II CCaann!!Dates: September 19, October 25,

November 3 and 19, December 12Time: 6 p.m.

I-Can! is a Healthy Kids class series forfamilies about making healthy choices.Four different classes focus on makinghealthy food choices, fun and fitness,cooking choices and shopping ideas.Families can join the series of classes atany time. This course is $10 per session per family.

SSaaff ee SS iitt tt eerrDates: August 25, September 15 and 29,

October 13 and 20, November 3 and December 15

Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch is provided)

Safe Sitter is a national organization that teaches young adolescents safe and nurturing babysitting techniques and the rescue skills needed to respondappropriately to medical emergencies.Instructors are certified through Safe Sitter nationally. Participants must be ages 11-14. This course is $20 per person.

Class size is limited, so preregistrationis required. All classes are offered in theKoppel Plaza at Children’s Hospital,unless otherwise noted. For moreinformation or to register for any ofthese classes or to receive our freeHealthy Kids parenting newsletter, call (865) 541-8262.

Announcements about upcomingclasses can be seen on WBIR-TV 10 andheard on area radio stations. Or visit ourWeb site at www.etch.com and click on“Healthy Kids Education and News.”

Upcoming Community Education ClassesUpcoming Community Education Classes

• The Act applies only to

traditional, rollover and Roth IRAs,

not to other types of plans like

401(k), 457, 403(b), etc. However,

it is possible to roll funds over

from one of the other types of

retirement plans into a traditional

IRA to make the gift.

• The transfer cannot be made to

a donor advised fund or a

supporting organization.

• The transfer cannot be used to

fund a charitable gift annuity or

a charitable remainder trust.

If you or someone you know

would like to help the children

entrusted to our care by making a

gift from an IRA, we encourage you

to act now. The window of

opportunity for these gifts will close

on December 31.

Please call David Rule, Children’s

Hospital Director of Development, at

(865) 541-8172, or Teresa Goddard,

Senior Development Officer, at

(865) 541-8466 if you have questions

or would like additional information.

The hospital’s Development staff will

work with you and your advisors on

an IRA gift.

Estate Planning...c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 1 3

Children’s Hospital2018 Clinch Ave. • P.O. Box 15010Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-5010

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PA I DPERMIT 433

KNOXVILLE, TN

Bush honored upon board retirementBush honored upon board retirement

Jim Bush, retiring Chairman of theChildren’s Hospital Board of Directors, hasdedicated himself to the hospital for morethan two decades and is now being honoredfor his service. The new Third Floor outpatientclinic, set to open this fall, will be named theJames S. Bush Outpatient Care Center, and aplaque will be installed there in hishonor.

The plaque reads, “For his tirelesscommitment and dedication to ourhospital, mission and the childrenentrusted to our care, we dedicatethis healing facility in honor ofJames S. Bush. ‘Jim’ faithfully servedon Children’s Hospital’s Board ofDirectors from May 1985 to June2007 and held the office of BoardChairman from December 1999 toJune 2007.”

New Board Chairman DennisRagsdale presented Bush with thishonor during a board meeting onJune 19. “I am fortunate to have hadthe opportunity to work with Jimthroughout the years and can thinkof no one who is more deserving ofthis honor,” Ragsdale said.

Bob Koppel, President/CEOEmeritus of Children’s Hospital, said,“Jim Bush and I have worked togetherduring his entire tenure on the Board ofDirectors, and I have continually beenimpressed with his dedication to our medicalcenter. He has been a great asset to theChildren’s Hospital Board of Directors and hasserved with distinction in the position ofChairman for the past eight years. Children’sHospital is fortunate to have Jim continue inhis service to our medical center as he joins Dr.Bill Byrd and Don Parnell in the capacity of

Board Chairman Emeritus.”Bush expressed his appreciation for the

honor, noting that it has been a pleasure towork for so many years with theAdministration, the other members of theBoard of Directors, the medical staff and thehospital staff. “I want to commit my time

where it can be most effective, and it’s been ajoy and an honor to be involved withChildren’s Hospital. It’s a valuable asset to thecommunity,” Bush said. “Children’s Hospitalhas and will continue to do much for thiscommunity.”

The continual process of working to makeChildren’s Hospital a better place is what ismost significant to Bush during his 22 years ofservice to the Board. “I have enjoyed the

Board,” he said. “It’s a great group of peoplewho are all there for the right purpose, whichmakes it very gratifying.”

Bush said he is constantly impressed withthe hospital’s culture: “What it’s there for isserving kids. It doesn’t matter who they are orwhere they came from.

“Succeeding in the hospitalbusiness is not easy,” Bushcontinued, noting that Children’shas managed to grow, addspecialties, purchase the latestequipment and maintain a solidfinancial status. “A wonderfulstaff helps to make it allhappen.”

As a non-voting BoardChairman Emeritus, Bush willcontinue to attend Boardmeetings, where he will no doubtenjoy visits with Koppel. “It’sbeen a treat working with Bob,”he said. “But I’ve been there longenough, so I am excited aboutDennis” [Ragsdale, the new BoardChairman].

Beyond Children’s Hospital,Bush has had significantcommunity involvement in other

programs that benefit children,including his current interests: the

Boys and Girls Clubs and the Wee Course golfcourse and its character development programfor inner city children, First Tee.

Bush and his wife, Mary, have threedaughters (Ellen Fowler, Susan Bacon andJamie Litton) and six grandchildren.

by Bethany Swann, student intern, andWendy Hames, Associate Director for

Publications

President Keith Goodwin and Jim Bush, Board Chairman Emeritus