Families and even nurses compete for prizes while encouraging more opportunities for these close snuggles.

"Skin-to-skin care is when the parents take off their shirts, we unwrap the babies, and they lay skin-to-skin against their parents' chests," Mary Jo Macpherson, Quality Improvement Coordinator for Riley's NICUs, said. It's good for bonding between the parents and the baby. It's great for the baby because it helps reduce infection. Studies say it actually helps them go home from the NICU sooner, helps them to bond with their parents."

MacPherson said "kangaroo care" also positively impacts the parents and makes a difference in a mother's breastfeeding journey.

"For parents it's great because it helps bonding with the baby," MacPherson said. "It is especially good for mothers because it helps them to produce breast milk, which is really important in the NICU."

Mylee Stewart just gave birth to a baby boy on May 4. She credits skin-to-skin for increasing her milk supply.

"At first it was not coming in at all and then when we did skin-to-skin it came in right away," Stewart said.

Kangaroo-a-thon continues through May 31. Both parents and nurses have the chance to win prizes by earning tickets each time they either participate in skin-to-skin care or support families and babies.

"This is a special project because it really speaks to how much in the NICU we understand this is difficult for parents to be here, and that they're missing out on the normal interaction that they would have had with their babies at home," MacPherson explained. "We're trying to supplement that with the Kangaroo-a-thon."

The effort to improve care and outcomes was developed by congenital heart surgeons, pediatric cardiologists, cardiac intensive care doctors, nursing and many other healthcare professionals from across the nation. The endeavor was led by the Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society in collaboration with 15 leading professional societies, including the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as specialists from children’s hospitals across the country.

The result was the first multidisciplinary consensus recommendations for centers performing pediatric heart surgery in the U.S.

The cohort put forth two tiers of recommendations, encompassing structure (staffing, technology and other characteristics), processes (the way care is delivered), and outcomes across various measures.

• Essential Care Centers: Recommendations for essential services and fundamental components to promote high-quality care for any pediatric heart surgery program.

• Comprehensive Care Centers: Recommendations to optimize comprehensive and high-complexity pediatric heart surgery.

What does this mean for families?

At Riley Children’s Health, our pediatric heart surgery program meets the criteria for a Comprehensive Care Center—the top tier outlined in the recommendations. This means we provide advanced care through highly skilled specialists in a comprehensive heart center, with a focus on safety and the best outcomes.

The recommendations suggest that children at the highest risk and with the most complex heart conditions are cared for at a Comprehensive Care Center like Riley Children’s.

What makes us a Comprehensive Care Center?

• We perform more than 500 heart surgeries annually, including neonatal open-heart surgery

• Indiana’s only pediatric and congenital heart transplantation program with access to all available ventricular assist devices (VADs) for children and adults with advanced heart failure

• Three American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS)-certified pediatric heart surgeons with deep experience in congenital heart surgery

• Specially designed cardiac operating suites and a dedicated operating room (OR) team available 24/7—and the OR is capable of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and remains readily available for any pediatric and adult congenital cardiac emergency

• Pediatric cardiologists use specialized ultrasound in the OR, called transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), during pediatric and adult congenital heart surgery

• Committed to quality and safety, Riley Children’s holds multiple accreditations from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in fetal and pediatric cardiovascular imaging, electrophysiology (EP), and cardiac catheterization

• Riley Children’s is a Platinum Level Center of Excellence for ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), one of the most advanced forms of life support, and ECMO is available 24/7 along with a team of ECMO specialists

• The Riley Heart Center participates in public reporting of surgical outcomes through The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), and maintains an overall observed to expected mortality ratio as expected based on our center’s specific case mix

As her fingers fly over the keys of the baby grand piano in the lobby of Riley Hospital for Children, Saylor Lancaster can be forgiven if her mind travels back in time with the soothing melody.

It was 10 years ago when she first played piano at Riley, but she was just a little girl visiting her very sick brother, then a patient at Riley. The piano on the oncology unit was a source of comfort for her and those around her.

Lancaster, the daughter and granddaughter of piano teachers, started playing at the age of 4 and is classically trained. Now 21, she jokes that she might have peaked at the tender age of 9 when she played on perhaps the biggest stage in the nation – Carnegie Hall in New York City.

And that was her second appearance.

There is a lot to know about Lancaster, who began volunteering weekly as a pianist during the lunch hour at Riley a year ago. Raised on her family’s farm in Columbus, where she was active in 4-H for many years, she graduated from Purdue University in three years with a degree in agribusiness and just completed a master’s degree in marketing.

She never really considered making music her career but still loves to play. For her, it’s less about performance and more about being an instrument of peace and connection.

It’s her way to give back for the care her brother received more than a decade ago. He has been in remission for nearly 10 years. Lancaster and her two brothers are triplets. All grew up playing piano and competing over the years.

Her two appearances in recitals at Carnegie Hall were the result of her third-place finishes in world competitions at ages 7 and 9.

Back then, she said, she was too young to be nervous, not really appreciating the significance of her achievement. Playing for patients, families and team members at Riley now, even if it is background music, is meaningful in an entirely different way, she said.

‘Just like when I played here with my brothers, it’s touching to see how impactful it can be for people,” Lancaster said. “I see people having a connection in the moment to the music, even if it’s just a few notes they hear in passing, and that means a lot to me.”

That connection plays out time and time again as Lancaster digs deep in her trove of sheet music for a lovely classical piece or a little ragtime when she wants to switch up the mood. People can’t help but turn their heads to take in the sounds of music wafting through the lobby.

“I try not to play anything too sad,” she said, appreciating that the hospital is filled with people anxious about a sick child.

“When my brother was here, all three of us would go into the game room and play piano, and families would come in and listen while we practiced. People loved it. That was my first experience with something like music therapy and what that can do for people.”

She has other Riley connections as well. She participated in the Purdue Dance Marathon fundraiser for Riley while in college, and she met Riley nurse Cydney Bridges, who was named Miss Indiana in 2023 and competed in the Miss America pageant in 2024. Lancaster is competing in her third Miss Indiana pageant next month.

While she doesn’t have a job in her field lined up yet, she said someday she would like to work with a nonprofit dedicated to pediatric cancer research.

Meanwhile, she brings the music to Riley every Friday.

“We are so fortunate to have such a talented performer on our team,” said Susan Schwarz, program manager for volunteer resources.

“With every note played in the lobby, Saylor’s music provides a soothing backdrop for patients, families and staff — offering a sense of calm and connection. We are so grateful for the time, talent and heart she shares with us each week.”

Photos and video by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

"January 2024 was my first fall or my first seizure and then March, two weeks after I turned 25, was my second seizure where we found everything," Barr explained.

Barr recalled getting out of the shower before her shift and then waking up on the floor surrounded by blood and her dog, Hank, sitting next to her.

"I woke up and I called my mom and she's like, 'Call 911,' so I called 911,"Barr said.

As EMS brought her to IU Health North hospital, her big sister met her there.

"They stapled my head," Barr said. "Got a CT. The CT results came back, and it said something about a mass."

The next step was an MRI.

“Sure enough, the results came back, and I’m sitting there with my sister, and it says, ‘suspect primary glial neoplasm,’” Barr explained. “I literally just looked at my sister and was like, ‘Wait, do I have a brain tumor?’”

At IU Health North, the care team gave Barr the option to either transfer to IU Health Methodist or go home and take a moment to decide her next steps. Together with her family, she decided Dr. Angela Richardson would perform her surgery at IU Health Methodist. Barr recalled the day Dr. Richardson called her with an interesting question.

"She's like, 'What if we do your surgery awake,'" Barr remembered. "And I was like, 'I mean, okay!'"

In April 2024, Dr. Richardson performed Barr's awake craniotomy to resect the tumor. She spent merely one night in the ICU and went home the next day.

Barr continued to recover for the next several months but returned for two shifts at Riley.

"During that, I couldn't drive so one of the shifts, one of my co-workers, he lives like 30 minutes away from here, he picked me up, took me to work, [and] brought me home the next morning which adds like an hour to his drive because my drive's even longer," Barr explained. "One nurse even took me to an MRI after a shift. One thing that I've probably learned from Riley is [that] you can't do it alone."

To continue treating the cancer, Barr underwent proton radiation at the University of Florida for two months before taking oral chemo. She was able to stay with her former babysitter who is more like an aunt to her.

"So, I decided to stay in southern Georgia, and it was just a 45-minute drive five days a week down there," Barr said.

Barr returned to work at Riley in September. She said her cancer journey changed how she cares for her patients, especially those with a similar diagnosis.

"You've been on the other end of that so many times working on 9West," Barr said. "I feel like so many tumors are found overnight. The kids get up to the floor, and you're the first person that they meet. They may have met a few of the doctors downstairs, and they may have gotten the news; they may not. You may know they have a tumor when they get up to the floor, and they don't even know yet. Being on the other end was like eye-opening."

Barr said it is rewarding to share some of the tips she learned along the way with patients and families.
"There's one kid that's had a few resections, and he has a tumor in a very similar location," Barr explained. "So, one night he was coming up from the ICU, and his incision was right here, and I was like, 'Listen, I know how to keep the headwrap or the icepack [on] if you do this and this. So, I'm like showing mom."

Today, Barr is in remission. She shared immense gratitude for her family, friends, Hank, and her Riley co-workers, who walked alongside her through this unexpected journey.

"I mean they're just great," Barr said. "Everyone, from 9West to all of Riley."

On a day set aside to honor excellence in nursing, Melissa Alstott, associate chief nursing officer for operations and interim CNO for Riley Children’s Health, asked an auditorium filled with nurses to reflect on the day they committed to their career of caring for people.

“You all should be incredibly proud,” she said. “This morning, we celebrate excellence, we celebrate commitment, and most importantly, we celebrate you for showing up, for pushing through the hard days and for choosing this profession again and again.”

Each of the nearly 140 award nominations represents a moment when someone saw excellence, compassion, advocacy or teamwork, she said.

“And they felt compelled to say in writing that this matters. We celebrate all the extraordinary nurses of Riley.”

Margaret Martin-Roth Award: Among those reflecting on their start at Riley many years ago was Laura Blazier, this year’s Margaret Martin-Roth Award winner. The award, named in honor of a legend at Riley, is the most coveted nursing award at the hospital. It is presented annually to someone who embraces the spirit and skills of the former director of nursing at Riley, who worked with Dr. Morris Green to help transform pediatric care. Martin-Roth, who had attended previous Riley Nurses’ Awards programs, died in 2023 at age 102.

Blazier, described as a “superstar” nurse, is a clinical nurse specialist for Riley’s NICUs. In the nomination written by Mary Jo MacPherson, NICU quality improvement consultant, Blazier is recognized for her neonatal clinical expertise as well as her work in evidence-based nursing research and quality and safety initiatives.

“Reading Margaret Martin-Roth’s biography, I am repeatedly struck by how every description of this venerable nursing icon mirrors what I am coming to learn about (Blazier),” MacPherson wrote.

“Not only is she a brilliant and consummate nursing professional who routinely goes above and beyond, but it is obvious that she also truly embodies the Riley values of compassion and caring for her patients and team, as well as the purpose and total dedication to excellence that has helped make Riley a top provider of NICU care in the U.S.”

For her part, Blazier said being selected for the award by her Riley colleagues is an incredible honor, and she offers a word of advice to new nurses:

“Find what you’re passionate about and really focus on that. There are lots of ways that we can make an impact in nursing, so finding the thing that you really connect to, that’s what will take you far.”

Other nominees: Jerica Rapp (SFT NICU), Erin Roach (ED), Maggie Hay (Burn Unit), Sandra Linhart (ED), Ashley Cantlebarry (nurse navigator inpatient rehab).

Nurse Excellence Award: Denise Ortega (SFT NICU and ECMO).

Ortega is described as someone who “consistently fosters strong, collaborative relationships across the unit,” by nominator Laura Smith.

“Known as a steady presence, (she) maintains composure in high‑acuity situations and communicates with clarity and respect, which reassures both peers and families. Colleagues frequently seek out this nurse for support when facing complex patients or unfamiliar clinical scenarios, trusting in her ability to guide them with patience and practical insight.”

Others nominated: Kaitlyn Buelow, Emily Rausch, Paula Thatcher, J'Aimee Naughton, Jess Bender, Valerie Love, Matthew Mast, Brandon Hawk, Anna Foster, Erin Newbill, Connie Neuzerling, Ellen Phegley, Monica Lough, Grace Roembke, Shelby Mundy, Christy Doss, Paul Plowman, Kaylynn Gray, Patricia Stanifer, Ashley Lineback.

Daisy Nurse Leader Award: Keegan Caughey, 9W

“Through his authenticity, patience and unwavering presence, he earned the trust and respect of 9W in a way that felt both natural and profound,” said nominator Hettie Smith. “He makes it a priority to ensure every team member feels heard, valued and appreciated. What truly sets him apart is that before he is a leader, he is a team member. He stands beside us, not above us. He puts himself in our shoes, shares in our frustrations and victories, and allows himself to feel the same emotions we do. He leads with humility, never letting pride or ego prevent him from acknowledging when something isn’t right.”

Others nominated: Andrea Purdy, Laura Smith, Jessalynn Parsley, Katrina Copeland, Kasey Wilken, Lisa Shostrand, Sara Murff, Kristin Elbert/Cassie Lanahan, Rachel Sperka, Sarah Timberlake, Jennifer Brown, Erin Kramer, Emily Dever.

Daisy Team Award: Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Nurse Navigator Team – Brenda White, Sharla Jones, Erica Starks.

“Children living with sickle cell disease face not only a lifelong, complex medical condition, but also systemic barriers, stigma and fragmented access to care. In this landscape, continuity and trust are not luxuries, they are essential to survival,” said nominator Dr. Seethal Jacob, director of the Comprehensive Pediatric Sickle Cell Program at Riley.

“The nominated team at Riley Children’s Health has become the foundation of that trust. As the first nurse navigator team of its kind at IU Health, what began as a single navigator quickly expanded to three in response to the measurable and transformative impact of their work.”

Others nominated: PICU Leadership Team, Inpatient Rehab, PGC Labor and Delivery Committee Chairs, Interventional Radiology, 8 WEast, 5 West, Riley Cardiac Cath Lab, Riley Interventional Radiology Nurses, Riley CVICU, Behavioral Health, PICU Team, 3W Heart Center, NPCU, Vascular Access Team, Riley ED, Riley Burn Center.

Coach Award: Kruti Patel, Mother-Baby.

The winner “consistently demonstrates exceptional dedication to supporting new hires, embodying the IU Health values of Team, Excellence, Compassion and Purpose,” said nominator Makaylah Lucas. “They create a high‑quality learning environment where new team members feel supported, welcomed and empowered to grow into confident contributors within the Riley nursing culture.”

Other nominees: Callie Sharkey, Annjeanette Laws, Jenna Heckathorn, Bailey Lenig, Sandra Linhart, Roxanne Klampe, Ali Davidson, Jessica Shupe, Maggie Hay, Kelsey Yoder, Megan Thompson, Samantha Spencer, Jana White, Logan Shake, Lynlie Closson, Kayla Beckett, Sharon Albright, Katie Klemple.

Brittany Gaskins Award: Callie Sharkey, inpatient rehab.

Others nominated: Savannah Burke, Van Thluai, Nick Payton, Ashanti Promise, Lauretta Allen, Kate Remijan, Emily Kreuzman.

Stephanie Pottenger Award: Katherine Lawson

Riley Children’s Foundation Educational Grants: Natalie Blakemore, Maternity Tower; Rachel Sperka, CVICU; Kelly Butler, inpatient rehab; Nikki Ayala, PICU.

Partner in Care Award: Andrew Christie, critical care supply/equipment tech.

Others nominated: Cynthia Youngman, Haley Meister, Lauren Broniarczyk, Tellesa Hadley, Katherine Carter, Nancy Attebury, Damita Perkins, Aniyah Parnell, Nancy Attebury, Abbie Jacks, Jourdan Edmondson, Nicholas Pease, Zakyra Huff, Allie Kenneally, Cora Miller, Olivia Rodriguez, Freddy (Alfredo) Saucedo, Anesthesia CAA/CRNA Group, Lexis Morley, Jessica Torres-Torres, Araceli Frazer, Jamie Redkey, Kylee Hunter, Julie Smith, Haley Meister, Alex Spicer, Riley Maternity Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAAs) & Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), Isabella Joanou, Taylor Quinonez, Emily Barto, Emily Mueller, MD.

Photos by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

The Milk Bank often connects with women after their losses and the nonprofit's team has learned that one part of the trauma for mothers is the unexpected onset of lactation.

"A lot of the families weren't aware that [a mother's] milk might come in," Kolb explained. "So, the program has really evolved beyond a milk donation program to provide that anticipatory guidance, the support right when it's needed, and all sorts of wraparound services. We provide free bereavement kits to all of our partners, including Riley. It's a message from another bereaved mom. It really is letting them know that they don't have to stand alone."

Kolb said The Milk Bank shares information about the options a mother has which includes the choice to express, suppress or donate.

"All of those are really valuable options," Kolb said.

Kolb compassionately shared how, for some women, choosing to pump after a loss can offer a small sense of comfort during an unimaginable journey.

"The research says, for those that choose with informed consent, pumping milk and donating milk can facilitate a grief journey; it can provide some mental health relief and creating that legacy for their infant giving purpose to the loss," Kolb said. "Some mothers find it a connection point to the infant; they know that they would have been able to nourish their baby, and lots of other strong mental health supports."

Riley Children's Health has its own milk depot where mothers can donate breast milk, which is then taken to The Milk Bank to ultimately nourish babies at Riley and beyond.

"Riley is really one of our flagship partners," Kolb said. "We've been in partnership with them for more than 20 years. The wonderful thing about Riley is, as a level 4 NICU, the NICU serves as almost a magnet for the sickest babies. They're going to pull in infants from all around the state who need the most acute, critical levels of care. So, they're actually going to consume a much higher percentage of milk than maybe a smaller, more rural hospital."

Kolb referred to breast milk as "a lifesaving intervention."

"Especially for the 1 in 10 infants who are premature, and particularly at an increased risk for necrotizing enterocolitis," Kolb said. "That's where you see donor milk used the most on a NICU setting. That can really increase survival rates between 50 and 70%, the research says."

Lactation is often an overlooked element of losing an infant. To bereaved mothers, compassionate support is available to you.

"We are really here to celebrate the legacy of your infant and the life that they had, no matter how short, no matter if you got to hold them in your arms or in your heart, they mean a lot to us," Kolb said.

For any mothers or families in need of bereavement support, below are some helpful resources:

Riley Grief Services

The Milk Bank Bereavement Services

The Milk Bank Wellness for Bereaved Parents skills group

The Compassionate Friends

When Aurora Kalberer started suffering unexplained falls two years ago, her mom, Arianna Sullivan, naturally began to worry.

Aurora was 3 (she will turn 6 in May) when a fall in her northern Indiana home left her with a bump on her head, so her mom watched her for signs of concussion.

When the little girl became unresponsive and her breathing became irregular, Sullivan called an ambulance, which transported her to a hospital close to home. Soon, however, she was taken to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis for further evaluation and was diagnosed with Sturge-Weber syndrome with related epileptic seizures.

Although Aurora already had a birthmark on her face called a port-wine stain that can be indicative of Sturge-Weber (a congenital disorder characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth on the brain’s surface), she was “a normal healthy child” up to that point, her mom said. Aurora’s father is Ryan Kalberer.

The disorder, which typically causes seizures, stroke-like episodes and developmental delays, can sometimes be managed with medication, but in the year after her diagnosis, despite treatment, Aurora suffered more myoclonic seizures (brief startle-like events) and "drop seizures" (brief, sudden episodes characterized by a temporary loss of muscle tone and consciousness and often leading to other injuries).

Surgery was recommended in consultation with the entire Riley epilepsy team, including epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiology and neuropsychology during the group’s weekly comprehensive epilepsy case conference.

Dr. Makram Obeid, Aurora’s epileptologist, and Dr. Jason Chu, her neurosurgeon, were confident that a type of surgery called a laser corpus callosotomy in which the two hemispheres of the brain are disconnected would help their patient, though the results were even better than expected.

“She did amazing,” Dr. Chu said.

In cases of Sturge-Weber, blood supply to the brain is disrupted and patients over time suffer episodes that are like mini strokes. Typically, the episodes are confined to one side of the brain, so when it becomes drug-resistant (cannot be controlled with two or more medications), a hemispherectomy (removing one side of the brain) may be done.

“Her condition was even more unique in that she started having abnormal electrical activity from the other side too, not only the side where we thought the condition was confined to,” Dr. Obeid said.

On April 11, 2025, a then 4-year-old Aurora underwent a laser corpus callosotomy, during which Dr. Chu used MRI-guided laser heat to ablate or “burn” the corpus collosum, the tissue connecting the left and right sides of the brain, so the two sides could not “talk” to each other anymore.

The idea is to prevent any seizures on one side from spreading to the other, thus reducing their impact, explained Dr. Obeid.

While a traditional corpus callosotomy requires a large incision in the skull and removal of bone, the laser procedure achieves the same positive results with very tiny incisions and shorter recovery time. It is still relatively new but is becoming more popular, Dr. Chu said.

In deciding to proceed with the surgery in consultation with Aurora’s family, the team had two goals: improve Aurora’s quality of life by ending atonic and myoclonic seizures and prevent other types of seizures from spreading and affecting the whole brain.

While the surgery is not a cure per se, it has worked wonders for Aurora, according to her mom.

“She is thriving,” Sullivan said about her little girl, who is finishing kindergarten this spring.

A year out from surgery, she has had no seizures in that time (compared to six to eight a day previously) and has recovered some of the skills she lost amid the seizures.

She is able to write her name again, knows the alphabet and can count. Her language is improving, and she is learning bigger words, Sullivan said.

Improvements in her neurodevelopment are consistent with expectations post-surgery, Dr. Obeid said, though he would not rule out more treatment down the road.

“Stopping the seizures not only improves quality of life with fewer drop attacks and falls, but also by stopping the seizures she gets the best potential for neurodevelopment."

Dr. Chu agrees, saying many patients with epilepsy are at a critical stage of brain development and the abnormal electrical activity often prevents the brain from growing as it should.

“Once we get the seizures and Aurora’s drop attacks stopped, the brain development can increase exponentially. It’s remarkable to see how kids like Aurora bounce back so well after surgery … and make up for lost time.”

Though she might need further treatment down the road if her seizure activity returns, for now Aurora is a definite success story, Dr. Chu said.

“The goal of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Team here at Riley is to give kids with debilitating epilepsy options for getting their seizures under control and allow them to live their best life possible,” the neurosurgeon said. “Surgery can always sound scary, but we do it in the safest way possible for our patients.”

Riley has many tools and treatments available for children with epilepsy, he said, encouraging parents to ask questions.

“If medications aren’t working well, I think it’s reasonable to ask if there is a surgical option to help get the seizures under control. Riley is one of the centers in the country now pushing the envelope for treatment for epilepsy,” Dr. Chu said. “Our approach here is inclusive – the patient, families and doctors all are involved in the decisions. We’re in this as a team,” he added.

“Every patient seen in our combined clinic is evaluated by multiple specialists and reviewed as a group. Not only are we at the forefront of treatment for epilepsy and provide high-level care for our patients with epilepsy in Indiana, but we’re also innovating and making advances in the best way to treat epilepsy, whether it’s surgery or medicine,” he said. “We are participating in research and multi-center studies to help the community understand the best ways to treat children with epilepsy.”

Thanks to that care, Aurora is pretty much living her best life right now, her mom said, describing how her daughter loves playing outside with bubbles and chalk, how she adores her three cats and how she gets lost in the world of Gabby’s Dollhouse.

“She is resilient and a go-getter. She does not let anything keep her down,” Sullivan said. “We got her an epilepsy helmet because she’s always on the go, but she’s tough. She’s also very vocal – it’s her way or the highway.”

Aurora still sees several specialists at Riley, including neurology, dermatology and ophthalmology, so it’s a good thing she enjoys the visits, it seems.

“She loves going to Riley,” Sullivan said. “She loves that hospital more than any kid I’ve ever seen. It’s like her second home. We are extremely grateful for everyone there.”

"When there's an obstetric emergency, you have seconds, minutes to respond before you're seeing devastating outcomes in both the pregnant patient and the fetus," Dr. Cassell said.

For this reason, IU Health team members like Dr. Cassell and simulation educator Lisa Mayer are passionate about sharing knowledge with doctors, nurses, emergency medical staff, and respiratory therapists across the state.

"We have a perinatal simulation team that was started in 2010," Mayer explained. "So, for 16 years we've been traveling all over the state to maternity units, NICUs, and providing simulation-based medical education to doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists who take care of moms and babies. I think the experience that we bring is we see a lot of high-risk emergencies at Riley, and so the providers that we're seeing out in the community are always well-intentioned, they're passionate about the care that they give to their moms and babies, but we provide that experience and that expertise and give them opportunities that they don't get to see a lot of the time."

Dr. Cassell said that, fortunately, many hospitals that handle more low-risk situations do not see the same number of extremely vulnerable patients as our team at Riley.

"But when it happens, it's important to know how to jump in and work together as a team," Dr. Cassell said.

During the Trauma, Burn & Emergency Care Symposium 2026 presented by Riley Children's Health, the perinatal simulation team walked two groups of medical staff and first responders through a simulation experience involving a mother who was about to give birth at home.

"Unfortunately, in our state, we do have some high numbers of mortality, and every day we hear of another hospital that's closing their maternity services," Mayer said. "It's really unfortunate because there's a lot of moms who are pregnant that are showing up at hospitals and they don't have the proper training to take care of them anymore with the closing of maternity units. So we're just trying to make ourselves a strong presence at conferences like this with emergency providers and hospital and pre-hospital providers so that we can just give them some education so the next time they encounter a pregnant patient or a newborn baby, they have the skills they need to care for them."

Along with this type of scenario, the perinatal simulation team assists with lessons regarding hypertensive emergencies, postpartum hemorrhages, shoulder dystocias, and delivery of a preterm infant.

"You can't predict when an obstetric emergency is going to occur," Dr. Cassell said. "I think it's really critical that we're preparing everyone for the worst-case scenario."

"The procedure took a little longer, and then they found other issues, and then issues after that, so we've just been here to now we get to leave," Peggy Edmonson, Londyn's grandmother, said.

The family said they only anticipated staying at Riley for three days but added they knew they were in the right spot for Londyn to heal. Peggy said they were especially impressed with the kindness of the hospital staff.

"The good thing is [that there are] great people at this hospital," Peggy said. "The nurses, the doctors, all the way down to the staff, the cleaning people, [and] the kitchen staff. We've had no problem; everybody is great! Great personalities, great with children, I'll tell ya, they have more patients than I do. They have great patience; it's just a great hospital."

Matt Roehrig spent years working as a unit secretary in the resource center for IU Health University and Riley Hospital for Children before he decided to become a nurse.

It was his mom, a nurse herself, who steered him into healthcare initially, but the idea of joining the nursing profession began to come into focus the more time he spent in the resource center.

Roehrig, who was recently honored with a DAISY award for his clinical skills and compassionate care, earned his nursing degree from Ivy Tech and joined the PICU as a nurse in 2015.

Two years later, he trained to become an ECMO clinician, in addition to his bedside nurse duties, supporting critically ill patients suffering heart or lung failure with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

It was in that role where he met a family who would come to rely on his advocacy and his honesty in the care of their child, who faced a potential limb amputation.

Roehrig leaned on his communication skills to guide the family through the ordeal, and things turned out for the best, but that’s not always a given.

“Often, we have to deliver difficult news and have tough conversations. I think parents appreciate the honesty,” he said.

“You can absolutely have some difficult days, but you’re able to care for people in some of their worst moments and try to make a positive impact. When you can see everything through and be part of a positive outcome for families, that’s really what motivates me.”

It made a difference for one patient’s family, who said in nominating Roehrig that he had been a huge part of their child’s recovery as well as a support for both parents.

“I will never forget what he did that day, his professionalism, and the compassion he showed,” they wrote. “We are forever grateful for Matt and consider him one of (our child’s) heroes.”

Roehrig has two sons, ages 5 and 2, with his wife, Tabitha. Together, the family loves to spend time outside at the lake or pool.

“We all enjoy being around water when the weather is nice.”

Nominate a nurse who exemplifies excellent clinical skills and compassionate care here. https://www.rileychildrens.org/form/riley-daisy-award

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Over the past several months, Benny Miller wiggled his way into the hearts of nurses and other caregivers in multiple units at Riley Hospital for Children.

First, in the Simon Family Tower NICU, then the Maternity Tower NICU and finally in the Progressive NICU – a new unit on the eighth floor supporting babies who are closer to discharge.

And now, little Benny is home for the first time since his premature birth Dec. 1.

From the nurses who riffed on Elton John’s song “Bennie and the Jets” with their own version of “Benny on the Jet” when he was on high-frequency jet ventilation in the NICU, to the cuddlers who came in to rock him when his parents couldn’t be there, Benny is one popular guy.

But no one loves him more than his parents, Joey and Madison Miller of Indianapolis, who have had a rocky start to parenthood with their first child.

Benny was measuring small in the womb, so Madison, a NICU nurse herself at an Eastside hospital, underwent genetic testing before he was born. The tests revealed nothing unusual, but the Millers were still uneasy and planned to deliver at Riley’s Maternity Tower so the team there could be ready for any complications.

But Benny had other plans and was delivered via C-section at 30 weeks and 4 days gestation (weighing 1 pound 14 ounces) at the hospital where Madison works, then transferred to Riley three days later.

The couple agreed to genome sequencing testing, which is much more extensive, and learned the results a few weeks after Benny arrived at Riley.

“Four doctors came in telling us that it’s this rare syndrome that they don’t know much about,” Madison recalled.

MIRAGE syndrome is an ultra-rare (1 in 1 million babies), severe genetic disorder caused by mutations in the SAMD9 gene. It is characterized by myelodysplasia, infections, restriction of growth, adrenal hypoplasia, genital abnormalities, and enteropathy (affecting the small intestine).

Neither parent is a carrier for the disease, so future pregnancies should be low-risk, but taking the best care of Benny is the only thing on the Millers’ minds right now.

Lucky for them, Benny has a dream team of specialists on hand at Riley, including Dr. Rosalia Misseri (urology), Dr. Nurcicek Padem (immunology) and many more, who will see him regularly in the months and years to come.

The Millers have found support in a Facebook group for parents of children diagnosed with MIRAGE syndrome, so that’s been a help to them, and they are hoping since Benny was diagnosed so young that he will benefit from early intervention.

“In the beginning, it was terrible,” Madison acknowledged, “but since we got the diagnosis and specialists on board right away, that helped a lot.”

Benny has already received one IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) infusion, a therapy using antibody mixtures from healthy donors to treat immune deficiencies, autoimmune diseases and infections, and hasn’t needed anymore, his mom said. And other than a bout with pneumonia in January, he has not been sick.

As a NICU nurse herself, Madison said having her own baby in intensive care affected her in different ways.

“I kind of anticipated everything that they’ve needed to do, so that’s been nice to prepare myself, but then also you know too much so you can think the worst,” she said.

She and her husband, an IFD firefighter, found comfort in the nursing team that cared for Benny, including Vincenza Cascella in progressive care, who said Benny had the nurses wrapped around his little finger from the beginning.

“He’s so sweet, and his parents are awesome,” she said.

Madison gives the compliment right back.

“It’s amazing just how much nurses can change your whole day.”

Joey Miller said their goal in sharing Benny’s story is to encourage other parents.

“When we got the diagnosis, there was very limited information online and a lot of doom and gloom. Maybe as more is learned about MIRAGE syndrome, other parents going through what we went through can see something positive and not automatically presume the worst,” he said.

The couple say they feel good putting their trust in the Riley team, even with such a rare diagnosis.

“Having all the specialists in one place is huge, and they’ve been really good at listening,” Madison said. “I think that’s been the best part – being listened to.”

When Benny and his parents got home last week, they were greeted by a giant yard sign welcoming their baby to the neighborhood, and Benny got to meet his new bestie, Hank the dog.

Life at home will be busy, with plenty of medical appointments on the calendar, but Benny, who went home with just a feeding tube and a little supplemental oxygen, is adjusting well, his mom said.

“It’s so much better being home.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Navy May, 2½, does not look like a child who’s just had a liver transplant. She is busy playing with toys and blowing bubbles on a play mat in her room on the ninth floor of Riley Hospital for Children, eight days after receiving a new liver.

She is happy – and bubbly – as she tries to capture the delicate bubbles floating around her while her mom, Lida May, keeps her entertained.

Navy, who was named by her older sisters when her parents couldn’t agree on a name, has amazed her care team with her quick recovery.

Dr. Richard Mangus, surgical director of the IU Health intestine transplant program and pediatric liver transplant program, performed Navy’s surgery at Riley on April 12.

Dr. Jean Molleston, veteran hepatologist and former chief of Riley’s GI, Hepatology and Nutrition division, has been seeing the little girl since Navy was just a couple of months old, not long after she was diagnosed with biliary atresia at the Evansville hospital where she was born.

Biliary atresia is a rare, life-threatening pediatric liver disease where bile ducts are blocked or absent at birth, trapping bile and causing rapid liver damage (cirrhosis). It is the leading cause of pediatric liver transplants.

“It is wonderful to see her looking so bright and full of energy,” Dr. Molleston said about Navy’s progress Monday. “Her mom worked so hard to get her here – tube feeds, long drives to Riley, lots of visits.”

Navy was listed for transplant when she was just a few months old, but when her liver numbers improved, she was taken off the list, only to be re-listed the next year when she began suffering repeated episodes of vomiting and was not growing.

When Lida and her husband, Zack, got the call that a liver was waiting for their daughter, they hopped into their car and made the three-hour trip from Poseyville, Indiana, to Riley last weekend.

They’d already had a dress rehearsal of sorts months earlier when they made the same drive in hopes that another liver donation would be the answer to their prayers. That time it did not work out, something the transplant team prepares families for as best they can.

“They tell you not to get your hopes up, so the first time was kind of scary,” Lida said.

This time, however, all systems were go.

“As far as the surgery part, my husband and I felt confident we were doing the right thing and that everybody was going to do their job. It was nice to have that assurance.”

They also were comforted by the prayers lifted up for them by their church congregation.

“We have an amazing support system at home,” said Lida, who has been staying with her youngest daughter in the hospital for the past 10 days. Zack has been able to spend part of that time at Riley as well. Over the weekend, the whole family was together for a visit, which delighted Navy.

“When they walked in the room, it was just a world of difference,” the toddler’s mom said.

Navy is doing so well she likely will be discharged this week, though mother and daughter won’t be going home just yet. They are hoping to have a room at the Ronald McDonald House for the next few weeks as Navy will require frequent clinic visits for the first month, followed by isolation at home until her immune system recovers.

All the sacrifices are worth it to see their little girl happy and thriving, her mom said.

“We’re grateful that she’s had an easier experience (with transplant), even though the hospital stays are never fun. But I can say that being here, the staff make it so much easier. She loves everybody – until she knows they’re going to poke her.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

"Sometimes people ask me, "You make sick kids do school," Stacy Willett, educational liaison, explained. "I like to rephrase that and let them know that usually secondary to getting a diagnosis of anything here in this setting, school is the next stressor for our patients and families because a child's job is to be in school."

On 5 West, the classroom is open to school-age patients five days a week for an hour each day. The kids come for academic support from the hospital's teachers.

"Our mission is to contact schools and make sure they are working on their schoolwork from their home school," Willett explained. We are not providing lessons and doing grading; they are still connected to their home school, which is our hope that they return when they are medically cleared to go back to school in person."

Within the classroom, the brightly decorated walls are full of learning tools like calendars and shapes. Besides general schoolwork, patients are also able to play games and socialize with other kids from the floor. For this one-hour period, it's just them and the teachers.

"It's routine for not only our patients, but it's also routine for our caregivers, Willett said. "Within our classroom, we do not allow caregivers to come to school because they don't go to school when you're at home. It provides an hour of time for the caregivers to take care of themselves and do things they need to do."

If a child is in isolation, the educators find a different way to support them.

"If a student is not able to come to school because of isolation, we still provide bedside instruction," Willett explained.

Willett has been a teacher at Riley for 23 years and adores her job.

"I can't even explain why I just love what I do, I just love Riley hospital and what I do," Willett exclaimed. "I just feel like this job was made for me and I was lucky enough to find out about it."

She is far from the only longtime teacher at Riley; Heather Homan also works on 5 West and has devoted nearly 17 years to patients at the hospital.

"Coming here doesn't feel like a job," Homan explained. "It's part of who I am, and my coworkers, the kids, the families, it's a privilege to serve them every day."

• Young children are at higher risk. Kids ages 1–4 are more likely to drown, and drowning is one of the top causes of accidental death for kids.
• Water can be dangerous almost anywhere—on vacation, in the bathtub, in the backyard, or at a friend’s house.
• The best way to prevent accidents is to follow water safety tips.

How to supervise children around water

Active, undistracted supervision is important because adult supervision saves lives. Choose an adult to watch children in or near water—at the pool, lake, beach, splash pad or even around inflatable pools. Adults responsible for watching children should consider learning CPR in case of emergencies and always enforce simple safety rules.

The “Water Watcher” method

Supervision still matters even if kids can swim, are wearing floatation devices or lifeguards are present. A “water watcher” is someone who stays close and keeps constant eyes on the water.

What active "water watcher" supervision looks like:

• Within arm’s reach: Stay close enough to reach kids quickly.
• No distractions: Put phones away and avoid other distractions while supervising children.
• Take turns: When there are many adults present, take turns supervising.

Prepare for emergencies—learn CPR

In a water emergency, CPR can save lives in the time before help arrives. CPR training for adults who have children or supervise them is recommended. Consider taking a refresher before swimming, or before a vacation and lake weekend.

Teach and repeat simple water rules

Kids do better with clear expectations. Review important rules with kids, such as:

• Always swim with a buddy and keep track of them
• Know where the deep end is
• Know who the supervising adult is if someone needs help

Barriers save lives, especially at home

Many drowning accidents happen when a child finds water unexpectedly, such as at home. Homes can include water hazards like pools, bathtubs, buckets and even toilets.

Pool barrier essentials

• Pool fences: Install fencing that is at least 4 feet high and surrounds the pool (separate it from the house and play area).
• Keep gates locked: When the pool isn’t in use, keep gates locked.
• Self-latching gates: Use self-closing, self-latching gates, with latches out of children’s reach.
• Remove toys: Remove toys that may attract kids when the pool isn't in use
• Add alarms: Consider adding alarms for extra safety measures.

Don't forget "sneaky hazards"

Children are also at risk of drowning in water on top of pool covers. So even pools with safety covers should have fencing or other ways to remove accumulated rainwater.

For everyday home safety, it is important to dump small pools after use, use childproof locks where necessary, and never leave children unattended in bathtubs.

Choose life jackets over floaties

U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets are the safest choice for children on boats or docks, and even for weaker swimmers.

For babies, choose a life vest designed with head and neck support and a strap between the legs to help keep their head above water.

Alongside a life jacket, a bright, colored swimsuit can also help parents see their child in the water.

Avoid false confidence from flotation toys. Do not rely solely on flotation toys like arm floaties or puddle jumpers to keep a child safe from drowning. Even with a life jacket, a child still needs constant, close supervision.

Swim lessons for drowning prevention

Swim lessons can be helpful, even for very young children, when taught safely and with close supervision. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends swim lessons for many children around age 1, depending on developmental readiness.

Choose instructors and programs with:

• CPR-certified trainers
• A strong student-to-instructor ratio
• A format that matches your child’s needs (for example, private lessons if your child has anxiety around water or groups)

Pool, lake or ocean? Consider the setting

Pool safety

At pools, watch for slips, avoid diving headfirst and be careful around drains.

Wet pool decks are slippery and can lead to falls.

Diving headfirst into water can also lead to head trauma. Seek medical attention for head injuries that may include symptoms such as vomiting, loss of consciousness, significant bleeding, or confusion.

Watch out for drains or suction outlets in spas and shallow pools. They can be dangerous if the cover is loose, broken or missing.

Ocean and lake safety

Lakes and oceans differ from pools because open water is unpredictable. You'll encounter different types of waves and changing water conditions. Because of these hazards, life vests are important for kids in open water, and children and adults should never swim alone.

In open bodies of water, don’t overlook cold water and fatigue. Body temperatures can drop quickly in kids. If you see shivering, get them out of the water and warm them up.

Even strong swimmers are at risk when they become tired, experience a head injury or encounter strong currents (which is another reason why constant supervision matters).

A quick “Water Safety Checklist”

Use this as a pre-swim routine:

• Assign a “Water Watcher”
• Keep young kids within arm’s reach
• Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets
• Enroll in swim lessons when developmentally ready
• Review simple water rules with kids
• Learn CPR and keep a phone nearby for emergencies

For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. If your child needs emergency care, you can find 24/7 emergency medicine services at one of our three Riley emergency locations. Our emergency department in downtown Indianapolis is also home to Indiana’s longest-standing Level I Pediatric Trauma Center.

"I love my family," Delellis said. "I love how they're like supporting me with it."

Delellis continues to attend school five days a week in addition to weekly chemotherapy treatments at Riley Hospital for Children, where she is under the care of Dr. Alex Lion.

"That was one of the first things I liked about Dr. Lion was from the very first moment he was just like, "Yes this is cancer, no this isn't life threatening. This is something that can be treated, and this is how we're going to do it. You did nothing wrong, like you didn't cause this. It's a sporadic tumor."

Delellis' dad, Ian, first noticed something out of the ordinary for Harper.

"He had taken her to an eye appointment and then I kind of remember getting the message like, 'Hey, we need to go for an MRI now,'" Pettit recalled. "When they said you're meeting with an oncologist, we're like, 'Oh. Okay, that's the direction.'"

While Harper and her mom said she was initially scared of her diagnosis, her battle with cancer has not stopped her from enjoying her childhood, which includes reading and robotics.

"Right now, I'm actually 3D printing," Harper said. "I'm really into Percy Jackson right now, and I'm reading the books. I'm on book four and I'm 3D printing Percy's sword."

Harper and her family are looking forward to both the end of Harper's treatment and their trip to Florida through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This year’s recognitions span research, clinical leadership, prevention, and community-based care. Together, they reflect how Riley Children’s brings together leading physicians, researchers, and partners to move pediatric care forward, from breakthrough treatments and critical care to mental health support and family education.

Expanding Treatment Options for Rare Conditions: D. Wade Clapp, MD

D. Wade Clapp, MD, chair of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine and physician-in-chief at Riley Children’s, was recognized for his groundbreaking work to improve care for children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

NF1 is a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow along nerves throughout the body which can lead to hearing loss, swollen eyes, and changes in the size of arms and legs. For many years, treatment options were limited.

Through years of research bridging basic science and clinical care, Dr. Clapp contributed to the development and clinical validation of targeted treatments designed to shrink or control NF1-related tumors. This work has led to new medication options and improved quality of life for children with NF1 nationally and globally.

Read more at IBJ.

Saving Lives Through Preparedness: Project ADAM Indiana

Project ADAM Indiana, launched by Riley Children’s Health, was recognized for its work preparing schools across the state to respond to sudden cardiac arrest. Led by pediatric electrophysiologist Dr. Adam Kean, injury prevention coordinator Nick Hogan, and community partner and educator Tonya Aerts, the program equips schools with training, emergency response plans and hands‑on drills so staff and students are ready to act before emergency responders arrive.

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, and when it does, every second is critical. Project ADAM Indiana is helping schools across the state prepare for these critical moments.

The program focuses on confidence as much as preparation, empowering people to step in and help when sudden cardiac arrest emergencies occur. With dozens of schools already designated as Heart Safe, and more in progress, the program reflects Riley’s commitment to prevention and community safety, helping create safer environments for children and peace of mind for families throughout Indiana.

Read more at IBJ.

Compassion and Innovation in Critical Care: Riad Lutfi, MD

Riad Lutfi, MD, medical director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Riley Children’s, was recognized for his leadership in caring for some of the hospital’s most medically complex patients. His leadership reflects the strength of Riley’s cardiovascular and high-acuity critical care programs, where advanced medicine and coordinated team-based care are essential.

Dr. Lutfi is known for combining advanced technology with deeply compassionate care. He emphasizes teamwork, open communication and partnership with families to ensure that every medical decision is guided by both clinical expertise and the long-term needs of each child.

Colleagues credit his leadership with advancing outcomes while fostering a culture where every voice matters. For families, that translates to expert care delivered with empathy, clarity and confidence during some of the most critical moments of their child’s care.

Read more at IBJ.

Supporting Student Athletes Beyond the Field: Elaine Gilbert, PsyD

Elaine Gilbert, PsyD, pediatric psychologist at Riley Children’s Health, was recognized for her work integrating mental health education directly into the student athletic environment, helping student athletes build mental resilience that supports success in sports, school and life.

Through a collaborative program at Arsenal Technical High School, Dr. Gilbert works alongside coaches and staff to guide student athletes through an 8-week curriculum covering stress management, emotional regulation and confidence‑building.

By normalizing conversations about mental health and making support part of everyday routines, this program helps students navigate pressure, on and off the field, and lays the foundation for long‑term mental wellness.

Read more at IBJ.

Educating Families and Protecting Infants: The Safe Sleep Program

Terri Reed was recognized for her volunteer contributions to the Riley Hospital for Children Safe Sleep Program, which provides families with clear, evidence-based guidance to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant injury and death.

New parents often receive a flood of advice, and it can be hard to know what truly matters. Through the Safe Sleep Program, Riley helps families navigate those early days with consistent education that prioritizes infant safety and systemwide family education.

Through bedside conversations and practical demonstrations from dedicated volunteers like Terri Reed, families learn how to create a safe sleep environment for their newborns before leaving the hospital.

The program has reached thousands of families and is credited with reaching 1,300 patients in the last 22 months, offering reassurance to parents and protection for babies during a critical and vulnerable stage of infancy.

Read more at IBJ.

Three Decades of Healing and Listening: Madeline Zieger, PA‑C

Madeline Zieger, PA‑C, was recognized for more than three decades of caring for children and families recovering from burn injuries.

As a physician assistant in the ABA-verified burn center at Riley Hospital for Children, Zieger has dedicated her career to helping patients heal both physically and emotionally through complex treatment journeys. Burn care often requires multiple surgeries, long‑term follow‑up and ongoing rehabilitation, and families may spend months, or even years, returning for care. Through it all, Zieger serves as a steady and trusted presence.

Her approach goes beyond clinical treatment. Zieger is known for taking time to explain procedures clearly, answer questions, and ensure families feel heard and supported. She recognizes that every patient arrives with fears and uncertainties, and she prioritizes listening, making a true difference in a family’s experience.

Read more at IBJ.

One Mission, Many Ways to Make an Impact

While each of these recognitions highlights a different person or program, they all reflect the same promise: to care for children, support families and strengthen communities.

From preparing schools for emergencies to advancing critical care, supporting mental health and educating parents, Riley Children’s team members are working together every day to improve lives across Indiana.

To learn more about those recognized in this year’s awards, read more at the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Questions that help identify a sprain, strain or fracture

A sprain is an injury in which a ligament (the tough tissue connecting one bone to another) is stretched or torn, usually from twisting a joint too far. A strain is the overstretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon, often caused by overworking a muscle. And a fracture is a break, crack, or chip in a bone, ranging from a small hairline crack to a complete break that may even pierce the skin.

The questions below can help your child clearly describe the symptoms they are experiencing.

Where is your pain located – around a joint, in a muscle, or directly over a bone?

Pain directly over a bone is more likely to be a fracture or stress injury to the bone. Muscular pain or pain in the soft tissues around the joint tends to be more of a sprain or a tear.

What were you doing when the injury occurred?

How the injury happened can give the doctor helpful clues about what kind of injury it may be. The way a leg or arm is positioned when an injury happens can result in different outcomes, such as a dislocation or a fracture.

Did you hear a “pop” at the time of injury?

The feeling of a pop or hearing a pop can clue the physician into if something was potentially torn or dislocated. For example, a pop in the knee with a twist and immediate swelling has a high likelihood of an ACL injury. Fractures can also cause a pop that you can hear.

Is there swelling or bruising? Where is it most noticeable?

Swelling can occur after many types of injuries. Big swelling immediately around a joint can indicate ligament injuries or fractures within the joint. Bruising can be caused by many different things.

What movements make the pain worse?

Pain with stairs, lunges, or squatting can indicate problems in the front of the knee for example, around the kneecap. Pain with repetitive movement versus one single movement can give the physician information about various types of injuries and how long they have been going on.

Does the joint feel unstable?

Feelings of unsteadiness can result from several things including weakness, ligament injuries and even pain. Differentiating these types of feelings can really help in identifying how the joint is acting.

Is there numbness, tingling, or unusual sensations?

Numbness and tingling can indicate nerve injuries in some cases. There can also be a feeling of numbness or tingling after having a traumatic injury to the extremity without true nerve injury.

Do you have muscle spasms or cramping?

Cramping and spasms can indicate dehydration as well as electrolyte abnormalities. Sometimes patients experience muscle cramping after surgical procedures as well.

What movements are limited?

Certain limitations such as full motion of the joint or maybe even specific athletic positions can give the physician a better idea of how the limb is injured. Motion may be limited by injuries or significant swelling.

Can you continue normal activity or put weight on the area?

Typically, if the patient or athlete can put weight on the area and perform some basic athletic movements without noticeable difficulty, then they are ok to go back into the activity. If limping or significant pain is still ongoing, the patient is at risk of reinjury or new injuries during that activity.

Your child’s answers to the above questions help the physician understand what parts of the body may be hurt and what type of care will support their recovery.

Specialized care for orthopedic injuries at Riley Children’s Health

If your child does suffer an injury, they can receive same-day access to highly skilled pediatric experts. Riley Children’s offers walk-in care for orthopedic injuries at the IU Health North Medical Office Building in Carmel, Monday - Friday from 9 am - 6 pm. No appointment needed. If your child needs emergency care, you can find Riley Children’s 24/7 emergency medicine services at one of our three Riley Children’s Health emergency medicine locations.

Whether he is doing emergency “surgery” on a stuffed monkey, orchestrating a dance party for his team to let off steam or walking into an exam room to find his patient sporting a fake mustache to match his own, Dr. Mark Hoyer has always made room for humor on the job.

It doesn’t diminish his effectiveness as director of cardiac catheterization and interventional cardiology at Riley Hospital for Children over the years. It only endears him more to his patients and colleagues.

After 25 years at Riley, the Air Force veteran who did his medical residency at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is winding down an illustrious career tending to the hearts of big and small kids.

“I have seen some patients for so long that they have kids of their own now,” he said. “That’s really cool. You’ve gotten them where you wanted them to get to – through their childhood – to be able to enjoy marriage and children. That’s pretty amazing.”

He’s pretty amazing, his colleagues say as they try to imagine a cath lab without Dr. Hoyer.

“He is the cath lab,” said Rosie Bland, who started working in the lab in 2015 as a nurse before transitioning to nurse practitioner in 2020. “He has shaped the practitioner I am.”

She has watched as he not only pioneered many of the interventions the team does in the lab but also built relationships with families, always taking the time to go over testing results and answer every question they have.

He is passionate about his job and his responsibility to patients, as well as to the well-being of his team.

“He would never hesitate to go to bat for his nurses,” Bland said.

Dr. Hoyer would be happy to hear her say that because he has worked hard to create an environment in which nurses feel empowered and respected, he said.

“They’re hugely valuable to our team. We’ve built a team of nurses who are envied within the operating room space.”

And he will fight for them without apology.

“He has spent many years building the lab to what it is,” Bland said, “and it’s a place people want to come to work in.”

Sometimes they come ready to dance.

“He’s well-known for the dance parties we used to have,” she said.

Those dance parties were open to anyone who happened to be around and wanted to work off a little stress, especially during the days of COVID.

“We take our work very seriously, but it’s a chance to unwind at the end of the day,” Bland said.

For Dr. Hoyer, it was a way to nurture that feeling of team – of family even. Which is why “We Are Family,” by Sister Sledge, was usually on the playlist.

Dr. Hoyer, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, went to medical school at Ohio State University on scholarship. He did stints in San Antonio and Florida, where he trained on the interventional side of cardiology, which is what led him to Riley and IU Health in 2000.

He basically built the interventional cardiology program at Riley from the ground up, participating in many clinical trials that allowed access to state-of-the-art medical devices to treat heart defects.

Along the way, he mentored many learners and residents, teaching them not only the mechanics of the job but the heart of it as well.

One of them is Dr. Kaitlin Swanson, who completed her pediatric residency and cardiology fellowship at Riley before leaving for one year to get her interventional training in Chicago. She joined Riley and the IU School of Medicine faculty last year.

“Throughout my fellowship, I knew I was going to pursue a career in interventional cardiology, so I spent a lot of time in the lab with Dr. Hoyer and his two partners,” she said.

“What was really important to me was having the blessing from him before applying to interventional fellowship positions. I wanted to make sure he thought I could do it.”

Since she returned in August, the two have worked side by side and independently while she has soaked up all of the knowledge that she can, benefiting from his expertise, his ingenuity, his leadership and his compassion, Dr. Swanson said.

“Having his support for the last four years has been so important. The other thing that is so clear to me is how many patients are attached to him and are so sad when they hear that he won’t be doing their procedures in the future.”

Dr. Swanson joins Dr. Michael Ross and Dr. Ryan Alexy in sharing the workload in the cath lab as Dr. Hoyer winds down his practice, aiming for retirement next month.

Considered the “dad of the cath lab” by the nursing team, especially longtime nurse Lauren Humphrey, Dr. Hoyer is well remembered for the time a few years back when he patched up Mississippi the monkey for a young patient while she recovered after an outpatient procedure.

The smile stitched onto Lexi McGrath’s stuffed monkey had come loose, so nurse Lisa Bauermeister asked Dr. Hoyer if he might have time to see another “patient” that morning. The cardiologist was all in, grabbing a pair of surgical scissors and a sewing kit he keeps in his office.

“There wasn’t much room to work on the face, but we got it done and it was fun,” he said.

It’s not the first time he’s tried to put a smile on a patient’s face, but this might have been the first surgical repair job on a stuffed animal, said the father of three and grandfather of nine.

“Obviously, it’s a privilege to take care of these kids and hopefully do right by them,” he said at the time. “That’s what they deserve.”

Julie McGrath said the care Dr. Hoyer took with her daughter’s well-being meant the world.

“Who would have gone that extra step? We didn’t expect it, but to see that he had taken the time to do that just showed the extraordinary ways that he takes care of his patients. He’s an extremely kind man,” she said.

“I just enjoy taking care of kids,” he said. “Whenever I can make a connection with a family, even if it’s in a self-deprecating way, they realize I’m just a human being.”

Plenty of his patients and nurses play along, whether it be wearing fake mustaches to match his own or decorating their surgery cap with “the many faces of Dr. Hoyer” just to see if he would notice. (It took him a minute.)

“My kids will tell you I’m a pretty simple person,” said the physician. What he means is, “I’m a straight shooter.”

His patients and families appreciate that.

“I’m aware of sensitive issues and don’t want to be too harsh, but I also don’t want to beat around the bush,” he said. “Many people have told me they prefer that approach to sugar-coating the gravity of a situation.”

If it’s not already obvious, Dr. Hoyer finds joy and satisfaction in taking care of kids, even when they grow up and need adult care over at IU Health Methodist Hospital.

Like the 23-year-old he saw recently who was probably 7 or 8 when they first became a patient.

He chuckles when he remembers a girl of about 2 he was examining when he asked her what she ate for breakfast.

“Steak and cigarettes,” she said with a straight face.

Her parents jumped out of their seat, he recalled, saying, “We don’t even smoke. We have no idea where that came from.”

Out of the mouths of babes.

Dr. Hoyer, a lefty and a huge sports fan who played a lot of tennis as a kid and as a student at Notre Dame, competed in the 55-and older group for a national tennis competition a decade ago. Being left-handed in doubles matches was an advantage, he learned.

Being left-handed in the cath lab takes some adjustment.

“The cath lab is a right-handed world.”

But in medicine as in life, lefties are good at adapting, he said.

As he approaches retirement, the physician, who will celebrate his 44th wedding anniversary with his wife, Maureen, in August, looks forward to playing more pickleball than tennis these days, continuing his hobby of bird photography, and spending time with his family.

But before he goes, there might just be one more dance party to send him on his way.

Photos by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Five years ago, Jess Gerhardt was in a hospital bed at IU Health University Hospital, 11 days away from a liver transplant.

Months before that, she was desperately ill with COVID-19, intubated in the ICU, while her body and her care team fought off the pneumonia and sepsis that was threatening to shut down her organs.

Today, the 40-year-old is in her second year as a nurse on the CVICU at Riley Hospital for Children.

It’s been a wild five-plus years for Gerhardt, who previously worked in communications and public relations. Going back to school to earn a second degree in nursing is directly related to the care she received during her health crises, she said.

“The nurses at University are why I am a nurse now,” she said. “They are so incredible, so smart and so talented that I was inspired to change careers.”

Gerhardt, who grew up in Carmel and wrote for the award-winning Carmel High School newspaper, once dreamed of becoming a romance novelist but pivoted to a career in communications and event planning.

Nursing was not on her radar.

In November 2020, she contracted COVID and was hospitalized for several weeks. In January, she was back in the hospital after multiple setbacks, including pneumonia, sepsis and liver and kidney failure, the latter requiring dialysis.

When it became clear that she would need a liver transplant, she was transferred to University from IU Health North Hospital, where she recovered enough to become eligible for transplant.

“I was so sick at the time they were concerned I might not even make it through the surgery,” she said.

After weeks of treatment until her condition stabilized, Gerhardt was listed for transplant and was matched with a liver just two days later. University/Riley transplant surgeon Dr. Chandrashekhar Kubal performed the surgery.

Gerhardt, whose two siblings passed away several years ago, was determined to make the most of this second chance.

“I remember telling Dr. Kubal, ‘If you give me the organ, I will do the rest.’”

Oddly enough, Gerhardt said, the transplant was the easy part, even though it was her first-ever surgery. Quite a first.

“Go big or go home,” she joked.

Recovery was challenging due to multiple infections not related to the organ, but difficult nonetheless. She lost 100 pounds over the course of her illness and recovery and had to relearn how to sit up, stand and walk during a monthlong stay at a rehab hospital.

Upon discharge from rehab, she stayed with her parents while she continued her recovery, and it was during that time that the idea of changing careers began to percolate.

She felt pulled to move into a field where she could have more impact. It was an excellent motivator to continue the work it would take to heal.

In early 2022, she went back to school to take some pre-requisite courses before enrolling in IU’s accelerated nursing program, completing her degree in 2024.

“It’s difficult to go back to school in your 30s, but I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to do so because I was saved by my healthcare team.”

While in school, she did one of her clinical rotations on the same unit at University where she was treated, working alongside some of her transplant nurses.

“It feels like my entire life has been leading up to this moment,” she said. “It feels beyond full circle.”

She also spent two days during clinicals with the wound care team at Riley, visiting several units.

“It was my first experience with pediatrics and Riley, and I fell in love with it during those two days.”

When a tech position opened on 3W, she applied during nursing school, and that’s when she knew Riley was it for her, particularly the CVICU.

“I wanted to go into an area that had transplant, and I get that in the Heart Center,” she said. “It’s really important for me to be an encouragement for families to show that you can have a full, healthy life after transplant.”

Haley Engwer, whose 6-month-old son Noah, is waiting for a heart transplant in the CVICU, sees that up close.

"We love Jess," she said. "She goes above and beyond for Noah and us. She advocates constantly for what she believes is best for Noah. She is literally the best human ever."

Tricia Harris, Gerhardt’s post liver transplant coordinator, counts Gerhardt among her favorite patients.

“She uses her humor to deal with anything and everything that comes her way.”

Although she had multiple procedures after transplant due to unrelated complications, she has done extremely well, Harris said.

“I think one of the reasons she did so well after the transplant and even still today is because of her outlook on life and positive attitude. She always finds a way to turn something that could be depressing or frustrating into a laughable/shake-it-off moment. I appreciate that about her very much.”

That attitude, along with her experience as a transplant patient and the compassion she brings to her job, all go a long way toward making her a better nurse, Harris said.

Her communication skills come in handy, too, Gerhardt said, whether it’s talking to doctors, other nurses, parents or patients.

“I get to be the best patient advocate. That’s what I wanted – to emulate the strong patient advocacy I received from my nurses,” she said.

“I’ve taken a lifechanging and terrifying experience and turned it into something I can use to help patients.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

A 12-year-old Greenwood girl has made history at Riley Hospital for Children.

Elin Lewis has been a patient at Riley for years, undergoing regular blood transfusions for treatment of thalassemia, an inherited genetic condition where the body’s red blood cells don’t contain the necessary proteins to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

She is now the first patient in Indiana to receive a new form of gene therapy that gives her the chance to live a normal life. A new program at Riley offers the possibility of a cure by collecting the body’s stem cells, re-engineering those cells, then transplanting them back into the body.

The gene therapy program gives hope to families whose children are affected by non-malignant blood diseases such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease that often require regular blood transfusions, as well as other red blood cell disorders like acquired aplastic anemia.

The therapy avoids the risks inherent in traditional stem cell transplant, including the difficulty of finding a good donor match, as well as graft vs. host disease and graft rejection.

Elin’s stem cells were collected back in November at Riley and modified offsite before she returned to Riley in February to prepare for the modified cells to be transplanted back into her body.

“This is such a big step for Riley Hospital to be offering these next-generation therapies,” said Riley stem cell transplant physician Dr. Jonathan Bardahl, who did his fellowship training in stem cell transplant at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia before arriving at Riley in 2024.

Elin, who was discharged from Riley last week (one month after her infusion), “did an amazing job” and is currently engrafting her gene-modified (GM) stem cells as expected, Dr. Bardahl said this week.

She will follow up in clinic weekly, then transition to monthly appointments for the first year.

“From here, her new GM stem cells will start making more stable hemoglobin, and hopefully she will require no more red blood cell transfusions for the rest of her life,” the physician said.

Dr. Seethal Jacob, who hosts a regular multidisciplinary clinic with Dr. Bardahl and other specialists for patients with thalassemia and sickle cell, is thrilled to see the program get off the ground.

“To see it get through the studies, get FDA approval and now get to the point where we can administer it through our own institution is just wonderful and a testament to all the work our Riley teams and collaborators have done to lift up sickle cell and thalassemia care,” she said in a previous interview.

According to available data, up to 95% of transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients who complete the therapy no longer require transfusions, Dr. Bardahl said.

Elin’s parents, Nathan and Monica Lewis, are grateful to have the revolutionary treatment available so close to home.

“We are very hopeful,” Monica said this week. “It was a really good experience. The nurses were absolutely amazing, they were my heroes, and the whole stem cell team is so wise, so informative.”

The nursing team got Elin through some tough times during her hospitalization, she added, “as they do all the kiddos on that floor.”

The Center Grove middle schooler will finish out the school year remotely, but she is already back on the trampoline practicing her gymnastic stunts, her mom said.

“She didn’t skip a beat.”

Photos and video by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

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“Next-generation therapy” for blood disorders at Riley - A 12-year-old Greenwood girl is the first patient to undergo the gene therapy approved for thalassemia and sickle cell disease.

When Sarah Donlan enrolled at Indiana University Bloomington as a freshman, she knew two things about her future career: She wanted to work with kids, and she really liked healthcare.

A part-time job in a research lab focused on the social development of toddlers helped crystallize her vision in the area of Child Life, which is how she landed at Riley Hospital at IU Health North, supporting kids and parents before, during and after surgery.

A child life specialist (CLS) is a certified healthcare professional who helps children and families cope with the fear, anxiety and trauma of medical situations, illnesses or hospitalizations.

Donlan, who started her career at IU Health Arnett Hospital, joined the team at Riley’s flagship campus in Downtown Indianapolis about three years ago. There, she worked on 9E, primarily supporting surgery patients and others undergoing endoscopies.

“I found from working on 9E that I loved surgery … getting to prep kids and support parents,” she said.

When a position came open in surgery at Riley’s IU North location in Carmel about a year and a half ago, she made the switch.

“I get to work with some of the surgeons and the GI team I worked with on 9E, and it feels good to be there for families,” she said. “No matter how small a surgery is, it feels big to them.”

That’s why she took the time last week to connect with 8-month-old Stetson Savage and his dad, Caleb, as the two checked out a toy fish tank before the baby went back for surgery.

“I try to connect with kids through their interests and establish common ground, whether that be with a toy, clothing or something on a backpack,” she said.

“It’s about noticing and taking an interest in them. I think that gets me pretty far with kids when you look at them as more than a patient but as a child who has hopes and dreams.”

Little Stetson might be too young to have hopes and dreams, but when he started to cry before surgery, Donlan offered comfort and reassurance.

“In supporting parents, I remind them that it’s OK for their kiddos to cry,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking for parents, but it’s developmentally appropriate. We know they’re safe and supported, but it’s OK to normalize crying as a form of coping in kids. It lets people know you’re upset, something is hard, and you need something. And that’s not wrong.”

She might have only 15 minutes with a family before surgery, but it’s her goal to build trust and confidence within that time limit.

“I love the challenge of quickly establishing rapport with a patient and family. I also love getting to work directly alongside the Riley doctors. Getting to collaborate to create the best patient experience possible and having that immediate feedback from a patient interaction makes me feel incredibly valued.”

Donlan, who married Brandon Barthel in September, is still in her 20s but jokes that she has “grandma hobbies” like crocheting baby blankets, reading and walking the couple’s dog, Julian.

She is grateful her career brought her to Riley, a place she describes as “super special.”

“Riley values Child Life more than anywhere I’ve ever heard of,” she said. “Our physicians respect us, and our nurses rely on us. We have the resources and ability to be the best at what we do … and I’m just so thankful for that.”

"I didn't think about being a doctor until I saw it up close and personal," Dr. Ledet said. "I thought, 'Man, this is a really cool job,' but I asked so many doctors, like can I shadow you? And so many of them were like, 'Man, you're a security guard. Like you're not about to become a doctor.' I poke fun and say they were right. I didn't just become a doctor, I became a triple board doctor. Or, I'm almost there."

Dr. Ledet grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He explained he did not meet many doctors then, especially ones that look like him.

"I grew up poor; I grew up broke," Dr. Ledet said. "I knew the importance of dreaming even early on. I think my grandmother really helped me to understand it. My momma, definitely. And my faith. For kids now, I have to understand I can't fix their home situation all the time. Obviously I'm in Riley all the time and I see kids who are in unfortunate home circumstances. I tell them dream, dream, dream, dream, don't let anybody kill your dreams. You're resilient enough to make it through what you're going through right now. But then you can start to work on your dreams when you get old enough to have a little power."

Dr. Ledet served for five years of active duty in the United States Navy before his wife convinced him to go to college. He then attended and graduated from Southern University.

"I didn't get into med school the first time," Dr. Ledet said. "So I ended up getting a PhD from the NYU School of Medicine in molecular oncology and then tried to go to medical school, and that time I got in on a full ride at Tulane University. As I was finishing up my medical school training, I decided that I really wanted to be a pediatrician and a child psychiatrist. I'm specializing in pediatrics, adult psychiatry and child and adolescence psychiatry. Right now I'm a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow which means I'm seeing a lot of kiddos and taking care of their mental health needs, and it feels good!"

On this Doctors' Day, Dr. Ledet is grateful for the recognition of physicians but is quick to express his gratitude for everyone who makes up the care teams.

"Being a doctor is a really cool job, but doctors are not successful individually," Dr. Ledet said. "They require a team of people from admin people to janitorial services to the cooking staff, we all work together. While I'm glad on National Doctors' Day we're celebrating doctors, just realize that every doctor has a team with them that's helping them be a successful clinician for that patient."

After moving to Indianapolis from St. Louis, the pair found confidence and care at Riley's Maternal-Fetal Medicine and specifically with Dr. Hiba Mustafa and her team. An 18-week ultrasound confirmed the TAPS diagnosis which quickly led to a procedure for Ashley and her babies.

"Found out on a Friday afternoon, surgery on Monday morning," Slauter said. "Obviously there's a level of urgency with that, but at the same time we're just really learning what's going on and what this really was. And yeah, kind of before we really knew it, we were getting it resolved."

Dr. Mustafa explained the importance of correcting this complication.

"Twin Anemia Polycythemia Sequence, known as TAPS, is basically a complication that can happen in twins who share a placenta or what is known as monochorionic twins," Dr. Mustafa said. "Almost all these twins, on the surface of the placenta, the vessels, some of the vessels, connect. What we end up having is one baby that's anemic or one baby that's polycythemic, or having extra blood. If that condition worsens or stays there, that might result in complications. The most serious complication that can happen is actually losing one or both of them."

Dr. Mustafa said Slauter's case ultimately led to a decision to undergo laser surgery.

"The way we do it is, we use something called a fetoscope," Dr. Mustafa explained. "It's kind of like a small camera that goes into the uterus and then we try to find through that camera, those vessel connections that I mentioned between both twins on the surface of the placenta. Then we pass a laser fiber, and we try to burn all these connections to artificially separate the placenta into two placentas. That will hopefully resolve that imbalance share."

The procedure was successful for the Slauter family. The condition was resolved and seventeen weeks later, their baby boys were born.

"Not all kiddos diagnosed with TAPS have the story that we do, and I think a lot of the reason why our story is so happy is because of early intervention and the great team at Riley," Slauter said.

Dianne Seibold can still hear the surgeon’s voice on the other end of the phone.

“Dianne, you wanna save a life with me tonight?”

Her response was always the same. “Absolutely.”

Didn’t matter if it was 10 o’clock in the evening or 2 in the morning. She was ready to go.

“To be a part of that, knowing you made a difference like that, there’s no career I would ever want other than what I’ve done.”

As an operating room nurse at Riley Hospital for Children for four decades, most of that time with the neurosurgery team, Seibold has been a part of saving many lives. She has touched countless more with her positive attitude, her dedication and her love for Riley.

She is retiring April 2 after a 43-year career, the last few years spent in a clinical education coordinator role training OR nurses.

Leaving now feels right, she said, even though she gets emotional talking about it as she walks through the halls of Riley, still impressed with the growth she has witnessed over the years.

Seibold, a certified scuba diver who also has a black belt in karate, has grandbabies to spoil, mission trips in Africa to continue and a new chapter of life to live.

But Riley will always have her heart, she said.

Although she knew from the age of 5 that she wanted to be a nurse, pediatric nursing was not her goal. Too painful, she said. She figured adults were more her speed.

But after a year of working on a surgical floor at what is now IU Health University Hospital, a position as an operating room nurse at Riley came open. The OR was where she longed to be, so she took a leap of faith.

“I came here and thought, ‘This is home.’ I knew from the day I started here.”

No doubt she would have had an impact wherever she worked, but her colleagues at Riley are grateful she landed where she did.

“Always knew what to do, persistently positive, one of my best friends, irreplaceable.”

That’s how Dr. Laurie Ackerman describes Seibold, who steered the neurosurgery nursing ship in the OR for decades. Dr. Ackerman was a neurosurgery fellow when the two met, and their careers were inextricably linked.

The two remain close today. In fact, Dr. Ackerman hosted a party for Seibold recently, attended by past and present Riley neurosurgeons and other friends and team members.

“She’s always had a wonderful way of nudging people along without them realizing she was guiding them down the right path when something wasn’t going well,” said the neurosurgeon.

“She’s a person you’d like to clone and have a team of every day.”

Seibold has done everything she can to prepare the OR nursing team for her departure, taking the reins of onboarding and training cohorts of new nurses over the past few years.

Katy Morris will slide into Seibold’s role going forward.

“She’s going to be great,” Seibold said.

Kirsten Reid, nursing professional development practitioner, was in the first cohort of nurses whom Seibold onboarded in her new role. She has since joined her mentor and friend in an educator role, ensuring Riley has a full team of OR nurses, with more in the pipeline.

Coming out of COVID, things were not easy, Reid recalled.

“Dianne got our boat through the storm.”

She did that by continuously moving forward.

“She has this ability to take a deep breath and keep going. We had so many traveling nurses, so many people coming and going, it was easy to just get fatigued,” Reid said, describing the challenges in healthcare during that time.

“But she just kept going, and now we are fully staffed. We went from having 30 travelers to having none, and that is absolutely because of her.”

Seibold is not one for the spotlight, but she is proud of what she and her team have accomplished. She feels like a “mom” to many of the younger nurses, and yes, she is known to be kind and encouraging, with an uncanny ability to care for people professionally and personally, Reid said.

But she also challenges her colleagues to be their best. She never relaxed her standards in the OR.

“She will do whatever she needs to do to make sure the patient gets the best care,” Reid said.

That’s what Dr. Mark Cain, chief of pediatric urology at Riley, remembers about his years of working with Seibold.

“She represents the Riley institutional wisdom and care that make us the place we are,” he said.

While she spent the bulk of her career assisting in neurosurgeries, in the early days, nurses rotated through different service lines.

“I remember once when she was scrubbing in with me, and she looked me right in the eye and said, ‘You know, I don’t know if I remember how to do this, but we’re going to do this together.’ It was that can-do attitude, the feeling of working together. And her eyes just twinkled behind her mask,” he said.

“She has a way of letting people know she’s there for you. She was always interested in the operations I did and wanted to know what I needed before I needed it. Just an unbelievable attention to detail.”

That’s a requirement for a surgical nurse, Seibold said, in addition to being a good team player, being a strong advocate for the patient, being a bit of an adrenaline junkie and being good with change and technology.

“I’ve had the privilege of watching the advancement of medicine,” Seibold said. “That’s what’s so amazing about being part of an academic health center because you’re constantly doing new things, bringing in new programs, doing research, all for the good of the child.”

Unlike her husband, Steve, who is also retiring (the couple have three children and seven grandchildren), she has some mixed feelings about leaving her career after so long in the same place.

“It will be hard,” she said. “I’m not leaving because I’m tired, but it’s time.”

She is leaving Riley better for her time here, her friends and colleagues say.

“One of the best we’ve ever had at Riley,” said pediatric surgeon Dr. Fred Rescorla, describing her as the “go-to person” for most of her career.

“She was beloved by the neurosurgeons,” he said. “It seemed they were only happy if she was around. They had complete confidence in her.”

Her presence in the operating rooms at Riley will be felt for decades to come, as new nurses trained by her follow in her footsteps.

Dr. Cain is a firm believer that a person’s leadership success is defined by how well the organization performs without that person.

If it does well, he said, “that means you’ve led correctly and you replaced yourself before you left. You can’t replace 40 years of wisdom, but you can replace a style and thoroughness of training, and she’ll surely do that.”

In addition, he said, “She waves the Riley flag in a proud way, which is really heartwarming.”

That won’t change, even as she leaves the hospital, Seibold said.

“I’m very blessed to have had the career I’ve had. When you tell someone you work at Riley, they’re like, that’s so cool, and it is. Nobody will ever be able to take that from me. This is my home. It’s where my heart is.”

Her heart might be a bit heavy next week, but she is grateful for the journey and the people she’s met along the way.

“When you find your dream, go for it,” she said. “Before you blink your eyes, it will be done. What a blessing I’ve had.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

SCA occurs when a person’s heart unexpectedly stops beating due to an electrical problem that disrupts its rhythm. Without immediate action to restore the heartbeat, SCA can quickly lead to death. When a child experiences SCA, an automated external defibrillator (AED) becomes a lifesaving device. An AED delivers an electric shock to reset the heart’s rhythm. Because these devices are simple and easy to use, they can be used effectively by staff, students, or bystanders during an emergency.

"AEDs save lives. On any given weekday, 20% of the national population, or 67 million people, are spending their time on a primary or secondary school campus. When AEDs are implemented in our schools, Indiana schools are safer places. When missing, they are not," said Dr. Adam Kean, pediatric cardiologist and pediatric heart rhythm specialist at Riley Children’s.

Why cardiac emergency response plans are essential

AEDs are only one part of saving lives. Schools also need cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs)—clear, practical protocols for school staff and students to respond to cardiac emergencies. A CERP typically includes:

• A trained cardiac response team (CERT) ready to act immediately
• Strategic placement, proper installation and routine maintenance of AEDs
• Clear communication of CERP procedures
• Regular training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED use
• Scheduled practice drills to reinforce roles and responsibilities
• Annual review and evaluation of the plan to update procedures and address gaps

Advancing safety through advocacy

Dr. Kean has also shared his insights on the importance of AEDs and CERPs in schools with state policymakers as well.

In recent testimony before the Indiana General Assembly, Dr. Kean noted: "The out-of-hospital survival rate of SCA in all Americans has been quoted as low as <6% by the Institute of Medicine in 2015. In a study published in 2013, of more than 2,000 high schools that had AED programs, the survival rate in student athletes and those adults being athletically active was 89%." This continued advocacy helps to reinforce the need for state policies that protect children and ensure schools are prepared for cardiac emergencies.

Notably, Indiana has established specific requirements for AED access and emergency preparedness in schools—an important step in preventing tragedy and improving outcomes for students.

Noah Meth looks up over his mom’s shoulder, eyes wide and curious.

After spending all but two days of his life in the hospital, he is used to seeing different people pop in and out of his room. He is alert yet comfortable in his mother’s arms.

Like most 6-month-olds, Noah is happiest when someone is holding him. Especially when that someone is his mom, Haley Engwer, who makes the 2½-hour drive from Evansville every Tuesday so she can spend a few days with her baby boy in the CVICU at Riley Hospital for Children.

On the weekends, she swaps places with her husband, Ryan Meth, who comes up to Riley, and she returns to Evansville to spend time with their older son, Levi.

It’s a season of life they never anticipated when Haley learned she was pregnant with Noah last year. Then came the diagnosis of a heart defect in their baby boy while he was still in utero.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome, sometimes known as half a heart, is a serious congenital heart defect where the left side of the heart is underdeveloped, preventing it from pumping enough blood to the body.

It typically requires three surgeries over two years to repair. If reconstruction is not an option, a heart transplant is needed.

Getting that diagnosis was a blow, but the couple prepared for the birth and welcomed 8-pound 3-ounce Noah in Riley’s Maternity Tower back in September.

The first stage of the repair on Noah’s heart took place not long after he was born, with Drs. Mark Rodefeld and Jeremy Herrmann at his side in the operating room.

Noah required additional intervention, including ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to give his tiny heart a rest, but after 70-plus days, he was discharged home to the delight of his parents and his big brother.

“It was awesome … for a little bit,” Haley said.

That lasted all of two days before his oxygen levels began fluctuating too much. His parents took him to a hospital emergency department in Evansville, but after 11 hours he was transported to Riley, where eventually the decision was made to put him on the heart transplant list.

He was in heart failure.

It was a crushing blow for the family, who had prepared for one scary journey, only to be faced with another one, perhaps even scarier.

Still, they said, there’s no place they’d rather be than Riley for Noah’s sake.

Now on the heart transplant list for 61 days, Noah has made himself at home in the hospital, charming his care team with his smiles, wiggles and giggles.

He loves watching Ms. Rachel while he’s cuddling with his mom or entertaining nurses who drop in just to get their Noah fix.

“He has so many moms here and so many aunts and uncles,” Haley said about the Riley team.

As if on cue, two nurses stopped in to see Noah during their break.

Grace Huber and Tayah Irvin say he is their favorite part of coming to work, even when they are not his primary nurses. They just like to give him a little extra love.

That’s the thing that Haley and Ryan love about Riley – the way the team goes above and beyond to care for their baby in all the ways that matter.

“They treat him like family.”

While the couple wait for word of a heart that matches their little boy, they celebrate milestones in the hospital, like him rolling over for the first time or tasting pureed baby food, even as a G-tube provides most of his nutrition.

“I didn’t think it was possible to take more pictures with your second child, but I have managed it,” Haley said with a laugh. “There are so many things to document.”

There is no way to know how long the wait will be for their son to receive a hero heart, but Haley and Ryan do their best to stay upbeat.

“We have a really good support system at home, and we are so grateful,” Haley said.

But their mood depends on him.

“Some weeks are harder than others. He’s working on two teeth right now (another milestone), so last week was rough, but we just go with the flow.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Abby Huntsman might describe herself as boring, but the team she works with on the PICU has other descriptors for her: exceptional, genuine, dedicated, compassionate.

Huntsman, who joined the PICU as a nurse 2½ years ago, previously worked as a tech at IU Health Methodist Hospital and on the burn unit at Riley Hospital for Children.

For her, though, the pediatric intensive care unit is home.

“I knew I wanted to work with kids, and I knew I wanted a challenge, so I felt like this was the perfect spot,” she said. “And now I can’t imagine going to a different unit. Kids are just so innocent and untainted. You can have fun with them.”

Of course, working in intensive care means a lot of hard days and nights.

“It’s not all butterflies and rainbows,” Huntsman said. “I’ve definitely shed some tears, but there’s also laughter. The PICU is just so rewarding.”

A reward she did not expect recently was a DAISY award for exceptional clinical skills and compassionate care. Huntsman was nominated by a team member who chose not to reveal their name, but the nomination speaks for itself.

“I have had the privilege of working with Abby on several different occasions to care for the same patient, and I am always in awe of her compassion, genuineness and nursing practice. Her commitment to patient care is unwavering and consistently exceeds expectations, and the PICU is lucky to have her.”

Huntsman approaches each patient in her care with compassion, professionalism and a deep sense of responsibility, her co-workers say, creating a positive and supportive environment for patients, families and colleagues.

Huntsman, who grew up on the Southside of Indianapolis with five brothers, will be working on planning a wedding with her fiancé, Exander, soon. Meanwhile, she helps take care of their three dogs and loves going to the gym, power lifting, reading thrillers and attending music festivals.

To anyone out there considering a career in nursing, she offers this: “It’s a very challenging job, but also very rewarding. Having those experiences just makes you stronger. I take pride in what I do.”

Nominate a nurse who exemplifies excellent clinical skills and compassionate care here. https://www.rileychildrens.org/form/riley-daisy-award

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

As Makenna and Madilynn Eggers grow up, their parents will have plenty of stories to share about the journey the twins have been on, beginning well before birth.

But one of the happiest days of that journey will always be Thursday, March 19, 2026. That’s the day the 8-month-old girls went home together for the first time.

Derek and Shelby Eggers couldn’t believe the day had finally come when their little family, which also includes big brother Wyatt, would finally be together in their Columbus home.

Madilynn had a headstart on her sister. The girls were born July 21, 2025, in the Riley Hospital Maternity Tower at 27 weeks’ gestation. Both went to the NICU to continue growing, and Madilynn was discharged home Nov. 2.

Things were harder for Makenna. From the time the twins were conceived, Makenna struggled to keep up.

“When we found out we were having twins, we learned she was a lot smaller than her sister,” Shelby Eggers said. “We were referred to Riley (Maternal Fetal Medicine team), and I started going there weekly for ultrasounds.”

Doctors diagnosed Makenna with selective growth restriction due to unequal placenta sharing. They feared she would not survive. She was so small at first that they could not detect a heartbeat.

But Makenna is nothing if not a fighter, said her mom, who was admitted to Riley five weeks to the day before doctors eventually delivered both girls via C-section.

Madilynn weighed an even 2 pounds at birth. Her sister was half her size at 1.03 pounds.

“She’s our miracle baby,” Shelby said, as she and her husband fussed over both girls shortly before Makenna was discharged.

For a short time after birth, the girls were able to stay in adjoining rooms in the Maternity Tower NICU, but when Makenna needed surgery, she was moved to the NICU in Simon Family Tower, where she remained throughout her stay, with the exception of time spent on the CVICU.

In addition to her tiny size, Makenna was born with a congenital heart defect (bicuspid valve and coarctation of the aorta), so she needed heart surgery, but doctors had to wait until she was big enough.

Meanwhile, she needed another surgery, performed by Dr. Troy Markel, for an obstruction in her belly, followed by an additional surgery a couple weeks later, then her heart surgery with Dr. Jeremy Herrmann. In all, Makenna underwent seven surgeries.

“It’s crazy to think she had seven surgeries before she was even eight months old,” Shelby said.

For the past several months, Derek and Shelby have divided their time between Riley and home, trying to work and care for their toddler son and one twin, while they came up on weekends to spend time with Makenna.

Sometimes they were able to bring Madilynn up so she could spend time with her twin. When together, the girls look wide-eyed at each other, often linking their little fingers, while Madilynn squeals loudly next to her sister.

Today, Madilynn, who has an NG tube for feeds, weighs nearly 15 pounds, while Makenna, who is going home with a G-tube and supplementary oxygen, has nearly caught up, reaching 14 pounds.

Both girls wear little helmets on their heads to protect against “flat head syndrome” due to lying on their backs for long stretches of time. At home, they will share a nursery with two cribs.

The past year has been challenging to say the least, the Eggers say, but they have relied on prayer, their support system at home, and their team at Riley.

“Going through the pregnancy and all the struggles we faced, we wanted to share our story. We’re here to be supportive of other families,” Shelby said.

“Even though there’s always that doubt and that fear of the unknown, especially when all the odds were against us, Makenna is just a fighter. We wanted to shine a light not only on our story but also all the great people who work at Riley. Our girls would not be here without them.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

After a nine-year career in the U.S. Air Force, Paul Plowman pivoted to a new passion – nursing.

In 1998, he joined the team at Riley Hospital for Children and has been here ever since, most of that time working in the Burn Unit.

“I like helping people, and I like the fast pace,” he said. “And it’s good to see kids from start to finish. You see them at the worst time, then you watch their progress and see them walk out, and that’s a good feeling.”

Plowman is among several nurses in the Burn Unit and hundreds throughout the hospital who have accepted the challenge of becoming certified nurses, demonstrating an extra level of commitment and leadership in their chosen field.

Other certified nurses on the unit include Angela Seitz and Sharon Albright. Kelly Rowls is another certified nurse who moved from Burn over to inpatient rehab recently but still picks up occasional shifts in the Burn Unit.

In recognition of Certified Nurses Day today (March 19), we are spotlighting a few of Riley’s certified nurses, who share why certification is important to them. Certification in a specialty area like pediatrics, burn, emergency medicine or critical care is the formal recognition of a nurse’s expertise, commitment and excellence in patient care in that specialty area.

Nurses build on their bachelor’s degree in nursing with additional skills, verified through a certification exam.

Albright, who started as a student nurse in 1992, graduated as a registered nurse the following year and has been at Riley ever since, eventually achieving her certification in pediatrics nursing.

As a student, she didn’t think she would ever go into pediatric nursing, but her experience with adult care as a student nurse changed her mind.

“When I came to Riley for an interview, I was sitting in the atrium and I told my husband, ‘This is where I want to be.’ Kathy McGregor (former burn unit clinical manager) interviewed me, and she was crazy enough to hire me,” Albright recalled with a grin. “It was a whole new world for me.”

Albright went on to soak up all the knowledge she could, and now she works to share that expertise with younger nurses.

“My role now is to mentor them to be successful and independent,” she said. “I can step back but still stand beside them to help.”

Seitz, a former Margaret Martin Roth Award winner and DAISY winner, has been a nurse for three-plus decades, most of that time on the Burn Unit.

Like her peers throughout Riley, the preparation for the certification exam was well worth it, she said.

“I became a certified pediatric nurse to be able to learn and gain experience in my patient population.”

For these nurses and others, certification is important because it signifies a commitment to professional growth, as well as a high level of competency. Certification affirms advanced knowledge, skill and practice to meet the challenges of modern nursing.

Plowman, certified as a burn nurse, said it can be a challenge to stay current on best practices, so it’s worthwhile to go the extra mile to become certified. He’s become so proficient that he actually contributes to the writing of the exam by submitting questions.

“I encourage other nurses to get certified in burn or other areas to stay current,” he said.

Riley is Indiana’s only American Burn Association-verified burn center dedicated to serving children.

Photos by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

The accident happened in a flash. An SUV collided head-on with another vehicle on a rural road in Delaware County.

It was just a few minutes before 6 p.m. on March 3, and Britain Skinner was on her way home from work after picking up her daughters from daycare.

The girls, ages 5 and 2, were strapped securely into car seats.

“I was four minutes from my house,” Skinner said from Riley Hospital for Children recently, as she and her husband bounced from one girl’s hospital room to the other in the days after the crash.

While the accident itself is a blur, Skinner remembers one thing: the sound of 2-year-old Brynnley and 5-year-old Blakely, who has autism, crying.

“The airbags had gone off, and I couldn’t see anything. I was trapped, but I heard a stranger behind me on the phone with 911.”

She could hear the person telling the 911 operator that the vehicle was smoking, and the operator was asking if he could get the girls out safely while they waited for emergency responders.

At that point, Skinner had no choice but to put her faith – and her daughters’ fate – in the hands of this stranger, later identified as 16-year-old Hayden DeLong, who had come upon the collision and quickly did what he could to help, unbuckling the girls and gently placing them in his car while they waited for EMTs to arrive.

“We are so grateful for this young man. He did an amazing thing,” Skinner said.

“He was a God-sent hero for sure,” said her husband, Cody, who arrived on the scene within minutes when an alert came through the phones of family members. “I arrived and saw the girls sitting in his car holding on to each other.”

He rode in the ambulance that transported his daughters to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie. His wife was transported to Ball separately.

The girls were stabilized in the emergency department at Ball before being transported to Riley in Indianapolis for treatment and further evaluation. Each suffered compression fractures in their spines, while Brynnley also has bruised lungs and Blakely has a broken arm.

Their mom was admitted to Ball that night with broken ribs and a bruised lung, but she was discharged the next day and immediately went to Riley.

The other driver involved in the accident did not survive.

The girls were discharged from Riley a few days after the accident, but they returned to the Riley Outpatient Center this week with their mom to see neurosurgeon Dr. Jignesh Tailor. Blakely’s arm and spine are healing well, but Brynnley continues to wear a stabilization brace on her neck and will return for another follow-up in a few weeks.

Sherry Lemon, Hayden’s grandmother, reached out via social media to check on the family after hearing about the accident. She couldn’t be prouder of her grandson.

“I wasn’t surprised at all to hear what he’d done,” she said. “That’s the type of kid he is. He has a heart of gold.”

Skinner is hoping that the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department might recognize the teen in a public way. If so, she plans to be there with her family to thank him in person.

“We are blessed,” she said. “There are a lot of kids going down the wrong path … and this 16-year-old stopped and saved my babies with no hesitation.”

Photos by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

"We only found out she had VHL due to my genetic specialist," Lindsey Webster, Satarha-Lovley's mom, said. "We called our genetic specialist that was already set up and I asked if they could give her an MRI of her brain because I was concerned. So then in November, we found out she had an inch-size tumor attached to her brainstem."

Riley doctors operated on Satarha on December 15. Lindsey explained Satarha now requires the help of a trach to breathe due to the location of the tumor.

"This has just been a really long journey," Lindsey said. "We've been here three months, and we had to go through all the trach training and the vent training."

Fortunately, Satarha has an abundance of support between her parents and her extended family. Finally, after three months and inpatient stays on multiple floors throughout Riley, Satarha got to ring the bell and place her special butterfly on the wall of the inpatient rehab unit signifying the end of this chapter.

"I feel excited, but I also feel a little nervous," Lindsey said. "But I think we got it."

Dalin Hatch remembers struggling to breathe as a kid when he played basketball and football.

He didn’t like feeling different from the other kids and didn’t understand why his dad, who was also his coach, had to carry an inhaler around for him as a boy.

“Sports was a big part of my life,” Hatch said. “But I felt like this was holding me back.”

He doesn’t remember exactly when he was diagnosed with asthma, but the frequent hospital visits he experienced in Fort Wayne did more than ease his breathing.

Hatch, 22, has turned that childhood frustration into a career as a respiratory therapist at Riley Hospital for Children.

RTs, who are present on every unit at Riley, treat patients with a variety of respiratory conditions, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, cardiac issues, premature birth, burns and trauma, as well as patients who may need breathing support following surgery.

The team also offers consultation and treatment for patients with tracheostomies and those with infectious diseases that affect the lungs, such as pneumonia. Riley RTs are a crucial part of the hospital’s rapid response team and also work closely with doctors who specialize in pediatric sleep disorders.

As a high school student, Hatch didn’t see a pathway to college and didn’t think he liked science, but he received a scholarship to IU Indianapolis and found professors there who helped him dive deep into biology and anatomy, which piqued his curiosity.

“It just really intrigued me learning about the body and how it works.”

When it came time to decide on a major, there was only one field he considered – respiratory therapy.

Hatch, who began working as an RTA (respiratory therapist assistant) at Riley Hospital last year while continuing his coursework, finishes his degree at IU Indy in May and has already committed to staying on at Riley as a licensed RT.

A consortium led by IU Health trains respiratory therapists in partnership with the IU School of Medicine to address a shortage of RTs attributed to an aging workforce and high burnout from the pandemic.

The program includes students from IU, Ball State University and the University of Indianapolis who do clinical rotations at central Indiana hospitals.

On Wednesday, Hatch visited 9-year-old Demijae Blakely and set her up with a breathing treatment shortly before she was to be discharged after a five-day stay. Demijae has sickle cell disease, asthma and Sturge-Weber syndrome, a rare, congenital disorder caused by a gene mutation resulting in abnormal blood vessel growth, said her mom, Brenay Bibbins, of Terre Haute.

“She’s been coming to Riley since she was six months old,” Bibbins said.

Demijae also sees the team in Riley’s sickle cell clinic and neurology.

Hatch, who works most weekends, recently helped support 7-year-old Violet Rudicil during a treatment for cystic fibrosis, an inherited genetic disorder that leads to a buildup of thick, sticky mucus in the lungs and other organs.

He enjoys the patient interaction side of his job most of all.

“I chose Riley instead of the adult side because I was one of these kids,” he said. “They’re going through some of the same stuff I did, so I always try to put myself in their shoes.”

He previously did clinicals on the adult side, but coming to Riley was a different experience, he said.

“People are more upbeat and so engaged with patient care. I liked the vibe so much.”

Tiffany Smith, manager of respiratory care at Riley, said Dalin’s personal connection to asthma, paired with the empathy he brings into every interaction, makes him a powerful example of what the profession stands for.

“Dalin is one of those team members who brings calm, kindness and genuine curiosity to his work every day,” she said. “He’s eager to learn and quick to help, and patients immediately feel at ease around him. Watching him grow into his role — and seeing how his own history motivates him to advocate for others — has truly been inspiring.”

While his asthma still bothers him occasionally (Hatch carries an inhaler with him all the time), it is more controlled now that he is grown.

“It’s mostly exercise- and allergy-induced,” he said.

But that doesn’t keep him from still playing basketball a couple times a week.

He told Smith recently that he remembers what it felt like to be a kid struggling to breathe.

“That’s why I care so much about making sure my patients never feel alone in those moments,” he told her.

As he settles into his career, Hatch is aware that he is just one of countless new RTs needed nationwide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in respiratory therapy are expected to grow by 12% until 2034.

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

What is a brain injury?

A brain injury may also be called a head injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI), depending on how severe it is. They range from mild bumps or bruises (called contusions) to more serious injuries such as concussions, skull fractures, internal bleeding, or brain damage. Pediatric TBIs most often happen due to sports, recreational activities, falls, being accidentally hit in the head and motor vehicle crashes. These head injuries can affect the scalp, skull, brain or the blood vessels and tissues within the head. The good news: about 75% of TBIs are mild and not life-threatening (CDC).

Head injury signs and symptoms to watch for

Symptoms of a brain injury can look different from child to child. They may appear right away or develop over hours or days, and they often depend on how severe the injury is. Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, it’s okay to seek care.

Possible Symptoms of a Mild Head Injury

• Headache or pressure in the head
• Bump, bruise, or swelling on the head or face
• Dizziness or balance problems
• Nausea (with or without vomiting)
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling tired, sluggish, or “not quite themselves”
• Trouble paying attention or concentrating
• Confusion or slower thinking
• Irritability, sadness, or mood changes
• Blurred or double vision
• Changes in sleep (sleeping more or less than usual)

Possible Symptoms of a More Serious Brain Injury

These symptoms require immediate medical evaluation. They may include any of the symptoms above, plus:

• Trouble staying awake or difficulty waking up
• Loss of consciousness, even briefly
• A severe or worsening headache
• Repeated vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Trouble walking or clumsiness
• Weakness, numbness, or tingling, especially on one side of the body
• Seizures
• Memory problems or trouble recognizing people or places
• Blood or clear fluid draining from the nose or ears
• Pale, clammy, or sweaty skin
• Large or deep cuts to the scalp
• Loss of awareness of surroundings or coma

When to seek medical care

If your child falls or hits their head and shows any signs of a concussion or brain injury, they should stop the activity immediately and be evaluated by a medical professional. Early diagnosis and evaluation matter.

Go to the Emergency Department immediately for evaluation after a momentary loss of consciousness, bleeding from the head, or other signs of fracture, with no breathing issues. Call 911 if they have a seizure, difficulty breathing, sustained loss of consciousness or any signs of neck injury. When in doubt, especially for young children or high-impact injuries, choosing emergency care is the safest option.

How to prevent brain injuries

While not all injuries can be prevented, simple steps can lower risk: Dr. Laurie Ackerman, pediatric neurosurgeon with Riley Children’s, shares some top safety tips to avoid or reduce the risk of brain injury, including:

• Buckling up every car ride with the right car seat or booster
• Wearing properly fitted helmets for biking, scooters, and sports
• Making homes and playgrounds safer for kids
• Never shaking a baby and knowing how to cope when feeling overwhelmed

Knowing what to watch for and when to seek care makes a real difference after a head injury.

Specialized care for brain injuries at Riley Children’s Health

From common to complex, children can safely receive expert, age-appropriate care at Riley Children’s Health, where teams specialize in diagnosing and treating all kinds of pediatric brain injuries. Care is provided by a coordinated team that may include Emergency Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Neurosurgery for more serious injuries.

“When a child comes to the emergency department with a head injury, our first priority is a careful evaluation. Due to the scope and size of Riley, we can quickly involve pediatric specialists and imaging when needed, so families know their child is getting the best care right away,” says Dr. Cory Showalter, division chief of pediatric emergency medicine.

Care doesn’t stop after the emergency visit. Riley Children’s offers multidisciplinary support tailored to your child’s recovery. Our Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation specialists help manage symptoms, support healing, and guide a safe return to school, sports, and daily activities. For more serious injuries—such as dented skull fractures or small areas of bleeding around the brain—our Neurosurgery experts provide highly specialized pediatric care.

Not all brain injuries or brain bleeds will require surgery, but all benefit from pediatric expertise and close monitoring. If your child needs emergency care, visit one of our three Riley Children’s emergency medicine locations.

Jenny Puntillo is a hugger. That’s the first thing you should know about her. She loves people. She loves connecting.

Puntillo has been a child life specialist with Riley Children’s Health for two years. Currently, she floats between the urology and hematology-oncology clinics in the Riley Outpatient Center.

When she and her family, which includes husband John and three children, moved to Indianapolis from northwestern Indiana in 2022, she felt at home almost immediately.

“For the first month, I would tell my husband, ‘Everybody is making eye contact with me, they’re talking to me.’ I’m like, ‘This is great. We’ve found our people.’”

Not that they didn’t have a good community near Chicago, said the Purdue University grad, who previously worked as a child life specialist at two Chicago-area children’s hospitals.

But there’s something different here, she said. Friendly. Approachable. And it extends to Riley.

“Healthcare is so different here,” Puntillo said. “I have found such an unbelievable sense of kindness and humility among the doctors and nurses. It’s just a very different team feel.

“There’s not a lot of swagger,” she added. “I feel by far the most valued as a child life specialist here as I have ever felt. That has made my job so much more rewarding. I look forward to every day.”

As a child life specialist, she and her peers at Riley help children and families navigate the stress of illness, injury and hospitalization through therapeutic play, education and emotional support.

She has a bag of tricks that goes with her on every patient visit. The bag is filled with items for any age, including a handheld bubble machine, stress balls, Pop Its, catheter teaching items and a tablet for watching videos or playing games.

The most popular item for any child life specialist, she said, is the Buzzy, a handheld bee-shaped device that uses vibration on the skin to disrupt pain signals during things like shots and blood draws.

Puntillo considers it a privilege to do the work she does.

“I feel incredibly honored to get to walk with families through hard days and to be trusted in those moments as a stranger. To get to be that person who can explain everything and hopefully bring some calm. To put a plan in place to make it just a little bit easier.”

She also loves empowering older children to participate in their care when appropriate because they can look back on the experience feeling like they mastered something, rather than feeling like something just happened to them.

“They can say they did that hard thing, and it can be so empowering. It’s setting that child up for success down the road.”

Puntillo, who has two children in college and one in high school, is thrilled to share that her daughter will be joining the 9W team as a nurse after graduation.

The move to Indianapolis has been good for the family, she said, and her Riley colleagues impress her every day.

“My team is full of unbelievable child life specialists. They keep me learning and stretching.”

Jenna Yarnell, manager of child life services, describes Puntillo as “a breath of fresh air and positivity.”

“Jenny is such a wonderful asset to our child life team. She provides amazing care to our patients and families, often during very invasive and challenging procedures in our outpatient center,” Yarnell said. “She also generously lends her years of experience and expertise to supporting other members of the child life team on difficult days.”

And if you need a hug, she’ll volunteer, she said.

“Bring it in.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Two-month-old Cameron Johnson doesn’t know how special he is, but his parents and his doctors at Riley Hospital for Children certainly do.

Cameron, who spent a few weeks in the Simon Family Tower NICU before transitioning to Riley’s new progressive neonatal intensive care unit, is among the growing number of babies who have had life-changing surgery while still in the womb to correct the defect that causes spina bifida.

Dr. Hiba Mustafa, director of Riley’s fetal surgery program, and Riley neurosurgeon Dr. Jason Chu lead the surgical intervention team for the treatment of myelomeningocele, the most serious type of spina bifida, a neural tube defect where the spinal canal and backbone do not close properly before birth and the spinal cord forms on the outside of the body.

Left untreated, the condition often results in lifelong complications, including hydrocephalus, leg weakness, bowel and bladder dysfunction and learning difficulties.

Cameron’s parents, Rebecca and Lavelle Johnson, traveled quite a distance for the procedure, performed when Rebecca was 25 weeks pregnant. The couple lives in Atlanta, where Rebecca is a nurse in a children’s hospital.

It was her maternal fetal medicine specialist in Georgia who recommended Rebecca come to Riley for the fetal repair surgery, knowing that Rebecca grew up in the Indianapolis area and would benefit from having family close while she waited for the birth of her child.

“It was a no-brainer for me to do it here with family nearby,” Rebecca said as she cuddled with her baby while her husband joined via Facetime. She delivered Cameron at 32 weeks in the Riley Maternity Tower.

Riley is one of only a handful of hospitals in the country that began offering the less-invasive, cutting-edge procedure last year.

“Our center at Riley Hospital for Children is the only one in Indiana offering fetal surgery for myelomeningocele (spina bifida) and the only program in the Midwest performing the most minimally invasive fetoscopic repair,” Dr. Mustafa said.

The innovative technique uses the smallest maternal skin incision, followed by placement of a fetoscope through tiny ports in the uterus, reducing maternal morbidity while providing state-of-the-art fetal care.

“Fetal myelomeningocele repair is one of the most complex procedures in fetal surgery,” said Dr. Chu. “But it is also one of the most rewarding. Our team is dedicated to these families and their children, and we’re here to support them through every step of this journey. Our goal is to give every child the best life they can live; with the benefits of fetal myelomeningocele surgery, we may have been able to change Cameron's life, even before he was born.”

The Johnsons are particularly grateful for the care they and their baby have received because they suffered the loss of their first child as an infant due to a congenital heart defect.

In fact, that’s one reason they learned of Cameron’s diagnosis early because doctors performed an anatomy scan at 16 weeks, rather than 20 weeks, to look for cardiac defects.

“His heart was good, and we can work with the rest of it,” Rebecca said she and her husband decided when they got the results.

Before being discharged from Riley on Friday, Cameron was already showing rapid progress.

“He’s kicking his little legs, and his back looks amazing,” Rebecca said. “The little scar is so small and healed up so well.”

The surgery offers him a 50 percent chance of walking unassisted and decreases the risk of him needing a shunt due to a buildup of spinal fluid, she said.

“It’s crazy what they can do. It’s mind-blowing, like the surgery is for him, but I’m having the surgery too.”

And her baby, with his angelic face, full head of hair and “chill” personality, has flourished under the care of the Riley team.

“They’ve been amazing,” she said. “It was hard being back in the NICU, but it helps that I work in a pediatric hospital on a daily basis, so it’s not as shocking as it is for my husband.”

And, she added, “he had all the nurses wrapped around his little finger down on the NICU.”

Learn more about this advanced surgery here.

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

"The Berlin Heart replaces the function of one or both sides," Dr. Mark Turrentine, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Riley, explained. "Basically, it just replicates the function of the heart in that it has a chamber of various sizes. This is not a destination therapy device; this has to be used as a bridge to transplantation."

Dr. Turrentine said the procedure to place a Berlin Heart was not completed in the United States until 1997, and it was not until several years later that Riley Hospital for Children began using the tool on our patients with serious heart conditions. Dr. Turrentine said the use of the Berlin Heart faded away in the US following the very first procedure, until Riley began its program.

"Six years later, we were confronted with, I think it was 15- [or] 16-month-old and we couldn't support the child, was in terrible failure," Dr. Turrentine said. "So, thought maybe the Berlin Heart would be what we need. Went to the administration, told them, they said do what you need to do, which was a very nice green light. It shows the commitment of the people here to do what it takes to take care of children."

Dr. Turrentine said his team reached out to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and within two hours, they received approval for humanitarian use.

"So, we had the device sent over to Chicago, trucked down, and we implanted it," Dr. Turrentine said. "Then we subsequently transplanted that baby. That was the first young child done in the United States or in North America."

More children began receiving the Berlin Heart and subsequently heart transplants, leading up to Bailey Hunsberger. Hunsberger shared her journey with Indianapolis Motor Speedway Productions, who documented the whole process.

"This is from the president of Berlin Heart North America," Dr. Turrentine said. "Berlin Heart was almost insolvent. They were down to one of their last people they were trying to get interested in salvaging or buying the company. They called for a video copy of Bailey's story. They showed it to this potential person the next morning. He wrote a check for the company, saved the company. Because of that video done by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway video productions, that saved Berlin Heart. Consequently, it saved many children."

NICU nurse Jonah Jerrils found his passion for patient care after discovering he loved working directly with people. At IU Health North, he’s motivated by helping vulnerable infants grow stronger and finds his role deeply rewarding.

Finding the right path in healthcare can take time, and sometimes it leads somewhere unexpected. For Jonah Jerrils, a registered nurse in the Riley Children’s Health Neonatal Intensive Care unit (NICU) at IU Health North, discovering a passion for patient-facing care has been a meaningful part of his journey.

During his undergraduate years, Jerrils worked in a pharmacy, where he realized how much he enjoyed face-to-face interaction with patients. Encouragement from a friend helped steer him toward nursing, ultimately bringing him to IU Health North, a place where the team has made a lasting impact on him.

“The people are excellent to work with. I feel like we all get along for the most part and support each other as best we can,” he says.

Working with infants and watching them grow stronger is what motivates Jerrils each day.

“It's just nice to take care of a patient population that, on their own, can't do anything for themselves. So, it’s just really rewarding to see them grow and get healthy,” he explains.

As a registered nurse in the unit, Jerrils supports newborns and their families in many ways, doing everything from bottle feeding and diaper changes to helping parents take care of their baby. While some days can be challenging, the reward is worth it.

“It’s a very rewarding role,” he says.

Looking for a career where your compassion makes a lasting impact? Explore nursing careers at IU Health. Visit iuhealth.org/careers.

"The gene for Hao Fountain syndrome is this gene, USP7, and that gene is so sensitive one letter out of thousands can change the function enough, and really steer a child's developing brain into autism and difficult behaviors in a way that, even though everything else is optimized, that's all it takes," Dr. Theodore Wilson, medical geneticist, said.

Chandler is the only patient in Indiana with this diagnosis, and one of very few people with Hao-Fountain syndrome around the world.

"Hao-Fountain syndrome was first identified in 2015 by Dr. Hao and he identified six cases," Dr. Wilson said. "Dr. Fountain in 2019 identified another 11 cases. Since then, there's been one other publications with three more cases. So, the amount of literature that people like myself have to go on for this condition is greatly limited."

A multitude of therapies helps Chandler. Dellavalle-Jones said he began speech, occupational, and physical therapies when he was just 18 months old. His proud mom said she notices how much his hard work is paying off.

"Actually, a year ago from October he had said his first three-word sentence, and he was six years old then," Dellavalle-Jones said.

Chandler also plays t-ball and is in some general education classes in his elementary school. Dellavalle-Jones said it is important to her that her son feels like a normal child.

"We want him to feel not on the outside," Dellavalle-Jones said. "God has a story, God has a journey for everybody in this world, and I know he has something great for Chandler."

Kelsey Martin has built her nursing career in the Riley Children’s Health PICU at IU Health North, where she serves as both a charge nurse and bedside nurse. She’s driven by strong teamwork and the joy of seeing children recover. Despite challenging days, supporting kids and their families keeps her work meaningful.

Dedicated care for children and families starts with compassion and teamwork. At IU Health North Hospital, the Riley Children’s Health Pediatric Intensive Care unit (PICU) is where Kelsey Martin has built her nursing career and her passion for helping children thrive.

Martin first discovered her love for pediatric care while completing clinicals in nursing school. Today, more than two and a half years later, she serves as both a charge nurse and a bedside nurse.

As a charge nurse, Martin helps the unit run smoothly by assigning tasks, managing staffing for shifts as well as keeping track of admitted and discharged patients. On bedside shifts, she provides hands-on care—administering fluids, taking vitals and supporting more critical patient needs.

Martin’s team at IU Health North helps her feel fulfilled in her role.

“Something I observed is just how well everyone works together, how willing everyone is to jump in and help someone out,” she explains.

Martin also loves working with children and their families.

“They're so fun to work with. Some days are challenging, of course, but just being able to see the progression of a kid feeling and looking better and getting back to their normal fun personality, is just a great joy to see,” she says.

Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families? Explore nursing careers at IU Health. Visit iuhealth.org/careers.

Molly Bridge is everything you might want in a 5-year-old. She’s friendly, funny and fierce in her own way.

She’s also exceptional because she was born with a rare, life-altering genetic disorder that affects her physical and intellectual development.

There’s a day set aside for kids like Molly. Rare Disease Day is marked every year on the last day of February. This year, that day is Saturday, Feb. 28.

But Molly, her parents and her extensive care team at Riley Children’s Health know just how rare and wonderful she is every day.

“Her nickname is Mighty Molly because she’s been this fierce little fighter this whole time,” said her dad, Bart Bridge.

Most of the credit, he says, goes to his wife, Lindsey Bridge, who has worked tirelessly since Molly’s birth in 2020 to give her access to the best care possible, with support from Riley and a team of in-home nurses who rotate through each week.

Molly was born at 34 weeks’ gestation at IU Health North Hospital in the middle of COVID. Her parents knew she was measuring small, even then, but they wouldn’t know the reason for another two weeks.

Within the first 24 hours, Molly was LifeLined down to Riley with pulmonary hypertension while her mom continued her recovery at North.

Genetic testing revealed a rare and frightening diagnosis: 18p deletion syndrome. But that’s just the starting point.

“She’s really quite extraordinarily rare,” said geneticist Dr. Gabrielle Geddes, who has been on Molly’s care team since Molly arrived in the Riley NICU in October 2020.

“She has a complex chromosomal abnormality that does involve the deletion of 18p, but she has more going on.”

Most patients with both ends of the 18 chromosome cut off like Molly has will have what’s called a ring, she explained. Molly’s is closest to a ring, but her chromosomes aren’t in a ring formation, so she is more than just 18p or 18q deletion.

She’s more complex.

“I’ve seen chromosomal 18 anomalies, and I’ve seen ring chromosomes, but I’ve never seen exactly what Molly has, and there probably won’t be someone with exactly what Molly has,” Dr. Geddes said. “They might have similar overlap, but it probably won’t be exactly the same. That makes it really hard to try to predict the future.”

Molly lives with developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and severe vision and hearing loss, but also plenty of joy.

Even with a “significant burden of disease,” Dr. Geddes said, “I have been pleasantly shocked that she is doing as well as she is, and that’s really because of her family making sure she is in every developmental therapy option and has access to all sorts of adaptive gear.”

Despite the heavy diagnosis that came with very little in the way of predicted outcomes or effective treatment, Lindsey and Bart Bridge have made it their mission to give their daughter every possible advantage.

That includes a house full of music. Molly bangs on her toy piano, her bongo drums and anything else that creates sound, while also relaxing to the classical music that her mom has played for her since she was in the NICU.

When she gets overstimulated, they put her in a compression swing that hangs from the ceiling in the living room of their Indianapolis home.

“It gives her a hug,” Lindsey said, and allows her to disappear for a few minutes while still being present in the room.

At the same time, Molly, who wears flashy pink glasses and a bone-conduction hearing band, is social and busy. She gets around the house with a gait trainer that allows her to push herself and strengthen her legs with the hope that she will walk independently soon. She scoots up to the table where her parents are sitting and clutches her dad’s hand, expressing herself with occasional words and plenty of enthusiasm.

She participates in various traditional therapies each week, plus aquatics and horseback riding, and attends school two half-days a week. She has a communication tablet that helps her learn words and related actions (ball, bounce), she loves art, and she loves to travel with her parents.

None of these things could have been predicted five years ago, Lindsey said.

“When she first got to Riley, she had a 25 percent chance of survival. Within two weeks, she started turning around. Her kidneys began healing, her heart stabilized, and her breathing stabilized.”

Riley neonatologist Dr. Jackie Lajiness remembers those days in the NICU.

“We were all really concerned about Molly when she was born. (Her condition) was something no one was prepared for. But to see how she has thrived and how Bart and Lindsey have stepped up and advocated for her … they just go above and beyond to take care of their little girl.”

And she has made progress since then that no one imagined possible.

As Bart and Lindsey say, they have adjusted to “Molly time.”

“She will advance and develop at her own pace,” said Bart, who works in the healthcare IT space.

“Molly continues to surprise me,” said Lindsey, an artist and medical illustrator by profession who stepped back from her career when Molly was born.

“The doctors at Riley have been so kind to her and us and helped us along this journey, but the diagnosis was hard … and to realize we had quite a journey ahead was very scary,” she said, especially during the isolating days of COVID.

“It took a lot of patience and blind faith that it was going to be OK.”

It took a lot more than that, said Dr. Geddes.

“Her family is extraordinary and rare, too, in how far they are willing to go and continue to go for her,” the geneticist said. “She is a great example of how patients can bloom with appropriate supportive developmental therapies.

“I feel very lucky as Molly’s doctor to have them as her parents,” she added. “We work with lots of extraordinary families. Not all of them have the resources or the ability to go the extra mile, so it’s wonderful to see that Molly has been blessed with parents who can do that for her.”

When cuts in Medicaid funding threatened Molly’s access to services, her parents and doctors fought back.

“She has an incurable disability, but she’s also proven to us that she can improve and make progress and have a better quality of life,” Dr. Geddes said. “One of the pieces of Molly’s story is how much of a difference things like therapy can make and how critical it is to the success of any child.”

Dr. Lajiness considers Molly’s story nothing short of inspiring.

“To see how her parents took a situation that was really scary and uncertain initially and changed that into a situation where Molly is smiling and thriving and taking steps, it’s pretty special. She has that personality and light that you love to see in little kids.”

Dr. Sarah Wing has been Molly’s neurologist since those early days in the NICU. At this point, she provides developmental monitoring, counseling about expectations, and referrals for therapeutic interventions and adaptive equipment.

While she has a handful of patients with somewhat similar conditions that stem from an underlying chromosomal abnormality, Molly’s chromosomal disorder is most rare.

Because of that, doctors can’t compare her brain MRIs to others and predict outcomes. The goal then is to give Molly all the possible support they can and see what she can do.

“I believe she has a lot more going on cognitively than she has been able to express for a long time,” Dr. Wing said. “A lot of her flexibility and her willingness to go through all the things she’s had to go through is in part because of her parents and also intrinsic to her. She is just a very happy kid.”

Echoing other physicians here, the neurologist said Molly’s parents are truly in tune with her needs and are willing to go out and get those resources “in the most appropriate way.”

“It’s a really nice, kind of rare combination of traits in a parent.”

For Bart and Lindsey, who describe their only child as “a really cool kid,” there is no other option.

“Molly is amazing,” Lindsey said. “She is a fighter, and that’s what we always said early on. If she’s willing to fight, then so are we. We’ll take our cues from her.”

They might have been thrown into this world with little warning or preparation, Dr. Lajiness said, “but Molly is their world, and they make it a very special place for her.”

On the refrigerator in the Bridge home is a photo of one of Molly’s footprint artworks made by a NICU nurse more than five years ago, Lindsey explained.

“We keep it on the fridge as a reminder of how grateful we are to have her home with us.”

Riley Children’s Health is recognized as a National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD) Center of Excellence. It is the only health system in the state with this designation and is a leader in advancing care and expanding access for children with rare diseases.

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Identical twins Justin and Tucker Zeabart celebrated their first “hearing birthday” last week.

There was no cake, but there was plenty of excitement and maybe a few tears.

The toddlers were in the audiology clinic at Riley Hospital for Children to have their cochlear implants activated after being diagnosed with significant hearing loss near their first birthday. The cause is unknown.

Now 16 months old, the boys, who previously wore hearing aids for a short time, underwent back-to-back surgeries last month to have the devices surgically implanted behind their ears by Riley otolaryngologist Dr. Evan Cumpstom.

At this appointment, the twins’ parents, Brandon and Briana Zeabart, met with audiologists Lauren Porter and Kim Wolfert as they activated the devices and tested the boys’ responses – one ear at a time, one child at a time.

The goals on this day, Porter said, were to get the implants turned on, make sure the boys were comfortable with the volume, and teach the parents about all the equipment they would be taking home.

“Today is basically like their birthday for hearing,” Wolfert said. “Just like we wouldn’t expect a newborn to respond to their name or understand speech, we would not expect them to either at this point.”

International Cochlear Implant Day (Feb. 25) is designated to raise awareness about the lifechanging technology available for those with severe to profound hearing loss.

Riley has been at the forefront of the pioneering procedure since 1983, when Dr. Richard Miyamoto performed Indiana’s first cochlear implant surgery in a child. In 1995, he implanted the device in a 16-month-old baby, the youngest in the world at the time.

Brandon Zeabart was holding a sleepy Justin as Porter attached the small processor to one ear. The device searches for the implant via a magnet to form a connection, but she cautioned the twins’ parents not to expect a big reaction at this early stage.

“We will do one ear at a time, then together. When we first turn on the devices, we start pretty low,” she explained. “We don’t know how they’re hearing in the beginning, so the goal the first day is to start introducing sound into the hearing nerves.”

She and Wolfert watch for changes in behavior, which can be subtle – eyelids fluttering, head movement – or there can be no reaction at all.

“Sometimes they might get scared or really happy,” Porter said.

Justin shifted in his dad’s lap and turned his head as Porter slowly adjusted the volume on the device, indicating to the audiologists that he was hearing something as she repeated “bababababa” and clapped her hands out of his line of sight.

“There it is,” she said. “Beautiful responses.”

“It’s not every day you have a hearing birthday,” Wolfert said as she continued to watch Justin closely while Porter went through the same process for his other ear.

Meanwhile, his twin was happily babbling in the background, shifting between his mother’s lap and his aunt’s as he awaited his turn.

“He is tolerating a good amount of stimulation on both sides,” Porter said of Justin. “Even though we might not be getting obvious responses, that doesn’t mean he’s not hearing anything. We just want to find a good starting point.”

When she activated both devices and the toddler’s parents started speaking his name, Wolfert tracked how his eyebrows arched, another sign that he was hearing something.

As he gets more practice listening at home, Porter said, “we’re able to give him more access to sounds.”

The devices have four settings, controlled by an app that gradually increases the volume. It will be up to the boys’ parents to go up to a louder program every few days as they can tolerate it.

It’s also important to keep the devices on their ears for as long as possible every day, Porter said. The only exceptions are when they are sleeping, bathing or riding in the car. The latter is discouraged because kids might pull the device off their ear, and it could get lost or broken. That in turn could distract the driver.

When it was Tucker’s turn with the audiologists, he was at first distracted by a toy while Porter took measurements, tested the magnet strength and attached the external devices. He at first did not respond to the noises in the small room, including his parents’ soft voices.

But within minutes, the tears began to fall. Whether that was due to sounds or typical toddler energy was unclear.

“The boys have their own personalities and will respond in different ways,” Wolfert explained to the parents.

The best thing they can do at home is talk often around the babies, sing songs, narrate what they are doing and read to them, she added.

“Pour as much language in as you can.”

That shouldn’t be a problem, according to Brandon Zeabart.

With a 3-year-old at home who talks nonstop, he said, “our house is loud.”

Both boys will participate in speech therapy to make up for any language loss over the past several months, and they will continue to have checkups with the audiology team at Riley.

“They’ve done really well with our boys, Brandon Zeabart said of the Riley team. “We are hoping they pick up language fast.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Vivian Eagle is caught in a moment of joy – swaying and twirling with little girls to the tune of “Let It Go” in the Child Life Zone at Riley Hospital for Children.

The song’s message plays like an anthem for the two-time cancer survivor, Purdue University student and gold medal winner in the Youth ParaPan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

“It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free”

Vivian, who turns 20 next month, is flying high after years of grueling chemotherapy, surgery and redefining her life in the wake of an osteosarcoma diagnosis when she was 15.

She visited Riley last week to participate in an Olympics-themed party, talking with kids about their fights and fears and showing them how to reclaim their joy in the face of the unknown.

“I remember sitting in my hospital bed, and I was so tired and so weak, and I didn’t know where life was going to take me at that point,” the Avon High School graduate said.

The multi-sport athlete, who is seen by Riley oncologist Dr. Kyle Jackson and the palliative care team, had not wanted to hear what the doctors told her then – that she would never be able to play volleyball or basketball or run track again.

While the cancer in her leg was removed, so was most of her tibia, replaced by a metal prosthetic that limits running and jumping.

She remembers staring out her hospital window, feeling like the world was moving on without her.

“Sports was my identity. After my diagnosis, I felt like there was nothing left for me. I had zero motivation; I was just really sad.”

With support from her parents, Katrina and Ryan Eagle, her faith and her nurses, who she said became her best friends, she weathered many dark days and nights. A visit from Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones during the USA Swim Trials in 2024 in Indianapolis also put a smile on her face.

After months of grieving the life she had, she began to embrace her new life – still a competitive athlete but in the world of adaptive sports.

It started with a visit to an adaptive skiing program in Colorado, where she initially resisted the idea of sitting down while skiing and being tethered to an instructor. Soon enough though, she was on her own going down those hills, and it opened her eyes to new possibilities.

“That skiing experience showed her she doesn’t have to sit on the sidelines,” Katrina Eagle said of her daughter. “It really opened up the world of adaptive sports for her.”

What followed was an introduction to sitting volleyball, a fast-paced Paralympic team sport that she didn’t even know was a thing.

She was hooked, training tirelessly and qualifying for the ParaPan American Games last November.

“After I got healthy again, it was just amazing. It showed that there were all these doors opening and you just have to look for them,” she said.

Training and competing at a high level helped her find her joy again.

“It gives me something to work toward and it makes me just happy to live, I guess. I want to show other kids that they can find that joy.”

Vivian, who relapsed a year after her first course of treatment, went through another series of chemo and radiation treatments and has been cancer-free for nine months. She says she feels good, continuing to train and work toward a degree in biomedical engineering, with an additional interest in cancer therapies.

Her visit to Riley was timed to the Olympics (her goal is to someday qualify for the Paralympics), so she wore her gold medal around her neck and talked about the power of dreams as kids tried out a makeshift luge track built for tiny vehicles, curling on the air hockey table and Olympic torch-making.

“It was her relapse that really opened her eyes to the importance of using her voice to encourage other kids,” said Vivian’s mom, wiping away tears as she watched her daughter connect with adults and children in the Zone.

“Yesterday was four years since the first chemo,” she added. “It’s been a journey of deep grief and great gratitude. They come hand in hand. You didn’t know how much your world was going to be blown apart and what was coming.

“I told Vivian many times, we can’t change the cards we’ve been dealt. We can only choose how we play them, and we’re going to play them in a way that helps others … and gives glory to God.”

With the benefit of perspective, Vivian is able to share bits of wisdom with the kids and parents she meets.

“There’s always something worth fighting for, even if you don’t see it right now,” she said. “And it is OK to grieve your past life.”

Just don’t get stuck in the grieving, she said.

“I feel like one of my biggest struggles coming out of treatment was I was trying to be the same person I was before going through it, and I was just so unhappy. You are a new person, and all of this pain and these struggles have shaped you into something better,” she said.

“Learn to accept that and live this new life. There’s a beautiful life waiting for you.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

At Riley Children's Health, more than 75% of patients with SCD receive annual screenings for stroke which leads to early detection of this complication. Riley patients with SCD are able to receive transcranial doppler screenings from Dr. Christopher Jackman, pediatric neurologist, during their routine appointments in the sickle cell clinic, removing barriers such as transportation, lack of knowledge of this testing, and avoidance due to extra time needed to schedule and attend an additional appointment.

For parents like Sherice Smith and Genaro Luna IV, the opportunity to receive this important screening while already at the hospital provides peace of mind for them and their son.

"We have the standard appointment that you have every month and then being able to do it that same day, it just makes it a lot easier, it's more convenient," Luna said.

Kirsten Reyes was eating lunch when her supervisor asked her to join an impromptu meeting recently. Reyes put down her pasta and walked into the room, where she felt everyone’s eyes on her.

“I thought it was because I was late,” said the nurse, who turned her attention to the person speaking glowingly about a team member who had gone above and beyond for a patient’s family.

Though there was no DAISY banner in the background, she quickly realized they were gathered to celebrate a winner in the Riley Children’s Health Allergy and Immunology Clinic, where she has worked for the past year.

She just had no idea it was her.

“I was nodding my head, thinking she sounds great whoever she is,” Reyes said. “Then they said my name, and I’m sure my jaw dropped.”

It was Dr. Isaiah Ingram who nominated Reyes on behalf of a patient’s grandmother who was grateful for the time the nurse took to walk her through a complicated situation with her grandson.

“She said this nurse made them feel like they were the only patient they had to take care of that day and that she made it her goal to fix every problem they had,” Dr. Ingram said in his nomination letter.

“She felt so comforted by this nurse and felt supported to know that someone like her would take the time to care for them the way that she did, give recommendations on how to proceed with his medical therapies, and also accommodate proper documentation for all of the legal proceedings affecting the family,” he continued.

“Kirsten's ability to navigate both medically and socially complex dynamics and provide recommendations to this patient and his family are the reasons I believe she is more than deserving of a DAISY award.”

Reyes said that for her, it’s all about taking care of people. That is why she went into nursing.

“I always knew I wanted a career where you get to care for people, and I love science,” she said. “I’m Filipino, and nursing is huge in our culture.”

She moved with her family to Indiana from the Philippines when she was 2, spending the first 10 years or so in Bloomington before relocating to the greater Indianapolis area and graduating from Avon High School.

She earned her first degree in human biology at IU Bloomington, then decided to enter the accelerated bachelor’s degree program in nursing at IUPUI.

Reyes worked as a tech on 3 West for a year, then as a nurse on the same unit for another year, working nights. She transitioned to the Allergy Clinic in the Riley Outpatient Center a year ago but still picks up occasional shifts in the Heart Center on 3W.

Outside work, she counts her dog, Sosa, as her best friend. Weekends find the two of them visiting different parks and hiking at Eagle Creek when she’s not traveling or hanging out with family and other close friends.

While still young in her nursing career, she is grateful for the support she has had along the way.

“I want to say thank you to the physician who nominated me and to my team in the Riley allergy clinic. I would not be the nurse he describes in this letter if it was not for them. I also want to thank my Heart Center family because they really built my foundation as a nurse.”

Nominate a nurse who exemplifies excellent clinical skills and compassionate care here.

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

MaKayla Lovely is so ready to bust out of “prison.”

That’s what she jokingly calls the four walls that contain her at Riley Hospital for Children, where she has been inpatient for more than 100 days.

She was hoping to be discharged to the Ronald McDonald House on Day 100, which would have been last Friday, but her departure was pushed back to this week, according to her mom, Jade Lovely.

MaKayla, who celebrated her 11^th birthday last month in the hospital (on top of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day), is recovering from a stem cell transplant to treat severe aplastic anemia, a rare, serious blood disorder where bone marrow fails to produce enough new blood cells.

Her little sister was her stem cell donor, a 100% match.

There was a time when her mom wasn’t sure MaKayla would make it to transplant.

“She had a less than 20% chance of survival,” Jade said, after her daughter had a series of infections and a ruptured appendix.

But she has come out the other side stronger and sassier.

“She’s so strong, she is a survivor,” Jade said.

Indeed, a sign above her bed made by MaKayla’s aunt pronounces her a “Tough Cookie.”

Child life specialist Morgan Watson has seen that toughness up close.

“MaKayla is one of the most resilient kids I know. It's really been an honor to walk alongside her and her family these past few months and watch her personality and spunkiness shine through,” Watson said.

Watson has walked alongside MaKayla literally on her way to multiple surgeries during her time at Riley, helping to ease her anxiety.

Once she gets to the operating room, Watson said MaKayla loves to think of the silliest songs and ask her surgeon to sing and dance before the anesthesia takes effect.

“MaKayla is one of those kids that remind me why I chose to be a child life specialist. She has gone through unimaginable things and has come out the other side of it.”

Along the way, Watson has tried to keep MaKayla engaged with crafts, games and activities.

Her favorite memory of them together was during the recent heavy snow that fell in Indianapolis.

“We realized she hadn’t been able to touch or play in the snow since she was admitted, so I grabbed a giant bucket of snow from outside and brought it in for her,” Watson said. “The look on her face was amazing.”

Jade, who has not left her daughter’s side since MaKayla was admitted to Riley last fall, is grateful for her family at home in northern Indiana – husband Bryan and two more kids – as well as the Riley team members who have been so important not only in MaKayla’s healing but in Jade’s emotional journey as well.

“Although it feels like it’s been so long, I really am going to miss the team,” she said. “They really have been there through a lot of scary moments, helping us get through it.”

MaKayla, who said she is most looking forward to seeing her two dogs when she gets home, received a camera for her birthday and is putting together a photo/autograph book of her Riley team so she can remember them when she gets the green light to go home.

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Elijah Hill is holding court in a corner of the Simon Family Tower lobby, banging on a table, reaching for a cellphone and sharing his Cheerios.

The 17-month-old is vocal and social, charming everyone in his path.

It might seem unremarkable to the parents of most toddlers, but Elijah James (EJ for short) is remarkable indeed.

His parents, James and Lanita Hill, know it, and his care team at Riley Hospital for Children knows it for sure. Watching on this day while EJ scampered about were two of the pediatric intensive care unit physicians who took the lead on his care while he was hospitalized at Riley for two months in the fall of 2024.

Then just a newborn, EJ was transferred to Riley from another hospital after he suffered a bowel obstruction and lost a significant portion of his intestines, leading to what is often called short gut syndrome.

Lanita will never forget that ambulance ride to Riley, where every bump terrified her as she watched her infant son fight to stay alive. When they arrived in the PICU, she remembers Dr. Courtney Rowan attempting to calm her as the physician gave rapid-fire instructions to some 20 medical staff who had different duties but one goal – to save this baby.

“I was in a daze and thought my child doesn’t look like he’s going to make it,” Lanita said.

Critical care physicians Riad Lutfi and Michael Joe Hobson were among a half-dozen PICU doctors who followed EJ, in addition to a large contingent of residents who rotated through the PICU during the several weeks that EJ was there.

“Elijah experienced multiple gut-related infections and required high ventilatory support as well as renal replacement therapy and many days of deep sedation and paralytics,” explained Dr. Lutfi.

It was often touch and go, as EJ seemed to defy the typical course of treatment, the physicians said.

“He’s not simple,” Dr. Lutfi said. “He had a lot of complications … there were times when we felt defeated. We’d get one thing better and have another problem.”

But in addition to all of their medical knowledge, they had an ace up their sleeve – committed, involved parents who didn’t shy away from asking the tough questions every day.

“I feel like everyone was warned before they came into our room that we’re both going to ask you a lot of questions,” Lanita Hill said with a smile. “And they listened.”

That kind of input was invaluable, Dr. Hobson told the couple during their recent visit to Riley for a follow-up appointment with Dr. Charles Vanderpool and the GI team.

One of the realities of being an academic medical center is there are a lot of different providers, he said, and the parents are the one consistent voice. They know their child best, and if they’ve been involved with their care, they have learned things that can help in the course of treatment.

That might be input on how EJ responds to certain medications or how adjustments in position can smooth out his heart rate while weaning him off the ventilator.

“Honestly, the families here pick up on things really quickly, and they’re just as valuable a member of the team,” Dr. Hobson said. “We had the ICU team, the surgery team, GI, renal, pulmonary and infectious disease involved, but probably the MVP at the end of the day is these guys,” he added, pointing to EJ’s parents.

Being present at rounds every day was eye-opening for both parents. Lanita rarely left her son’s side, while James took care of the couple’s two older boys at home in Fishers and came to the hospital as often as possible.

“It was hard to hear their report many days because of how sick he was, but it was what we needed because we like to understand the science of everything,” Lanita said.

She and her husband both have multiple degrees – a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering and a master’s in public health for her, and a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in computer science for him.

They advocated at every point for their son, but they also were comforted by the feeling that the Riley team was with them every step of the way.

“The ICU doctors here, every single one of them, are amazing,” James said.

“But it wasn’t just the ICU, not just the nurses and doctors,” Lanita added. “It was Riley as a whole. They are really exceptional. Guest services, food services, they got to know us. They all really care.”

With the exception of a G-tube for medications, EJ is now free of all the medical equipment he once needed. He was able to come off TPN (IV nutrition) in September and loves to eat.

“He eats anything,” James said, as EJ munched on Cheerios and other snacks his mom packed for him. “He’ll take my sandwich, my doughnut. If you put food out, he’ll eat it.”

As Dr. Lutfi watched a healthy EJ try to share his cereal, he couldn’t help but smile, even as he had to rush back up to the critical care unit to see other patients.

“This is really why we do what we do,” the physician said. “I love being part of this team. We can talk to each other and talk to the parents and know their goals. We work together.”

EJ’s kidneys and lungs have recovered, and his intestines are working well enough as evidenced by his ability to eat, digest and grow. He continues to see the GI team at Riley.

“Everything seems to be going in the right direction,” James said. “You don’t realize how fortunate you are until you have to go through something like this, and to be able to come out on the other side of it … it brings new meaning to life.

“We’re just very thankful,” he added. “We are fortunate Riley is here. They were able to give us back our son.”

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

When she was in nursing school, Maya Johnston knew she loved critical care.

In fact, she loved it so much she also trained as an emergency medical services provider, working in that role while finishing her degree.

She wasn’t sure about working in pediatrics, but a rotation on a peds unit in Fort Wayne during nursing school awakened a passion in her.

“I fell in love with it,” she said. “I knew the PICU was definitely the right spot for me.”

Johnston has worked on the pediatric intensive care unit at Riley Hospital for Children for three years, and after earning multiple DAISY nominations for her clinical skills and compassionate care, she recently won the DAISY after the care she provided a patient last summer.

“I was honored to be recognized and am very grateful for the support from leadership and my colleagues.”

Johnston was nominated for the DAISY after she provided sensitive, compassionate care for a critically ill patient with special needs who was intubated.

“I had never cared for a patient like her, but being able to help her and the family was humbling,” the nurse said. “I’m thankful to have been able to help.”

A family member of the patient’s who nominated Johnston was struck by her calm demeanor, her attention to detail, her patience and her nuanced care in a difficult situation.

“I’ve adored every nurse I’ve interacted with here in the PICU,” the nominator said, “but I want Maya to get this award not just because she earned it but because it is a way I can give a meaningful gift back to her. I may never see Maya again, but the impact she made … will not be forgotten.”

PICU nurses rely on each other to get through particularly hard days and nights, and Johnston is no different, saying they comfort and support each other.

Outside of work, she finds peace in spending time with her husband, Cole, and their dog, Eva, and in staying active, exercising regularly.

She also has found that making sourdough is great therapy for any stress she is feeling, and she loves to share the bread with family and friends.

“The most fun part for me is shaping the dough and creating designs on the top before baking, but my favorite part is smelling and eating the finished product. Fresh bread is always the best!”

Nominate a nurse who exemplifies excellent clinical skills and compassionate care here. https://www.rileychildrens.org/form/riley-daisy-award

Photos submitted and by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org

Through IU Health’s South Region Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program, Emily Bock, Community Outreach consultant, kept hearing a challenging trend in her one-on-one maternal interviews with mothers who were facing unimaginable loss. Grieving parents were experiencing a gap in education, support and resources for breastmilk pumping, suppression and donation.

“Mothers were sharing that they had either not received any education about their milk supply coming in after a loss or were only being given information on how to suppress milk supply, but never that they had the option to donate.” says Bock.

For the mothers that did want to pump and donate, there were often financial barriers to obtaining the pumps and supplies.

“The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program and insurance policies often do not cover the cost of pumps depending on the baby’s gestational age at the time of the loss. And, prescription pumps through insurance often aren’t covered when a mother does not take home a living child,” says Bock.

These consistent themes sprung Bock into action. She created the Lactation After Loss (LAL) initiative—a program that provides support and resources for families experiencing loss due to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death, helping them navigate lactation options during their grieving process.

“Women have a four times increased risk of dying within the first year after experiencing a fetal or infant loss,” says Bock. “Being able to offer meaningful, supportive resources to these mothers is vital.”

The South Region FIMR program had planned to utilize existing grant funds to purchase pumps to give out for free to applicable mothers and educate South Region medical providers about the program. Bock reached out to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) for support, and from there the initiative grew. IDOH was eager to expand the program statewide and took the lead to make it possible. As of Jan. 5, in partnership with The Milk Bank, Indiana WIC, Indiana Breastfeeding Coalition and Ardo, all Indiana mothers who experience the loss of a child will have access to free breast pumps, bereavement kits and education through the LAL program.

“Through this program, grieving mothers are educated on all their options and empowered to make the best decision for them and their families regardless of financial barriers,” says Bock. “When speaking with mothers who have made the decision to pump and donate, they have shared it was significant to their bereavement and healing journey—instrumental in ensuring they were taking care of themselves physically and mentally, eating well and staying hydrated so they could successfully produce milk and donate as a way to continue to honor their baby and their journey.”

The South Region was the first group to receive and distribute pumps from IDOH across the state on Jan. 5. Bock works with the LAL steering committee and has played a key role in program development since the idea began with her.

“The most rewarding part of the work thus far has been reassuring mothers who have experienced a loss that their voice matters and is being heard,” says Bock.

Bock is thankful that through LAL and other FIMR initiatives, they can lift voices and take lived experiences to improve services, education and resources for all.

“This program only exists because of the brave mothers who were willing to share their stories,” says Bock. “It is an honor to be in a role where I get to bear witness and be the storyteller of women caring for, protecting and empowering other women, even during their time of unimaginable grief.”

Lactation After Loss Benefits Riley and Methodist Mothers

This week, IDOH brought resources from the Lactation After Loss program to the Riley Maternity Tower. Women who suffer a pregnancy loss or a loss of an infant up to a year old can receive one of the kits.

Each mother will receive a folder full of resources helping them navigate grief, funeral arrangements, and lactation support. Mothers who are interested in pumping will also be eligible to receive a free breast pump.

"Of the moms that I have experienced while in my position that choose to donate their breastmilk after they've lost their baby, they always say that it feels like it gives the loss more meaning," Abi Kidwell, Perinatal Bereavement Coordinator, said.

Kidwell said it is crucial for mothers who have suffered a devastating loss to receive this information.

"It's very difficult to find meaning in death and grief, but being able to help out other babies that need that milk and really do depend on that milk for whatever reason, can help a mother feel like it's full circle and that it's a gift from her baby," Kidwell explained.

Mothers' breast milk collected through the Lactation After Loss program will be donated to The Milk Bank, which benefits babies across the region, including those in Riley's NICUs. For more information about breast milk donation, visit The Milk Bank's donation page.

SCD is an inherited blood disorder meaning the parents must carry either the trait or the disease. It is detected during a baby's newborn screening.

"Those sickle cells can clump together and cause painful episodes, they can cause strokes, they can affect your bones, muscles, your heart, kidneys, so anywhere they blood travels you can have a vaso-occlusive episode is what we call them," Brenda White, nurse navigator, explained.

The nurse navigators on the sickle cell team help our patients with "any and everything."

"We do a lot of the coordination behind the scenes, surgery planning, phone triaging; we fill out all their paperwork, FMLA, disability paperwork," White explained. "I love that the patients can look at me and I look like them. Representation matters."

Nurse Navigator Sharla Jones said it is important to her team that they teach Riley's young patients to advocate for themselves.

"A lot of people get a misconception of their pain. They feel like when they say they're in pain that they're not because they may not look like it," Jones said. "So, as navigators, like I said, we come alongside them. So we teach people, we teach our children, to speak for themselves and advocate for themselves as well."

Dr. Jacob said patients diagnosed with SCD can be Riley patients for decades, often receiving care from our hospital until they are 22 years old. Nurse Navigator Erica Starks is grateful to walk alongside them.

"When you get that thank you and it's not just one thank you, it's multiple thank yous, and you get that gratitude from the family, that makes me feel good about what I'm doing," Starks said. "It makes me feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."

Parker endearingly refers to herself as "Sunshine" instead of the traditional title of Grandma. A constant goal of hers is to bring sunshine to their lives.

"I kind of created that with my first grandson who was born with spina bifida," Parker said.

Dr. Amanda Saraf, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, is Benny's oncologist. Dr. Saraf said Parker goes above and beyond for her grandson.

"She does everything for him," Dr. Saraf said. "She's caring for him day to day. She's ensuring that he's taking his oral chemotherapy at home. She's taking him back and forth to appointments. She's been a huge asset and he's so lucky to have someone like her in his life."

Parker said she and Benny spent a month inpatient after Benny was diagnosed in December.

"He completed his first month of treatment and we repeated his bone marrow at the end of that month, and right now he is cancer free," Dr. Saraf said.

But Benny still has a long road ahead of him. His treatments will last for about three years.

"He does need to complete the remainder of intensive therapy, but he is doing well and responding just as we would hope," Dr. Saraf said.

Parker is committed to walking alongside her grandson, inside and outside of the hospital, but explains the constant care puts a major stress on her finances.

"It's hard to work while you're here, obviously you can't," Parker said. "I was off the whole month of December, and I'm self-employed, so my income is based on what I am able to do. I'm trying not to worry about those things and just stay focused on today and know that somehow you get through things."