Fall 2009

Connection
In this issue: 12  |  Straddling Two Worlds
Doctors walk a tightrope as
04  |  The Right Call

Teens and young adults are

08  |  Journey to Transplant

Families count on transplant

more likely to beat cancer when coordinators to guide them
adolescents seek greater control treated at a children’s hospital. through an overwhelming
over their healthcare decisions. experience.
 From Where I Stand
Christy Blanchard
Grandmother
Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
I am grateful. It happened eight years ago, but I
remember that day as if it were yesterday.
I was in Seattle Children’s Emergency
Department with my daughter, Kara,
looking at that first set of CT scans.
My granddaughter, Schyler, was only
3- 1/2 months old, and the growth on
her brain was the size of a softball.
Nothing could have prepared me
for the news that my first grandchild
— the baby I’d longed to love and get
to know — had a cancerous brain tumor.
My emotions swung wildly between
hurting for my daughter and being
terrified for Schyler. Those feelings
lessened when I met Dr. Richard
Ellenbogen, Schyler’s surgeon. He
was calm and reassuring. He treated
me like I had every right to be part of
his conversations with Kara, and that
meant the world to me.
02
The surgery was successful and five
days after being discharged, Kara took
Schyler to Wal-Mart for baby pictures.
With a little blanket draped over her
head, she gave the photographer the
biggest smile as if to say, “Hey, I got
my life back.”
Kara gave Dr. Ellenbogen a clock as
thanks for Schyler’s life — a small token
that can’t begin to repay him for the
time we’ve had with “our angel.” He will
always be our knight in shining armor.
Sometimes when I watch Schyler
play or hear her laugh, I think about
the ordinary day eight years ago that
turned into our worst nightmare, and
I remember all the special people at
Seattle Children’s who were there for
us every step of the way. Thank you
from the bottom of my heart.
Fall 2009

“ One generation plants the

tree; another gets the shade.”
— Chinese Proverb

Connection Team
Contents
Jennifer Fisch
Executive Editor

David Perry Feature Stories

Vice President of
Marketing and
Communications
04 | The Right Call
Susan Blake
Director of Operations Teens and young adults are more likely to beat
Foundation and
Guild Association
cancer when treated at a children’s hospital.
Allison Broadgate
Marketing and 08 | Journey to Transplant
Communications Manager
Families count on transplant coordinators
Kathi Elliott
Brand and Production Manager
to guide them through an overwhelming
experience.
feature story writer
Brad Broberg

contributing writers 12 | Straddling Two Worlds

Elizabeth Austen
Lisa Brihagen
Doctors walk a tightrope as adolescents seek
Keith Mack greater control over their healthcare decisions.
design
Methodologie, Seattle

cover and feature

photographer
In Every Issue
Nancy LeVine

photographers 14 | What’s Happening at Seattle Children’s

Ed Clark
Cleve Collinsworth
Joanna Glickler
Aileen Kelly 18 | On the Scene
Morgan Keuler, Team Photogenic
Ali LeRoy
Michael Matisse 22 | Calendar of Events
Ray Meuse
Kjell Oswald
Aaron Reynolds
Dave Sizer
23 | At a Glance

connection
Vol. 11 no. 4
© 2009 Seattle Children’s, Seattle, Washington.
All rights reserved.

cover
“Helping teens and tweens make good decisions about
their healthcare is very rewarding,” says Dr. Leslie Walker,
the chief of Seattle Children’s Adolescent Medicine Division.

To learn more about Seattle Children’s, visit www.seattlechildrens.org.

If you’d like to stop receiving Connection, please contact us at 206-987-2153
or at askus@seattlechildrens.org.

03
 Seattle Children’s Connection Fall 2009 The Right Call

04
The Right Call
Survival rates for teens and young adults with cancer are
higher when they are treated at children’s hospitals.
As a recent high school graduate,
Heather Krich considered herself
an adult. No way would she go to
a children’s hospital if she got sick.
Yet that’s what happened after
Heather was diagnosed with non-
Hodgkin lymphoma and her doctors
referred her to Seattle Children’s.
They made the right call.
Studies show survival rates for many
cancers such as Ewing sarcoma and
acute lymphocytic leukemia are higher
when teens are treated at pediatric
hospitals and/or receive treatments
developed specifically for children.
At Children’s, survival rates for many
cancers, including non-Hodgkin
lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and
brain cancer, are higher than the
national norm.
“Looking back, I wouldn’t have
wanted to go anyplace else,” says
Heather, now 21 and an assistant
teacher for children with special
needs in the Northshore School
District.
The latest therapies
There are several reasons why patients
like Heather do better at children’s
hospitals than hospitals that also treat
adults. The most compelling is that
more patients at children’s hospitals
are enrolled in clinical trials for new
therapies that are continually advancing
the standard of care.
In addition, children’s hospitals are
more aggressive about treatment.
That’s because children are — except
for their cancer — fundamentally
healthy and better able to withstand
vigorous protocols. Hospitals that
(Above) As a survivor of cancer in early adult­‑
hood, Dr. Becky Johnson (right) understands
how difficult it can be to cope with a cancer
diagnosis. Johnson and Leah Kroon, a clinical
nurse specialist, have created a special program
to provide pediatric treatments to adolescents
and young adults with cancer.
(Page 4) For Heather Krich (at right, with
oncology nurse Mandy Breedt), being treated
for cancer on the same unit as young children
was sad but inspirational. She recalls watching
little patients ride tricycles up and down the
hallway. “I realized I needed to stop throwing
myself a pity party and start enjoying the time
I have.”
also treat adults gear their care
to a more generalized population
that doesn’t tolerate such an
aggressive approach.
Even when protocols are identical,
studies show better outcomes in
children’s hospitals. It may be because
pediatric hospitals rarely delay
treatment if a patient isn’t feeling
well on a given day. Hospitals that
treat the general population are
more likely to wait because they
are accustomed to caring for less
resilient patients.
And those hospitals also have far
less experience treating childhood
cancers. When teens and young adults
develop a childhood cancer, a children’s
hospital will be much more familiar
with how to treat their illnesses.
The challenge is to make this age
group feel welcome in a setting that
also serves large numbers of young
children. Our new Adolescent and
Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Program
aims to better meet the unique needs
of teens and young adults.
Launched in 2007, the program is
led by Dr. Becky Johnson, a pediatric
oncologist who specializes in caring
for adolescents and young adults.
“There’s no good time to have cancer,
but the teen years are particularly
difficult,” says Johnson. “Teens want
independence. They’re focused on
school, friends and their futures.
Cancer derails life’s normal progress.”
Contact with peers
Children’s works hard to make younger
patients feel comfortable in various
ways, such as designing certain areas
of the hospital around “balloon,”
“giraffe” and “whale” themes. But
the hospital wants teens — and even
people in their mid-20s — to feel
comfortable, too.
“We’re constantly asking ourselves,
‘What can we do so adolescents and
young adults feel as though they are in
a place that was designed for them?’”
says Leah Kroon, clinical nurse
specialist for the AYA care team.
Now, clinic appointments for this
age group are clustered on the same
days and the program will soon offer
05
The Right Call
Tyler Tran, 13 (above with his mom, Amy), is being treated for acute lymphocytic leukemia. He appreciates that Seattle Children’s Adolescent and Young
Adult program connects him with other teens who are also battling cancer. “Things are easier to understand coming from another teenager.”
activities and classes during clinic
hours to help adolescents and young
Fall 2009
adults meet other patients their age. A
revamped Teen Zone provides a place
in the hematology/oncology inpatient
unit to hang out, play games, watch TV
Connection
and surf the Internet.
That contact with peers means
a lot, says Tyler Tran, a 13-year-old
Everett resident who comes to
Children’s for chemotherapy to treat
acute lymphocytic leukemia. “You can
tell somebody your story, and you can
listen to their story,” he says. “Things
are easier to understand coming from
another teenager.”
Tyler got to know a teen from Hawaii
who is also a leukemia patient. “He
gave me advice about how to get
through a certain type of chemo,” Tyler
Seattle Children’s
says, “like bringing eyedrops because
my eyes will get really dry.”
Emotionally unprepared
Despite the advantages of treatment
at pediatric cancer centers, only 38%
of adolescents and young adults with
cancer in Washington state are treated
at Children’s, Johnson says.
Yet many more should be — because
outcomes are better and because
children’s hospitals are more attuned
to their emotional needs.
06
Five-Year Survival Rates for Patients Ages 15 to 19 with Acute
Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
Seattle Children's   85%
National
“Teens may appear to be ready to
be treated as adults, but a lot of times
they will regress emotionally to a
younger age because of the stress of
cancer,” says Emily Sack, a hematology/
oncology nurse. “They need a lot
more support.”
The AYA team is using data from a
study completed in March by Amanda
Breedt, another hematology/oncology
nurse, to help develop the program.
The study featured a survey and a
focus group of patients between 15
and 22 years old.
“The thing that surprised me the
most was how much adolescents and
young adults want to come back to
provide peer support and be mentors
for other patients,” Breedt says.
“We’re trying to figure out how to
incorporate it.”
Study results also made it clear that
adolescents and young adults want
education materials to focus on their
specific psychosocial needs, such as
how to prepare for school and what
55%
to do about hair loss. They also want
more information published online
and presented by their peers.
Using social media
The AYA team is exploring joining a
social networking site, such as Facebook,
where it could publish cancer facts, post
videos from former patients and provide
adolescents and young adults a place to
share their thoughts and experiences.
The team is also considering using
text messages to answer patient
questions and remind them about
appointments and taking their
medications — something this age
group fails to do more often than others.
“The use of social media by this age
group is unprecedented,” Kroon says.
“They are almost more comfortable
communicating in this realm than they
are face-to-face.”
One of the most troubling effects
of cancer treatment for adolescents
and young adults is the potential
“ Teens may appear to be ready to be treated as adults,
but a lot of times they will regress emotionally because
of the stress of cancer. They need a lot more support.”
— Emily Sack, RN

loss of fertility due to radiation and organizing an AYA advisory board

chemotherapy. The AYA program
offers counseling to male patients
about preserving sperm before
treatment and will eventually offer
similar counseling to female patients
about preserving eggs.
“It’s a touchy subject and not
everybody is comfortable approaching
it, but we have a team that is trained
to talk about it with patients and their
families,” Sack says.
Many of the adolescent and young
adult cancer patients who participated
in Breedt’s study, including Heather,
wanted to stay involved. Children’s is
Pediatric oncology nurse Emily Sack (pictured above left with patient Kaitlin Basic and Kaitlin’s
friend Sarah Kintner) knows how important communication is to making patients feel comfortable.
“What we say when we walk into the room of an 8-year-old is entirely different than what we say
to a 17-year-old,” she says.
that can provide input into educational
materials, facility changes and program
development — and perhaps offer peer
support to new AYA cancer patients.
“I definitely felt that a lot of things at
the hospital were geared toward young
children,” says Heather, “but after being
treated there, I wish I could go to
Children’s for my healthcare for the rest
of my life and be riding the Balloon
elevator when I’m 89.”
Creating a Comfort Zone
Guilds are helping teens
and young adults with
cancer feel comfortable
at Seattle Children’s.
The Seattle Children’s Hospital
Guild Association is raising
$1.5 million to help the hospital
better serve teens and young
adults who are treated here
for cancer.
The money will support the
growth and development of the
AYA program. A current project
is looking at how community
doctors refer teens for cancer
treatment, which is the first step
toward educating physicians
about the benefits of using
treatments developed specifically
for teens.
The Guild Association is also
helping Children’s create a more
welcoming environment for
these patients by adding age-
appropriate décor, games and
magazines to waiting rooms
and to a teen room on the
hematology/oncology inpatient
unit. The Guild Association will
also support group activities
and outings for patients and
the development of a Teen
Advisory Board.

07
 Journey to Transplant
Journey to Transplant

Families count on transplant coordinators to guide them

through an overwhelming experience.
Fall 2009
Connection

Native Alaskan Andres Hernandez and his family needed somewhere to stay during his post-transplant follow-up care. A relative lent them an RV and
even drove it to Seattle from Idaho. The blue basket on the shelf contains the medicines Andres takes every day; the blue box helps him organize a
Seattle Children’s

week's supply of medicines by the day and time he must take them.

Greg Hernandez reeled when told
that his son, Andres, needed a liver
transplant. “It was like being hit with
a bat,” he says. “I wasn’t prepared.”
How could he be? Less than
a week earlier, Andres had been
playing basketball back home in
Anchorage, Alaska. Now, the lanky
14-year-old was fighting for his life
after being whisked to Seattle
Children’s with his father aboard
a medevac flight.
With his liver rapidly failing of
unknown causes, doctors gave Andres
one week to live. His only hope was
a transplant.
“It was all happening so fast,”
Andres recalls.
A partner on the journey
Not every journey to transplant
begins with such urgency, but all
raise numerous questions — medical,
logistical, emotional and financial —
that turn a family’s life upside down.
How long must we wait for a donor
organ? What do these lab results
mean? Where will we stay while our
child is recovering?
It’s a head-spinning experience, but
at Children’s, families don’t have to
make the journey alone. Transplant
coordinators, like Marsha Larsen, assist
families from referral to evaluation to
surgery to discharge and beyond.

08
100,000
Number of people waiting for
an organ transplant in the U.S.
Transplant coordinators are registered
nurses. If they can’t answer a question
or solve a problem themselves, they
know who can — whether it’s a social
worker, a dietitian or a surgeon. “I tell
my families, ‘Call me anytime for
anything,’” says Larsen.
Like switchboard operators,
transplant coordinators keep
everybody connected, ensuring the
many pieces involved in caring for
transplant patients come together.
“I like to think of them as being
the hub of the wheel for the patients,
their families and the medical team,”
says Kathy Jo Freeman, who leads
Transplant Services. “We couldn’t
manage without them.”
First contact
Every year, Children’s performs
more than 40 heart, kidney, liver
and intestine transplants. The
outcomes are among the best in
the nation. In every case, transplant
coordinators play a vital role right
from the start.
“We’re usually the first person
families talk to after they’ve been
Transplant Coordinator Marsha Larsen plays a vital role in the journey through organ transplantation,
assisting families from referral to evaluation to surgery to discharge and beyond. “Call me anytime
for anything,” she tells the families she works with.
referred,” Larsen says. “We give them
a lot of information in a short period
of time about what lies ahead, starting
with the evaluation process. It’s a lot
to absorb all at once.”
That was especially true for Andres
and his family. He became sick in
mid-April with very little warning. “It
was like that,” Andres says, snapping
his fingers.
At first his family suspected
appendicitis, but tests at an Anchorage
hospital showed his liver was failing,
and doctors immediately referred him
to Children’s, the only hospital in the
region that provides liver transplants
to children and teens. The Alaska
Native Medical Center and Children's
regional care coordinator, Lorena
Long, helped with a smooth transition
to Seattle.
As soon as a patient, like Andres,
is referred, a transplant specialist
schedules the numerous tests and
appointments needed, including
blood draws, X-rays and CT scans,
plus individual consultations with
the transplant team — surgeon, liver
specialist, dietitian, pharmacist, social
worker and others.
Depending on the severity of a
patient’s condition, the evaluation
may take place within two weeks of
referral — for Andres it all happened
in less than a day.
Seeing the complete picture
After the initial evaluation, the transplant
coordinator collects the results from
each test and consultation and presents
them to the transplant team. If a
transplant is the best option, the
patient is placed on the United Network
for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list.
During the journey ahead, the
coordinator will acquire a deep
understanding about the overall plight
of the patient and family. “It’s the
beginning of a relationship that builds
over time,” says Larsen. “By having a
complete picture of their case history,
I become the single point of contact
for the family and the transplant team,
which ensures continuity of care every
step of the way.”
That means a lot to families, says
Phoebe Araujo of Preston, Wash.,
whose infant son, Mario, needed a
liver transplant last year.
09
Journey to Transplant

“ Most children get a transplant in time,

but 18 people die every day while
they’re waiting — and occasionally
that includes a child.”
— Kathy Jo Freeman, director of Transplant Services
Two-year-old Mario Araujo waited four months
for his first liver transplant. His father, Israel, was
scheduled for surgery to donate part of his liver
to Mario the day the family learned a donor
organ was available.
Fall 2009

“Having one person to interact with

takes the guesswork out of everything
when you have a question and you
don’t know who to ask,” she says. “It
Connection

provides a great support system.”

A stressful wait
Every transplant patient is ranked
according to criteria that include
medical urgency. Though Andres
was given high priority, there was no
guarantee a donor liver would become
available in time.
“Nationwide, more than 100,000
people are waiting for an organ
transplant at any given moment,”
Freeman says. “Most children get a
Seattle Children’s

Seattle Children’s Guest Services staff help out-of-town families find housing before and after
transplant in time, but 18 people die transplant. Some families bring RVs and stay in the hospital parking lot.
every day while they’re waiting — and
occasionally that includes a child.”
first transplant, which failed, and telling them a donor organ is available.
Patients who are listed for transplant
another three weeks for his second, “There’s a huge potential for people
are already nearing the end stages of
which succeeded. to feel like a number and get frustrated
organ failure. During the wait for a
Transplant coordinators are a because their child hasn’t received an
donor organ — which can last several
family’s touchstone to the hospital organ yet,” says Araujo. “The great
days or several months — they get
during this stressful time. They relay thing about the transplant coordinators
sicker and sicker.
ongoing test results, adjust medications is they know how the waiting list works
“The worst part of waiting is watching
and monitor the child’s overall health. and can explain the process.”
your child’s condition deteriorate,”
Coordinators also help families cope Other members of the Children’s
recalls Araujo. She and her husband,
with the anxiety of awaiting the call staff also lend support. Social workers
Israel, waited four months for Mario’s

10
Social Worker Amal Nuammar-Hastings helps patients like 9-year-old Christopher Schilling — and their families — resolve the social and emotional
issues related to organ transplantation.
assist families throughout their journey
by helping them resolve social and
emotional issues to promote a
successful transplant experience.
“We talk a lot about adjustment to
illness before and after transplant, fears
associated with scarcity of organs and
continuity of care,” says Social Worker
Amal Nuammar-Hastings. “We also
address the fear that a donor organ
won’t be available in time.”
“Definitely a miracle”
That was the dreadful possibility facing
Andres, his father, stepmother, Vicky,
and biological mother, Amanda Larsen.
Incredibly, Andres waited only one day
before a donor organ became available.
“The nurses said that in 30 years,
they’d never seen anyone get an organ
that quickly,” says his father. “It was
definitely a miracle.”
While local families can go home
after discharge, out-of-town families
must stay near the hospital for
several months so they can return
for follow-ups and respond quickly
to any complications.
Children’s Guest Services staff often
help out-of-town families find housing
after transplant and even before, since
patients awaiting transplants must
The Gift of Life
remain within six hours of the hospital.
Guest Services also provides a shuttle More than 100,000 people in
service to help patients and families the United States, including
get to and from the hospital. more than 1,500 of our Northwest
“We try to make the logistics of neighbors, are waiting for
their lives as easy as possible so they lifesaving organ transplants.
can focus on the transplant,” says You can document your personal
Guest Services Specialist Renata Taylor, decision to be an organ and
who made it possible for Andres and tissue donor by:
his father to stay in an RV in a hospital
• Saying “yes” to organ
parking lot when Andres was
donation when renewing
discharged after his transplant.
your driver’s license
The trailer reminded Andres of family
camping trips and provided “peace of • Registering online at
mind” for his father. “I didn’t want to be www.donatelifetoday.com/
waiting for a cab to get to the hospital
• Calling LifeCenter Northwest
if something happened,” says his dad.
toll-free at 1-877-275-5269
“In the trailer, I could see the emergency
room lights through the window.”
Since living with a donor organ is
a lifelong experience, the transplant
journey never really ends, and the
transplant coordinator never stops
serving as a source of support.
Still, when Larsen sees patients
right after surgery, she feels a sense of
accomplishment. “It’s wonderful to be
involved in giving someone a second
chance at life.”
11
 Straddling Two Worlds
Straddling Two Worlds
Doctors walk a tightrope as adolescents seek greater control
over their healthcare decisions.
Fall 2009
Through the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics at Seattle
Children’s, Drs. Benjamin Wilfond (left) and Doug Diekema are working to
raise awareness and develop solutions for the complex ethical questions
related to treating adolescents.
Connection
Children don’t jump straight from childhood to adulthood.
They spend their adolescence — roughly between the ages
of 12 and 18 — living in both worlds.
This stage can be very challenging as adolescents seek
greater and greater independence in everything from how
they dress to when they come home.
That need for independence also creates challenges for
doctors who treat this age group. With every decision, they
must balance the rights and desires of adolescents with the
rights and desires of parents — demands that can compete
with each other.
What if parents want to withhold a diagnosis from an
adolescent?
Seattle Children’s
What if an adolescent insists a doctor keep a sexually
transmitted disease secret?
What if parents and adolescents disagree on a course
of treatment?
“You feel like you’re walking a tightrope,” says Dr. Doug
Diekema, an emergency medicine doctor who also leads
education for the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric
Bioethics at Seattle Children’s.
This summer, the center’s annual conference, “No Longer
a Child, Not Yet an Adult: Ethical Issues in Adolescent
Healthcare,” addressed key questions surrounding the
treatment of adolescents and attracted participants from
across the country.
12
“It’s a very compelling topic,” says Dr. Leslie Walker, who
leads Adolescent Medicine at Children’s. “There’s a lot of
variation in how doctors approach some of the more sticky
situations.”
When the wishes of adolescents and parents are at odds,
doctors need to become diplomats, says Diekema. “The best
outcomes occur when everybody comes to an agreement.
You can’t treat someone effectively if they are fighting you
every step of the way.”
Sound decisions
Evidence shows that healthcare decisions made by teens
are just as good as those made by adults, Walker says.
“They may need support to follow through, but they tend
to make sound decisions when presented with all the
information.”
In cases related to substance abuse, mental health and
reproduction, most states — including Washington — give
adolescents the legal right to make decisions about treatment.
In other instances, an adolescent’s growing physical and
emotional autonomy gives him or her de facto control.
“You can make a 3-year-old comply with treatment,
but you can’t make a 16-year-old do something they don’t
want to,” says Dr. Benjamin Wilfond, who leads the Treuman
Katz Center.
In that sense, adolescents are no different than adults.
Yet, because of the complexity of age and parental roles,
doctors may be less willing to allow adolescents to decline
lifesaving treatments.
“That’s a case where people are willing to push
harder to persuade adolescents to obtain treatment than
they might for a 30-year-old facing a similar decision,”
Wilfond says.
Maintaining trust
Besides creating decision-making issues, caring for
adolescents also creates confidentiality issues.
“Many of us are parents, too, and we hear things from
adolescents that we’d want to know if they were our kids,”
Diekema says. “But adolescents need an adult whom they
can trust. If we break that trust, we run the risk they won’t
get the care they need.”
Dr. Leslie Walker, who leads the Adolescent Medicine program, says teens can make good decisions about their healthcare when presented with all the
information and given support to follow through.

“ You can make a 3-year-old Once again, state law erases some of the gray by
requiring confidentiality involving substance abuse,
comply with treatment, but mental health and reproduction. But that doesn’t eliminate
all tension.
you can’t make a 16-year- “What becomes uncomfortable is when a parent says,
‘You absolutely must tell me everything my child said,’”
old do something they Walker says. “That’s where the push-pull begins.”
The flip side is parents who want doctors to withhold
don’t want to.” disturbing information, such as a diagnosis, from their child.
Doctors have no legal obligation to disclose the diagnosis
to a minor, but they run the risk of losing the patient’s trust
— Dr. Benjamin Wilfond, director of the Treuman Katz if and when the diagnosis is discovered.
Center for Pediatric Bioethics at Seattle Children’s “The key to resolving these dilemmas is communication
between all of the parties involved,” Walker says. “Step by
step, you work through the issues. It takes time, but that’s
how you reach good decisions.”

13
 What’s Happening
What's Happening
at Seattle Children’s
Thomas N. Hansen, MD
Fall 2009
CEO, Seattle Children’s
Cilla Joondeph
Chairman, Seattle Children’s
Connection
Hospital Board of Trustees
Ranked Among the Nation’s Best
U.S. News & World Report magazine
ranked Seattle Children’s among the
nation’s top children’s hospitals for the
17th consecutive year. The results were
announced in July, as part of the
magazine’s annual “America’s Best
Seattle Children’s
Children’s Hospitals” issue.
Children’s was ranked fourth in
the country for kidney disorders,
sixth for cancer, eighth for urology
and ninth for respiratory disorders,
neurology and neurosurgery.
14
Staff Ideas Save Money, Improve Access
As part of Seattle Children’s response
to the ongoing economic crisis, we
asked employees and physicians for
their ideas to reduce our costs and
eliminate barriers to care. We’ve been
rewarded with hundreds of creative
and insightful suggestions and have
already enacted many of them.
The changes range from the
seemingly small, such as switching
from color stationery to black and
white for most uses, to more
fundamental changes that improve
families’ ability to get the care they
need. For example, patients with
diabetes and other endocrine
disorders do better when they can
see a team of providers at once.
But because of variable provider
Other Children’s programs receiving
top recognition by U.S. News included
neonatal care, orthopedics, digestive
disorders, and heart and heart surgery.
Children’s is the only children’s hospital
in the Pacific Northwest to make the list.
“We are truly honored to be
recognized among the best children’s
hospitals in the nation,” said Dr. Thomas
Hansen, CEO. “Through the support of
our community and tireless work of our
employees, we are striving to improve
schedules, patients had to wait
weeks to get team appointments. By
standardizing these schedules, the
Endocrinology Department increased
its capacity for team visits by an
impressive 26% and decreased the
time that patients must wait.
Tapping into our people’s ideas to
reduce waste is not new. We’ve been
improving our work processes for
several years. We’re reaping the
benefits of that commitment now,
with results that will help us weather
the current economic storm.
outcomes, discover new treatments
and provide the best possible care to
our patients and their families. Even
in the toughest economic times, we
continue to maintain our founding
promise, to provide medical care to
all children in our region — regardless
of a family’s ability to pay.”
Children’s Leapfrogs to Fifth in NIH Funding
Funding from the National Institutes of
Health (NIH) to the Seattle Children’s
Research Institute increased 44% in
fiscal year 2008. The dramatic gain
moves Children’s to the number
five spot among pediatric research
institutions receiving NIH awards —
up six spots from number 11 in fiscal
year 2007.
Our jump in NIH funding was due
to a multiyear effort to expand our
research infrastructure and recruit
top national researchers.
“We continue to develop state-of-
the-art space so our research teams
have the facilities and sophisticated
technical resources they need to find
solutions to some of the most daunting
challenges in pediatric medicine,” says
Seattle Children's NIH funding increased 44% in fiscal year 2008.
Dr. Jim Hendricks, president of the
research institute.
As one of the top five pediatric Northwest region in NIH research square feet of laboratory and associated
research centers in the nation, funding, after our research partners support space. Future plans include
Children’s receives 55% of its total the University of Washington and Fred adding top research talent and
pediatric research funding — Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. expanding to 2 million square feet
approximately $22 million — from Currently, more than 500 faculty of research space.
the NIH. We also rank third in the and staff conduct research in 290,000

Common Autism Medication Ineffective

for Repetitive Behaviors

The largest clinical study ever
performed in children with autism
spectrum disorders (ASD) found that
citalopram (Celexa) was no more
effective than a placebo at reducing
repetitive behaviors such as hand
flapping, swaying, repetitive play and
inflexible daily routines.
Citalopram, commonly prescribed
for children with ASD, is in a class of
antidepressants called selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI).
This class of medication is also
often used to treat repetitive behaviors
associated with obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD).
Seattle Children’s psychiatrist
Dr. Bryan King, the lead author of the
six-site clinical trial, says the results
may challenge the widely held premise
that repetitive behaviors in children
with ASD are similar to repetitive
behaviors often found in cases of OCD.
“ Each new
King and his colleagues also caution
providers to weigh the risks and
benefits of prescribing citalopram
for ASD, since nearly all 149 children
finding helps us
in the study reported negative side
effects from the medication.
re-examine and
“While our study’s findings may be
frustrating news for hopeful families
revise treatment
and clinicians, each new finding helps
us re-examine and revise treatment
plans, refine
plans, refine future studies and build
upon what we know as we search for
future studies
effective treatments and eventually
cures for this complex group of
and build upon
disorders,” says King.
The study was published in the
what we know.”
June 2009 issue of Archives of
General Psychiatry. —D
 r. Bryan King, director of
You can hear King discuss the study Seattle Children's Autism
at http://www.seattlechildrens.org/ Center
home/about_childrens/press_
releases/2009/06/004756.asp.

15
 Inspiring the Next Generation
What's Happening
In July, Seattle Children’s hosted 16 high
school juniors for “UDOC,” a five-week
hands-on educational program that is
co-sponsored by the University of
Washington’s (UW) Office of Multicultural
Affairs in the School of Medicine, the Office
of Educational Partnerships and Diversity
in the School of Dentistry and Children’s
Center for Diversity and Health Equity.
UDOC’s goal is to foster interest in
healthcare careers among students
from racial and ethnic groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented in
these professions.
The UDOC scholars spent six days at
Children’s exploring our multifaceted
efforts to address asthma through
clinical care, research and community
prevention. These experiences
complemented their UW classroom
activities focused on evidence-based
practices. Drs. Jim Stout and Margaret
Rosenfeld got things started by sharing
stories about their personal career
paths and perspectives about asthma
Fall 2009
care and research. The UDOC scholars
also met with and observed the work
of various clinicians at Children’s who
work with asthma patients, including
Connection
pulmonologists, Emergency Department
physicians, respiratory therapists,
Hope on tHe Hill
Hope on tHe Hill | By Walt Crowley, David W. Wilma, and the Historylink.org Staff
the First Century of Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle Children’s
and purpose that
row up without illness
eat and eliminate
attle Children’s
elping ensure that all
milies ability to pay.
By Walt Crowley, David W. Wilma, and the Historylink.org Staff
16
Seattle Children’s hosted 16 high school juniors for “UDOC,” a five-week hands-on educational
program to foster interest in healthcare careers among students from racial and ethnic groups that
have traditionally been underrepresented in these professions.
radiology technicians, patient navigators “Seattle Children’s partnership with
and patient educators. the University of Washington’s UDOC
The UDOC scholars also visited the program is an important ‘ingredient’ in
Seattle Children’s Research Institute, our recipe for achieving the hospital’s
where they conducted asthma laboratory strategic goal of having a diverse
exercises to measure their own lung workforce that reflects the communities
function and participated in a facilitated we serve,” says Dr. Doug Jackson, who
discussion about the importance of leads Children’s Center for Diversity
including racial and ethnic minorities in and Health Equity.
clinical trials and the challenges faced
in their enrollment.
New Book Details Hospital’s Rich History
in the spring of 1898, Anna Clise
and her husband, James, a successful
businessman, watched in dismay as
Hope on the Hill: The First Century of Seattle Children’s
their third child, 5-year-old Willis,
suffered and died from what was
called “inflammatory rheumatism.”
Hospital recounts our history and our impact on the city, the
They were told there was no
treatment. indeed, there was no doctor
Northwest and the thousands of patients we have served.
west of philadelphia who specialized in
any childhood ailments. And since there
were few social services, poor children who were stricken had
The book was written by the late Walt Crowley, David Wilma
even worse prospects than those whose parents were wealthy.
Anna never forgot Willis’s suffering. While escorting her
daughter to finishing school in 1906, she toured Children’s
and the staff of HistoryLink.org. Preorder your copy by Nov. 1
Hospital of philadelphia, the first institution of pediatric
medicine in the country. Anna and her husband also visited
for the special price of $29.95. Books will arrive early in 2010,
the Hospital for Women and Children in Syracuse, new York.
These institutions affected her profoundly.
Back home in Seattle, Anna Clise set out on a daunting
when the bookstore price will range from $35 to $40. To
mission: to start, from scratch, an association dedicated to
providing surgical and other hospital care to children, regardless
of class, race or ability to pay. With 23 other women from
preorder, e-mail Laura.Tufts@seattlechildrens.org or call
Seattle’s most influential families, she founded the Children’s
orthopedic Hospital Association. At first, it funded seven beds
206-987-3865. Proceeds benefit uncompensated care.
at Seattle General Hospital while raising money for its own
facilities on Queen Anne Hill. For its first 98 years, Children’s
was run by a board consisting entirely of determined women,
who proved formidable fundraisers and skillful persuaders.
When the Queen Anne facility became too cramped
after World War ii, Children’s moved to a new campus in
laurelhurst, where it now has 250 beds and is consistently
ranked among the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation.
over the years, it also has evolved into a top-flight medical
center, serving the four-state Washington, Alaska, idaho and
Montana area. today, Children’s goal is to become the top
children’s medical facility in the U. S. -- an ambition Anna
Clise would have wholeheartedly endorsed.
This book recounts the history of this remarkable
institution its impact on Seattle and the thousands of patients
it has served.
Community Helps
Meet Growing Need
Even as the recession impacts Seattle
Children’s, compassionate donors help
us honor our commitment to care for
every child in our region, regardless of
a family’s ability to pay. Thanks in part
to our caring community, Children’s
provided $86.2 million in uncompensated
care during fiscal year 2008. We simply
could not meet this unprecedented
need without your generosity.
Community support has never
been more important or urgent as we
face the current economic downturn.
To address a shortfall of $9 billion,
These healthy young athletes are making a
difference for sick and injured patients by
participating in the Covey Run Kids Dash, which
benefits Seattle Children’s uncompensated care
program. Every year, thousands of compassionate
donors help Children’s provide the best medical
care to children in the Northwest, regardless of a
family’s ability to pay.
Your gifts to uncompensated care
16%
ensure that children in our region
continue to receive the best medical
care available, regardless of insurance
coverage. In 2008, Children’s covered
a record $77.3 million in Medicaid
expected increase in payment shortfalls and provided
uncompensated care $8.9 million in financial assistance to
we’ll provide in 2009. families in need. This year, we expect
uncompensated care for these
programs to exceed $100 million.
Washington state legislators approved
Thank you for bringing healing to
a budget that includes substantial cuts
children and peace of mind to families
to programs that support healthcare
during difficult times.
for our state’s most vulnerable children
and families. As a result, we expect
to see a loss of about $22 million over
the next two years.
Growth of Uncompensated ​Care
Approximately 43% of Children’s
patients are covered by Medicaid, a 2001–2008
government program that provides
(dollars in millions)
medical coverage at no cost to low-
income families. However, the program
$86.2
reimburses Children’s for only 69% of
treatment costs. Uncompensated care
makes up the difference.
Families with private insurance are $65.4
also struggling financially as a result
of job losses and reductions in health
benefits. For example, many families
must pay for services that were $41.7
covered by insurance in the past. And $35.2 $34.6 $35.8
some families of longtime patients who
$28.0
used to make an insurance co-payment $24.9
per hospital admission are now paying
the same amount per day of each stay.
When a hospital bill exceeds a family’s
ability to pay, Children’s financial
assistance program provides relief.
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
17
 On the Scene
On the Scene
Fall 2009

(Above left) In August the Friends of Costco Guild celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Children's Golf Classic, the most successful fundraising event
in Seattle Children's history. (Top right) Friends of Costco Guild founder Jan Sinegal (left) and guild president Lynn Winters joined Seattle Children's
Connection

patients and twins Cole (left) and Cody Hughes at a celebration at Safeco Field. (Bottom right) Jay Leno entertained at the dinner and auction.

10th Annual Golf Classic Raises $6.7 Million

The Friends of Costco Guild marked
the 10th anniversary of the Children’s
Golf Classic by raising $6.7 million in
August to support uncompensated care
at Seattle Children’s. In 10 years, this
three-day event has generated more
than $40 million, making it by far the
most successful fundraiser in the
Seattle Children’s
entertainer in 2006, returned to Safeco
Field Aug. 23 to highlight the anniversary
celebration before 1,000 guests.
Nearly 1,000 golfers played the
following morning at seven area
courses. Supporters gathered later that
evening for an awards party at The Golf
Club at Newcastle.
Nice-Pak, Pilgrim’s Pride, Sun Products
Corporation and the Sinegal Family
Foundation. Many thanks to title
sponsors Allied Marketing, Cargill, Inc.,
Comprehensive Payment Recovery
Services, ConAgra Foods, Diageo,
Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, LNK
International, Mars, Inc., Niagara

hospital’s history. Sincere appreciation to Classic Circle Bottling, PepsiCo, Pharmavite LLC,
Major sponsors gathered for a of Care sponsors Costco Wholesale, Tarantino Gourmet Sausages, Trident
reception at Chateau Ste. Michelle agron/adidas, American Express, Seafoods, Tyson Foods and Unilever.
Aug. 22. Jay Leno, the event’s featured General Mills, JBS Swift & Company,

The events described in this section raised a combined $9.9 million

to support uncompensated care, research and patient-care programs
at Seattle Children’s.

18
Seattle Children's patient Kami Sutton joined
guest celebrity Vic Edelbrock Jr. during a break
in the action at the Pacific Northwest Historics
Vintage Races in July.
Historics Turns 21
The SOVREN Guild raised more than
$570,000 over the Fourth of July
weekend at the 21st annual Pacific
Northwest Historics Vintage Races at
Pacific Raceways in Kent. An estimated
10,000 fans attended. Guest celebrity
and longtime Seattle Children’s
supporter Vic Edelbrock Jr. raced
his 1969 Mustang during the three-
day event.
Jon and Mary Shirley hosted a
dinner in their home to recognize
members of Children’s Checkered
Flag Club Champions, who donated
$10,000 each to the hospital.
The International Race of Executives
featured 10 individuals who each
donated $10,000 to Children’s to
train with professional drivers.
Special thanks to title sponsor
Phil Smart Mercedes-Benz, presenting
sponsor Edelbrock Corporation,
premier sponsor Jackson Dean
Construction and associate sponsors
CCS Digital, MulvannyG2 Architecture,
UBS Financial Services, Inc., U.S. Bank
and Windward Press.
Southwest Airlines Supports Hospital Families
Many thanks to Southwest Airlines for donating 50 round-
trip flights to Seattle Children’s patients and families.
“Transportation is a huge challenge for some families,” says
Elizabeth Bennett, who directs Guest Services, Partnerships
Motorcycle builder and Seattle Children’s Team Seattle Guild drivers (from left) Don Kitch
supporter Paul Yaffe leads the pack as hundreds Jr., Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster raced on
of bikers head out on Children’s Ride 14. behalf of Seattle Children’s at the 24 Hours of
Le Mans in France in June.
Children’s Ride Rolls Team Seattle Races
The Imagine Guild raised $350,000
at Le Mans
for uncompensated care and diabetes
The Team Seattle Guild provided
research during Children’s Ride
international exposure for Seattle
Weekend in June. The fifth annual
Children’s and raised nearly $200,000
Children’s Ride Gala and Auction
for cardiac intensive care while com­
was held June 26 at Fremont Studios
peting in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in Seattle, where the “Battle of the
auto race June 13 and 14 in France.
Baggers” featured Paul Yaffe vs. Brian
The guild raised the funds through
Klock. Both builders customized a
pledges and sponsorships. Children’s
Harley-Davidson to benefit Children’s;
CEO Dr. Tom Hansen joined other
Yaffe won the “battle” when his bike
hospital supporters and racing
received a top bid of $45,000.
enthusiasts in Le Mans to cheer on
Nearly 500 motorcycles joined the
Team Seattle.
escorted Children’s Ride 14 from Safeco
After racing for 12 years at the Rolex
Field to Emerald Downs on June 28
24 Hours at Daytona, Team Seattle was
for a day of food, entertainment and
invited to compete at Le Mans, the
horse racing.
oldest sports car endurance race in the
Many thanks to title sponsors
world. The driving team included actor
Buyken Metal Products, Claffey’s
Patrick Dempsey, guild co-founder Don
Painting, Dacels, Destination Harley-
Kitch Jr. and veteran racer Joe Foster.
Davidson, Downtown Harley-Davidson,
Hinshaw’s Victory Motorcycles, John L.
Scott Foundation, KIRO, Klock Werks,
KZOK, Paul Yaffe’s Bagger Nation,
Renton Motorcycles, V-Twin magazine,
Wizards of the Coast and Zacky’s
Custom Rods.
and Advocacy at Children’s. “We recently cared for a child
who was airlifted from Idaho, whose family had no resources
to fly home. Southwest’s gift helped them during a very
stressful time.”
19
 Vintage Results for
On the Scene

Wine Auction

(Above left) Tod Leiweke (left) and Greg Lill co-chaired the 2009 Auction of Washington Wines.
(At right) The Run for Children’s Guild presented the third annual Covey Run, which attracted nearly
1,400 runners and walkers and raised $120,000 for Seattle Children’s.

The 22nd annual Auction of Washington
Wines raised $1.5 million for Seattle
Children’s during four days in August.
A gourmet picnic attracted more than
900 guests to Chateau Ste. Michelle
winery Aug. 13, and private dinners
were held Aug. 14 at selected wineries
and in homes throughout the Puget
Sound area. The third annual Covey
Run 10K and 5K Run/Walk & Kids Dash,
presented by the Run for Children’s
Guild, raised $120,000 on Aug. 15.
Fall 2009
Festivities concluded later that evening
with the Starry Starry Night Gala
Auction, which featured a gourmet
dinner, Washington wines, entertainment
and live and silent auctions.
Many thanks to lead sponsors
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Lease Crutcher
Lewis, the John L. Scott Foundation,
Classical KING FM 98.1, KING 5, Seattle
magazine, Seattle Sounders FC, Viking
Range/Gateway Appliance Distributing,
Vine Vertical and Wine Spectator.

Lenny and Marilyn Wilkens

Connection

Honored

(Above left) Marilyn and Lenny Wilkens (at right) accept the Spirit of Caring Award from hospital
trustee Jan Sinegal and Evelyn Lavizzo of the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic. (Above right) Golfers
at the Lenny Wilkens Foundation Celebrity Classic included (from left) Seattle Children’s Dr. David
Seattle Children’s

Fisher, foundation president Percell Johnson, Children’s Dr. Craig Rubens, Lenny Wilkens, Will
Hansen, and Children’s CEO Dr. Thomas Hansen.

The Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic
(OBCC) presented the Dr. Blanche S.
Lavizzo Spirit of Caring Award on
June 11 to longtime supporters Lenny
and Marilyn Wilkens. The award is
named for Washington state’s first
female African-American physician,
who served as OBCC medical director
from the clinic’s opening in 1970 until
her death in 1984. Award winners
are individuals or organizations who
provide extraordinary leadership,
volunteer time and financial gifts to
the clinic. The Wilkens family and the
Lenny Wilkens Foundation have donated
nearly $1 million to OBCC since 1984.
This figure includes funds raised through
the foundation's annual Celebrity Classic
weekend. This year, more than 500
guests attended a dinner and auction
at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue Aug. 14,
and nearly 150 golfers played in a
tournament the next day at The Golf
Club at Echo Falls.

20
Seattle Children’s patients told their stories
during the 25th annual “Miracle Makers”
broadcast.
“Miracle Makers”
Celebrates 25 Years
The “Miracle Makers” television
broadcast marked its 25th anniversary
May 30 by raising $147,000 on KOMO 4.
Seattle Children’s patients Marques Mar,
Jake Finkbonner, Savannah Barrie,
Alyssa McCarron-Thompson and Josiah
and Cristalin Cramer shared their
stories and encouraged viewers to
pledge financial support to the hospital.
KOMO 4 newscasters Steve Pool, Mike
Dardis and Sabra Gertsch hosted the
special, supported by more than 250
volunteers and sponsored by KOMO 4
and Costco Wholesale.
Dr. Sandy Melzer of Seattle Children's was
among the hospital supporters who rode in the
Group Health STP in July to raise money for
Children’s Emergency Department research.
Stephanie Harris and Maila Sharp of Tacoma
TOP Food & Drug encourage shoppers to buy
Miracle Balloons, a promotion which raised
more than $32,000 for Seattle Children's at
29 area Haggen and TOP Food stores.
Shoppers Help
“Purchase a Miracle”
The Purchase a Miracle campaign
raised $380,000 for Seattle Children’s
in 2009. Shoppers helped raise the
funds between May 1 and June 15 by
selecting grocery and drugstore items
identified by Purchase a Miracle shelf
tags. The tags were placed in more
than 500 stores around the state by
members of Children’s Guild
Association. Retailers sold Miracle
Balloons, encouraged employee giving,
held product promotions and offered
sponsor incentives to support the
hospital.
Cyclists Support Research
Nearly 30 Seattle Children’s faculty and
staff members raised $15,000 by riding
in the 30th annual Group Health Seattle
to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP) July 11
and 12. Proceeds benefited Children’s
Emergency Department Research
Endowment Fund. The group included
Children’s executives, physicians,
hospital employees and members of
Including Seattle Children’s in her will was
“really easy to do,” says Jennifer Goldberg,
shown with her children Clara and Tate.
“Part of the Family”
Earns Legacy Gift
Jennifer and Matt Goldberg included
Seattle Children’s as a beneficiary in their
wills after witnessing the extraordinary
care given to son Tate for his immune
disorder and to daughter Clara for a
gastrointestinal disorder. The couple
also founded a guild to benefit pediatric
immunology research. “Children’s is a
part of our family,” says Jennifer
Goldberg, who is a Guild Association
board trustee. “It’s a place of miracles
and hope, and I want to see that legacy
continue after I am gone.” To learn how
to include Children’s in your will, call
Lorraine del Prado at 206-987-4977 or
Christina Lui at 206-987-6812.
Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
The Children’s team joined 10,000
other cyclists on the 200-mile Group
Health STP, which is one of the largest
recreational bicycle rides in the country.
21
 Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events

Raising Dough Throughout September; Great Harvest will donate 100% of September sales of fresh-baked $15 honey-
for Children’s Great Harvest Bread Company wheat Bread-y Bears to Seattle Children’s. Preorders only. Visit
Bakeries, Western Washington www.greatharvestsea.com for store hours, locations and to place your order.

17th Annual Saturday, Sept. 19, 10:30 a.m. Drop off a new, safe, unwrapped toy at Husky Stadium before the Washington vs.
Toy Drive to 12:30 p.m.; Husky Stadium, USC football game. Cash donations accepted. Presented by Les Schwab Tires,
Seattle Q13 FOX and the Guardian Angel Guild. Call 206-999-0958.

2009 Great Kitchen Saturday and Sunday, See the home-building industry’s latest designs and gather ideas for your own home.
& Bath Tour Sept. 19 and 20, 10 a.m. to $15 per person in advance; $20 at the door. Visit www.greatkitchenandbathtour.org.
5 p.m.; selected area homes

Heart and “Sole” Sunday, Oct. 4, 11:30 a.m.; The Dreams of Hope Guild presents wine, appetizers, luncheon and dessert. Silent and
Ladies Luncheon TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf live auctions will include travel packages, dining and nearly 30 pairs of shoes. $50 per
& Auction Club, Snoqualmie person. Visit www.dreamsofhopeguild.org or e-mail dianareul@hotmail.com.

Annual Gala & Saturday, Oct. 10, 5:30 p.m.; Join auctioneer John Curley and the ASTAR Autism Guild for cocktails, dinner and
Auction Grand Hyatt Seattle silent and live auctions. $150 per person. Call 206-332-1646.

Ninth Annual Where Saturday, Oct. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Join the Miracle House Guild for wine, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and live
Miracles Take Flight The Museum of Flight, Seattle entertainment. $100 per person includes silent and live auctions. Cocktail attire.
Auction Visit www.miraclehouseguild.org or e-mail jaimeforeman@comcast.net.

10th Annual Cruise Saturday, Oct. 17, 6:30 p.m.; The Jaquish/Dukelow Memorial Cancer Research Guild (formerly Jordyn Dukelow
for a Cure Issaquah Community Center Memorial Guild) will present appetizers, hosted bar, music by Nina and the Big Boys
and silent and live auctions. $50 per person. Call 425-351-0139.

Cha-Cha-Cha for Saturday, Oct. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Hit the dance floor after enjoying hors d’oeuvres, wine, dinner and a small live
Children’s Overlake Golf & Country Club, auction. $150 per person. Cocktail attire. E-mail amylouise@comcast.net or call
Fall 2009

Medina 425-453-6662. Presented by the We Believe Guild.

Run of Hope Sunday, Oct. 18, registration After a 5K run and 3K walk, participants will enjoy live music, food and prizes.
begins 8 a.m.; Seward Park, $25 before Oct. 16; $30 on race day. Visit www.runofhopeseattle.org. Presented
Connection

Seattle by Seattle Children’s Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Guild and the Four Seasons
Hotel Seattle.

Unmasking Saturday, Oct. 24, 5:30 p.m.; Join emcee Dennis Bounds of KING 5 News and the Hydrocephalus Research Guild
Hydrocephalus Hyatt Regency Bellevue for a Venetian carnival–themed gala and auction. $125 per person. Visit
www.hydroresearch.org or call 425-482-0479.

Columbia Valley Saturday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m.; The Tri-City Guilds for Children’s present the 24th annual Harvest Ball. Enjoy dinner,
Harvest Red Lion Hotel, Pasco dancing and live and silent auctions for $100 per person. Black tie optional. E-mail
harvestballreservations@yahoo.com or call 509-460-0172.

Club Night 2009 Thursday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m.; Cocktails in the unique Musicquarium lounge will be followed by dinner, dancing
The Triple Door, Seattle and live music by The Frustrations. $85 per person. Call 206-730-2040. Presented
by the Frances W. Nordstrom Guild.

Symphony of the Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m.; Composer Mateo Messina and the Northwest Symphony Orchestra present the
Seattle Children’s

Superhero Benaroya Hall, Seattle Symphony Guild’s 12th annual benefit concert, featuring special guest Cut Chemist.
$40 to $50 per person. Visit www.thesymphonyguild.org or call 206-377-0010.

31st Annual Festival Sunday, Nov. 22, 3 to 5:30 p.m., The Dr. Forrest L. Flashman Guild presents 20 beautiful Christmas trees to be
of Trees dinner, 5:30 p.m.; Fairmont auctioned for Seattle Children’s. Free admission includes refreshments, music and
Olympic Hotel, Seattle entertainment. Afterward, enjoy dinner in the Georgian Room; children, $33; adults,
$72. Visit www.seattlefestivaloftrees.com.

Shop, Sip and Monday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m.; Join auctioneer John Curley at the KC Howard Guild’s annual holiday luncheon and
Savor for Seattle Seattle Sheraton auction. Shop the holiday marketplace prior to the luncheon for wine, clothing and
Children’s gifts. $75 per person. Call 206-987-2777.

22
At a Glance

Boards of Trustees 2009–2010

Hospital Foundation Guild Association Executive Staff

Cilla Joondeph Peter Shimer Laurie Boehme Thomas Hansen, MD

Chairman Chairman Chairman CEO

Dean Allen Susan Mask Sherry Benaroya Laurie Oki Maureen Atkins Trish Oury Patrick Hagan Susan Heath, RN, MN
Rhoda Altom Resa Moore Laurie Boehme Gordon Perkin, MD Sue Byers Nancy Schenck President and Chief Senior Vice President
Operating Officer, Chief Nursing Officer
Libby Armintrout Jeff Nitta Cindy Brettler Douglas Picha Kerri Coyle Michele Smith
Seattle Children’s
Robb Bakemeier Gloria Northcroft Robert Cline Scott Redman Jana Dukelow Laurie Taylor Hospital Sanford Melzer, MD
Joel Benoliel Laurie Oki A.M. Clise Tami Reller Krista Fay Dixie Wilson Senior Vice President
James Hendricks, PhD Strategic Planning
Jane Blair Rob Roskin, MD Ronald Crockett Fariba Ronnasi Mary Jo Foseid Jennifer Zinda
President, Seattle
Julia Calhoun Nancy Senseney Richard DiCerchio Robert Sawin, MD Shalisan Foster Children’s Research Robert Sawin, MD
Pat Char Jan Sinegal David Fisher, MD Kenneth Schubert Jr. Jennifer Goldberg Institute Surgeon-in-Chief
President, CUMG
Nancy Daly Charles Stevens Shalisan Foster Jan Sinegal Dorothy Greenwood
Douglas Picha
Michael Delman Peggy Walton Thomas Hansen, MD Michele Smith Mary Lynn Holman President, Seattle Jeffrey Sconyers
David Fisher, MD Ray Heacox Dale Sperling Jane Humphries Children’s Hospital Senior Vice President
Foundation General Counsel
Bob Flowers Kandace Holley F. Bruder Stapleton, MD Mari Juntunen
Mary Ann Flynn Craig Jelinek Kelly Wallace Jolene Logue Lisa Brandenburg F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
Thomas Hansen, MD Ted Johnson Robert Watt Alex Lytle Senior Vice President Senior Vice President
Chief Administrative Chief Academic Officer
Genie Higgins Cilla Joondeph Lenny Wilkens Linda Maki
Officer
Judy Holder Craig Kinzer Louisa Malatos Kelly Wallace
Cynthia Huffman Tod Leiweke Barbara Mann Drexel DeFord Senior Vice President
Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer
Jim Ladd Howard Lincoln Lorene Martin
Chief Information
Cindy Masin Candy Marshall Lisa Mawer Officer
John Meisenbach Suzanne Sinegal
McGill Mark Del Beccaro, MD
Cameron Myhrvold
Pediatrician-in-Chief
Chief Medical
Information Officer

David Fisher, MD
Senior Vice President
Medical Director

23
 NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
M/S S-200 Seattle, WA
PO Box 50020 Permit No. 8225
Seattle, WA 98145-5020
www.seattlechildrens.org

Address Service Requested

When there’s only one place that can save

your daughter’s life, that’s where you go.
At seven weeks, Alethea Bloedel was diagnosed with transposition
of the great arteries, a complex heart condition that required lifesaving
surgery. Her pediatrician knew what to do: send her to Seattle
Children’s. With one of the nation’s top heart centers, and a team of

Care.
over 30 cardiac experts who treat more pediatric heart-
related issues than any hospital in the region, Seattle
Children’s was Alethea’s best hope. Benefiting from
unique lifesaving technology available at Seattle Children’s, her
surgery was a huge success. Now she’s a happy, healthy five-year-old.
At Seattle Children’s, “Hope. Care. Cure.” are the words that define us.
And we couldn’t do what we do without your support. So thank you.
From us, Alethea and her family. To learn more, volunteer or donate,
go to seattlechildrens.org.