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What They Do:
NC Children's is the only state-supported pediatric facility in North Carolina. No patient is refused care, but funding from the state covers only 10 percent of the hospital's costs, thereby necessitating outside financial support. Carolina For The Kids has become a fundamental part of this network, raising more than $5.1 million in 26 years and increasing volunteer presence in the hospital in each of these years. Please explore our site to learn more about the unique ways you can help Carolina For The Kids make a difference for the patients, families and staff at NC's Children's. More interesting facts about the NC Children's can be found at: http://www.uncchildrens.org/uncmc/unc-childrens/. What We Do: In the hospital, Carolina For The Kids...
Carolina For The Kids In Hospital Awards:
Each year Carolina For The Kids opens up a poll among the nurses, doctors, and medical personal within UNC Children's Hospital to award them at our benefit in the spring. We do this to show appreciation for the hard work of each employee and highlight those who have gone above and beyond to make a patients stay or co-workers year all the better. Listed below are some of the kind words people have written about our 2024 winners. Ruth Medlin Ruth Medlin, RN, is the Pediatric Asthma Program Manager for the NC Children’s Allergy and Asthma Center. She enjoys empowering patients and families through educating them on their diagnoses and providing insight into treatment and management of their asthma. Additionally, she educates staff on asthma management, process improvement, and best practice throughout the UNC system. She is always thinking of ways to improve asthma care and has taken her passion into the surrounding community through connection and education of school nurses. Medlin and a multidisciplinary team have standardized pediatric asthma care; she is proud to be part of one of 11 pediatric programs in the US that is certified by the Joint Commission for Excellence in Patient Care. Colleagues highlight Medlin’s willingness to spend hours outside of the traditional work week on calls with families to make sure they understand their diagnoses and are getting the care they need. The video assessments of patients’ homes that she conducts on her own initiative are just one way she goes above and beyond in her role at UNC. Colleagues describe her as someone who is always “a team-player jumping in to help get patients the care they need even when it isn't her responsibility or day to be in clinic,” adding that she “sees what needs to be done and takes care of it to improve the care of our patients.” Charissa Kam Dr. Charissa Kam is a clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP) in the UNC Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic working with children with Cystic Fibrosis and children who have had a lung transplant. This entails medication management, quality improvement and research projects, and working with a multidisciplinary team. She deeply values the opportunity to work with team members who dedicate themselves to giving their best to support and care for patients and families undergoing treatment at UNC. Dr. Kam regularly goes above and beyond in her role navigating the many medications needed for Cystic Fibrosis treatment. A colleague highlighted a recent case in which Dr. Kam advocated on a national level for an off-label medication. The medication is very expensive and legal action was required to get the medicine. Dr. Kam spent countless hours understanding the legal process, compiling evidence on the importance of the medication, and collaborating with the nationwide Cystic Fibrosis community. The judge and insurance company were so impressed by the array of information she presented that they approved the medication. In the words of her colleagues, she is a “fierce patient advocate” who is “endlessly patient and compassionate with patients and families through challenging scenarios, never hesitating to stand up for what she believes is the right thing for her patients, regardless of the barriers that exist.” “It’s a great honor to work with our families and walk through their CF journey alongside them,” Dr. Kam says, “celebrating the milestones they hit, navigating the challenges that arise, and delighting in their triumphs.” Elizabeth Jalazo Dr. Elizabeth Jalazo is a pediatric geneticist in the MPS Center and the Angelman Center. Colleagues admire the care beyond necessary standards that she provides for patients and families at UNC; she even remains available for families if their children are no longer undergoing treatment at the UNC Hospital. Dr. Jalazo willingly works overtime to provide hope for patients, working to provide treatment options that may not be readily available on the market. She “shares her heart with all the families she serves” and remains “humble about her work…even though she deserves much recognition,” says a colleague. |
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