Le Bonheur Children's Hospital

For young children, early dental checkups reduce the risk of tooth decay, the development of cavities and helps establish a life-long foundation of good oral health. On this episode of the "Peds Pod," Craig Vinall, DDS, MDS, with the department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health at the The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, talks about what parents can do to keep their kid’s smiles bright. https://ow.ly/KjFJ50Rxvk5

We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of our Critical Care Expansion, the largest building expansion since the current hospital tower opened in 2010. This expansion allowed us to add 14 additional beds to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), create a 31-bed dedicated Cardiovascular Unit, add a new MRI-guided cardiac catheterization lab for a total of three catheterization labs and expand the surgery recovery area with eight new Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) bays. This milestone marks a significant step forward in our continued commitment to providing top-notch care to kids. Thank you to everyone who helped make this expansion possible and for those who came to celebrate with us!

Thank you Memphis Touchdown Club for inviting Le Bonheur heart patient and current Mississippi State quarterback Jake Weir to speak at last week's meeting to kick off the Spring 2024 Speaker Series. Jake shared his story as a lifelong Le Bonheur patient and living out his dream of playing football in the SEC. Jake joined Paul Finebaum, host of the Paul Finebaum Show airing daily on the SEC Network. Le Bonheur is excited the Memphis Touchdown Club has again chosen Le Bonheur as its charitable partner. For more information on the Memphis Touchdown Club or to see the schedule of upcoming speakers visit https://lnkd.in/gt_iPy_3.

We are proud to announce our Children's Miracle Network Local Champion Henry Grimes! Henry was born with a complex congenital heart defect called tetralogy of Fallot. He was diagnosed when he was two days old, after his pediatrician discovered a heart murmur and sent him for an echocardiogram. On June 9, 2013, the Grimes family checked into Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital for Henry’s open-heart surgery which would be the next morning. From the moment that they met Christopher Knott-Craig, MD, Henry’s surgeon, they knew that Henry would be in great hands. "Le Bonheur is a family, and the doctors and nurses took care of Henry like he was their own son. Henry was a brave little guy, and he earned the nickname “Henry the Braveheart” from his nurses while in the hospital," said Laura Grimes, Henry's mom. Henry is now a happy 11 year old. He loves to read, play golf and cheer on the Grizzlies.

We were thrilled to welcome Jenna Bush Hager to Le Bonheur during her visit to Memphis as the celebrity guest for the FedExFamilyHouse Gala. During her tour of the hospital, she visited the newly expanded Heart Institute, toured Seacrest Studios and even took a trip down Bunny Lane. Thank you, Jenna, for helping FedExFamilyHouse continue to provide a free home away from home for out-of-town families with children treated at Le Bonheur! https://ow.ly/M9Mm50RxtWR

Heart transplants are a life-saving and life-changing intervention that Le Bonheur provides to children each year. But how do doctors determine if a child needs a heart transplant? And what's the process of preparing for and recovering from a heart transplant? On the latest episode of the Peds Pod, we'll hear from Surgical Director of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Program Umar Boston, MD, Pediatric Heart Transplant Coordinator Ashley Hilsabeck, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, and Pediatric Cardiologist Kaitlin Ryan, MD about this delicate process. https://ow.ly/RSsA50Rr3V5

Check out our newest issue of "Research Matters," the publication from the Children's Foundation Research Institute at Le Bonheur. Read on to learn about the latest clinical trials happening exclusively at Le Bonheur, national recognition for our researchers and our 12th annual Pediatric Research Day. https://ow.ly/jbSR50Rr5tf

Check out this incredible story about the executive director of the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) Foundation! Le Bonheur's Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program is proud to be named a Comprehensive Care Center by the LGS Foundation, providing a multidisciplinary approach to the complex neurological and medical care of these patients. Our neurologists, neurosurgeons and researchers constantly search for the best ways to diagnose and care for this severe, rare epilepsy. https://ow.ly/h2Fb50Rszk6

Mid-South Transplant Foundation recently visited Le Bonheur to recognize organ donors and their families during National Pediatric Transplant Week. In honor of these pediatric donors and recipients, we raised a flag near the pavilion on Le Bonheur Green that is named for Mid-South Transplant Foundation.

This year's Pediatric Neurology Symposium was filled with learning and discussion around the latest developments in pediatric neurology from challenging epilepsy cases and neurogenetics to emerging therapies in the field. We presented the annual Kayden R. Vinson Distinguished Scholar & Lecture Award to Anup D. Patel, MD, chief medical officer at Partners for Kids and associate chief quality officer at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Make sure you join us in 2025!