http://www.etch.com/about_us/its_about_children.aspx Read these stories in Issue 1 2014 of It's About Children by East Tennessee Children's Hospital: Thanks to pediatric experts, Blake Shelor is able to be a "crazy, wild, active little boy." From a 3.8 GPA in microbiology to learning how to rock climb, Sarah Holloway is ready for any challenge. We recently started using a new type of equipment to improve safety for patients who receive I.V. medicine.

2. 23
20
18
1
Safe Sitter class for children
ages 11 to 14
Car seat inspections
FLETCH club
AUG.
SEP.
OCT.
JUL.
NOW
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Children’s Hospital’s Koppel Plaza Building
(Meschendorf Conference Room)
Class costs $
25.
Call 865-541-8165 to register. Learn correct
babysitting techniques, emergency responses
and how to use babysitting as a business.
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Clinton Fire Department
(Station No. 1)
It is free.
You do not have to register to
attend. We will teach you
everything you need to know
to make sure your car seat is
used and installed correctly.
Membership is $
18 a month.
Visit www.etch.com/FLETCH
to join. Your monthly donation
provides much-needed funds
for state-of-the-art equipment
that makes diagnoses quicker
and treatments less painful for
children. You will receive one
of these bears with your
membership.
Mark Your Calendar
2 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014

3. 10
4
13 Getting smarter about
patient safety
Never slowing down
Breathing easier
We recently started using a new type
of equipment to improve safety for
patients who receive I.V. medicine.
From a 3.8 GPA in microbiology
to learning how to rock climb, Sarah
Holloway is ready for any challenge.
Thanks to pediatric experts,
Blake Shelor is able to be a “crazy,
wild, active little boy.”
It’s About Children is a publication
of the Marketing Department at
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
Editor: Paul Parson
Designer: Deborah Hosterman
Cover photo by Michael Dayah
Connect with us:
www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren
Spotlight
8
22
23
24
26
CPR class for parents and
teens age 14 and older
Shoney’s KidCare
Photo ID program
Golf for the Kids
SEP.
AUG.
JUL.
6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Children’s Hospital’s Koppel Plaza Building
(Meschendorf Conference Room)
Class costs $
25.
Call 865-541-8165 to register. Learn CPR so
you can respond to emergencies in your home.
2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Safety
City [Aug. 22]
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cedar
Bluff Elementary [Aug. 23]
Noon to 6 p.m. at Foothills Mall [Aug. 24]
It is free.
You do not have to register to attend.
Provides photo IDs of children, so parents
have information readily available for
authorities if their child is reported missing.
Visit www.shoneysknox.com/kids for more
information.
8 a.m. tee time
Three Ridges Golf Course
Cost is $
70 a person or $
280 for a
four-man team.
Call 865-591-8214 for more information
or to register for the event. Proceeds
go toward the purchase of medical
equipment at the hospital.
3Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

4. 4 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014
Story by E. Anderson
Photos by Michael Dayah
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Chest rising. Chest falling.
When her son, Blake, is sick, these are the sights and
sounds that mark Natalie Shelor’s nights.
Watching … listening … waiting …
Holding her own breath while she worriedly listens for
her son’s breathing to change into a dangerous pattern.
For Natalie and many parents like her, having a child with
asthma is a constant worry—a continuous fear.
continued on page 6

5. 5Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

6. “It was a really scary year, but we felt fortunate that we
had a great pediatrician and the support of the staff from
Children’s Hospital,” Natalie said.
Knoxville was the 10th
most challenging place in the
nation to live with asthma in 2013, according to the Asthma
and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Allergens and
other pollutants, including pollen, mold, dust mites and pets,
are among the top asthma triggers. Asthma can also stem
from reactions to scary situations, exercise, or, in Blake’s case,
can be triggered by cold and flu.
It is possible for children who suffer from asthma to lead
healthy, active lives with the help of daily medications and
other forms of treatment. Every day, Blake, now 6, takes three
puffs from an inhaler prescribed to treat inflammation of the
lungs. He also takes another medicine used to prevent
asthma attacks.
“By looking at Blake, you’d never see a child with asthma—
you’d just see this crazy, wild, active little boy,” Natalie said.
Natalie feels fortunate that some of the normal triggers,
But thanks to her son’s pediatrician—Dennis Solomon,
M.D., Knoxville Pediatric Associates—and the pediatric
specialists at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Natalie and
Blake are breathing a little easier.
Blake was just 13 months old when he had his first
asthma attack. The Shelors were on a trip to Virginia when
Blake developed severe chest congestion and began having
trouble breathing. After taking him to an adult hospital in
Virginia, Natalie and her husband, Drew, brought their son
back to Knoxville via ambulance, where he was admitted to
Children’s Hospital for pneumonia.
For the next year, any time Blake developed a cold he
would also suffer from severe respiratory distress. Pediatric
pulmonology specialists at Children’s Hospital diagnosed
the toddler with asthma and reactive airway disease, which
occurs when coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath
is triggered by infection.
continued from page 5
6 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014

7. like exercise and allergens, don’t affect Blake as much.
“His asthma is mainly just brought on by illness. If he has
anything respiratory-wise, he gets this nonstop cough that
won’t quit,” Natalie said. “But with the help of his daily meds,
he has greatly improved.”
Still, Natalie, a former pediatric nurse, knows to take her
son’s asthma seriously.
“When it comes to breathing, it’s scary. When he was
younger, I’d often just sit by his bedside and watch him
Asthma is a long-term lung problem. It will get
better with good care, but it never goes away.
Asthma causes lungs to react in an extreme way
when irritated. Irritants of the lungs are called triggers.
Common triggers can be second-hand smoke,
pollen or molds. When exposed to a trigger, the
airway openings get very small. Oxygen can have
trouble getting through the lungs and into the blood.
Breathing becomes very hard work.
breathe,” she said. “You feel helpless because it’s not like
you can breathe for him.”
Natalie said if Blake seems to be coming down with
a cold, she and her family, which includes Blake’s younger
sister, Julia Mae, do not leave town.
“It’s still a worry, but it’s so much more under control
thanks to our pediatrician and Children’s Hospital,” she said.
“We feel very fortunate to live so close to Children’s Hospital.
We’re so grateful for the care we receive.”
If not treated, asthma can seriously affect a
child’s health. About 100 children in the U.S. die
each year from an asthma attack. Some children
who die have had only mild asthma.
In fiscal year 2013, there were 374 admissions
to Children’s Hospital for asthma-related
conditions. And there were an additional 1,425
visits to our Emergency Department by patients
experiencing asthma symptoms.
Key points: Asthma
continued on page 8
7Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

8. 8
Making a
community impact
Through the Breathe Easy asthma screening program,
Children’s Hospital reaches out into the community to ensure
undiagnosed patients receive the education and treatment
they need.
Members of the Breathe Easy team offer free community
screenings and also work with schools to screen children
and adults who may be at risk for asthma. In 2013, the team
screened more than 500 children and parents—30 percent of
whom had abnormal results.
Along with volunteers, Kelly Earnest and Erin Hermann,
both nurse practitioners at Children’s Hospital, conduct the
screenings when they are not seeing patients at the hospital.
The team also includes doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists,
respiratory nurse specialists and representatives from
pastoral care.
Every person screened receives his results in written form.
If test results suggest that follow-up is needed, information
about symptoms and recommendations for next steps are
also included.
“If we have permission, we also fax the screening results
to the participant’s primary care physician,” Earnest said. “If
families do not have primary care physicians, we help them
find providers in their area.”
The families also receive several follow-up phone calls
throughout the year after an abnormal screening. This helps
ensure caregivers understand their child’s respiratory symptoms
and know where to seek treatment, if necessary.
Breathe Easy originally began through the collaboration
with Not One More Life, an asthma organization for faith-
based communities. Because of that partnership, screenings
were first hosted at local churches and then moved into the
school systems. The Breathe Easy team currently screens in
Knox, Cocke and Anderson counties, and hopes to expand
into new counties in the future.
“This is important to all of us because children die every
year from asthma,” Earnest said. “Asthma is a treatable
disease, and we feel no child should die from it. Our goal is
to screen and educate as many people as possible.”
It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014

9. Helping parents breathe a sigh of relief is all in a
day’s work for Connie Meredith and Bob Yost.
Meredith, a cardiopulmonary therapist, and Yost,
the respiratory care education coordinator, talk with
four to six patient families every day at Children’s
Hospital, where they provide education and
consultations about asthma.
“When we get to work, we review the list of
admitted patients to see if any of them have an
asthma diagnosis,” Meredith said. “We look at each
patient’s history, and then we talk to the patient
and his parents or guardians. Our goal is to educate
everyone who may care for the child. Some parents
don’t know their children’s symptoms are because
of asthma because they don’t actually know what
signs to look for.”
Signs, Meredith said, could include a child
complaining that his chest hurts when he runs, not
feeling like playing outside or not sleeping well.
During their visits, Meredith and Yost give
parents a handbook to guide them through all
aspects of asthma care. It even benefits parents
who know their child has asthma because they may
not be aware of some of the rarer triggers or the
differences in their child’s medications.
“If they’re not aware, they can’t keep their child
healthy,” Meredith said. “We want to keep these
children out of the hospital.”
GraphicbyNeilCrosby
The Respiratory Care Department averages 400
asthma education sessions a year—with patients
ranging in age from toddlers to young adults.
Additional educational opportunities happen in
our Emergency Department. The response from
parents is rewarding, according to Yost.
“We have parents who say, ‘Thank you. I finally
understand what’s going on in my child’s lungs. I
finally know why I have to keep bringing him to
the Emergency Department,’” he said.
Yost spoke of the importance of the entire
medical community being involved in asthma
education—a push that became stronger in the
late 1990s.
“We’re still seeing sick kids who are undiagnosed.
But we’re also seeing so many more who have been
diagnosed and treated according to national asthma
guidelines,” he said. “When they’re in the hospital,
we can really take advantage of the time to talk to
parents and make sure they’re as well-educated as
possible by the time they leave.”
Children’s Hospital has respiratory therapists
available 24 hours a day.
Educating our patients
and their families
Graphic by Sally Sommerville 9Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren
Visit www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren
to read our asthma handbook.

10. 10 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014

11. 11Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren
by Cassidy Duckett • Photos by Michael Dayah
On paper, Sarah Holloway
appears to be an average recent
college graduate: 23 years old,
3.8 GPA in microbiology, loves
to read and tandem bike. She’s
beginning to learn how to rock
climb at a local gym.
Except that Sarah isn’t
average at all. continued on page 12

12. 12 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014
Visit www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren to
see how Sarah Holloway was honored for
her volunteer work.
Born 14 weeks early, the Karns native was diagnosed with
retinopathy of prematurity as a baby in the Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit (NICU) at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and has
been legally blind ever since. Her left leg below the knee was
amputated at age 1. At 15, she had her right hip replaced. She
has had three other surgeries at Children’s Hospital, including
a nissen fundoplication during which part of her stomach was
wrapped around her esophagus to address gastrointestinal
issues.
For Sarah, a long list of medical roadblocks has never been
a reason to slow down.
“I’m working on getting into med school now,” she said.
“I want to become an orthopedic surgeon.”
Until she becomes Dr. Holloway, Sarah is embracing her
experience as a child at Children’s Hospital as means to connect
with current patients through volunteering.
“I am able to relate to the patients and understand what
they’re going through, even if my situation was different in
some ways. I know what it’s like to constantly be in the medical
atmosphere being poked and prodded all the time,” Sarah said.
Her dedication to the hospital is clear—she has been
volunteering on and off since 2004.
“The doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital saved my
life,” she said. “I just want to give back to the hospital and
show my appreciation for them.”
When Sarah was born and spent four months in the
Children’s Hospital NICU, her parents did not know anyone
in town. They had only recently moved from Chattanooga
for a new job.
“The staff became our family and support system at that
time. That’s what it comes down to,” Sarah said.
In addition to volunteering, Sarah serves as an ambassador
for Children’s Hospital. She works with other patients and
families to spread the word about their experience here and
encourage others to become invested in the hospital’s constant
growth and improvement.
As she plans for her own future, Sarah cites her Children’s
Hospital orthopedic surgeon, Robert Madigan, M.D., as
inspiration.
“He was the one who made me an active participant in my
own health care. When I was 4 years old, he showed me the
instruments he was using and taught me what they were called
and did. Each time I came back for another appointment, he
would quiz me on them,” Sarah said. “I grew up with him, and
he made a huge difference in my life.”
When Sarah told Dr. Madigan about her dream to follow
in his footsteps, he gave his full support. She explained, “He
told me, ‘You can do it. You will not only sympathize with the
patients, you will empathize with them. You have been there.’”
continued from page 11

13. Getting smarter about
patient safety
Children’s Hospital recently started using a new type of
equipment to improve safety for patients who receive I.V.
medicine.
It’s called the Alaris System. It’s basically a smart I.V.
pump that notifies staff when a dose is outside the
normal range, which helps prevent medication errors. This
is important because 61 percent of the most costly and
serious medication errors nationally are related to I.V. use.
“Keeping our patients safe is of utmost importance
to us,” said Jim Cathey, pharmacy director at Children’s
Hospital. “Part of keeping our patients safe is ensuring
they receive the appropriate medicine throughout their
stay in the hospital—the right medication, the right dose
and at the right time.”
The system will track related data throughout the
hospital to help us further improve safety and efficiency
in how we deliver care to our patients. Information
collected from other hospitals using this system suggests
that at least one harmful medication error is prevented
every 1.8 days.
News
13Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

14. Only we can provide your children
with dedicated pediatric health care
in East Tennessee.
Only you can make that happen.
Help expand those services to include
a new surgery center, a new 44-bed
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and
more space to treat children with
chronic conditions.
14 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014
Visit www.etch.com/expansion or call
865-525-GIVE to donate or learn more
about the $75 million expansion.

15. 15Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

16. They danced the foxtrot, cha-cha and tango—all to the
tune of $133,179 for Children’s Hospital. It was a record-
breaking total for the sixth annual Star 102.1’s Dancing
with the Knoxville Stars, which featured 11 Knoxville-
based celebrities partnered with professional dancers from
Dance Tonight.
Winning the top dancer trophy was Davis Tarwater,
a U.S. Olympian and 2012 gold medalist in swimming.
Tarwater and his partner, Rachel Henriquez, received
perfect scores from all three judges: actor Cylk Cozart,
Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin and
professional dance instructor Debora Zaglul. Telephone
by Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé provided the soundtrack
to their cha-cha.
The top fundraiser was Courtney Fulmer Peace,
with $20,723. Her father, former University of Tennessee
football coach Phil Fulmer, cheered her on from the crowd
as she danced the samba with partner Hayden Escobar.
Proceeds from the event benefit our Home Health
Care program, which allows children like 8-month-old
Rachel Donovan of Knoxville to heal at home with their
families while continuing to receive expert medical care.
Rachel was born prematurely and has been receiving care
at home since October 2013.
“Gifts both large and small, from donors like you,
make this happen. We appreciate everything the
community does to support the hospital. It is truly
inspiring,” said Keith Goodwin, president and CEO of
Children’s Hospital.
The event was sponsored by Wells Fargo and hosted
by the Grande Event Center.
Your Dollars at Work
Olympic swimmer wins gold for our patients
16 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014

17. Free pancakes hit the spot
Thousands of people just like you flipped out
over free flapjacks at local IHOPs this year. It was
part of a national fundraiser called National Pancake
Day, which supports Children’s Miracle Network
Hospitals like ours.
In exchange for the free short stacks, customers
were encouraged to leave a donation. IHOPs in East
Tennessee raised $21,591 for Children’s Hospital.
Proceeds from the event will be used to
purchase medical equipment for our hospital.
Healing at home
For William Hall of Blount County, the annual Star 102.1
Radiothon was the difference between staying in the hospital
and going home to his own room and toys. The 4-year-old
was battling bacterial pneumonia as a patient in Children’s
Hospital for several days last year when he was discharged to
our Home Health Care program.
Through the support given during previous Radiothon
events, Home Health Care was able to equip William with
a portable I.V. pump for antibiotics to continue his care at
home. Without it, he would have remained in the hospital
for 14 more days.
The $131,000 raised at this year’s Radiothon will
benefit children across our region like William.
Approximately 21,810 patients were treated by
Home Health Care in fiscal year 2013. These children
often require advanced medical equipment that can be
costly and out-of-reach for families. But thanks to
Radiothon listeners like you, we have purchased more
than 900 pieces of equipment for patients, including extra
small wheelchairs for mobility and independence and
ventilators to make children’s breathing easier.
17Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

18. Hundreds of children will learn easy ways to be
physically active and make healthy food choices—thanks
to a $200,537 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield’s
Tennessee Health Foundation. This will happen as part
of the Early Childhood Nutrition and Fitness Education
Program through the Knoxville Area Coalition on
Childhood Obesity, which is led by Children’s Hospital.
The Early Childhood Nutrition and Fitness
Education Program is currently used in five preschools
in Knox and Sevier counties. The grant will enable us to
launch the program in 10 additional preschools, which
have been determined to have a population at high risk
for childhood obesity. That should happen this summer.
“This is a potentially lifesaving program, considering
that 28 percent of 5-year-olds in Knox County are either
overweight or obese,” said Kindall Aaron, coordinator
for the Knoxville Area Coalition on Childhood Obesity.
“The best time to begin changing habits and behaviors is
before a child begins kindergarten.”
Through the program, preschoolers attend 12 weekly
classes that provide physical activity and nutritional
education, including opportunities to sample healthier
foods. Educational sessions are also offered to parents
and preschool staff.
Partners involved in the Early Childhood Nutrition
and Fitness Education Program include:
• Knox County Health Department
• Let’s Move! Child Care
• Tennessee Department of Health Gold
Sneaker Initiative
• Tennessee Department of Human Services
• University of Tennessee Public Health Nutrition
• We Can!
Your Dollars at Work
Getting children healthier
18 It’s About Children, Issue 2 • 2014

19. All for the kids
More than 300 University of Tennessee students danced
the night away recently to support the Hematology/Oncology
Clinic at Children’s Hospital. It was part of an event called For
the Kids at UTK, formerly known as Dance Marathon, which
raised $28,659.
Though a large part of the event involves the students’
pledge to dance all night for the cause, the early evening is
spent celebrating patients and their families. This year, these
special guests participated in a heroes walk, enjoyed the
Super Hero Sugar Rush ice cream social and got a chance to
pie their favorite hematology/oncology team members in the
face with whipped cream.
“The event is a wonderful celebration of the students’
hard work and effort toward this cause, but it really is meant to
honor the patients who have gone through so much,” said Macy
Brooke, Children’s Miracle Network coordinator at Children’s
Hospital. “More than anything, we wanted to celebrate and
recognize the journey of the patients and make it their night.”
During the past 19 years, UT students have raised more
than $1 million for Children’s Hospital.
19Donate at www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren

20. Nothing puts a smile on aNothing puts a smile on a child’s face quicker than getting a gift— child’s face quicker than getting a gift
Get useful news and
information about your
child’s health.
2018 Clinch Ave. • P.O. Box 15010
Knoxville,Tennessee 37901-5010
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
For questions about the magazine, email pparson@etch.com.
If you receive a duplicate issue or need to update your address,
call 865-541-8723 or email LAMadigan@etch.com. Visit www.etch.com/
ItsAboutChildren to sign up to receive this magazine electronically.
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S.POSTAGE
P A I D
PERMIT 433
KNOXVILLE,TN
Visit www.etch.com/ItsAboutChildren to sign up for our free e-newsletter.