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2. August 4, 2010
Dear Children’s Hospital,
We were so impressed with the care our sonreceived at Children’s Hospital on August 2, 2010.He had to receive three stitches on his eye lid atthe age of three.The nurses and doctors made himfeel so good that he did not even cry! We will alwaysremember this experience with fond memories.Thank you for all of your hard work to make childrenhappy during traumatic times.
Lauren Richardson
Knoxville, TN
Dennis Ragsdale, Chairman • Bill Terry, M.D., Vice Chairman
Michael Crabtree, Secretary/Treasurer • Debbie Christiansen, M.D. • Dawn Ford
Keith D. Goodwin • Steven Harb • Lewis Harris, M.D. • Dee Haslam
A. David Martin • Larry Martin • Christopher Miller, M.D. • Steve South
Laurens Tullock • Danni Varlan • Jim Bush, Chair Emeritus
Don Parnell, Chair Emeritus • William G. Byrd, M.D., Chair Emeritus
John Buchheit, M.D., Chief of Staff • Lise Christensen, M.D., Vice Chief of Staff
Mark Cramolini, M.D., Secretary
Lori Patterson, M.D., Chief of Medicine
Cameron J. Sears, M.D., Chief of Surgery
Keith D. Goodwin, President/CEO • Bruce Anderson, Vice President for Legal
Services & General Counsel • Laura Barnes, R.N., M.S.N., C.N.A.A., B.C., Vice
President for Patient Care • Joe Childs, M.D., Vice President for Medical Services
Zane Goodrich, CPA, Vice President for Finance & CFO • Rudy McKinley, Vice
President for Operations • Sue Wilburn, Vice President for Human Resources
Ellen Liston, APR, Fellow PRSA, Director of Community Relations
Wendy Hames, APR, Editor • David Rule, Director of Development
Neil Crosby, Contributing Photographer
www.etch.com
Board of Directors
Medical Staff
Chiefs of Services
Administration
It’s About Children Staff
“Dear
Children’s”
A quarterly publication of East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, It’s About
Children is designed to inform the East Tennessee community about the hospital
and the patients we serve. East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s vision is Leading
the Way to Healthy Children. Children’s Hospital is a private, independent,
not-for-profit pediatric medical center that has served the East Tennessee region
for nearly 75 years and is certified by the state of Tennessee as a Comprehensive
Regional Pediatric Center.
“Because Children are Special…”
…they deserve the best possible health care given in a positive, family-centered
atmosphere of friendliness, cooperation and support -- regardless of race, religion
or ability to pay.”
…their medical needs are closely related to their emotional and informational
needs; therefore, the total child must be considered in treating any illness or
injury.”
…their health care requires family involvement, special understanding, special
equipment and specially trained personnel who recognize that children are not
miniature adults.”
…their health care can best be provided by a facility with a well-trained medical
and hospital staff whose only interests and concerns are with the total health and
well-being of infants, children and adolescents.
Statement of Philosophy
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
July 25, 2010
Dear Children’s Hospital,
Thank you to Dr. John Carder
who attended to our daughter, Mia
on July 22. We are a long way from
Mia (in Australia) at the moment,
while she participates in CISV camp
in Knoxville. It is very reassuring to
us as her parents, to know that Mia
received such fantastic, immediate
care and follow up. Our sincere
thank you goes to Dr. Carder
and all concerned.
Lisa Taitapanui
Torquay, Australia
August 9, 2010
Dear Children’s Hospital,
I was 100% satisfied with the care we received at Children’s
Hospital.They listened to our concerns and did what was best
for our child. Dr. Hollingsworth was kind, compassionate and
genuinely concerned for our son.The check-in process went
smooth and the nursing staff was great. It was a wonderful
experience for such a stressful time.
Letitia Cox
White Pine, TN
2

3. Children’s Hospital NOTES
Volunteer gift benefits
Children’s Hospital
Hospital voted among
best places to work
Children’s Hospital was runner-up as East Tennessee’s
“Best Place to Work (over 50 employees)”in the 2010 Knoxville
News Sentinel’s EastTennessee’s Best.
Winners were selected by online balloting on the newspaper’s
website.The hospital is honored to be recognized as one of the best
places to work in Knoxville.We appreciate the dedication and service
of all our staff members who help Children’s Hospital succeed in its
mission of “Leading the Way to Healthy Children.”
The winners of each category were revealed in the East
Tennessee’s Best special section of the Knoxville News Sentinel
on October 15.
by Claire Quinn, student intern
More than 250 volunteers dedicate their time and efforts
to making Children’s Hospital a special place for patients and
families.Volunteers not only brighten patients’days with fun
activities,but they also provide important services to various
departments in the hospital.
In addition to the services they provide on a daily basis,
the volunteers also give generous gifts to the hospital each year.
On September 21,the Children’s Hospital Volunteers presented
Children’s Hospital CEO Keith Goodwin with a donation of
$60,000.The money was generated from Gift Shop sales and
are allocated as follows:
• $25,000 for the Capital Equipment Budget for 2010/2011.
• $15,000 to sponsor the Ticket Lobby at Fantasy of Trees.
• $10,000 for funding of a water feature in the new lobby.
• $5,000 for funding of the Children’s Art Program,which
provides therapeutic healing for patients through art.
• $4,000 for the Open Door Endowment Fund,which ensures
that all children receive care at Children’s Hospital regardless
of their families’ability to pay their medical bills.
• $600 for the Social Work Meal Fund,which provides meals
for families facing financial hardships during their child’s stay.
• $400 for the Pastoral Care Fund,an endowment fund that
helps ensure the work of the Pastoral Care Department and
other support services at Children’s Hospital.
Children’s Hospital extends special thanks to the many
compassionate volunteers who donate their time and assistance
to the hospital and their financial donations to support the
hospital’s many projects,programs and departments.
by Claire Quinn, student intern
Children’s Hospital employees (from left to right)
Kristen Slusher, Robin Griffey,Valorie McCanelley,
Jimmy Inklebarger, Denise Hall, Porsha Jones,
Mark Bailey, Amy Hill, Kathy Shelton and Brian
Etters gather around one-year-old patient Parks
Lederer (center) in the Emergency Department.
Special thanks toChildren’s Hospital would like to extend thanks to The
Incredible Christmas Place on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge
for graciously allowing us to shoot our cover photo for this
issue in their beautiful Christmas store.
Hospital to debut new
website in January
A brand new website for Children’s Hospital is currently in
development,with a projected launch date in January 2011.
The new site will feature many enhancements,as well as an
entirely different look and feel,mirroring the beautiful,bright
color scheme of the hospital’s new lobby.
The new website will offer improved navigation,a site
search tool,a content management system and expanded
information about the hospital’s services and pediatric
subspecialties.Look for more information on the new
website in the Spring 2011 issue of It’s About Children.
Children’s Hospital is working with In10sity Interactive-
Advertising-Consulting of Lenoir City to develop the new site.
3

4. Some Children’s Hospital employees never experience
the hospital from the patient/parent side. Melissa Cox of the
Admitting Department is one of those who has been on the
parent side, and she has quite a story to tell about her family’s
experience. She took the time to write a letter to the hospital to
offer her thanks to the many coworkers involved in the care of
her children.
In August, Cox and her children, Easton (5½ years) and
Makenlee (3½ years) were involved in a car crash in West
Knoxville. While Melissa suffered just bruises and some
achiness, the children did not fare nearly as well.
Makenlee, who was seated on the side of the family’s
minivan that took the brunt of the crash, was unconscious
for several minutes. She and Easton both had
obvious cuts on their faces; other injuries were
unknown at that point. Easton was in shock
and was screaming to his mother, “Take me
to the doctor!”
When the ambulance arrived to transport the children,
Cox requested they be taken to Children’s Hospital. Although
Children’s Hospital is not the primary trauma center for the
region -- and another hospital is located just a few minutes
away from the crash scene -- Cox couldn’t imagine sending her
children anywhere besides Children’s Hospital. “There’s no way
I would have done otherwise,” she said. “I had no doubt we’d
get quality care – I believe in Children’s Hospital.”
Cox and her childern rode in the ambulance, with Easton
strapped into an ambulance seat while still in his car seat,
Makenlee strapped to a stretcher, also still in her car seat, and
Cox next to Makenlee. For transport of young children after
such a crash, it is safest to leave them in their child passenger
seat.
Melissa’s husband, Jon, came from work in Farragut to
meet the family in the Emergency Department at Children’s
Hospital. He found the children together in a trauma room
with 10-12 hospital staff in the process of caring for the
children. Makenlee had a CT scan and X-rays, while Easton
only had X-rays.Tiffany Holt, the Child Life Specialist
assigned to the Emergency Department when the Coxes
arrived, came to the children’s room soon after their arrival
and stayed until their discharge about 6 hours later.
“Tiffany worked with the kids and really helped me,” Cox
said. “She offered me assistance and asked if I need a drink or
anything. She was very kind and helpful.”
Easton required just three stitches on the bridge of his
nose. But it took Molly Warren, a
physician assistant, two hours to put
in 33 stitches over Makenlee’s left eye.
Makenlee later began vomiting and
returned to Children’s Hospital; she was admitted to the
Third Floor inpatient medical unit and later diagnosed with a
concussion.
Makenlee said, “I had an owie on my face, and my head
hurt a lot. I loved getting stickers and popsicles.They were
nice to me.”
Easton remembers having X-rays taken as well as a
number of things that happened at the hospital: “I got lots of
stickers after [the X-rays]. A very nice lady sat and played with
me when they gave me stitches on my nose. She gave me a
stuffed animal, and I sleep with it now every night. I watched
cartoons and got to eat popsicles. I was very scared when I got
there, but I felt safe and well taken care of. Everyone was nice.”
Easton &
4

5. Makenlee
Name: Makenlee Avery CoxAge: 3 1/2
Grade: Preschool
Personality traits: Loud, funny,sweet, enthusiastic, driven.Favorite expression: Chop ChopButtercup
Favorite color: Pink
Favorite food: Pizza and
blueberries
Favorite movie: TinkerbellFavorite TV show: Mickey MouseFavorite song: Jesus Loves MeFavorite game: Candy LandFavorite school subject/activity:arts and crafts
Heroes: Wonder Woman and JesusLikes: Playing with dolls, dressingup as a princess, painting andcoloring
Dislikes: Cleaning up
What I do for fun: Ride my bike,go to the park and playWhat’s the best thing about beinga kid?: Free ice cream at Bruster’sChildhood dream: To be a
veterinarian like Easton
Name: Easton Jonathan Cox
Age: 5 1/2
Grade: Kindergarten
Personality traits: Caring, kind, loving,
witty, easygoing, funny
Favorite expression: “That’s delicious.”
Favorite colors: Green and blue
Favorite food: Real hamburgers
and strawberries
Favorite movie: Batman
Favorite TV show: Justice League
Favorite song: Super Friends theme song
Favorite game: Memory
Favorite school subject/activity: PE, art
and recess
Hero: Jesus and Batman
Likes: Soccer, dressing up as
superheroes, playing pirates,
coloring and drawing pictures
Dislikes: Cleaning my room
What I do for fun: Play soccer,
play outside, watch movies
What’s the best thing about
being a kid?: Playing and watching
Super Friends
Childhood dream:
To be a veterinarian
If I could change one thing in the world:
I would make sure everyone had food
and clean water so that no one would
go to bed thirsty or hungry.
5

6. difference in the level of injury that Makenlee experienced
because it was so secure in keeping both her hips and her
head from moving around.”
Cox tells all her friends now about the importance of child
passenger safety. “I am on a soapbox now,” Cox said. “I was
before, but I am even more so now. Parents need to think and
they need to follow the laws. It is our job as parents to keep our
children safe and protect them. I don’t take that job lightly.”
Easton & Makenlee
The Cox family’s crash served to support Melissa’s
belief in the value of child passenger safety and proper use of
child passenger restraint systems. “I have always been safety
conscious,” she said. “I’ve read too many things, seen too many
videos.That’s what saved my kids’ lives.”
Easton is old enough -- from the legal standpoint -- to
have been in a regular booster seat, using the van’s built-in
belt system. But Melissa had chosen to keep him restrained in
the more protective five-point harness car seat system. “There
would have been nothing really to hold him in the seat” if he
had been in a regular booster, Cox believes. She now plans to
keep Easton in a five-point harness at least through first grade
(he is now in kindergarten).
Before the crash, the Coxes had spent a good deal of
money on high-rated car seats, but they felt the purchases were
an investment in their children. Now that they have survived a
potentially serious crash, the Coxes know they made the right
decision. “The seats are a lot cheaper than a tombstone,
a funeral and the loss of a child,” Cox said.
Susan Cook, coordinator for Safe Kids of the Greater
Knox Area (based at Children’s Hospital), met Cox in the
Emergency Department after the crash to pick up the car seats
involved in the crash. Seats that are involved in such a serious
crash need to be destroyed because they are no longer deemed
safe (the crash can damage the seat or weaken the structure,
although such damage may not be visible on sight – so the
safest approach is simply to destroy the seat and not take a
chance with it failing in the future). Safe Kids provided
Cox with new car seats so her children could be transported
safely home after they were released from the Emergency
Department. Later, Cox arranged with Susan to install the
new seats in the family’s new vehicle to ensure they were
properly secured.
“Melissa is a very well informed mom who had correctly
installed both car seats,” Cook said. “She used five-point
harness car seats with side impact protection that really
secured both of her children.The car seats made a huge
Text of Melissa Cox’s letter:
My children, Easton and Makenlee Cox, were in a car crash on
8/19/10. A truck T-boned my minivan and the impact was to my
daughter Makenlee’s side of the van. We were ambulanced to Children’s
Hospital, and we had quality care from the nurses in the ER, specifically
Mark Bailey to Physician Assistant Molly Warren, who did three stitches
on Easton and 33 on Makenlee. Makenlee ended up with a concussion
as well.
We went home and then Makenlee started vomiting so we came
back to the ER and were later admitted to 3rd floor where the excellent
care continued with [nurses] Crystal Blake and Debra Sharp and PCAs
Martha Jordan and Susan Beckham.
I take even more pride in working at Children’s Hospital now that
my kids received A+++++ quality care. I am so happy to work here.
My kids were treated so well and loved on by Child Life as well.
They brought books, bubbles and toys to calm and distract them, and I so
appreciated that.
When the ambulance driver asked where to take my kids, and I said
Children’s Hospital, I now know why. I don’t think I would have gotten
the same care if we went anywhere else.
I also appreciated Susan Cook from Safe Kids coming down to talk
about my car seats. She was a great resource.
6

7. Commitment. Compassion. Achievement.These are the traits
shared by the Greater Knoxville Business Journal’s Health Care
Heroes. One of the Health Care Hero honorees in the Physicians
category for this year was Lise Christensen, M.D., Medical
Director of the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department.
Dr. Christensen was profiled with other honorees in the Business
Journal’s September issue.
ER leader continuously seeks to improve care
Dr. Lise Christensen doesn’t think families should wait
needlessly when they show up in the emergency room at East
Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
“People’s time is really valuable, and one of my biggest pet
peeves is when I hear, ‘Well, they came to the ER, they can expect
to wait,’” she says. Appointed medical director of the hospital’s
emergency department in 1996, Christensen began working to
reduce wait times.
“Years ago, we realized one of the best practices for having an
efficient ER is to not get financial information first,” she says.
She helped implement bedside registration in which children
are assessed and nurses address pain, fever and other concerns before
parents are asked to fill out paperwork. “Your priority shouldn’t be,
‘How are you going to pay for this?’” she says. “It should be, ‘Let’s
take care of your child.’”
Christensen said it’s difficult to go into a situation and not find
a way she thinks it could be improved. “My husband tells me I’m
tunnel-vision focused because I’ve always had a goal,” she says.
“I knew I wanted to be a physician since I was 10.”
Growing up in a family of teachers and professionals who
cared for children influenced her decision to specialize in pediatrics.
“I didn’t know the word pediatrician, but I knew I wanted to take
care of kids,” she says.
She completed medical school in 1985 at the University of
Wisconsin in Madison and then a pediatric residency at Cincinnati
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she worked as an
emergency department physician following her training.
When her husband’s career relocated their family to Augusta,
Ga., in 1991, Christensen accepted a position as an attending
physician in the pediatric emergency department at University
Hospital. “It was my niche,” she says. “I think I smiled for the
entire first six months.” She thrived on the ER’s daily challenges
and helping seriously ill children get well.
Christensen interviewed for jobs at hospitals across the country
before selecting East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in 1995.
“The people I met were unhappy,” she says of the other
hospitals. “I remember thinking, ‘Why would they have me meet
people that are unhappy?’ … When I came here, it felt like home. …
When I walked in, it felt friendly. It felt open. A lot of the physicians
and nursing staff were on a first-name basis.”
Nine months after joining the staff at East Tennessee Children’s
Hospital, she was appointed director of its emergency department.
Besides bedside registration, she has begun and nurtured a
number of initiatives to improve patient care, including protocol
orders that speeded up the turnaround time for common tests, and
allowed for medication to be dispensed more quickly to treat fevers
and agents to be used to numb wounds that would later be sutured.
ER Director named “Healthcare Hero”
New treatment protocols have been established for children with
less serious injuries and illnesses, as well as those with high-risk
complaints, such as infants with fever. “Door to antiobiotic time”
for infants with fever is now less than 45 minutes and less than an
hour for hematology/oncology patients with a fever.
She still works the “hard hours, the nights and holidays herself,
because that’s the kind of person she is,” notes Dr. Joe Childs, the
hospital’s vice president of medical services.
Very process oriented, always focused on continuously
improving, Christensen has “also assembled a great staff in the
emergency department, recruiting people from all over the country
to come here,” Childs says. “She has been a dynamic leader in terms
of improving the care in the emergency department.”
The hospital has one of the busiest pediatric emergency rooms
in the country, with more than 75,000 patient visits annually.
In January, she will become the hospital’s chief of staff, leading
“virtually every aspect of medical staff activity here,” notes Childs,
as well as serving on the hospital’s board of directors.
Christensen, who will step down as the ER’s director but
continue to see patients there, looks forward to the opportunity.
“I take pride in the hospital and want it to have a great reputation,”
she says.
Fifteen years is a long time to direct an emergency room,
says Keith Goodwin, the hospital’s CEO, noting the high-rate of
burnout among physicians working in that setting. Christensen
never became stale.
“When you think of continuous improvement and the desire
to always ask, ‘How can we get better?’ she embodies what that is,”
Goodwin says. “She has been a wonderful advocate for the children
who come here.”
Christensen says she’s enjoyed having the support of colleagues,
but happy parents and patients serve as her biggest motivators.
“I still get goose bumps when someone gets better,” she said.
“Last Friday night, this little girl was running around the ER, and
I said, ‘That’s why we do emergency medicine.’ As soon as they get
better, they run around and play.”
by Laura Ayo, Greater Knoxville Business Journal
Reprinted with permission of the Greater Knoxville Business Journal,
knoxbiz.com, August 2010.
7

8. winkling lights, the sounds of children laughing and holiday
tunes filling the air are signs the holiday season has arrived
in East Tennessee.This November, Fantasy of Trees will
help East Tennessee families kick off another “Holly Jolly
Christmas”season with activities and attractions for people of all ages.
Taking place at the Knoxville Convention Center November 24-28,
the fun and festive atmosphere of Fantasy of Trees will spread holiday
cheer among first-time and returning visitors alike.
At the event, visitors can wander through a “forest”of more
than 300 intricately designed and decorated trees, while enjoying the
holiday shops, room scenes, children’s activities and “Adopt-a-Trees”
decorated by local school children.The “Fantasy Theater”will offer
entertainment for people of all ages, with entertainers from
throughout East Tennessee performing in shows such as the
“Handbell Festival.”The entire Holiday Marketplace will be open
for shopping throughout the five-day event, offering something
for everyone on each guest’s holiday shopping list.
In addition to the new shops and children’s activities offered this
year, many favorites will return.Traditional attractions include the
Gingerbread Village, where guests can view and purchase delicious
creations made by area bakers, chefs and students.
Children at Fantasy of Trees have many options for fun-filled
activities.The 30-horse carousel is a returning favorite, as well as
Decorate-A-Cookie, Face Painting and Reindeer Games. New kids’
activities this year include Letters to Santa, where children can write
their own note to St. Nick and Reindeer Pals, where kids can decorate
a wooden reindeer. Santa will be at Fantasy of Trees every day to hear
children’s holiday wishes and to take photos with them.
The return of the Target Raffle Tree is sure to bring excitement
to many visitors at the Fantasy of Trees.Thanks to Target Stores, a
7-foot, beautifully adorned tree along with a selection of gifts beneath
it is the grand prize for the winner of the raffle, and four second prize
winners will receive a $250 Target gift card.Tickets are only $5 each
and will be sold throughout the event; a drawing at 4 p.m. on Sunday,
November 28 will determine all the raffle tree winners.
Visitors can also show a sick child they care by “purchasing”or
making a donation of the amount needed for certain items such as
diapers, popsicles or phone cards for parents at The Giving Tree. All
participants will receive a special paper ornament to commemorate
their holiday contribution to Children’s Hospital.
Preview Party
Tuesday, November 23, 7-10 p.m.
The Fantasy of Trees Preview Party offers a first look at
the season’s most anticipated event in Knoxville and gives attendees
the chance to celebrate the upcoming holiday season, enjoy food and
dancing, and get a sneak peek at the trees and other décor before
anyone else. Sponsored by the Cazana Family and Commercial &
Financial Investments Company, this event will feature a live band
and photo opportunity areas.
Tickets need to be purchased in advance and are $62 per person
(adults and children); attire is festive holiday wear. Each ticket
pays for one night’s worth of electrodes for use on patients in the
Children’s Sleep Medicine Center (as part of a sleep study, eight to 10
electrodes are placed on a patient’s body to monitor electrical signals,
movements and muscle tension in the head, face, torso and legs).
For more information and to purchase tickets, call (865)
541-8441.
Wednesday, November 24 – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.Thursday, November 25 (Thanksgiving Day) –3 to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, November 26 and 27 –9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, November 28 – noon to 6 p.m.
Adults – $10
Children 4-12 – $5; Children under 4 – Free
Daily Show Times
Admission
8

9. Tinsel Time for Moms & Tots
Wednesday, November 24, 9 a.m.-noon
Special activities are planned for moms and their toddlers on
the first morning of Fantasy of Trees, including easy and fun crafts
for the toddlers and a variety of safety information for moms. Adults
with a child under age 4 get a special half price admission to enjoy
all of Fantasy of Trees when they arrive during this event from 9 a.m.
to noon. Sponsors for this special event are Emerson Process
Management, Shoney’s, knoxmoms.com and Safe Kids of the
Greater Knox Area (Not valid with any other discount coupons
on Wednesday).
Live at Five at Four
Wednesday, November 24, 4-5 p.m.
A special holiday edition of WBIR-TV Channel 10’s “Live at
Five at Four”will take place at Fantasy of Trees on November 24 from
4-5 p.m. Beth Haynes and Russell Biven will highlight designer trees
and take viewers on a tour of what has come to be known as East
Tennessee’s premiere holiday event.
Babes in Toyland Parade
Wednesday, November 24, 7 p.m.
The Dollywood-sponsored Babes in Toyland Parade is the first
and only indoor holiday parade of the season, featuring children
dressed in holiday attire, a marching band, costumed characters
including Shoney Bear, Dollywood entertainers and Santa Claus.
This fun parade begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on
WVLT-TV Volunteer News Channel 8.
Santa’s Senior Stroll
Friday, November 26, 9 a.m.-noon
Seniors 55 and over can purchase a $5 half-price ticket during
Santa’s Senior Stroll on Friday, November 26 from 9 a.m. to noon.
This event offers seniors the opportunity to take a mile-long walk
through Fantasy of Trees to enjoy the sights and splendor of the
holiday season. Information on health topics of interest to seniors
will be provided by this event’s sponsor, Mercy Health Partners.
(This discount cannot be combined with any other discounts.)
Kris Kringle’s Kiddie Party
Friday, November 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Kris Kringle’s Kiddie Party is a holiday favorite among the
preschool crowd. Bring your preschool aged children to enjoy
interactive holiday music and activities, take pictures with Shoney
Bear and receive a holiday goodie bag.Tickets are free and are
distributed on a first-come basis on the day of the event; seating is
limited.This event, held in the Fantasy Theater, is sponsored by
Knoxville Pediatric Associates and U.S. Cellular.
Funds from the 2010 Fantasy of Trees will be used to purchase
high tech medical equipment for the Children’s Sleep Medicine
Center and for the Laboratory. In 2009, almost 159,000 children were
seen at Children’s Hospital; 872 of them had sleep studies performed
in the Children’s Sleep Medicine Center, while the Laboratory
completed nearly 400,000 tests of all kinds on thousands of patients.
With the funds raised through Fantasy of Trees, Children’s Hospital
will be able to add a fifth sleep study room in the Sleep Medicine
Center, which will cut down on waiting time for patients who need
to have a sleep study.The Laboratory will benefit through the new
Mobilab technology that is being used in the Children’s Hospital
Laboratory, which decreases the chance of errors of mislabeled
specimens as well as improves accessibility to the Lab throughout
the hospital.
Fantasy of Trees raised $348,354 for Children’s Hospital last year,
its second highest total ever, and has raised more than $5.3 million
total over its 25-year history.
The yearly success of Fantasy of Trees would not be possible
without the generous contributions of time and money from
volunteers, sponsors and guests.Thousands of volunteers contribute
155,000 hours yearly to make this event the success it is. Special
thanks goes to the 2010 Co-Chairs, Jody Cusick and Todd
Hepinstall, as well as to Assistant Co-Chair Genia Jackson, who
have been working hard for many months to coordinate this event.
Children’s Hospital would like to thank everyone who makes this
event possible, ensuring that Children’s Hospital can continue its
mission of “Leading the Way to Healthy Children.”
For more information about the upcoming Fantasy of Trees,
visit www.etch.com/fantasy.cfm or call (865) 541-8385.
byTaylor Griffin, student intern
2010 Fantasy of Trees Major Event Sponsors
at this year’s Fantasy of Trees
9

10. Subspecialist Profile:
Eric Robert Jensen, M.D.
Academic Background
B.S. (Biology) – University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana,
Ill., 1991
M.D. – Northwestern University, Chicago, 1995
Residency (General Surgery) – Indiana University,
Indianapolis, 1995-2001
Fellowship (Pediatric Surgery) – Washington University
and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.,
2001-03
Other experience – Served in the United States Army
(honorably discharged at the rank of Major in 2006);
served with the 745th Forward Surgical team
deployed to Iraq in late 2004 to mid-2005.
A great place to raise a
family and a good fit in a
pediatric surgical practice are
two of the reasons Children’s
Hospital has welcomed a new
pediatric surgeon to our medical
staff. Eric Robert Jensen, M.D.,
recently moved to Knoxville to
join the East Tennessee Pediatric
Surgery Group practice of Drs.
Carlos Angel and Carol Fowler.
Dr. Jensen and his wife,
Sheila, are the parents of three
elementary-school age children,
and living in a family-friendly
community was important
to them.The Jensens also love the outdoors, and East Tennessee
certainly offers an abundance of opportunities for outdoor activities.
Children’s Hospital also had a need for an additional pediatric
surgeon, and Dr. Jensen was pleased to learn of the opportunity
in Knoxville. He and his family have most recently been living in
Nashville, where Dr. Jensen served for the past four years on the
medical staff at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
“I enjoy taking care of children,” Dr. Jensen said. “I can have a
profound, lifelong effect on a child when I operate at a young age.”
Dr. Jensen was attracted to his specialty of pediatric surgery for
that reason as well as because he likes the technical and hands-on
aspects of surgery. During their fellowship, pediatric surgeons are
trained in operating on patients from the tiniest premature newborns
to teens who have reached their full adult size. Many of the medical
instruments used in pediatric surgery come in different sizes to
accommodate the different sizes and age of patients.
Common conditions Dr. Jensen and his pediatric surgery
colleagues treat include hernias and appendicitis, which are probably
the most common conditions seen. In addition, they care for patients
with feeding tubes and reflux problems; intestinal problems; tumors,
primarily of the lungs or abdomen in both newborns and older
children; congenital abnormalities, such as those of the trachea and
esophagus in newborns; and traumas to the chest and abdomen.
“It’s a broad range of processes and diagnoses, from life-
threatening to relatively straightforward,” he said. “I have a special
interest in congenital neonatal problems and chest wall abnormalities,
but I really enjoy all of it.”
Dr. Jensen is trained in the latest laparoscopy and thoracoscopy
(minimally invasive) techniques for surgery. While accomplishing
the same goals as more invasive open surgeries, minimally invasive
procedures involve smaller incisions, shorter surgeries, more brief
hospital stays, quicker recovery times and better cosmetic appearance
due to smaller post-surgery scars.
“It is the biggest enhancement in pediatric surgery by far,” Dr.
Jensen said. “Many surgeries can now be done this way, and the
benefits for the patient are tremendous.”
While surgery techniques have greatly enhanced the outcomes
of pediatric surgeries, Dr. Jensen notes that there are still plenty of
challenges to be faced each day. “It’s difficult to make something
perfect,” he said. “You can usually make something much better, but
you can’t usually make it 100 percent.
“Some children are born with serious conditions for which
there is no cure or no great treatment. Some of these are lifelong
conditions, requiring several surgical procedures over the child’s
lifetime,” he said. In such cases, Dr. Jensen and his colleagues provide
the best care they can to offer the child the brightest possible future.
Working in concert with Drs. Angel and Fowler, Dr. Jensen
will help to expand the availability of pediatric surgery care for
children in the East Tennessee region.
About Dr. Jensen
Family – wife, Sheila Jensen; and children, Derick (9),
Carlie (9) and Luke (7)
Personal interests – Church worship and activities,
Family outdoor activities such as camping,
spending time on lakes and rivers, all kinds
of fishing.
10

11. Subspecialist Profile:
Allyson Schmitt, M.D.
Allyson Schmitt,M.D.,entered medical school with a variety of
interests because of her experiences doing foreign mission work.After
shadowing a pediatric ophthalmologist early in medical school,Dr.
Schmitt decided to follow that path for the remainder of her medical
training.
She enjoyed ophthalmology because it had both medical and
surgical components,it provided an opportunity to make a difference
in a patient’s quality of life,and it was well suited to medical missions.
“I had been on several mission trips around the world with my father,but
two that had a lasting impression were trips in which ophthalmologists
from Knoxville were part of the team of doctors. The need for eye care
was tremendous and the impact that improving a patient’s vision can
make on their life cannot be overstated. The trips confirmed my interest
in ophthalmology and my enjoyment of ophthalmologic surgery,”
Dr.Schmitt said.
During residency in ophthalmology at Dean McGee Eye Institute
in Oklahoma City,Okla.,she decided to pursue pediatric ophthalmology.
“I have always enjoyed working with children. My mentors in residency
and fellowship provided wonderful examples of the difference a pediatric
ophthalmologist can make in a child’s life.Like my mentors,my goal is
to provide comprehensive eye care for my patients to achieve the best
visual outcomes,”she said.
Dr.Schmitt joined Dr.Gary Gitschlag’s pediatric ophthalmology
practice in August.The practice is located on the fourth floor of the
Koppel Plaza building at Children’s Hospital.The practice also has an
optical shop,Tots and Teens Optical,for the convenience of the patients.
Dr.Schmitt treats patients beginning at birth and although the majority
of her patients are children,she also treats adults with strabismus,or
ocular misalignment.“I try to put children at ease during their visit by
using a variety of exam techniques and distractions to ensure that the
experience is as fun as possible,”she said.
As a pediatric ophthalmologist,Dr.Schmitt provides
comprehensive eye care.She specializes in the medical and surgical
treatment of strabismus (eye misalignment) in adults and children.
She also specializes in amblyopia
(lazy eye),pediatric cataracts
(cloudiness of the lens),glaucoma
(vision loss by damage to the optic
nerve) and blocked tear ducts.
She also frequently treats
refractive error (the need for
glasses).“Pediatric ophthalmology
was attractive to me because there
are such a variety of conditions
within the subspecialty,”Dr.
Schmitt said.“I enjoy the surgical
aspect of ophthalmology and the
fact that so many of the conditions
can be successfully treated.”
While some of the surgical methods in pediatric ophthalmology
have changed little in several decades,the surgical techniques for
pediatric cataracts have evolved over the past several years.Dr.Schmitt
was fortunate to gain significant experience with implanting intraocular
lenses in children,and is looking forward to bringing these new
techniques to her practice in Knoxville.
Dr.Schmitt is glad to return to East Tennessee with her husband
and children.“I grew up in Knoxville so it is a privilege to serve at
Children’s Hospital in my hometown,”Dr.Schmitt said.
Dr.Schmitt has a passion for overseas medical mission work.
Her travels have included trips to China,Cuba and Brazil while in
undergraduate school.She has also been a part of several mission trips
to the Dominican Republic and Haiti during medical school and
residency.“I want to continue to provide ophthalmologic care in
underserved areas both domestically and abroad,”she said.
Children’s Hospital is looking forward to working with Dr.Schmitt
as she joins Dr.Gitschlag in providing ophthalmology care to the
children of East Tennessee.
by Hayley Martin, Public Relations Specialist
Academic Background
B.S. (Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry and
Cellular and Molecular Biology) – University of
Tennessee, Knoxville, 2001
M.D. University of Tennessee College of Medicine,
Memphis, 2005
Internship – University of Tennessee Medical College,
Knoxville, 2006
Residency (Ophthalmology) – Dean McGee Eye Institute,
Oklahoma City, Okla,. 2006-2009
Fellowship (Pediatric Ophthalmology) – Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, 2010
About Dr. Schmitt
Family – husband, Jonathan Schmitt;
children, Hudson (4), and Lydia (1)
Personal interests – hiking, spending time at the lake,
mountains or beach with her family.
11

12. What’s New at
Tino print release raises funds for Children’s Hospital
For the past 20 years, nationally-known artist Robert A.Tino
of Sevierville has been creating unique works of art to help sick
children who are treated at Children’s Hospital.Throughout those
years, he has created five paintings for Children’s Hospital’s benefit
– paintings which have held an extra special meaning to him since
his first child with wife, Mary John, was born in 1995. Now with
two children,Tino’s perspective has changed from when he first
became involved with the hospital in 1990.
During the weekend of October 2-3,Tino released his fifth
print benefitting Children’s Hospital.“River Ride”evokes nostalgia
for the carefree days of childhood by portraying children floating
down the Pigeon River by a covered bridge.
Its companion piece,“Skipping Stones,”was created to be
sold in conjunction with “River Ride.” This painting features
children spending a relaxed autumn afternoon in the Great Smoky
Mountains skipping stones at the river.
Tino also took time out of his busy schedule to host two
painting activities for patients in the Hematology/Oncology Clinic
in August.With help from the artist, patients in the clinic were
able to express their creativity on individual canvasses provided
for them.
These patients’paintings, along with Tino’s “River Ride”and
“Skipping Stones”were unveiled at a September 21 reception
hosted by Tennessee State Bank and attended by art enthusiasts,
Children’s Hospital supporters, staff and patients,Tennessee State
Bank customers and employees, and Robert Tino and his wife
Mary John. Reception guests had the opportunity to see the new
paintings, and the children were thrilled to see their art displayed
next to a “real”artist’s work.
Past Tino print sales to benefit Children’s Hospital have
raised more than $25,000 each. His donation goes to the Special
Services Fund, which helps families that may need assistance
immediately after a child’s illness for the benefit and recovery
of that child.
“We are so aware of how lucky all of East Tennessee is to
have our Children’s Hospital; it’s something our family is proud
to be a part of and contribute what we can,”said Tino.
These prints are exclusively sponsored by the Knoxville
News Sentinel. A limited number of “River Ride”prints to
benefit Children’s Hospital are still available.To order, visit
www.robertatinogallery.com or call the Tino Gallery at
(865) 453-6315.
by Taylor Griffin, student intern
EastTennessee Children’s Hospital,The
University ofTennessee Medical Center,
Blount Memorial Hospital, Covenant
Health and Mercy Health Partners are
going tobacco-free on January 1, 2011.
Children’s Hospital employees will not be
able to use tobacco of any kind during their
shift, even off-site. Family and visitors to
Children’s Hospital will also not be able to use tobacco starting
on the same day, as our pediatric medical center is
instituting a campus-wide ban on tobacco products.
“As a health care facility that solely focuses on children,
we have an obligation to the patients and families we serve to
provide an atmosphere of care that is optimum in every way,”
said Keith Goodwin, President and CEO of EastTennessee
Children’s Hospital.“Children’s Hospital believes this extends to
our patients’caregivers and their personal commitment to their
own health as part of our vision statement: Leading the Way to
Healthy Children. Children’s Hospital has been aggressive in
the past year expanding wellness initiatives that will make a
difference in our employees’ health, and our administration
believes this smoke-free policy for employees is a key to wellness
for every man, woman and child that visits, is treated at or
works in our facility.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention,Tennessee has the sixth highest percentage of
smokers in the United States and the 14th
highest percentage of
smokeless tobacco product users.Tobacco-related diseases cause
more than 443,000 deaths every year in America, making it the
leading cause of preventable death in the United States.Tobacco
also costs the United States more than $193 billion each year
due to health care costs and lost productivity while at work. In
2008, 45 percent of hospitals in the United States were tobacco-
free.
by Hayley Martin, Public Relations Specialist
12

13. What’s New at
Health tips at your fingertips
You have a crazy day ahead of you – first,dropping off
one child at pre-school and the other at the elementary
school,then work and errands for the family before
picking up both children for different doctor
appointments. You’ve got to remember the correct
insurance cards and immunizations records,past
surgery information and a list of what medications
each child is taking.
How can you manage all that information you
need for your children’s health? Children’s Hospital has
a solution for what you need to know when you’re on
the go – an App for your iPhone or iPad.
This FREE App is available now at the App
Store for iPhones and iPads; it debuted in October
and is named “East TN Kids”in the Healthcare &
Fitness section of the App Store. In addition to
providing general hospital information and a map
and directions on the best way to get to Children’s
Hospital and where to park,the new App lets you
keep your children’s medical history in one convenient
place - in a device that’s with you at all times.Use the
Children’s Hospital App to keep information about your kids’
medications,allergies and immunizations – and emergency contacts right
at your fingertips. Imagine how easy filling out those doctors’forms will
be with all that information already stored and insurance information
readily available in one place.
The new App also features hundreds of articles to help parents
with medical information when they can’t get to their computer to
access the Children’s Hospital web site. The KidsHealth section of the
App includes countless articles in the following categories: General
Health; First Aid & Safety; Medical Problems; Infections;
Emotions & Behavior; Growth & Development; Nutrition &
Fitness; and Pregnancy & Newborns. The Children’s Hospital
App is THE app for parents who like to be prepared,with
everything password protected so information is secure.
Why did Children’s Hospital do an App? Because
that’s where the moms are! Research shows that over 60
percent of U.S.smart phone use is on iPhones,and that
number is growing. So is the use of Apps; in the last
2 years,over 3 billion Apps have been downloaded,
and that number is expected to increase to an
estimated 21.5 billion by 2013. Children’s Hospital
is excited to be only the third pediatric specialty
hospital in the country to have its own App.
“We want to provide innovative services to our
patients and families,and that includes the latest
technology that families,particularly moms,are
using,”said Keith Goodwin,President/CEO of
Children’s Hospital.
So download the new Children’s Hospital
App today for the most convenient way to have your
children’s health information in one place and as a
great resource for medical info for your family when
you’re on the go.
Leadership 2010-11 class (left to right): Kym Lightholder, Michele Simpson,
Allison Burchett, Casey Peters, Barbara Barr of Children’s Hospital
Surgical Services, Michelle Anningson, Children’s Hospital President/CEO
Keith Goodwin, Richard Grover, Deborah Sanderfur, Chad Hatmaker and
Margie Kidd. Not pictured: J.W. Johnson.
In August, Children’s Hospital welcomed its third class of
Leadership Children’s, a group of young professionals in East Tennessee
who are taking part in activities for a year to learn more about the many
services and programs available at our pediatric medical center.
The program introduces young professionals to Children’s Hospital,
enables rising community leaders to be aware of the hospital and what it
offers to the East Tennessee community, and cultivates advocates for the
hospital.
Members of the 2010 class were joined by Children’s Hospital
senior administration and Board of Directors and members of the two
previous Leadership Children’s classes at a reception at the Knoxville
home of Board member Dee Haslam and her husband Jimmy Haslam
on August 24.The new class then took part in their first meeting at the
hospital on August 25. Leadership Children’s class members will
participate in a variety of activities through late spring 2011.
Members of the Leadership Children’s class of 2010-11: Michelle
Anningson, Allison Burchett, Richard Grover, Chad Hatmaker, J.W.
Johnson, Margie Kidd, Kym Lightholder, Casey Peters, Deborah
Sanderfur and Michele Simpson.
by Hayley Martin, Public Relations Specialist
Children’s Hospital welcomes third Leadership class
13

14. What’s New at
Henley Street Bridge closing may detour Children’s Hospital patients
The Henley Street Bridge,a major route
to downtown Knoxville,will close for
renovations in January 2011.The closure
is expected to last for 30-36 months,and
the bridge will be closed to all traffic. The
80-year-old bridge has been classified as
structurally unsound,and all but the arches
and beams will need to be reconstructed to
meet current safety standards.
This bridge construction will alter the route of patients coming to
Children’s Hospital from Chapman Highway. Motorists on Chapman
Highway will be detoured to James White Parkway and across the South
Knoxville Gay Street Bridge. Additional turning lanes and traffic lights will
be placed along Moody Avenue where it intersects James White Parkway
and Chapman Highway. The Gay Street Bridge will be open for local traffic
but is not an official detour.
The official detour will re-route an average of 38,000 vehicles per day,
so travel time to Children’s Hospital may be longer than expected.For updates
on the bridge construction,FAQs and detour routes,visit www.tn.gov/henley.
by Claire Quinn, student intern
Play safe! be safe! workshop
fire safety to preschool children.The workshop covered fireplay and
firesetting,the preschool child’s understanding of fire,safety skills for
a preschool child,fire prevention skills and how to involve the family
in fire safety.
The response of those wanting to attend the workshop was
tremendous,but the class size was limited to 120 people. “We were
overwhelmed by the response of those who wanted to attend,”Cook
said.“The feedback from the workshop was very positive and helped
us identify the need for additional training,which will likely happen
in spring 2011.”
Each participant at the workshop received the award winning
play safe! be safe! workshop multi-media classroom fire safety
education kit. The kit included a DVD in both English and
Spanish featuring “Firefighter Dan,”colorful story cards,two activity
boards,the “Keep Away!”card game and a comprehensive teacher’s
manual with materials for parents in both English and Spanish.
by Hayley Martin, Public Relations Specialist
On August 20,Safe Kids of the Greater Knox Area and
the City of Knoxville Fire Department,in association with the
Tennessee State Fire Marshall’s office,offered a workshop on
child fire safety. The workshop, play safe! be safe!® ,was free
to all public safety officers,school nurses,safety advocates and
representatives from fire departments,day care centers and
Coordinated School Health.
“Tennessee has such a high child death and injury rate
from fire that we thought it was imperative to bring our
partners together to offer this resource,”said Susan Cook,
Safe Kids of the Greater Knox Area Coordinator.
The workshop was taught by Dr.Robert Cole,who
formed Fireproof Children/Prevention First,a company
solely focused on injury prevention through research,training,
global educational programs and organizational partnerships.
The play safe! be safe! workshop provided effective and easy-
to-implement fire safety education materials needed to teach
in East Tennessee
The official detour
will utilize James
White Parkway and
Moody Avenue.
ChapmanHighway will
NOT close.Access betweenMoody Avenueand Blount Avenuewill be maintained.
14

15. What’s New at
Hyundai gives hope to children with cancer at Children’s Hospital
Children’s Hospital staff, childhood cancer patients and their
families, and media filled the Hematology/Oncology Clinic on
September 15 for an exciting announcement from Hyundai Motor
America representatives and local Hyundai dealers. Children’s Hospital
was chosen as a recipient of a $100,000 grant from Hyundai’s Hope on
Wheels program, which funds childhood cancer research and supports
programs dedicated to improving the lives of children with cancer.
During the announcement, Gina Johnson, Social Worker for the
Hematology/Oncology Clinic, and Margie McKelvey, Clinic Nurse
Manager, spoke about what an impact this grant will have at the hospital.
One of the major goals of the Hematology/Oncology Clinic is to offer
resources and materials to be used as family education tools for families of
a child diagnosed with cancer.These include:
Family Handbook – The clinic has developed a handbook for
families to keep with them to help ease fears when having to take care of
their sick child at home.The family handbook includes information on
taking care of chemotherapy catheters and other medical equipment a
child with cancer may have to use for an extended amount of time.The
grant will help fund updates and future printings of the handbook.
Home Visits – Home Health Care visits by Children’s Hospital
staff also are being made possible through this generous grant; these visits
are designed to help families adjust to their child’s new diagnosis.
Education Conference – Perhaps most importantly, nearly half of
the funds are earmarked for a Family Conference to help patient families
build better skills in dealing with their child’s disease.
“Childhood cancer is the most stressful thing a child and parents
can experience.The Hyundai grant will make it possible for parents and
families to come together to learn about and cope with cancer,”said
Johnson.
Hyundai Field Operations Manager Mark Williams and
representatives from the three local Hyundai dealers (Arthur Grayson
from Grayson Hyundai, Ray Ivy from Royston Hyundai and Anthony
Scott from Twin City Hyundai) presented the $100,000 “Hope Grant”
check to Keith Goodwin, President/CEO of Children’s Hospital;
Johnson; McKelvey; and Dr. Ray Pais, Medical Director of the clinic.
“The hospital always gives us what we need for the clinic, but it is
a struggle.This grant will help step things up a notch in the care we can
provide to our patients,”Dr. Pais said.
Hyundai donated more than $6.8 million to hospitals and non-
profit organizations to help fight childhood cancer from April to
September. Created in 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels will have
donated more than $23 million by the end of 2010.
Hyundai’s generous grants are helping make a difference in
childhood cancer research and treatment all over the country.
“We have a bold vision,”said Williams.“Our vision is a world
where no child has to suffer from cancer.”
For more information, visit hyundaihopeonwheels.org.
by Taylor Griffin, student intern
15

16. Children’s Hospital is the only area hospital that was not founded
by a religious group or governmental body. It is a true demonstration
of this community’s love for its children.The physicians and
community leaders who were our founders began working in the
middle of the Great Depression to build a special facility for children
with polio and orthopedic problems.They wanted excellent care to
be available locally. And in 1937, they wanted it to be accessible to
all children regardless of their race, religion or parents’ ability to pay
their medical bills.
Community support has helped Children’s Hospital survive,
grow and expand its services. Generous groups like Northside
Kiwanis helped by providing air conditioners for the original
building on Laurel Avenue.The former Knoxville Journal newspaper
promoted the Brick Fund to raise money for our current building,
which opened in 1970. Community leaders conducted a fund drive
in the late 1970s to build our first Emergency Department.
In 1983, Children’s Hospital signed on as a charter member of
the Children’s Miracle Network, and sponsors such as Wal-Mart,
Sam’s Club and Goody’s Family Clothing raised funds and motivated
the community to contribute millions of dollars for facilities and
equipment.The Fantasy of Trees started with a dream and seven
volunteers traveling to similar events in the fall of 1984; it has grown
to include more than 10,000 volunteers, an annual attendance of
nearly 60,000 guests and annual net proceeds topping $300,000.
Center Stage, which was started by the Goodfriend family in 1993,
has raised over $3 million for critical care facilities.
Look what YOU have accomplished with your gifts! Your
vibrant and generous community support has allowed Children’s
Hospital to build the facilities and purchase the equipment needed
to attract a medical staff of about 400, including 100 practitioners in
nearly 30 pediatric subspecialties. Children’s Hospital simply would
not be the vital community asset that it is today without this strong
community support.
Now we are asking you to take the next step in assuring
Children’s Hospital remains strong far into the future. We are asking
you to consider including the hospital in your estate plans. We can
work with you on:
• Gifts that return an income
• Gifts of land or life estates that allow you to donate your home
while continuing to live in it for the remainder of your days
• Gifts of life insurance
• Gifts of IRAs and other retirement plans
• Bequests
The physicians and community leaders who were our founders
would be overwhelmed by what the community has accomplished in
73 years for the love of its children. You can help ensure Children’s
Hospital continues “Leading the Way to Healthy Children” far into
the future.
No one can predict the exciting medical advances that will take
place over even the next decade. However, you can be certain your
gift will be put to excellent use helping area children treated at our
pediatric medical center. Children’s Hospital is large enough to use
your gift wisely, yet small enough that all gifts are important. Please
call the Development Office at (865) 541-8244 today for information
on how to help.
David Rule, Director of Development
dsrule@etch.com, (865) 541-8172
Teresa Goddard, CFRE,
Senior Development Officer-Grants Manager
tgoddard@etch.com, (865) 541-8466
Joe Brandenburg, Major Gifts Officer
jwbrandenburg@etch.com, (865) 541-8467
Planned giving
Children’s Hospital – a Vital Community Asset
Year-End Gift Catalog provides an easy way to give
to Children’s Hospital this holiday season
What do you get for the one person on your holiday list who seems
to have everything? This year,consider making a donation in his or her
honor to Children’s Hospital and help supply materials that children at
the hospital need each day.
The Children’s Hospital Development Department has compiled a
list of daily needs and “extras”that boost the morale of patients and their
families into a year-end Gift Catalog. During the holiday season,this
catalog is available to show the many items Children’s Hospital provides
to patients and their families free of charge and how much it costs.
Without help from the community,the hospital is unable to provide
these items for hospital patients.
Items include diapers ($200 buys a day’s supply of diapers),baby
bottles ($80 buys a day’s supply of bottles),family meals for families
facing financial hardships ($60 buys 10 meals; $120 buys 20 meals),and
art and craft items to entertain children in waiting areas (suggested gift
amount of $25). Some Gift Catalog items are necessities,while other
items are used to make a sick child smile.
The Gift Catalog shows exactly
what is being purchased by the amount
of the donation.People in the East
Tennessee community often ask what
they can donate to make a difference
in a child’s life.
When making a donation in honor of
someone you know,a thank-you card,with information telling
the recipient a gift was made in their name,is sent to the honoree.
This is an idea to keep in mind when deciding on a meaningful present
to get your loved ones.
To view the Gift Catalog,visit www.etch.com/ETCHGiftCatalog.pdf.
For questions or more information on ways to help Children’s Hospital
this holiday season,contact the hospital’s Development Department at
(865) 541-8441.
by Taylor Griffin, student intern
16

17. Mark your calendars NOW for several upcoming events to
entertain families and benefit Children’s Hospital.Thanks to the
generous people of East Tennessee who host and participate in
these events, Children’s Hospital can continue to provide the best
pediatric health care to the children of this region.
Jammin’ in Your Jammies
Children’s Hospital is once again hosting Jammin’ in Your
Jammies, an overnight pajama party to help families chase away
the winter blues.The event will be February 4-5 and February 5-6
at the Holiday Inn Select at Cedar Bluff. Jammin’ will feature
activities for the whole family including swimming in the hotel’s
indoor pool, karaoke, games and activities, dancing and a pajama
contest for all guests.
A family of four can enjoy the night for $130, and additional
guests are $30 per person. After January 15, the registration fee is
$140. Families have the option to arrive at 5 p.m. Friday and stay
through Saturday morning brunch or to arrive at 5 p.m. on Saturday
and end the fun with brunch on Sunday. Families that plan on
attending the Saturday night event must register before 5 p.m. on
Saturday. Jammin’ in Your Jammies is a project of the Committee
for the Future, which raises money for the Child Life Department
at Children’s Hospital. For more information or to register, call the
Children’s Hospital Development Office at (865) 541-8437.
Dancing with the Knoxville Stars
Star 102.1 will host the third annual Dancing with the
Knoxville Stars, a take-off of the hit reality television show “Dancing
with the Stars,” on February 17.The event will feature local
celebrities performing a variety of dances, including the foxtrot,
the cha-cha, jive/swing, tango, rumba, mambo and the waltz. Each
local celebrity is paired with a professional dance partner from a
Knoxville dance studio and receives 10 hours of professional dance
lessons in preparation for the event.
WATE-TV 6 anchor Tearsa Smith was last year’s judge’s
favorite, and Jed Bakri from the Cotton Eyed Joe was the top
celebrity fundraiser.The event raised $37,000 for Children’s
Hospital Home Health Care program through donations and
proceeds of ticket sale and V.I.P. table sales.
Those who attend the event can donate money to their favorite
dancer and anyone can vote online up to the start of the event on
February 11; each dollar counts as a vote.The winner is determined
by the judges’ votes the night of the competition and by online voting.
For more information on how to purchase event tickets or how to
vote, contact the Children’s Hospital Development Office at (865)
541-8441.
East Tennessee’s Princess Party
Girls age 4-12 should plan for a special night on the town with
their fathers at the 4th
Annual East Tennessee’s Princess Party.This
father/daughter dance will be held at the Holiday Inn in downtown
Knoxville on Saturday, February 19 from 7-9 p.m. All proceeds will
benefit the Star 102.1 Radiothon, which raises money for Children’s
Hospital’s Home Health Care and the CarePages service. For ticket
information, contact the Children’s Hospital Development Office at
(865) 541-8608.
UT Dance Marathon
UT students will dance the night away to raise money for
the Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic on February
25-26.This 14-hour event begins at 7 p.m., and activities last
through the night.
This year’s Dance Marathon entertainment will include
music from local bands, a children’s carnival for hematology/
oncology patients, an opportunity for the patients to throw pies at
Children’s Hospital staff, and other fun activities for patients and
Dance Marathon participants. During the night, “dance marathoners”
will learn a choreographed dance that will be performed at the end
of the celebration at 9 a.m. on February 26.
Dance Marathon is the largest student-run philanthropy in
the country, with more than 800 colleges and universities “dancing”
for children’s hospitals in their areas each year. Last year’s Dance
Marathon raised more than $37,000 for the Children’s Hospital
Hematology/Oncology Clinic. For more information, contact the
Children’s Hospital Development Office at (865) 541-8608.
Cutest Little Baby Face
In March, parents, grandparents and friends have the chance
to pick the cutest baby in East Tennessee.The 22nd
annual Cutest
Little Baby Face contest hosted by the Sevierville Kiwanis Club will
take place at Belz Outlets in Pigeon Forge, and all proceeds benefit
Children’s Hospital. Children will have their portrait taken by Gary
Woods Photography, and Belz shoppers can vote on the candidates
to determine the cutest baby in East Tennessee. Children ages 6
and under are eligible to participate; registration for the event is $5
in advance or $7 at the door.The fee includes a 5x7 portrait of the
participating child, a T-shirt and a goody bag.
Look for more information and dates in the next It’s About
Children.
Star 102.1 Radiothon
Don’t forget to “tune in for the children” during the 10th
annual Star 102.1 Radiothon on March 24-25 at West Town Mall.
The station’s morning personalities, Mark & Kim and Frank, will
broadcast live from the mall both days from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Listeners can call in and make a financial pledge to support
Children’s Hospital. Last year the event raised more than $209,000
for Children’s Hospital Home Health Care and the hospital’s
CarePages service. Since its start in 2002, the Star 102.1 Radiothon
has raised more than $1.4 million for Children’s Hospital.
by Claire Quinn, student intern
Calendar of Events
17

18. Q&A
Part 4 of 4
Smoking: Good News and Bad News
The U.S. smoking rate has dropped sharply since the mid-1960s,
when it was around 40 percent, to a little over 20 percent now,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that the CDC had hoped to see the rate drop
to 12 percent by 2010. And, according to the American Lung
Association, each day 6,300 American children try their first
cigarette, and nearly 2,000 of those children will become daily
smokers.
The bad news continued with a government report stating that
more teens and young adults are smoking menthol cigarettes. Experts
think menthol masks the harshness of tobacco, thus making it more
appealing to young smokers.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
is expected to consider banning menthol (the only flavoring not
banned under tobacco laws passed in 2009) in 2010.
It’s not just conventional cigarettes and other tobacco products
that parents need to watch out for. Gaining momentum are electronic
cigarettes (or e-cigarettes), marketed as the “healthier alternative”
to regular smoking, with many brands offering free trial kits
through online promotions that children can easily access. While
manufacturers promise “no tar, smoke or tobacco,” e-cigarettes do
contain cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins, including a
compound used in antifreeze, the FDA warns.
Worse, the cartridges — available in kid-preferred flavors like
vanilla, chocolate and mint — contain nicotine, which is converted
into a vapor that’s inhaled by the user. While they may indeed be a
“healthier alternative” than regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes are far
from safe — their makers admit they’re “not suitable for pregnant
or breastfeeding women” and even advise potential customers to
consult with a doctor before use.
Trendy now, too, is smoking tobacco with a water pipe (also
called a hookah or shisha), especially among young adults.Though
this is widely believed to be safer than cigarettes, a study showed that,
on average, participants had higher levels of carbon monoxide after
Few issues are closer to our hearts or more crucial to our
future than the health of children. As an abundance of children’s
health issues hit the media spotlight last year, it was a challenge for
many parents to keep track of them all or determine which matter
most. From financial turmoil to immunization challenges, 2009
turned out to be a year of reflection and reaction.
In 2010, Children’s Hospital is highlighting 10 important
children’s health issues to watch. Each issue of It’s About Children
this year will focus on two or three topics.This Top 10 list is not
meant to be comprehensive, nor does it suggest that other health
issues aren’t also important. But we think these 10 subjects will
have a lasting impact on children’s health well into the future.
smoking using a water pipe versus a cigarette, with about 48 times
more smoke inhaled with a water pipe than with a cigarette.
And of course, all of these methods of smoking deliver nicotine
into the body.
What This Means to You
Urge your child to kick the habit with the assistance of these
safe, reliable methods:
• using a nicotine gum or a patch (after talking to a doctor first)
• using substitutes such as sugarless gum, hard candy, carrot
sticks, mints, toothpicks or even lollipops
• getting involved in healthier activities: lifting weights, shooting
baskets, going for a swim, etc.
• And be sure to add e-cigarettes to the list of no-no’s whenever
you talk to your children about the dangers of smoking and
using tobacco products. If your child is trying to quit, make
sure he or she knows e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative or
even a good way to step down from nicotine addiction.
And remember: You’re the most important role model of all
for your children. So if you smoke, it’s time to quit. Maybe this
time of year can be an inspiration to you. After all, November is the
month for the annual Great American Smokeout; this year, it is on
November 18.To learn more, visit http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/
StayAwayfromTobacco/GreatAmericanSmokeout/index.
After reaching this milestone, hopefully you will be on the road
to quitting permanently.
The Importance of Vitamin D
Most of us know vitamin D is crucial to bone health. In fact,
Vitamin D plays a part in the bone-building process by helping the
body to absorb calcium. If someone doesn’t get enough, it could affect
the body’s ability to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
But now it has also been shown that insufficient levels of
Vitamin D can cause or increase the risk of developing a number
of health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic
syndrome, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and low
HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). It is believed vitamin D is also
crucial for maintaining the body’s immune system and that low levels
increase the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular health
problems, as well as some cancers. Recent studies report that about 70
percent of children in the United States have low vitamin D levels.
The two main forms of vitamin D are:
• D2 (or ergocalciferol, the main form of vitamin D in foods),
which is made by plants and fungi
• D3 (cholecalciferol), made by the body when our skin is
exposed to ultraviolet light.
A few foods are rich in vitamin D, such as cod liver oil, egg
yolks, cheese and fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, and tuna or
sardines canned in oil). Vitamin D-fortified foods include milk,
10for‘10
18

19. Upcoming community education classes
CPR Certification Course
Dates: December 6,January 10,February 7,March 7
Time: 6-10 p.m.
This certification course teaches the American Heart Association
chain of survival -- from when to call 911 to how to effectively
administer CPR to an infant, child or adult.This course is designed
for anyone who may be expected to respond to emergencies at
home or in the workplace. Participants must be at least 14 years old.
Following the course, participants will receive an American Heart
Association Heartsaver certification card.This course is $25 per person.
Safe Sitter
Dates: December 11,January 22,February 5,February 26
Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch is provided)
Safe Sitter is a national organization that teaches young adolescents
safe and nurturing babysitting techniques and the rescue skills
needed to respond appropriately to medical emergencies. Instructors
are certified through Safe Sitter nationally. Participants must be ages
11-14.This course is $25 per person.
Class size is limited, so preregistration is required. All classes are
offered in the Koppel Plaza at Children’s Hospital unless otherwise
noted. For more information, to register for any of these classes or
to receive our free Healthy Kids parenting newsletter, call
(865) 541-8262.
Announcements about upcoming classes can be seen on WBIR-
TV 10 and heard on area radio stations. Or visit our web site at
www.etch.com and click on “Healthy Kids Education and News.”
Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Kids Campaign, sponsored by
WBIR-TV Channel 10 and Chick-Fil-A, is a community education
initiative of the hospital’s Community Relations Department to help
parents keep their children healthy.
Content edited and abridged from the KidsHealth section of www.etch.com.
© 2010 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. Used under license.
orange juice, margarine and some cereals.Traditionally, milk has been
the main source of vitamin D for children, but fewer children now
drink much milk every day.
Another likely risk factor for low vitamin D levels is the three
to four hours of TV and computer time many children get each day.
Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because ultraviolet rays
absorbed by the skin help the body make a usable form of vitamin
D — so children who are parked inside day after day aren’t getting
these natural “doses” of vitamin D the way children did in the past.
What This Means to You
Low vitamin D levels can be harmful to a child’s health, so
parents should try to get kids to drink more milk or take a vitamin D
supplement — and decrease the hours they spend indoors in front of
a screen.
Although the body also makes vitamin D when the skin is
exposed to sunlight, it can be hard to gauge just how much sunshine
is safe and effective for an individual child. So to be sure your
children are getting adequate vitamin D each day, make sure you give
your children three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free fortified milk,
which has about 125 IU of vitamin D added.
Milk is a convenient source of Vitamin D – but just who should
get what kind of milk and when?
Infants under a year old shouldn’t have whole milk or milk
products at all because of the possibility of a milk allergy. Stick with
breast milk or infant formula as your baby’s major source of nutrition
during the first year.
Children between 1 and 2 years old should have whole milk to
help provide the dietary fats they need for normal growth and brain
development.
After age 2, most children can switch to low-fat or nonfat milk,
although you should discuss this with your doctor first.
Some children can’t or won’t drink milk. In situations like this,
offer 100-percent orange juice (not juice drinks), reduced-fat cheese,
soy milk, salmon or tuna, eggs, some breads and fortified cereals.
Read the nutrition facts label to see how much vitamin D is in
each serving.
You can also try putting some pizzazz in milk by occasionally
adding a touch of strawberry or chocolate syrup (which doesn’t add a
significant amount of sugar or calories). Avoid store-bought flavored
milk drinks, though, because they can be packed with unnecessary
sugar.
Educate teens about the misconceptions of milk. Adolescent
girls, in particular, may decide to diet and avoid eating dairy foods
they think will make them fat. But it’s important for your teen to
understand that an 8-ounce glass of skim milk has only 80 calories
and zero fat.
Supplements are available as vitamin D2 or D3. While both
raise vitamin D blood levels, D3 supplements appear to be more
effective and long lasting. Doctors recommend 400 IU (the standard
unit of measure of vitamins) of a daily vitamin D supplement for:
• exclusively and partially breastfed babies beginning the first few
days after birth
• formula-fed infants and all older children if they get less than 1
quart of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk daily (that’s 32 ounces,
or four 8-ounce bottles or cups)
• teens who don’t get 400 IU of vitamin D each day through foods.
There are several other reasons why people don’t get enough
vitamin D:
Less exposure to UV rays. When we do spend time in the sun, more
of us are making the wise decision to use sunscreen to block the
UV rays that cause sun damage and cancer. Where we live makes
a difference, too: If you live in the northern U.S. and Canada, it’s
possible you’re not getting the UV exposure required for your body to
make enough vitamin D.
Dark skin. The melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color) in
darker skin protects against sun damage, but it can also block the sun
needed to produce vitamin D.
Certain health conditions. Some health conditions, like cystic
fibrosis or inflammatory bowel disease, affect how well the body
absorbs nutrients, including vitamin D. And because vitamin D is
a fat soluble vitamin that gets stored in the body’s fat cells, obesity
increases a person’s risk for vitamin D deficiency.
19

20. 2018ClinchAve.•P.O.Box15010
Knoxville,Tennessee37901-5010
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29th
Annual Children’s
Miracle Network Telethon
to be held January 30
The ringing of a telephone has been a sound familiar to Children’s
Miracle Network Telethon volunteers for the past 28 years. On Sunday,
January 30, the sound of ringing phones will again fill Children’s Hospital
as the 29th
telethon takes place.WBIR-TV Channel 10 will broadcast
the 2011 telethon live from 3-11:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 30.
The 2010 telethon raised more than $1.2 million through
individual pledges and corporate donations.These generous donations
have helped the hospital in fulfilling its mission of “Leading the Way
to Healthy Children.”
This year, the telethon’s success will be dependent on all East
Tennesseans in the Children’s Hospital service area. Funds raised during
the telethon will be used to purchase new and sophisticated medical
equipment for many areas throughout the hospital. Ongoing support
from the community is essential in helping the hospital grow and in
guaranteeing that each child who comes to Children’s Hospital receives
the care he or she needs. Now, more than ever, Children’s Hospital needs
your help in staying on the cutting-edge of pediatric medicine.
Children’s Hospital is a charter member of the Children’s Miracle
Network. In 1983, the hospital participated in the first telethon that
raised nearly $95,500 in East Tennessee, all of which remained at
Children’s Hospital for the sole benefit of our patients. Since that
year, the telethon has raised more than $32 million for our pediatric
medical center.
Again this year, viewers will have the opportunity to donate to
Children’s Hospital online.While watching the broadcast on WBIR-TV,
viewers can log on to www.etch.com and make their donation.
The season of giving can be extended past Christmas this year by
making a donation to the telethon on January 30, no matter how big
or small.
For more information or to volunteer, call (865) 541-8441 or visit
www.etch.com.
by Taylor Griffin, student intern