From Cancer Patient to Patient Champion: Nora's Story Nora was only four months old when her mother, Andrea, received the news that no parent wants to hear: her baby girl was diagnosed with cancer. Four days after Nora was diagnosed with neuroblastoma on February 23, 2016, she received her first of ten chemotherapy treatments at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. "I wish I didn't have reason to love Children's Hospital as much as I do, but when this life was handed to us, they rose to the occasion of carrying us through," said Andrea. "They saved my child and, in turn, saved me." Exactly nine months later – after countless blood transfusions, biopsies, treatments, and tests – Andrea received the call that her brave little girl’s latest testing showed no evidence of disease. There were still months of check-ups to come, but the news gave Andrea and her family a good reason to toast to Nora’s good health the following day during Thanksgiving dinner. Nora’s family has participated in every Walk for Children's since the first one in 2016 when Nora was only three months into her treatment. This year, as they were preparing for the third annual Walk, Nora was invited to join four of her fellow Patient Champions to be honored during the Patient Medal Ceremony. "I'm not a princess, I’m a warrior," read Nora's purple dress as she and her loving older sister Heidi took the stage with Brett Keisel on June 13. While Nora's family watched and cheered in their "Fight like a Girl" t-shirts, Brett bestowed Nora with a shiny medal declaring her a Patient Champion. Ten days later, Nora and her family joined more than 5,000 walkers at this year's Walk for Children's, an event that Andrea calls "a great day to recognize the bright future ahead for our kids and the hospital dedicated to their health. I love my city. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else." Donate Now Thank You for a Record-breaking Walk for Children's!Third annual event raises more than $864,400 to support kids Flagstaff Hill was abuzz with festivities and fun on Saturday, June 23, during the third annual Walk for Children's, which raised more than $864,400 to support the patients and families at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. We were honored to welcome back Ken Rice of KDKA-TV as the master of ceremonies and 96.1 KISS-FM's Mikey and Big Bob who provided entertainment throughout the day. Throughout the morning, an enthusiastic crowd of more than 5,000 walkers filled Flagstaff Hill, enjoying the activities and snacks courtesy of the event's generous partners and sponsors. The sun was shining brightly as Ken introduced Julia from the hospital's Supportive Care team to release dozens of butterflies into the air, symbolizing the transformations that happen every day at UPMC Children's Hospital. The program continued as Bella, a 12-year-old VLCAD patient, was joined by Creative and Expressive Arts Therapies Program Coordinator Kory Antonacci to sing the national anthem, proudly presented by Bank of America. Following the announcement of this year's record-breaking total, 10-year-old Addison led more than 200 of her fellow Patient Champions in their purple shirts and medals from the front of the stage to the start of the walk. The rain that ensued may have soaked Schenley Park, but it did not dampen the spirits of our walkers who returned to Flagstaff Hill with sunny smiles and full hearts. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation thanks our partners, our leadership team, our volunteers, and the thousands of fundraisers and walkers who came together this year to make the third annual Walk for Children's the biggest and best yet. Read More Congratulations to Dr. Kristin Ray2018 Nemours Child Health Services Research Award Winner On Saturday, June 23, Kristin Nielsen Ray, MD, MS, received the 2018 Nemours Child Health Services Research Award from AcademyHealth. The Nemours Child Health Services Research Award recognizes the scientific work of emerging scholars in the field of child health services research, particularly research on quality improvement of pediatric health services. Dr. Ray, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, received the award in recognition of her contribution to child health services research. Her research program aims to understand and improve patient access and outcomes in pediatric health care delivery systems. In addition to her research, Dr. Ray also leads quality improvement work for a network of over 40 pediatric primary care sites as the director of health systems improvement for Children's Community Pediatrics. The award was presented at the annual Child Health Services Research Interest Group Pre-Conference Session held in conjunction with the 2018 AcademyHealth Annual Research meeting in Seattle. Read More Football Camp for the STARS Showcases Young Athletes with Down Syndrome The Down Syndrome Center at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh sponsored Football Camp for the STARS, a two-night football camp with local high school teams on Thursday, June 14, and Friday, June 15, at Thomas Jefferson High School in Clairton, Pennsylvania. Each athlete with Down syndrome was paired with at least one athlete from the participating high school football programs at Thomas Jefferson High School and Woodland Hills High School to guide them through both days of camp. Coaching the athletes were Thomas Jefferson High School football coach Bill Cherpak, Woodland Hills High School football coach George Novak, and Washington Redskins defensive line coach Jim Tomsula. After two days of football drills and fun, the athletes returned to the locker area in preparation for the final game on Friday and found personalized jerseys with their names and numbers. Kishore Vellody, MD, medical director of the Down Syndrome Center at Children’s, delivered a speech to the athletes on Friday evening, then joined the crowd of parents, siblings, and other fans in the bleachers to support these young athletes as they took to the field. Read More A Visit from Steelers Rookies Matt's Maker Space is Coming Soon... unWINEd at Narcisi Winery on August 7 On Monday, June 4, the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie class visited UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh inpatients and families for a day full of fun, games, and smiles! All 21 rookies drafted by the Steelers for the 2018 NFL season gathered with their youngest fans on the hospital's sixth floor for activities ranging from games of cornhole and Jenga to signing autographs and making bags of slime. With the opening of Matt's Maker Space this month, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is proud to be one of the few pediatric hospitals in the country with a maker space in our main facility available to the whole hospital. Matt's Maker Space was founded by the Conover family to honor the memory of their son, Matt. As part of the hospital's new Creative and Expressive Arts Therapies (CEAT) hub, Matt's Maker Space will offer a variety of STEAM-based activities for patients and families to create, invent, and learn together. It's not too late to reserve your spot – and your glass – at the seventh annual unWINEd: A Toast to Hope for a Cure. Join the Cancer and Blood Disorders Auxiliary of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation at the picturesque Narcisi Vineyard in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, August 7 for an evening benefiting the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) and Cellular Therapies at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Watch the Video Learn About CEAT Register Now Congratulations to Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, for being selected as a 2018 Woman of Distinction by Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania (GSWPA). Dr. Miller was one of eight outstanding women honored during GSWPA’s signature event at the Omni William Penn on Friday, May 18.