Meet London

5-year-old London has been a UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh patient since she was adopted from China in 2015. She was less than 3 years old when she was diagnosed with spina bifida as well as a kidney disease called minimal change disorder and amniotic band syndrome.

"Although London has quite a few health issues, we know that she’s in great hands at Children's Hospital," said AJ, London’s mom. "We know that because of the care and attention that Children's has given to the entire family, London is able to thrive and enjoy life despite her diagnoses."

London is frequently seen by the spina bifida, urology, nephrology, and endocrinology clinics.

"Our family is so grateful for the caregivers at Children's," said AJ. "The doctors and caregivers have made our whole family feel like they truly care about London and her well-being. They go above and beyond to make sure London has the best possible experience at the hospital."

GIVE HOPE to patients like London this holiday season.

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Remembering Albert Lexie

Nearly every Tuesday and Thursday for more than 30 years, Albert Lexie would leave his Monessen home at 5:50 a.m. to begin his hour-and-a-half commute to UPMC Children's, where he shoes and warmed hearts.

From the start of his career at Children's in 1982, Albert gave all his tips – more than $200,000 – to the Free Care Fund, which ensures that all patients from the region receive the same quality medical care regardless of their ability to pay.

Albert's dedication to the patients known as "Albert’s Kids" inspired the community, which recognized the philanthropist with awards, medals, and appearances on CBS Evening News, The Jane Pauley Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, and as one of 30 "All Stars Among Us" at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

"First and foremost, Albert was our friend. He was a fixture at Children's Hospital for more than three decades, and his kindness and generosity were and continue to be an inspiration for all of us," said Chris Gessner, president, UPMC Children's. "He represented the true spirit of volunteerism and philanthropy and the contributions he made to the hospital far exceeded the tips he donated."

Albert began his shoeshine career about 40 years ago, when he built a shoeshine box in his high school shop class. In addition to shining shoes at Children's, he would travel to other areas in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities to offer his services.

On Oct. 16, 2018, Albert Lexie passed away at the age of 76 in Charleroi, leaving a legacy of selfless giving and compassion that has inspired countless people around the world.

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That's Pediatrics!

Researchers, doctors, and educators at UPMC Children's explore a new frontier of child and adolescent medicine on the newly launched "That’s Pediatrics" podcast series. Hosted by Carolyn Coyne, PhD, Stephanie Dewar, MD, Brian Martin, DMD, and John Williams, MD, this series for the clinical community discusses the latest innovations and discoveries of pediatric health care.

Interviews feature a variety of experts including subspecialists, surgeons, researchers, basic scientists, medical leadership, and more. Recent topics range from brain injuries and infectious diseases to the recent outbreak of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare polio-like condition that causes weakness in the arms or legs.

Subscribe in iTunes or Google Play to have episodes automatically download when they become available. You can also subscribe and listen to "That’s Pediatrics" on your computer on YouTube and Libsyn.

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Funding the Future at The Big Give

On Thursday, Nov. 1, members of the Children’s Trust and their guests gathered at Federal Galley in Pittsburgh’s North Side for The Big Give. More than 150 generous supporters celebrated the Trust’s dedication to furthering the mission of UPMC Children’s through peer outreach, volunteering, and fundraising.

This year, the Trust announced its first-ever Patient Experience Enhancement Grant, developed to fund programs that would enhance the experience for Children’s patients. Employees from Children’s submitted 48 applications over the summer, which were then reviewed by UPMC Children’s leadership and Trust leadership, then narrowed to five finalists who recorded video pitches for Trust members to vote.

The Trust awarded $15,000 in Patient Experience Enhancement Grants to:

• Dorothy Becker, MD, Christine March, MD, and John Weidinger, for their pop-up portable teaching kitchen to educate Type 1 diabetes patients
• Paul Lavra, for augmentative and alternative communication devices

 

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Fundraising on the Fairway	Halloween at the Hospital	Save the Date for Telethon
The 11th Annual Children’s Golf Classic at Laurel Valley Golf Club on Tuesday, Sept. 25 raised a record-breaking total of $430,000, bringing the event’s total raised to more than $3.1 million over 11 years. Through the foundation’s partnership with chair Joan Stephans, the event grew this year with the addition of a dozen new partners and exclusive activities on the evening prior including a Glow Ball event and stories from local author Chris Rodell. A second golf outing, the Altoona Golf Classic for Children’s, celebrated its inaugural event on Friday, Sept. 28, at Scotch Valley Country Club in Hollidaysburg, PA.	UPMC Children’s patients and staff enjoyed spook-tacular Halloween celebrations, beginning with Spirit Halloween’s annual party on Wednesday, Oct. 17, where patients had the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of new costumes and accessories donated by Spirit Halloween and their donor partners. On Halloween, Wednesday, Oct. 31, inpatients were invited to the Eat’n Park Atrium for a trick-or-treat party featuring non-food items from various departments across UPMC Children’s.	The 65th Annual KDKA Free Care Fund Benefit Show will broadcast live from the Eat’n Park Atrium at UPMC Children’s and the PPG Wintergarden on Thursday, Dec. 13. The Telethon celebrates the culmination of the Free Care fundraising season by welcoming top Free Care donors to present their donation on air while leveraging individual donations through the holiday spirit of giving. This year’s Telethon will be dedicated to the memory of Albert Lexie, who donated more than $200,000 in shoe-shining tips to the Free Care Fund.
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