Healthy Magazine Healthy RGV Issue 119 | Page 13

ARE LEY There is a great satisfaction in helping a child overcome breathing problems and experience activities that were previously beyond the child’s limits of breathing,” said Dr. Nolan. “Paul Nolan, MD, left, and Santiago Encalada, MD, confer with one another often in their daily routine while discussing treatment plans for their patients within the Rio Grande Valley. Both physicians also cope with asthma as part of their lives.” As Dr. Roberts points out, patients who are rather sick do have to be transported to Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi to receive the best treatment available to them. He is grateful Driscoll has a system in place that allows for him and his team to identify those patients who need that level of care. Beyond asthma and bronchitis, pediatric pulmonologists see children that suffer from congenital lung abnormalities, airway and lung infections (chronic cough, recurrent pneumonia and bronchopulmonary dysplasia), cystic fibrosis, along with treating sleep problems including sleep apnea. These conditions are just a handful of the chronic respiratory disorders they see in patients within the Rio Grande Valley they are able to treat. “Creating a bond with the families of our patients is really important to me,” said Dr. Encalada. “I want to be able to answer all of their questions they have in regards to their child.” “Jon Roberts, MD, uses the best modern medical technology available to help him assess his patients and decide on an appropriate treatment plan. Dr. Roberts has been with Driscoll Children’s Hospital for seven years and is excited to be able to treat patients in the Rio Grande Valley.” Dr. Roberts, whose residency was at Winthrop University Hospital, Long Island, New York, adds that being able to travel to his patients, is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling parts of his job. “When we’re able to treat a patient locally at the Driscoll Children’s Specialty Center in Brownsville, it’s really great because it means they don’t have to go through the difficulty of traveling elsewhere,” said Dr. Roberts. After being with Driscoll Children’s Hospital for more than seven years, Dr. Roberts has seen a lot of growth and is excited for what he and his colleagues have accomplished in regards to cystic fibrosis treatment. In 2015, Driscoll was approved for accreditation by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as a nationally recognized affiliate cystic fibrosis center. This means that children living in the Rio Grande Valley needing treatment for cystic fibrosis are able to receive that treatment in Corpus Christi, instead of having to make that four hour, or sometimes even longer journey to receive excellent medical care. Equally as important for Dr. Roberts is being able to get onto the Driscoll aircraft one to two times per month to fly to Brownsville and see his patients there. “We get on that plane so that our patients to do not have to travel hours just to see us,” added Dr. Roberts. “We are here to serve them.” The Driscoll Children’s Specialty Center- Brownsville, is located at 5500 North Expressway 77. Call (956) 698-8605 for more information or (361) 694-5224 to reach the Driscoll Children’s Hospital Pulmonology Clinic in Corpus Christi.