PINT-SIZED PATIENTS
radioactive isotopes that kills cancer cells inside
the body and requires the use of a special lead-
lined room. Cook helped pioneer transplants of
bone marrow and stem cells for kids with cancer
and blood disorders in 1986, and the system’s
Hyperinsulinism Center is one of only a few in the
nation that can treat this rare and often severe
genetic disorder that can cause seizures and even
permanent brain damage if not treated early.
The positive impact of 100 years of caring on Fort
Worth is extensive. As residents, visitors, friends and
supporters turn a night sky blue with appreciation,
they honor a unique North Texas legacy that has
helped improve the lives of millions across the world.
“In some cities you are defined by how much you
make, but in Fort Worth, you are defined by how
much you give,” Merrill said. “People leave here
wanting to partner with and support us.”
Children’s Health Opens Sports
Medicine Institute
With an aim of keeping athletes on the playing
field and out of the operating room, Children’s
Health opened the first youth-oriented orthopedic
institute in Texas, the Children’s Health Andrews
Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, late
last year on the health system’s specialty campus
in Plano.
Bringing together a group of experts from a
variety of disciplines under the direction of world-
renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews,
the Children’s Health Andrews Institute places a
strong emphasis on research, education and injury
prevention to meet the needs of young athletes,
parents and coaches alike. From orthopedic
surgeons and concussion experts to sports
dietitians and athletic trainers, this dedicated
team is specifically trained in pediatrics to help
young athletes achieve optimal health and
sports performance.
The four-story, 185,000-square-foot building includes
four operating rooms, an imaging center, physical
therapy space, and orthopedic and other pediatric
clinics. The institute features indoor and outdoor
athletic performance facilities, including a half-size
football field, running track and pool.
stitute for
th Andrews In
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icine
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& Sports
Orthopaedics
“What we try to do here is train them, so we can
prevent injuries as they grow and their bodies
change,” said Dr. John Polousky, orthopedic
surgeon and medical director of the institute.
“We keep them with healthy movement patterns
that can develop over time that leads to better
performance.”
With the opening of this new specialty center,
Children’s Health has become the first to partner
with performance pioneer EXOS to provide sports
performance training to young athletes seven to
22 years old. The human performance company
is known for its work with professional athletes,
corporations and the military in incorporating
movement, recovery, nutrition and mindset into
a complete health program.
Children’s also brings to the North Texas region
the EOS System, a full-body image scanner that
produces X-rays in seconds and cuts down the
amount of radiation exposure for children. “It
uses much less radiation and produces beautiful
images that you can measure deformities off of,”
Dr. Polousky explained.
A rehabilitation gym with a Hydroworx pool and
underwater treadmill comprise another first for a
Texas pediatric hospital. Camera and computer
systems provide visual feedback to athletes and care
teams. Children’s Health experts see this institute as
a way to keep kids in the game while moving them
forward in a healthy way.
For North Texas families, this high level of pediatric
care and expertise means that it’s game on.
26
WWW.NTC-DFW.ORG
SUMMER 2018
WE ARE PIONEERS.
We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter.
We were aboard NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor
systems to the market. Today, we’re defining the future of
on-demand mobility and vertical lift.