All Children's Hospital Foundation

Spring 2015 5 People they were awed by the support and the treatment they received by the doctors and staff at All Children's. PROVIDING CARE AT ALL LEVELS "Dr. Grana came in and explained to us what we were facing," Yazan says. "The doctors, nurses … everyone there took the time with us to explain everything. The doctors actually got on their knees when they talked to my son – to be at his level. I can't explain what that meant to him and me." His wife agrees: "Dr. Grana is like an angel from heaven − Baha loves her," Linda says. "There are no words to describe the doctors and nurses in this hospital. There is a team of doctors talking with you and explaining every step of the process. We couldn't be more grateful." Baha had surgery to insert a port that would deliver his chemo- therapy, and the family prepared for what would be a six-month stay at the hospital. No one in his family was a match for a bone marrow transplant, typical treatment for this type of cancer, so Baha's only option was to face five cycles of chemotherapy. Each cycle meant seven to nine rounds of the unforgiving but life-saving drug. The entire family was impacted by Baha's plight. "We lived in the hospital, all of us. Thank God for Ronald McDonald House," Linda says. Her 4-year-old daughter, Dalal, and her 11-year-old son, Aladden, also spent their summer in the hospital – they didn't want it any other way. "Aladden didn't think he should be having fun while his younger brother was sick," Yazan explains. "He was the one most affected by Baha's illness. The hospital became our home, the nurses and doctors are family. Now the children go to the seventh floor for hugs and kisses from the nurses. Baha would rather visit here than go to Disney World!" All Children's is the best place – the safest place – for children." – LINDA, BAHA'S MOM Dr. Grana meets with Baha to celebrate being one year cancer-free. Expanding Our Reach As All Children's Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine becomes internationally known for the innovative work we are doing in pediatric care, the need for an official international program has intensified. Patients come to All Children's from multiple locations, often because they can't find comparable services in their own countries. Others come because parents recognize our name and want the best care for their child. The All Children's Hospital International Program, which began in June 2013, provides international patients with alternative access to pediatric health care services. Expect to hear more from this growing and beneficial program welcoming children from around the world. "There is no limit to the clinical conditions we can treat, other than the facility's capacity and clinical specialties," explains program director Julia Beresford. "We have a certified medical interpreter on staff for Spanish-speaking patients, and we have access to interpretation and translation services for other languages, so communication is not a barrier." In order to qualify for the program, patients must have permanent international residence, be embassy-sponsored and self- pay or have foreign medical insurance. So far, the young program has welcomed kids from more than a dozen countries throughout the world. Visit www.allkids.org/ internationalteam for more information.

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