Your CHKD Care Team
The expertise of our team is why CHKD has become a respected leader in the treatment of children with cancer, sickle cell disease, coagulation disorders and general blood disorders. These medical professionals know that children are not small adults, and they are highly experienced in offering compassion, easing pain, and calming fears – both yours and your child's. Below you will find a list of people - and dogs - you may meet in our Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.
Your CHKD Care Team
Art and music therapists help children coping with cancer and blood disorders by providing opportunities for expression and relaxation.
Bereavement groups offer an opportunity to share experiences and feelings associated with loss. This group meets at night every other month and is open to all families who have had a child or friend die.
Chaplains attend to the spiritual needs of patients and their families, offering pastoral care in the context of respect for the family's religious and cultural traditions.
Child life specialists reduce anxiety and fear through play, learning, self-expression, and interacting with other children. They also help patients and families maintain normal routines.
The nutrition services department offers individuals nutrition counseling and assessment for children with cancer and blood disorders. Dietitians help with food recommendations, weight management, and supplementations.
Through proper education and intervention, our dietitian provides support and resources for oral nutrition supplementation, enteral nutrition recommendations, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and hydration goals.
To guarantee continuity of care, our registered dietitian follows patients and families on an inpatient and outpatient basis and works with each patient and their CHKD care team to meet their specific nutritional needs.
Our registered dietitian can help with answering questions, navigating diets, and making sure that your child is receiving the best nutrition to match their treatment plan.
Education specialists provide instructional sessions during hospitalizations and coordinate the delivery of school services in patients' homes. When a child is ready to return to school, they help coordinate the process by making school visits and meeting with teachers, classes and principals necessary.
Our nurses are specially trained to provide care to children receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders. Our nurses understand the special needs of the patients and families. They provide an invaluable resource for patients and their families during clinic visits, inpatient stays, and by phone.
Sometimes, the quiet comfort provided by a furry friend can calm nerves and distract a child from medical treatments. Our Buddy Brigade visits patients in clinic and throughout the hospital.
Specialized pharmacists dedicated solely to hematology/oncology work in a pharmacy located in the clinic to provide individualized treatment with complex medications.
With extensive expertise treating pediatric cancer and blood disorders, our team of doctors brings decades of experience to patients with a dedication that includes participation in research, implementation of innovative therapies, and cutting-edge treatment protocols for patients.
Social workers help patients and their families with their psychological and psychosocial needs. They provide crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, and referral to community resources.