This year, we celebrated milestones and honored team members whose dedication and leadership inspire us every day.
Celebrating Our Everyday Healthcare Heroes
Rob Ericson: Our Everyday Hero
In our Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, infusion nurse Rob Ericson received the WTKR News 3 Everyday Hero Award. For 12 years, Rob has been a source of compassion and strength for families facing life’s toughest challenges.
Dr. Foley: A True Health Care Hero
We also celebrated Dr. Foley, named a 2025 Health Care Hero by Inside Business. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Foley has been a guiding force at CHKD - first as a pediatric intensive care specialist, then as Chief of Pediatric Critical Care, and now as our Chief Clinical Operations Officer. His leadership, patience, and unwavering commitment have shaped the care we provide and the culture we cherish. His impact on colleagues and countless patients will be felt for generations.
Molly Lowther: Champion for Kids and Research
Another proud moment came when Molly Lowther, RN, was honored as a 2025 Health Care Hero by Inside Business. With more than 12 years of service at CHKD, Molly has made a profound difference in the lives of children battling cancer and blood disorders. Her compassionate care has earned her two DAISY Awards, and her advocacy extends beyond the bedside - she’s led CHKD’s team for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser for four years, championing childhood cancer research.
Amy Sampson: Named One of Coastal Virginia’s Most Influential People
In April 2025, Amy Sampson, President and CEO of CHKD Health System, was honored by CoVa BIZ Magazine as one of the region’s Most Influential People. This recognition reflects Amy’s visionary leadership and her commitment to advancing pediatric care for families across our community. Amy is dedicated to improving the lives of children every day - and we’re proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor.
As we celebrate Rob, Dr. Foley, Molly, and Amy for their incredible contributions, we know they represent just a few of the many heroes working behind the scenes at CHKD every day. From nurses and physicians to support staff and volunteers, countless individuals make a difference in the lives of children and families across our community. We’re proud to honor these three and grateful for the entire CHKD team that brings hope and healing to every child who walks through our doors.
New Adaptive Seating Clinic Opens in Norfolk
This year, CHKD continued to expand access to specialized services that support children with complex needs and the families who care for them. One meaningful milestone was the opening of a new Adaptive Seating Clinic in Norfolk, further strengthening our therapy services across the region.
On March 31, 2025, CHKD Adaptive Seating Clinic and Therapy Services opened at the CHKD Health Center at Kempsville in Norfolk. Initial services will include a dedicated wheelchair clinic along with physical and occupational therapy (PT/OT), allowing children to receive coordinated, individualized care in one convenient location.
A Fresh New Look for CHKD.org
We kicked off the year by giving CHKD.org — the hospital’s virtual front door — a whole new look and feel. It wasn’t just a facelift; it was a transformation designed with web visitors in mind.
The newly redesigned CHKD.org is easier to navigate, more mobile-friendly, and packed with improvements:
- A smoother mobile experience for the growing number of visitors on the go.
- Smarter search tools to help visitors find doctors and programs quickly.
- Fresh, flexible design that makes every page more inviting.
- Enhanced provider bios so families can get to know the experts caring for their kids.
CHKD Celebrates 50 Years of Lifesaving Care on the Move, Unveils New Transport Vehicle
This year marked a significant milestone for CHKD’s Mobile Intensive Care Program as we celebrated 50 years of lifesaving patient transports. Since its launch in 1975, the Mobile Intensive Care team has safely transported more than 50,000 infants and children, with one-third of those transports involving critically ill newborns.
To mark the anniversary, CHKD proudly added a fifth ambulance to its dedicated fleet. Each mobile intensive care unit is staffed around the clock by a specialized team ready to provide hospital-level care at referring sites before and during transport. Notably, CHKD’s MICU remains the only licensed EMS provider in the region authorized for neonatal transports, ensuring that even the youngest and most fragile patients receive expert care, no matter where they are.
Over five decades, this program has evolved into a vital lifeline, bringing critical care directly to families and communities across the region. Here's to another 50 years of compassion, expertise, and rapid-response care.
Building a Safer, Healthier Future for Children with Food Allergies
Food allergies continue to affect families across our region, with 1 in 13 children in Virginia living with a food allergy. Throughout the year, CHKD remained committed to helping children and their families navigate these challenges through comprehensive allergy care, including access to the latest immunotherapy treatments.
One of the year’s most meaningful milestones came on April 30, when we proudly joined Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University, and Children’s Specialty Group to designate Hampton Roads as a FARE Neighborhood. This important recognition reflects our shared dedication to advancing diagnosis and treatment, increasing awareness, and improving access to safe, healthy food options for children with food allergies. Together, we are making lasting progress and building a healthier future for kids across Hampton Roads.
Gold-Standard Care: CHKD’s ECMO Program Honored
In July 2025, CHKD’s Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) program received the prestigious Gold Level Award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), officially designating it as a Center of Excellence. This national recognition highlights the program’s commitment to the highest standards of life support for children experiencing acute heart or lung failure.
CHKD remains the only hospital in Hampton Roads offering pediatric ECMO, an advanced therapy that temporarily takes over heart and/or lung function through a specialized pump and artificial lung.
Strengthening Safety: Upgraded Screening at Our Main Hospital
In 2025, CHKD took another important step to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, families, and staff by upgrading security screening at our main hospital. The new system uses advanced technology to detect prohibited items more effectively while maintaining a welcoming environment for everyone who enters our doors.
These enhancements reflect CHKD’s ongoing commitment to creating a secure, family-friendly space where children can receive care and support without worry. Safety is at the heart of everything we do, and these improvements help us deliver peace of mind along with exceptional care.
CHKD's Buddy Brigade Pet Therapy Program Celebrates 20 Years of Canine Companionship
In 2025, CHKD celebrated 20 years of its Buddy Brigade, our beloved pet therapy program that has brought comfort, smiles, and healing to thousands of children and families. Since its start in 2005, these specially trained therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers have made hospital stays a little brighter offering stress relief, emotional support, and moments of pure joy during challenging times.
From wagging tails to gentle cuddles, our Buddy Brigade has become an essential part of CHKD’s commitment to provide family-centered care. Here’s to two decades of furry friends making a big difference, and many more years of heartwarming visits ahead!
A Breakthrough in Cancer Care: CHKD First CAR-T Cell Infusion
September brought a historic moment for CHKD during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: our Hematology and Oncology team performed CHKD’s first CAR-T cell infusion. This innovative therapy uses a patient’s own T-cells — reengineered to recognize and attack cancer cells — offering new hope for children with certain cancers.
This achievement represents more than a medical milestone; it’s the result of two years of planning, collaboration, and dedication from our Hematology and Oncology providers, Nurse Coordinator Jennifer Martin, and countless others across the health system.
Together, they’ve brought one of the most advanced cancer treatments available today to the children and families we serve.
Celebrating 20 Years at Oyster Point
This year also marked a special milestone for CHKD’s Health and Surgery Center at Oyster Point — 20 years of providing exceptional pediatric care to Peninsula families. Since opening in 2005, the center has expanded access to CHKD’s unique services, including outpatient surgery, specialty care, rehabilitative therapies, lab, and imaging.
CHKD Introduced its Pediatric Dentistry Program for Children with Special Needs
This year, CHKD launched a new Pediatric Dentistry Program designed to meet the unique needs of children who require specialized care. Leading the program is Ashley Anderson, DDS, a board-certified pediatric dentist with a passion for caring for children with complex medical conditions and developmental differences.
Dr. Anderson provides preventive and restorative dental services for healthy children under age six with Medicaid, patients with cleft and craniofacial conditions, and children with special needs who still have baby teeth. Her approach is centered on individualized treatment plans, ensuring every child receives compassionate, expert care in a supportive environment.
With advanced training in pediatric dentistry from the Medical University of South Carolina and years of experience serving children in both clinical and hospital settings, Dr. Anderson brings exceptional skill and heart to CHKD’s newest specialty service.
CHKD Begins Medical Tower Demolition
In 2025, CHKD began a major transformation on our campus with the demolition of CHKD Medical Tower, a building that served patients and families for decades. Interior gutting of the building began in November and is expected to be finished in May. Exterior demolition is slated to begin in June. Once demolition is completed, the site will be a temporary open space while CHKD evaluates future health system plans.
The King's Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD Honored with Coast Virginia Magazine's 2025 Giving Back Award
Lastly, we’re proud to share that The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD was recognized at Coastal Virginia Magazine’s 2025 Giving Back Awards. This annual honor celebrates nonprofits making a meaningful impact in our community, and our milk bank was one of 20 organizations highlighted for its dedication to nourishing fragile infants and supporting families across the region.
This recognition reflects the incredible generosity of our milk donors and the commitment of our team to provide lifesaving nutrition to babies who need it most.
Special Visitors Surprise Patients at CHKD
Patients, families, and staff were delighted by the many special visitors who dropped by our hospital this year. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Norfolk Tides and mascot RipTide, Virginia International Tattoo, Disney on Ice, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and many more, took the time to share a smile and lift spirits at CHKD.
