For Dr. Lawrence Shaffer, the Youngstown and Western Pennsylvania metro areas hold a beloved place in his heart. After going through medical school on a scholarship from the United States Air Force and completing his residency, Shaffer spent four years at an Air Force base in Wyoming as a pediatrician. In 1986, he decided to […]
Archives for 2018
Family-friendly Considine expansion designed through eyes of a child
When you walk around the newly expanded Considine Professional Building on the Akron Children’s downtown campus, expect to see some familiar territory. The building’s interior floors are each themed with artwork and photography that give off a hometown vibe. According to Robin Clark, director of marketing, “Each floor of the building has a theme and […]
Covering all the bases: Scrappers’ partnership hits 10-year streak
Shortly after the Beeghly campus opened in 2008, Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley stepped into the batter’s box, looking to hit a grand slam with its first athletic partnership. And they did with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a short-season Class A minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians based in Niles. Now in its 10th season, […]
Max’s cleft palate journey continues with success
My son, Max, was born in the middle of a November blizzard in 2008 with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Rewind to our 20 week ultrasound, where we were excited to find out his gender but were surprised to instead learn that he had a cleft. The tech was certain about his lip but […]
It took 10 years for 1 family to get a good night’s sleep – Here’s what they learned on their journey
Rewards. Bribery. Anger. Frustration. Lights on, lights off. Music. Stuffed animals. TV on, TV off. Fans. Melatonin. Talking, pleading, professional counseling. Monica and Richard Plack had tried everything to get their youngest daughter, Bailey, to sleep through the night – in her own bed. It had been an ongoing battle; Bailey was now 10 years […]
Surgery closes the gap on cleft lips and palates – (VIDEO)
Beyond the impact on a child’s physical appearance, correcting a cleft lip and palate can aid in the ability to speak, chew and swallow. In this Children’s Channel video, Ananth Murthy, MD, director of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Akron Children’s, discusses the treatment of this birth defect.