Akron Children’s has appointed three physicians to new leadership roles that report to Akron Children’s president and CEO Chris Gessner. Shefali Mahesh, MD, serves as pediatrician in chief. She is responsible for the overall performance and effectiveness of Akron Children’s pediatric medical subspecialty and primary care physicians and related services. She also oversees marketing and […]
From sepsis to survival: Toddler fights to regain his life after devastating illness
For Shanelle Beachy, the two-hour roundtrip drive to Akron Children’s Hospital has become a familiar route. Three times a week, she makes the trip from her family’s home in Sugarcreek, determined to give her son Reid, age 2 ½, the best possible care. Reid, a happy and thriving toddler, had his world turned upside down […]
Julien creates his own superheroes to help him stay strong against kidney disease
Fourteen-year-old Julien Ford believes that every child fighting kidney disease is a superhero who deserves their own action figure. Through art therapy at Akron Children’s, he’s created action figures who defeat the autoantibodies that attack the kidneys. An 8th grader at Ontario Middle School, Julien has benefitted from all aspects of Akron Children’s expressive therapy […]
4 ways MyChart is helping families manage chronic illness
When kids have a chronic condition, there are many tasks to remember and track, not to mention disruptions to family routines. Whether they’re managing asthma, diabetes, juvenile arthritis or kidney disease, families juggle medical appointments, complex medication schedules, dietary restrictions and more to keep their children healthy. Fortunately, for these day-to-day tasks between visits, MyChart […]
Patient Experience Spotlight: Paige Peterson
Every day at Akron Children’s, we strive to deliver compassionate care and create positive experiences for our patients and families. This month, we’re spotlighting Paige Peterson, MSW, LSW, a social worker who received the following feedback from a patient after a recent visit. “Paige (Peterson), the social worker in the nephrology unit is my favorite on […]
ASCEND intern shares her experience as a kidney transplant patient
As a child, Aliyah Torgler, age 21, says one of her favorite play activities was carrying around a toy doctor’s bag and taking people’s temperatures. “Although I didn’t know it then, I would go on to have many experiences with health care providers, and I think that helped influence my decision to go into the […]
