FALL 2002 • VOL.2 NO.4FALL 2003 • VOL.3 NO.3

AlexisOvercomes

theOddsCould Your

Child Suffer from

ADHD?What to Watch for on Page 4.

Sing along with Us!

Kids Are on the Air at Radio Lollipop

Back to SchoolLunchesYour Kids Will Love!

3fall 2003 Children’s Gazette

When asked whatshe wants to bewhen she growsup, Alexis Coellohas a readyanswer: doctor,

lawyer, teacher and dolphin trainer.While that may seem like a lot ofgoals, nothing is too much for thisoutgoing girl. The reigningHomecoming Princess cheers for theMurray Park football team, is on thehonor roll every year and plays soccerand basketball. One would never guessthat the beautiful 9-year-old was bornwith a condition requiring six surgeriesto repair.

A Mother’s DeterminationOne of the many children with

craniofacial anomalies who are helpedby the Craniofacial Center at MiamiChildren’s Hospital, Alexis was bornwith a bilateral cleft lip and cleftpalate, meaning parts of her lip andthe roof of her mouth did not joinproperly during fetal development.There is no known cause for thiscondition and, in most cases, ithappens without warning.

“My pregnancy went likeclockwork. Nothing was suspected,”says her mother, Helena Coello, MEd,RT (R), a Clinical Process Educator ata local hospital. “But when theywouldn’t let me see her, I knewsomething was wrong.”

Although Helena was assured thecondition was correctable, the words

did not reassure Alexis’ father, whoabandoned the family. Broke andalone with two children, Helenafaced the future with courage and determination.

“Many babies born with cleft lipsand palates have problems feeding,”says Helena. “With the nurses’ andphysicians’ help, I learned to maneuverAlexis’ bottle up and down to feed her.”Alexis went home just five days later.

A Center for Caring Alexis underwent her first surgery at

5 weeks old, and by the age of 2 hadsix surgeries to repair her cleft lip andpalate. But surviving the surgerieswasn’t all that was required of Alexis.

“Among other things, children likeAlexis often need extensive dentalwork and speech therapy. In addition,a geneticist is needed to rule out anyother developmental problems,”explains Mislen Bauer, MD, MedicalDirector of the Craniofacial Centerand pediatrician and geneticist onstaff at Miami Children’s Hospital.“In the past, families had to travelacross town to visit variousspecialists, so we created theCraniofacial Center to providemultidisciplinary care in one place.”

Now, children are seen at leasttwice a year by a team of specialistsincluding a dentist; plastic surgeon;social worker; pediatrician; speech

pathologist; and an ear, nose andthroat surgeon.

“Alexis was one of the first patientsat the Craniofacial Center,” saysHelena. “I was really grateful thatthere was somewhere I could turn forguidance and hope. At the center,there was a team of people to educateme and to reassure me that I wasdoing a good job caring for Alexis. Itwas such a relief!”

A Difference You Can See

Now, after three years of speechtherapy and six surgeries, no onewould suspect Alexis’ story ofstruggle and survival. But her motherwill never forget.

“The progress was slow, but theresults are amazing!” says Helena. “Iam so grateful for the support Ireceived from the Craniofacial Centerand Miami Children’s Hospital.”

In an effort to help other familieswith children with craniofacialanomalies, Helena and Alexis areactively involved with the Children’sCraniofacial Association (CCFA) atMiami Children’s HospitalFoundation. Helena serves on theboard, while Alexis offers the otherchildren cheerful support.

For more information about theCCFA call (305)666-2889.

President and Chief Executive OfficerMiami Children’s HospitalThomas M. Rozek

PresidentMiami Children’s Hospital FoundationRobin Reiter-Faragalli

Director of Marketing & Public RelationsMiami Children’s HospitalMarcia Diaz de Villegas

Director of Marketing & CommunityRelations, Miami Children’s HospitalFoundationIvette R. Diaz

EditorRachel Perry

Contributing WritersIvette Diaz, Maria Moldes, Daniel Brantley, Lauren Fox, Erin King, Sheryl K. Montle, Beth Painter

Art DirectorTeneara L. Faw

Developed by

MIAMI CHILDREN’S HOSPITALBOARD OF DIRECTORS 2003Juan Carlos Mas, ChairmanRobert K. Jordan, Vice Chairman Deise Granado-Villar, MD, Secretary Georgina Angones; Peter Bermont; Evalina Bestman, PhD; Mark Blank; Miles E. Gilman; Ghislain Gouraige, Jr.;Gary Gregory; Sarah Legorburu-Selem, MD; Steven Melnick, MD; Rene Murai, Esq.;Rigoberto Nuñez, MD; Christian C. Patrick, MD, PhD;Thomas M. Rozek; Mario Trueba; Jack Wolfsdorf, MD; JoAnne M. Youngblut, PhD, RN; Robin Reiter-Faragalli, Ex-Officio

MIAMI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATIONOFFICERS AND DIRECTORSJudy Weiser, ChairmanRobin Reiter-Faragalli, PresidentWilliam L. Morrison, First Vice PresidentJ. David Scheiner, Second Vice PresidentMark Blank, TreasurerAlan Ojeda, SecretaryDonald H. Altman, MD; Neil R. Chrystal; Tom. M.Cornish; Manuel R. Iribar, MD; Victor Lopez; KennethJ. Reilly; Susan M. Sibley; Eric W. Sulzberger;Ambassador David M. Walters; Dawn White; Thomas M. Rozek, Ex-Officio

800-624-7496

2Children’s Gazette fall 2003

IDear Friends,

It’s hard to imagine that children are already back inschool. If your child is one of the millions who suffer fromattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schoolmay be something that he or she fears rather thananticipates. In this issue, we’re addressing the widespreadproblem of ADHD and how Miami Children’s newCenter for Attention Deficit and Associated Disorders canprovide a place of refuge for your child and a wealth ofunderstanding for parents.

In the spirit of back to school, this Children’s Gazettealso includes helpful hints for parents struggling with thedaily decision of what to pack for lunch and how to gettheir kids to eat it.

In the last issue, you read about the Children’sCraniofacial Association and the Craniofacial Center atMiami Children’s. Now, we’re featuring one of the firstchildren to benefit from the center. You’ll read theinspiring story of Alexis Coello, a beautiful 9-year-oldwho, thanks to six surgeries and comprehensive careprovided by the team of specialists at the center, nowshows no signs of the cleft lip and palate with which shewas born.

At Miami Children’s, we’re committed to saving lives,and our dedication was recently recognized by U.S. Newsand World Report magazine for the second year runningas one of the nation’s top 25 pediatric hospitals! As wecontinue to discover innovative methods for improvingthe quality of care, we’d like to thank you for yoursupport of the hospital that cares for children throughoutSouth Florida and around the world.

Sincerely,

Christian C. Patrick

Chief of Staff/Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs

Miami Children’s Hospital

PATIENT PROFILE:

Alexis Coello

Overcoming

Fun Facts about Alexis

Helena Coello and her daughter, Alexis, who was born with a cleft lip and palate, were amongthe first families helped by the Craniofacial Center at Miami Children’s Hospital.

theOdds

F A V O R I T E A C T I V I T I E SReading, shopping and watching movies

F A V O R I T E C O L O RBlue

F A V O R I T E F O O D SCuban food—black beans, rice and palomilla steak

F A V O R I T E S P O R T SSoccer, basketball and tennis

no exception,” says Marcel Deray,MD, Director of the Center forAttention Deficit and AssociatedDisorders, who diagnosed andtreated Alejandro. “Although we’restill not certain what causes thecondition, thanks to extensiveongoing research, we’re learningmore and more each day.”

Until a few years ago, treatment wasunavailable for children who wereunable to stay on task. Fortunately,youngsters with ADHD no longerneed to struggle unnecessarily to keeptheir minds focused on schoolwork orother activities.

“ADHD requires medical attentionfor any reduction of symptoms,” saysAmerico F. Padilla, MD, interimDirector of Psychiatry at MiamiChildren’s. “The more the medicalcommunity learns about the symptomsof ADHD, the better we’re able toprovide treatment.”

Bringing TogetherSpecialists for a Special Condition

For years, families in South Floridaand beyond have traveled the halls ofMiami Children’s Hospital to receivecare for children with ADHD. Tomake navigation easier, the hospitalopened the Center for AttentionDeficit and Associated Disorders inJanuary 2003. Comprised of a variety

of specialists under one roof, thecenter serves as the only stopconcerned parents like Hortensia haveto make for the best services availableto treat ADHD.

“Parents used to go from place toplace to find the appropriatediagnosis and treatment for theirchildren,” Dr. Padilla explains. “AtMiami Children’s, all of the necessaryspecialties are together in one team,meaning we can properly diagnosechildren and create a treatment planfor them without having to sendthem to various facilities. We can doit all right here, saving families timeand anxiety.”

Services provided by the Center forAttention Deficit and AssociatedDisorders include the following:

• psychological intervention such asindividual, group and familytherapy and behavior modification

• medication evaluation and in-depth treatment planning

• recommendations related to special classes to meet children’s educational needs

• support groups referral

“The center offers a comprehensiveevaluation to assess possible deficitsthat are symptomatic of ADHD,”explains Dr. Deray, “so that childrenlike Alejandro are able to receive thehelp needed to concentrate andaccomplish tasks.”

Getting Back on TrackAfter a series of evaluations and

treatment trials, Alejandro has madegreat strides in dealing with hisdisorder. His treatment includes40mg of Ritalin each day, and heattends a school with teachersspecially trained to handle childrenwith ADHD. Now, the active 8-year-old is enjoying life and is keeping upwith his third-grade classmates atRoyal Green Elementary School.

“Alejandro can now do hishomework, draw and build practicallyanything out of LEGOs without beingdistracted constantly,” Hortensia says.“I’ve been fortunate to be supportedby people who care for my son asmuch as I do and hope other familiesin our community benefit from MiamiChildren’s services. I will always begrateful to the staff there. They havetruly worked wonders for my family.”A

lejandro is fortunate.Though he suffers fromthe most commonbehavioral disorder ofchildhood, Alejandrofound help at Miami

Children’s Hospital. Attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects3 to 7 percent of all school-agedchildren and is characterized byhyperactivity, inattention andimpulsive actions. It causes difficultywith school and social interaction andcan erode self-esteem. Withoutintervention, ADHD can disrupt thenormal life of a child.

“Alejandro was a typical baby. Hewas strong, healthy and reached all ofthe early developmental bench-marks,” says Alejandro’s mother,Hortensia Barbara, who adoptedAlejandro when he was 2 months

old. “However, when he stillwasn’t speaking a lot by age 2, I suspected a problem.”

Hoping to remedyAlejandro’s speech difficulties,Hortensia placed him in

preschool when he was 3 years

old. After spending a year atpreschool, Alejandro’s speech had notsignificantly improved, and he haddeveloped other unusual habits suchas hiding under tables. Fortunately forAlejandro, his teacher suspected hisbehavior was due to ADHD.

First Stop—EducationHortensia immediately headed

for the Internet and other resourcesto research ADHD. Her three olderdaughters had never experiencedanything like this and questions ranrampant through her mind.

“Our family physician has alwaystaken good care of our health,”Hortensia explains. “She referred meto the best in the business for thetreatment of ADHD—MiamiChildren’s Hospital.”

Once there, Hortensia learned thatthanks to years of studying thesymptoms and effects of ADHD, helpwas available for her 4-year-old son.

“ADHD is a real problem thatcommonly affects a child’s ability tofocus on school and on activities intheir daily lives—and Alejandro was

fall 2003 Children’s Gazette

44

Children’s Gazette fall 2003

Does your child suffer from ADHD? Here arethe three most common symptoms and howthey are displayed in everyday life, accordingto the American Psychiatric Association.

Inattention, characterized by thefollowing:• not paying close attention to details or

making careless mistakes

• difficulty focusing on tasks, including playactivities

• not following directions and failure to com-plete schoolwork or chores, or on-the-jobduties for adolescents

• avoidance or dislike of tasks requiring sus-tained mental effort

• being easily distracted and forgetful

Hyperactivity, characterized by thefollowing:• fidgeting with hands or feet or squirming in

seat

• leaving seat at inappropriate times

• running or climbing when inappropriate

• difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activi-ties quietly

• excessive talking

•feelings of restlessness (adolescents)

Impulsiveness, characterized by thefollowing:• blurting out answers before questions have

been completed

• difficulty waiting his or her turn

• interrupting or intruding on others

Catching ADHD early can help your child obtainand maintain proper social and academicdevelopment. Call the Center for AttentionDeficit and Associated Disorders at MiamiChildren’s Hospital at (305) 662-8330.

Here’s good news. If you live in Broward County, you too have a placeto turn for help if your child has been diagnosed with attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Miami Children’s Hospital’s Dan Marino Center specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders such asADHD. Your child will benefit from the expertise of a team of pediatricneurologists and psychologists.

“Correctly diagnosing ADHD requires a multidisciplinary team of professionals, as there is no specific test to make the diagnosis,”says Mark A. Epstein, MD, pediatric neurologist and Medical Director of the Dan Marino Center. “Instead, we look at behavioral patternsand attention spans in several settings, such as at school, home andplay and observe how they affect the child’s ability to functionacademically and socially. This determines whether they fit the clinical criteria for ADHD.”

To learn more about ADHD or comprehensive care for the conditionat the MCH Dan Marino Center, call (954) 385-6276.

A On the Lookout for ADHD

Caring for

ADHDat the Miami Children’s Hospital Dan Marino Center

55

HDDLiving with

Support for

ADHDMiami CHADD (Children and Adults

with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity

Disorder) now has a support group for

parents, adults and professionals

affected by ADHD. Support group

meetings for families are held the first

Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

at Miami Children’s Hospital. The fall

lecture series includes topics such as

understanding ADHD, learning strate-

gies and medical management.

For more information, please call

(305)361-2609.

By the time Alejandro Barbarawas 3 years old, his behavior

was erratic and out of control.At preschool, he sat on top of

tables or hid beneath them. Hehad problems communicating

with other children his age. Hisfamily worried. What was going

on with Alejandro? Now theyknow. He was

WPLGThe first weekend after Memorial

Day has become synonymous with theannual Children’s Miracle NetworkTelethon. Tuning into WPLG-TV,Channel 10, viewers have celebratedthe joyous outcomes of children whotell tales of miraculous recoveries,listened to stories of families who havereceived care and treatment, andreceived information about the highlyspecialized doctors and nurses atMiami Children’s Hospital—the onlySouth Florida hospital that is part ofthe Children’s Miracle Network(CMN).

And while you may remember thestory of Armaan, now a happy, healthy2-year-old boy who from birth sufferedmore than 40 seizures a day, andIsabella, who needed open-heartsurgery two days after her birth, youmay not remember the generous handswho make it all possible—the staff ofthe One and Only Channel 10.

A History of CivicInvolvement

Since 1989 Miami Children’sHospital Foundation and WPLG-TVhave worked together to make eachyear’s CMN involvement a success in

conjunction with communityvolunteers and other CMN sponsors.Dedicated employees of the stationhave provided on-air talent andbehind-the-scenes editing andexpertise. In 1989 Channel 10 receivedthe MCH Foundation’s CommunityCouncil “Gift of Joy” award foroutstanding public service for children.

Channel 10 has a long and strongcommitment to this community. Itsinvolvement with CMN, MiamiChildren’s Hospital and theFoundation are but one example ofthis civic involvement. Channel 10partners with many community-basedorganizations to publicize events andsponsor programs to ensure it remainscommitted to serving the needs of theentire region. The station was an earlywinner of the Julia Tuttle Award forCommunity Involvement and has wonnumerous Emmys and Peabodyawards for excellence in broadcastjournalism.

Thank you, Channel 10, for helpingto make dreams a reality—and forpartnering with Miami Children’sHospital Foundation to provide thebest in pediatric medical services inthis region.

Radio Lollipop, the firstinteractive, hospital-based radioprogram in the United States to

provide comfort, play and entertainmentfor children is now better than ever. Theradio program at Miami Children’s isexpanding its hours and spreading evenmore joy throughout the hospital.

“We’re excited to offer more engaginggames and programs for the children,”says Lynn Heyman, Director ofCommunity and Volunteer Resources atMiami Children’s Hospital. “We’ve juststarted our sustaining service that keepsthe music, fun and games going on allday long.”

Radio Lollipop uses interactive playto provide a temporary escape forchildren while they’re in the hospital.Programs include:

• stories at the top of the hour• Disney® dramatizations

• silly jokes• music for all ages• group and individual games

On Tuesday, Wednesday andThursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.,the studio is often taken over by the kidswho have the opportunity to be guestDJs. Children can use their televisionand telephone to play games or winprizes, or they can come to the studio.

When Radio Lollipop is on the air,smiles are all around. And that’s theentire reason for the program, accordingto Heyman.

“Anything that gives children ahappy experience while they’re in thehospital is worth the time and effort,”she says. “Radio Lollipop gets theminvolved in things they like to do bytaking the focus off their illness andback on to having fun.”

Sends Sweet Sounds

6Children’s Gazette fall 2003 7fall 2003 Children’s Gazette

PH

IL

AN

TH

RO

PI

C

PR

OF

IL

E

WPLGthe One and Only Channel 10

WPLGThis is one dose of medicine kids won’t mind taking!

“It’s part of our commit-

ment to the community.

We want to show the public

the good things that Miami

Children’s does. Our long-

standing relationship with

the hospital helps us to do

just that.”

“We’re very thankful

for everyone at the

station. They always

go the extra mile for

the children and for us.

Everyone at Channel 10

has been great, and the

new station manager,

David Boylan, is committed

to continuing our wonderful

relationship.”

—Glen Eklund, Production Manager

at WPLGTV,the One and Only

Channel 10

—Maria Moldes,CMN Director at

Miami Children’s

Hospital’s Foundation

A 15-year partnership has been cemented for another year between theOne and Only Channel 10 and Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation—for the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon.

Better Buckle Up!Keeping your rambunctious 8-year-old

in a booster seat may seem like a chore,but it’s a safety precaution that could savehis or her life.

Making sure your child is properlyfitted in a booster seat is important—evenfor bigger kids. The health of your childmay depend on it! Read these facts fromBrian Hannigan, RN at Miami Children’sHospital, on keeping your child safewhile cruising down the road.

• Children should be in boosterseats until they’re 4’9” or theyweigh 80 pounds.

• Always use a seat belt shoulder strap,positioning it on the shoulder andchest, not on the neck or down on the arm.

• Follow the seat manufacturer’sweight and height recommen-dations. A seat that’s too big or small is dangerous.

• Make sure the seat is anchored at alltimes. It can cause harm to the driveror other passengers in an accident.

• Place a piece of rubber liner under theseat to keep it from sliding.

• If your vehicle doesn’t have a highback or headrest, choose a boosterseat that cradles the child’s head andneck in case of a rear crash.

• The correct seated position without abooster should be sitting back in theseat, with the child’s knees bentcomfortably over the edge.

“If a seat isn’t installed correctly, yourchild is at increased risk for seriousinjury,” says Hannigan. “It only takes afew minutes to ensure your child isprotected and safe.”

Call Miami Children’s Hospital for afree child safety seat inspection at (305)666-6511 to see if your seat is the rightone for your child.

90 percent of all safety seatsare installed incorrectly.

QUICK FACT:

_â|á ]A UÉà|yÉÄÄpassed away on September 24, 2003. Botifoll, who was a LifeTrustee of MCH Foundation, was also one of our founding boardmembers and will be sorely missed. Botifoll’s dedication and gen-erous support of Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation for morethan 20 years will be warmly remembered by all those who werefortunate enough to have known him. To the Botifoll family weextend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences for their loss.

You promised yourselfthat this would be theyear. But it’s onlyOctober, and you’realready trapped inbrown bag boredom.

How do you keep your kids happy andmake sure they’re eating healthy?

“Lunch provides your children withabout one-third of their calories for theday,” says Velma Mercado, RD, ChiefClinical Dietitian on staff with MiamiChildren’s Hospital. “But it can be achallenge to entice your children tomake healthy choices.”

While there’s no guarantee thatthey’ll completely stop snaggingsweets from their friends, savvyparents can plan lunches their kidswill love. Children’s Gazette hascompiled some helpful hints formidday meal makeovers.

Take it easy. “One of the first rules oflunches for little ones is to keep it sim-ple,” Mercado states. “Look for foodsthat are easy to handle such as previ-ously peeled oranges, apples, bananasand berries.”

The variety show. You may know itbetter as the spice of life, but variety isalso the spice of lunch. While thesandwich was standard fare when you

were growing up,today’s airtight,portable containers haverevolutionized menuchoices. Try incorporatingsoup, rice or pasta for something special and cut foods in differentdirections for diversity.

Picky, picky. And what about thepicky eaters who won’t touch any-thing but peanut butter? Mercadorecommends giving them whatthey want but also including some-thing new and different each day.Take heart—with time, their tasteswill change.

Bread ‘n’ better. “Whole grain breadprovides essential carbohydrates, and you can try different kinds for a change in texture and color,”Mercado explains. “In addition, break the boredom by offering things like pita pockets or tortillasinstead of bread.”

Shape up. Want to make fruits andveggies more fun? Cut foods intoshapes—cucumbers and carrots can becircles, sandwiches cut like triangles—for interest. Mercado suggests mixingand matching colors for a surprise.

The choice is theirs. A strategy thatbrings success is to involve the kids inmeal planning each week. “Sit down

with your children on Saturday orSunday and ask them what they wantto eat in the coming week or invitethem to come along on the grocerytrip,” says Mercado. “When they’reinvolved in choosing foods that inter-est them, they’re more likely to eatthem at lunchtime.”

Treat them right. While sweets andhigh-fat, high-sodium prepackagedfoods may seem like the last thing youshould put in the lunchbag, they’reokay in moderation. For example,include only one cookie instead of fiveor offer a small (i.e. crackers andcheese) Lunchable™-style option onlyweekly or every other week. Don’tforget to balance the meal with fruitsand veggies!

8Children’s Gazette fall 2003 9fall 2003 Children’s Gazette

Miami Children’s hasdiscovered a way todramatically increase survival

among congenital heart surgerypatients. And other hospitalsworldwide may soon be following thehospital’s lead after dramatic researchresults revealed that enhancedmonitoring of certain blood productsin children after heart surgery cansignificantly improve survival rates.

Miami Children’s consistentlymaintains one of the lowest pediatriccardiac surgical mortality rates in theworld. A new innovation that iscontributing to the hospital’sremarkable success is the use of ahandheld blood gas analyzer tomonitor post-surgical patients in theCardiac Intensive Care Unit. Thistechnique makes it possible toevaluate blood gases within minutesusing only two drops of blood.

And speed is an important factor.For example, the amount of lactate

present in the blood can signal alack of oxygen. If a dangerous levelof lactate is identified in congenitalheart surgery patients, physicianscan deliver more aggressive therapiesin as little as five minutes—whichcould mean the difference betweenlife and death.

“Closely watching lactate levels hasled to a 50 percent reduction inmortality rates for all congenitalheart surgery patients and a 75percent reduction in mortality for thesmallest, most at-risk babies,” saysAnthony Rossi, MD, board-certifiedcardiologist and Director of theCardiac Intensive Care Unit at MiamiChildren’s Hospital.

Miami Children’s is one of the firsthospitals in the world to use theblood gas analyzer to monitor theprogress of all congenital heartpatients in the CICU, but the hospitalhopes others around the world willsoon follow suit. Representatives

from Miami Children’s studyreported these findings at the 4thWorld Congress on PediatricIntensive Care in June 2003, and willpresent in November at the IXInternational Congress on PediatricLaboratory Medicine.

“At Miami Children’s, we’recontinuing to work hard as a team todiminish the trauma of surgery for allpatients,” Dr. Rossi states. “We thinkthis approach is so revolutionary thatcountless lives could be saved if otherprograms are willing to adopt thesame strategy.”

Touching Hearts, Saving Lives

For the second year in a row,Miami Children’s Hospital(MCH) has been ranked among

the nation’s top pediatric hospitals. InU.S.News and World Report’s 14thannual report on “America’s BestHospitals,” MCH was listed amongthe top 25 hospitals in the pediatriccategory. It is the only pediatrichospital from the state of Florida to be included in the list and is the second-ranked facility in the Southeast.

The special magazine edition, whichbecame available on newsstands inJuly, lists top hospitals in 17 medicalspecialty categories, including cancer,heart and heart surgery, orthopaedicsand gastroenterology. Selection to the“America’s Best Hospitals” list isbased on a survey of more than 8,160physicians. In pediatrics, 180 board-certified pediatricians were asked to

select top pediatric hospitalsanywhere in the country.

“To be ranked by U.S.Newsand World Report for twoconsecutive years is a significantachievement,” says Thomas M.Rozek, President and CEO ofMiami Children’s Hospital. “I extend my sincere gratitude to the physicians, staff andvolunteers of this hospital who have devoted their lives to providing exceptional leadership and excellence in the care of children. Through their dedication,we continue to earn therecognition of our peersthroughout the country.”

For more information, visit the magazine’s Web site at www.usnews.com.

The LighterSide of Lunch

We’veDoneIt Again!

Miami Children’s Hospital—Leadership to Save Lives Worldwide

Anthony Rossi, MD, displays the technology thatis saving lives at Miami Children’s Hospital.

A firm foundation for any meal

begins with the Food Guide

Pyramid. When meal planning,

be sure to include proportion-

ate amounts of the appropriate

food group.

Miami Children’s Hospital has once again been chosen amongtop hospitals by U.S.News and World Report magazine.

Miami Children’s Hospital is one of “America’sBest Hospitals” for the second year in a row!

$CMN Bucks$

Many thanks to MCH employees who organizeddepartment fundraising efforts to benefit theChildren’s Miracle Network. Here are theresults for June through September 2003. Keep it coming!

3 North $570

Cardiac Care Center $500

Radiology $345

Orthopedics $306.25

Human Resources $223

Medical Staff Services $136

Domino Tournament

Citgo/Sunshine Gasoline’s First Annual Family Picnic & Domino Tournament was held at TropicalPark this past August. The event featured music, food, Cuban coffee, a raffle and games for thekids provided by Dave Alexander (the Game Master) and of course the domino tournament.Sunshine Gasoline gave a matching gift and brought the grand total raised at the event to $8,962for CMN! Thank you to Max Alvarez for matching the funds raised and to Sandy Alvarez-Reus andeveryone at Sunshine Gasoline for hosting the event.

Upcoming EventsOctober 28Bloomingdale’s Benefit Shopping Event. 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. For moreinformation, please contact Melissa Moore at (786) 268-1833.

November 1Hall of Fame Gala at the IntercontinentalHotel. Tickets: $300–$600. Contact AnnLyons at (786) 268-1830 for more informa-tion.

November 1–8 Marriott’s Torch Relay. The relay will begin itsjourney in Miami and will end in Atlanta,Georgia. For more information, contact MariaMoldes at (786) 268-1832.

November 6Queen of Hearts Luncheon at theFountainbleau Hilton hosted by the MCHAuxiliary. Contact Ann Lyons at (786) 268-1830 for more information.

November 22CCFA Picnic at Greynolds Park. For more infor-mation, contact Ann Lyons at (786) 268-1830.

Hardware Conference

The 15th Annual Hardware Conference was heldat the Marco Island Marriott. Once again thisyear, vendors donated their product booths for alive auction, with all proceeeds benefiting CMN.We congratulate Tom and Dale Chasteen (AceDealers) for another great conference!

Miami Aqui

Miami Aqui’s First Annual GolfTournament raised $7,800 to benefitHugs and Kisses. Thanks for your support of MCHF.

10Children’s Gazette fall 2003 11fall 2003 Children’s Gazette

Re/Max News

Re/Max Unique Realty’s Hot Air Balloonevent was held at Miami Lakes ParkWest benefiting CMN. The fun event fea-tured food, entertainment and, of course,hot air balloon rides. A special thank youto Eddie Rodriguez, Lynn Matos andeveryone at Re/Max Unique Realty for agreat job in coordinating this event.

We’d like to welcome a new Re/Maxoffice to the CMN family—Re/Max RealAction in Sunrise.

St. Joseph’s Raises Funds for MCHF

Kimberly Gelezinsky’s fourth grade classat St. Joseph’s Episcopal School inBoynton Beach raised over $1,778 during“Penny Wars.” The enthusiastic fourthgraders also collected hats to support“Caps for Kids” at MCH. Thanks to Ms.“G” for making math fun for these kids,and for supporting MCHF and MCH. Thestudents later visited MCH during theirend-of-school year field trip. See you nextyear, guys!

Community Council Honors Florence Groover Frank

Our Community Council recently hosted a lunch-eon at ELIA in Bal Harbour to honor FlorenceGroover Frank. Florence, the Grande Dame ofour Hall of Fame Gala in November, has a longhistory of supporting Miami Children’s.Florence, your support is greatly appreciated.Thank you from all of us at MCHF and MCH.

“Just the Funny” Charity Night“Just the Funny” Charity Night was a barrel of laughs and benefited MCHF.They raised over $1,300 for our kids! Aspecial thanks to Alex Perdomo and therest of the crew, including Lonnie Quinnof NBC 6.

Credit Unions of South FloridaGolf Tournament

The Second Annual Credit Union of SouthFlorida Golf Tournament was held atJacaranda Golf Club in Plantation. Thankyou to George Ferretti and everyoneinvolved in helping to make this year’stournament a great success.

1. Develop a good source of financial advice andinformation. Investing is not an art; it’s ascience born of considerable research andhistorical trends analyzed over a long periodof time. The firms that do their homeworktypically have the most consistent long-termperformance records.

2. Determine your risk tolerance. Only when youidentify how comfortable you are with takinginvestment risks can you make smart,informed decisions about your portfolio. A financial consultant can help you with that process.

3. Diversify your holdings. Not all types ofinvestments, markets and industries perform in tandem with one another.Diversifying your assets among several types of investments, rather than just one or two, may help you reduce the riskinherent in any investment portfolio.

4. Set reasonable expectations for return on yourinvestments. In the current market environ-ment, earnings have been greatly reducedfrom the historical 10 percent-plus high.

5. Invest in quality securities. Stay with solid companies that have stood the test of time.They generally do well during periods of market strength, and recover more quicklyafter periods of market weakness.

6. Never let a low price per share be your only reason to buy a particular stock. The one or two low-priced stocks that jump significantlyin a year are overwhelming exceptions.

7. Before investing, designate funds for short-termand long-term use. Don’t invest money youneed to keep liquid, otherwise you may beforced to sell out of an interim dip in the market. Remember, investing is a long-termprocess. Real money is made over years, not months.

Annette Rosenfield-Adams is a financial consultant with Smith Barney. For more information, contact her at (305) 936-2717 or annette.rosenfieldadams@smithbarney.com.

Past performance in not a guarantee of future results.

Smith Barney is a division and service mark of

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Member SIPC.

Planned Giving

7TIPSfor Smart Investing

November 22Hooked on Jazz at IGFA Fishing Hall of Fameand Museum in Dania, Florida. Net proceedsbenefit Children’s Brain Institute. For moreinformation, contact Cookie Frank at (954)920-2704.

November 22 & 23Third Annual Hasbro Factory Toy Sale. Comeand do your holiday shopping early. Brand-name toys are available at warehouse prices,and a portion of the proceeds benefits MCHFoundation. For more information, contactIvette Diaz at (786) 268-1822.

November 23“Evening of Giving” at Dadeland Mall. Eventfeatures live auction, celebrity fashion show,great food and much more. For more informa-tion contact FIU Dance Marathon Committeeat (305) 348-2149.

December 2Bristol Bank Cocktail with proceeds benefitingCBI. For more information, contact Ivette Diazat (786) 268-1822.

December 3Bruno Magli Holiday Cocktail proceeds benefitHugs and Kisses. For more information, con-tact Ivette Diaz at (786) 268-1822.

December 13Biltmore Hotel’s Run for Smiles. Early registra-tion: Ages 17 & under—$15; Ages 18 &over—$18. After December 10: $20. For moreinformation, contact Terry Prager at (305) 913-3102, extension 2683 or register online atwww.active.com.

DecemberIf you’re looking for a way to get involved,please consider hosting a toy drive or Holidayfundraiser for the children at the hospital. Alltoys should be new and unwrapped. We can-not accept plush toys, balloons or candy.Contact Melissa Moore at (786) 268-1833 formore information.

Legal Sea FoodsDuring the months of November andDecember, Legal Sea Foods will make a dona-tion to MCH Foundation for every gift certifi-cate purchased. Gift certificates can be pur-chased at their three South Florida locations—Town Center in Boca Raton, The Oasis atSawgrass Mills in Sunrise and CityPlace inWest Palm Beach, by phone at (800) 328-3474 or on-line at www.legalseafoods.com.This is the third year Legal Sea Foods hasteamed up with MCHF for this holiday promo-tion.

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3100 Southwest 62nd AvenueMiami, FL 33155

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDMiami, FL

Permit No. 5774

THE MARY ANN KNIGHT INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PEDIATRICS FOUNDED AS VARIETY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

3100 S.W. 62nd Avenue, Miami, Florida | Call 1-888-556-4KIDS or 305-MCH-4KIDS in Miami-Dade | Visit us at www.mch.com

Twice as many reasons to smile...Once again Miami Children’s is the only pediatric hospital

in Florida ranked best by U.S.News & World Report.Miami Children’s Hospital has done it again. For the second year in a row we’ve been recognized as one of the top children’s hospitals in the U.S., according to

U.S.News & World Report’s 14th annual edition of “America’s Best Hospitals.” The report ranked top medical centers across the United States and Miami Children’s

was the only children’s hospital in Florida to make the list. We know you want the best for your children, so if you ever need to take your child to the hospital, you’ll

feel secure knowing that Miami Children’s Hospital is one of the top pediatric hospitals in the entire country.

Founded in 1950, Miami Children’s Hospital treats more than 185,000 pediatric patients each year. With more than 600 physicians,

the hospital is renownedfor excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine. In addition to being the largest

free-standing pediatric teaching hospital in the southeastern United States, Miami Children’s Hospital is the

only licensed specialty hospital in South Florida exclusively for children.