Treasures - Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics

treasures
WINTER 2009 | FOR SUPPORTERS OF CHILDREN’S MERCY HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
From
Bubble Boy
to
Cowboy
Dr. Steven Spielberg
Joins Children's Mercy
Braden Hofen
the winner of the "My Child, My Story" contest

From Bubble Boy to Cowboy:
Cord Blood Transplant Gives Infant's Immune Disease
'the Boot'
Boots aren’t always made for walking.
In the case of Granton Bayless, they
were made for inspiration—a hope
for his family during the bleak days
of Granton’s illness when hope was all they
had to cling to.
The Bayless family’s ordeal started back in the spring,
when five-month-old Granton began having difficulty
breathing. An x-ray at the pediatrician’s office showed
that his lungs were completely clouded. He was admitted
to a Springfield area community hospital with pneumonia,
where doctors discovered that his white blood cell count
was dangerously low.
By the time the diagnosis was made, Granton was gravely
ill with RSV and PCP, a relatively rare type of pneumonia.
His only hope was a bone marrow transplant to rebuild
his immune system. His care team deliberately induced
paralysis to help him conserve oxygen and calories until a
donor could be found.
The question was, would Granton make it long enough to
get the needed transplant? As his condition deteriorated,
the doctors prepared his parents, Daniel and Jenni, for the
likely possibility that he would not survive.
On March 28, Granton was transferred to Children’s
Mercy Hospital and began an exhaustive series of tests to
determine the cause. The tests ultimately led to a dreaded
diagnosis—severe combined immunodeficiency, a genetic
condition that renders the body unable to produce T-cells
to fight off disease, leaving its victim helpless against any
illness. Often referred to as “bubble boy” disease, SCID
gained public attention in the 1980s with the case of David
Vetter, who spent most of his 13 years of life in a sterilized
cocoon.
2 | childrensmercy.org

“At the worst point in the whole deal, we didn’t know if
Granton would make it through the shift,” said Jenni.
“Daniel and I got down on our knees in the bathroom and
prayed for him. That day stands out to me because we
were at our breaking point.”
Jignesh Dalal, MD, left, Granton’s
physician, joins with other
Children’s Mercy staff members in
celebrating Granton’s first birthday
at the hospital.
Daniel recalls walking into the room and seeing Jenni
with her cheek on Granton’s. She had put her hair, which
Granton always liked to hold, in his little paralyzed hand.
She told him all the reasons he needed to keep fighting
and stay with them. She told him how much they loved
him. She promised him they would take walks together
and play games like pee-a-boo.
“She talked to him as only a loving mother can,” said
Daniel. “She painted life as beautifully as any artist ever
could. I believe she is one of the tools God used to save
his life.”
Later that day, Daniel saw Jenni trying to write in their blog.
The words wouldn’t flow—but the tears did.
Daniel was crying, too. He walked up behind her, gave her
a hug, and said, “He is going to be okay. He is going to
leave this hospital in cowboy boots.”
Daniel wasn’t sure why he picked cowboy boots, he wrote
later in their blog. He said it could have been because he
was reading a lot of Louis L’Amour westerns or because
he’s a big Oklahoma Sate University Cowboys fan, or
because he thought it made Granton sound tough.
“I just knew we needed something to look forward to,” said
Daniel. “I thought the cowboy boots would be good for
“
These boots not only represented the excitement we felt about
Granton leaving the hospital. They also are a symbol of what
we have gone through and what God has taught us through this
journey.
Daniel Bayless
“
"The theme for Granton's first birthday
party? Cowboy, of course!"
us to focus on. It was kind of our light at the end of the
tunnel.”
Throughout the ordeal, Daniel and Jenni received an
extraordinary outpouring of support from family, friends,
the hospital staff and a host of strangers. Cards and
letters poured in by the hundreds and the website they
established for Granton was receiving thousands of hits a
day. Their hometown of Bolivar kicked off a massive bone
marrow registry drive that grew and grew until more than
5,000 people had registered—including three who have
already been matched with other recipients.
treasures winter 2009 | 3

Now happily back at home, Granton
stands tall in his treasured cowboy
boots.
wrote in his blog. “It was a lot of fun looking at
different boots online and picking them out. These
boots not only represented the excitement we felt
about Granton leaving the hospital. They also are a
symbol of what we have gone through and what God
has taught us through this journey.”
Despite a few setbacks along the way, Granton’s T-cell
scores improved and he was able to transition off the
feeding tubes. Thanks to his newly rebuilt immune
system, he fought off the RSV, which he had been
unable to shake for so long, by early September. The
miracle that Daniel and Jenni had prayed for had come
to pass, and the family believes that the hands of the
medical staff at Children’s Mercy were the means God
used to accomplish it.
“Children’s Mercy has been so great,” says Jenni.
“Whatever problem you have, there’s a doctor there
who can help you. The staff has shown real concern
and love for Granton.”
Granton stands tall in his new cowboy boots.
But even when an exact match bone marrow donor
was identified for Granton, the doctors couldn’t perform
the transplant because he was too sick to undergo the
chemotherapy that would precede it. So, they opted for a
cord blood transplant, which means that the transplanted
cells come from the umbilical cord of a newborn instead
of a bone marrow donor. Because cord blood transplants
require a much lighter course of chemotherapy, Granton’s
care team hoped that he would be able to tolerate it better
in his weakened condition.
Finally, the time came for the hero to load up his
saddlebags and ride off into the sunset. On September
11, scores of cheering people lined the hallway to wish
him well as he made his way down the corridor. And
after all they had been through with him, there was
hardly a dry eye to be seen.
As he turned his face toward the west, Granton headed
out the door with his boots on to the wide open
spaces outside the walls of Children’s Mercy for the
first time in half a year. And it didn’t matter that he
was mounted on a wagon instead of a horse, because
Cowboy Granton would live to ride another day.
The cord blood transplant, which was performed on June
10, marked a key turning point for Granton. His white
blood cell count began to improve almost immediately.
By July 4, he had improved enough to have the ventilator
removed and the freedom this represented gave new
meaning to Independence Day for the Bayless family.
Granton was getting better, and each sign of improvement
was bringing him closer to the day when he would wear his
cowboy boots out of the hospital.
Granton and Mom getting ready to leave the hospital
“We talked about what the boots would look like,” Daniel
4 | childrensmercy.org

Dr. Spielberg, center, meets with Kevin
Kelly, MD, Pediatrician-In-Chief, left and
Greg Kearns, PharmD, PhD, Chairman,
Department of Medical Research to
discuss the future of the new Center for
Personalized Medicine.
Dr. Stephen Spielberg
Joins Children's Mercy:
Taking Personalized Medicine to Another Level
To be the best–for example, the very
best pediatric hospital in the world--
you have to hire the best people, the
cream of the crop, leaders in their
specialty, and those visionaries who
can predict where medicine is headed in the
future.
This is why Children’s Mercy has recruited Stephen
Spielberg, MD, PhD to serve as Director of its new Center
for Personalized Medicine and Therapeutic Innovation.
He also holds the Marion Merrell Dow Endowed Chair in
Pediatric Pharmacogenetics and serves on the faculty of
the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.
“What appealed to me about coming to Children’s Mercy
is the same thing I’ve known for more than 30 years – it
is an outstanding pediatric hospital, with the best Clinical
Pharmacology and Medical Toxicology Department, both
nationally and internationally,” Dr. Spielberg says.
Dr. Spielberg also cited that during his employment at
Johnson & Johnson, it was Children’s Mercy that they
turned to for world-class clinical trials. “Without question,
for the most ethical, efficient, and highest quality trials,
Children’s Mercy has the expertise. Plus, we knew that
Children’s Mercy would get the job done,” he says.
Now, as Director of the new Center for Personalized
Medicine and Therapeutic Innovation, Dr. Spielberg relishes
getting back to his roots in pediatrics, pharmacology and
genetics.
“Children are wonderfully complex, and with the hospital’s
approach, personalized medicine is poised to take off. And
what I mean by personalized medicine is giving the right
drug to the right patient, in the right dosage, at the right
time,” Dr. Spielberg explains.
The idea of “personalized medicine” is not new. Dr.
Spielberg emphasizes that professionals always have
wanted care to be individualized, focused on “me as a
patient”, or “this specific person who seeks my help.” But
the new technology available today can take “personalized”
medicine to a whole new level.
The new Center for Personalized Medicine will be a “living
laboratory,” Dr. Spielberg says, testing hypotheses about
the utility and validity of using genomic information to
improve diagnosis and the entire process of pharmacology
and therapeutics.
Coupled with the outstanding medical and surgical services
of the only pediatric medical center in a 250-mile radius
of Kansas City, the center will be devoted to translating
discovery into new approaches to drug therapy that will be
individualized to the unique needs and makeup of each
patient.
treasures winter 2009 | 5

The Center will receive referrals for patients that
present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges – those
patients who are not responding to current therapy as
well as those who have had an unexpected, adverse
reaction to medication. Using a variety of approaches
including genomic technologies, Children’s Mercy
will provide enhanced diagnostic precision and more
targeted choice of therapies for treatment.
U.S. Surgeon General
Visits Children's Mercy
Dr. Spielberg also serves as Principal Investigator for
the Institute of Pediatric Innovation, an organization
focused on developing improved medicines and devices
to meet the therapeutic needs of children. (Children’s
Mercy is one of the three founders of the Consortium
of Pediatric Hospitals within the IPI, along with Lucile
Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University and
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland,
Ohio.)
“My objective is to keep Children’s Mercy in the
national spotlight and with the collaboration of the
very best science, clinical care, and education, the
hospital is leading the way toward being the world
leader in pediatric care,” Dr. Spielberg explains,
adding, “Children’s Mercy is the beacon of how to do
things right and I believe we are going to make a real
difference in treatment of our patients right here in
Kansas City. We’re just at the beginning!”
The Acting Surgeon General of the U.S., Rear Admiral Steven Galson, MD,
came to Children’s Mercy in September to discuss childhood obesity and
learn more about our activities in treating and preventing this pediatric
problem. Dr. Galson did presentations to a group of hospital and community
leaders (above) and a Grand Rounds lecture on his “Healthy Youth for a
Healthy Future” initiative. He also posed with members of the hospital’s
Weight Management program staff (from left) Mallori Ramey, Shelly Summar,
Karen Easton and Sarah Hampl, MD.
Dr. Spielberg meets in
the lab with Steve Leeder,
PharmD, PhD, Section Chief,
Developmental Pharmacology
and Experimental
Therapeutics and the
Marion Merrell Dow Chair in
Pediatric Pharmacogenetics.
Dr. Leeder was one of Dr.
Spielberg's PhD students
nearly 20 years ago in
Toronto; in fact, all of Dr.
Spielberg's PhD students
who are still in academia now
hold endowed chairs at their
respective institutions.

Brian and Mary Hofen with son Braden.
Braden’s was just one of the 180 compelling patient
stories that were submitted to the “My Child, My Story”
competition last fall. Nine stories were chosen as finalists
and appeared on the Children’s Mercy website. More than
40,000 people visited the site during October, and more
than 10,000 votes were cast for each visitor’s favorite
story.
Braden’s story received the most votes, but we also thank
the other eight patients who shared their stories for this
event: the families of Alexie Barnes, Caleb Frazier, Colton
and Carter Clark, Holly Sullivan, Isaiah Schulz, Jack and
Anna Layton, JP Decker and Lexie Diskin.
“
Braden,
Taking Time
to Care
Once upon a not-so-long
time ago, in a kingdom not so
far away, there lived a brave
knight named Braden.
“
Braden and his family were presented with a “Kansas
City Family Prize Package” at one of his clinic visits in
November, highlighting the words with which Delice Hofen
ended her story: “The kingdom of mighty warriors at
Children’s Mercy Hospital, Braden’s own great bravery and
strength, and continual faith and love provide us with hope
– the hope that this story will end with
And he
lived happily ever after for
a very, very long time!’ The
Beginning.
Braden’s mom says
“his face just lights
up” when his nurses
walk into the room
at his clinic visits.
So began the story written by Braden’s
mother, Delice Hofen of Olathe,
Kan., as part of Children’s Mercy’s
“My Child, My Story” contest.
She went on to detail how 4-yearold
Braden had “faced his most mighty foe,
a monster named cancer.” Braden was
diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma
in 2007 and underwent a bone marrow
transplant in 2008. Today he is recovering
well and, according to Delice, even enjoys
coming to the hospital for clinic visits so he
can see the doctors and nurses.
“When they walk into the room, his face just lights up,”
she says. “The bonds he has formed with these people are
something he’ll want to maintain for a lifetime.”
treasures winter 2009 | 7

Students at Welburn Elementary School complete a post-assessment
survey on training they received to prevent childhood obesity.
The major focus of Ramey’s work involves a “train the
trainer” program with school nurses on building healthy
lifestyle changes into the class curriculum. A pilot program
this year has been aimed at fourth and fifth graders in 11
classrooms in three different metro area schools.
“The curriculum was written by Children’s Mercy
nutritionists and includes lessons on drinking fewer
sugared drinks, getting more exercise, eating as a family
and decreasing the time children spend in front of a TV
or computer screen,” Ramey explains. “Our pilot program
has included more than 250 students and their parents,
using both a pre-assessment before the students take the
classes and a post-assessment afterwards.”
Reaching Out To
Prevent Obesity
EEveryone knows that the best way
to deal with a health problem is to
prevent it from happening in the
first place. Children’s Mercy has
received national recognition for the
innovative ways in which it is providing care
for children who are overweight and obese,
one of the leading pediatric health problems
today.
But Children’s Mercy also is taking significant steps towards
trying to prevent this problem, thanks to a two-year grant
from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
Their generous donation is providing funding for a staff
person and a program of outreach to children and families
through the schools and a variety of community activities.
Initial results from the post-assessments completed by
both students and parents show that students decreased
their sugared drink intake as well as their daily screen
time, Ramey says. The project will also include followup
evening sessions with parents to help ensure that the
changes continue. And plans for next year include refining
the curriculum based on this year’s research results and
expanding it to include school nurses in more schools.
In addition to the classroom project, Ramey is developing
innovative new outreach programs including children’s
cooking classes at Science City in Union Station, which
will be held in February and March; a program called “Fun
and Fitness in the Park”, working with local pediatrician
offices to refer children to special activities in the Johnson
County Parks and Recreation programs this spring; and
sponsorship of the Kids Run that is part of the annual KC
Marathon.
These students at University Academy learn
to become more physically active as one of
the key components of the hospital’s outreach
prevention program.
Mallori Ramey, who previously worked with childhood
obesity programs at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston,
was hired at the beginning of 2008 to create a new
community outreach program aimed at teaching children
and their parents how to incorporate good nutrition habits
and exercise into their lifestyles as a way to prevent
children from becoming overweight.
8 | childrensmercy.org

Lisa Barth's legacy of caring will live on in the new chapel.
Lisa Barth's Dream:
A New Chapel for Everyone
Lisa Barth was a nurse at Children’s Mercy
for more than 24 years, caring for countless
babies and children and their families. She
was “a nurse’s nurse,” according to Karen
Cox, RN, PhD, Co-Chief Operating Officer.
“She uplifted everyone with her personality
and that ‘Lisa sparkle.’ She touched so many
people with it,” says one of the hospital’s
physicians. Everyone who worked closely
with Lisa knew she believed that it was her
responsibility to not only provide the best
possible medical care for her patients, but
to do everything she could to support the
emotional and often spiritual needs of her
patients and their families.
So when it became apparent in April of 2008 that Lisa
would not win her own battle with a Glioblastoma brain
tumor, a group of doctors, nurses and administrators
from Children’s Mercy approached Randall L. O’Donnell,
PhD, President/CEO with the idea that the new chapel
included in the hospital’s long-range expansion plan be
named in Lisa’s honor. When space for the new chapel was
identified, Lisa was able to visit it and review preliminary
plans. She said, “it would be perfect to have a place for
everyone, all ages, all faiths, just everyone!”
Lisa lost her battle with cancer in June 2008. Since that
time, more than 400 individuals and corporations have
made contribution for the building of the Lisa Barth Chapel,
helping to achieve nearly a third of the goal. The support
provided by these friends will allow the hospital to begin
construction of the new chapel much earlier than originally
planned, so that Lisa was able to see the plans and the
space where the chapel named for her will be located.
Construction is expected to begin in two to three years.
“The chapel at Children’s Mercy is for people of every
faith who seek spiritual shelter, a place of prayer, solace,
reflection or simply a place for a few quiet moments,” says
Dr. Cox. “The new chapel is sure to be a special place
which brings hope, blessings and comfort to sick children,
their families and caregivers in the hospital where Lisa
spent so many years of her life.”
treasures winter 2009 | 9

William Dunn of Lawrence has supported
Children’s Mercy for nearly 40 years.
Mr. Dann’s desire to support Children’s Mercy is
unquestionable. Since his first gift nearly four decades
ago, he has been a loyal donor. Throughout the years,
he has delighted in helping fund needed equipment for
many departments. His biggest gift, however, will come to
the hospital through his will. He was asked recently why
he chose to include Children’s Mercy in his will. “It is the
best idea because it will benefit children in need,” says Mr.
Dann.
As a child, he had a minor case of Bulbar Polio. He was
beginning the ninth grade when he was diagnosed and
suffered temporary paralysis. He believes his experience
with Bulbar Polio is what has made him more sensitive to
the health problems children face. He also knows how
fortunate he was to have access to good care and how
important Children’s Mercy is to the children in the region.
“Children are our most important citizens and should not
be treated as second class citizens. They should come
first,” he says passionately.
Grand Finale to
a
Lifetime of Giving
Spend an afternoon at a local coffee shop in
Lawrence, Kan. with William Dann and you
will see a humble man who finds fulfillment in
helping others – especially children. A smile
comes across his face and his eyes light up as
you talk about strides made in pediatric health
care and Children’s Mercy.
Thinking back, he first became familiar with Children’s
Mercy from hanging around Kansas City and volunteering
at the Crippled Children’s Home. He smiles as he thinks
about talking to “the little ones”. His passion for children
is evident as his face lights up when he sees a child pass
by or tells you the story of a little one he knows. He is truly
a passionate advocate for children.
“Children’s Mercy is wonderful at what Mercy does,” he
says with a smile. “I know the hospital will know best how
to use the money.” And that is why he has not designated
the bequest to be used for a particular purpose. He
trusts it will be used wisely and that countless children will
benefit.
Check Out Our Child Health Library!
Kids don’t come with an owner’s manual. That’s why Children’s Mercy offers our online Child Health Library, with answers
to all your questions from A to Z. Check out www.childrensmercy.org/childhealth to access a database of more than 1500
child health topics, plus a wide variety of podcasts, videos and more on ways to keep your kids safe and healthy. It’s the
expertise for which Children’s Mercy is nationally recognized – right at your fingertips, 24 hours a day!
10 | childrensmercy.org

Marlys and Mike Haverty are honorary chairs
for this year’s event.
Lifetime Board member Adele Hall, second from left, talks with Children’s Mercy
faculty members at the CEO's Reception, held on Oct. 1 for the hospital’s major
supporters and friends. Physicians from left include Gerald Woods, MD, Division
Chief, Hematology/Oncology, left; Jill Jacobson, MD, Endocrinology; and William
Truog, MD, the Sosland Endowed Chair in Neonatal Research.
Don't Miss the Hottest
Valentine's Day
Party:
Red Hot Night 5 on Feb. 14!
If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, don’t
waste any time in signing up to attend the
hottest Valentine’s Day party of the year:
Red Hot Night 5 , the annual gala sponsored
by the Hands and Hearts auxiliary of
Children’s Mercy. This year’s party, billed as “an
evening of indulgences, mischief, dancing and Amore,”
will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Kansas City
Convention Center Grand Ballroom.
2008 CEO's
Reception
Hands and Hearts is pleased to have Mike Haverty,
CEO of Kansas City Southern, and his wife Marlys as
the honorary chairs for this year’s event. They have
volunteered hours of their time and creativity to ensure
that Red Hot Night 5 is the best Valentine’s party in
town! Adding support and leadership are event cochairs
are Jamie and Jeff Berg, Megan and Seth Rupp
and Lina and Dan Dickinson. All proceeds from this
year’s event will be used to help construct two muchneeded,
state-of-the-art new operating rooms for the
hospital’s cardiac surgery program.
To buy your tickets, go to www.childrensmercy.org/
handsandhearts, or call the Resource Development
office at (816) 346-1300.
Ed Connolly, chairman of the Children's Mercy Hospital Board of Directors,
took the opportunity to thank Mary Hunkeler, past board chair, for her years of
leadership and commitment to the hospital.
treasures winter 2009 | 11

Kohl's
Does It
Again!
Bicycle safety took center stage at the
annual community event sponsored by
Kohl’s Department Stores for Children’s
Mercy Hospitals. More than 500 children
were fitted for free bicycle helmets, and
they also received free stuffed animals from
Kohl’s and health and safety information
at a variety of booths. Top photo, Kohl’s
representatives present a check for
$224,000 to hospital representatives
and special guest Ponch of radio station
Mix 93.3 (right) in support of community
education activities for the coming year.
12 | childrensmercy.org

Honors
Children’s Mercy people and programs continue to receive recognition for their outstanding work
at the local, state and national levels:
Children’s Mercy was named the #2 Best Place To Work
in Kansas City among large employers in a metro-wide
competition sponsored by the Kansas City Business-Journal.
Again this year, Children’s Mercy was one of fewer than 500
hospitals nationwide to receive the Organ Donation Medal
of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
And Children’s Mercy’s ECMO program received the
national Excellence in Life Support Award, presented by the
Extracorporeal Life Support Organization in recognition of the
overall excellence of the ECMO program.
Denise Bratcher, DO, Director of the Pediatric Residency
Program, was named as one of the 12 “Top Doctors”
recognized by Ingram’s Magazine this year. And 29 Children’s
Mercy physicians were included in the Kansas City’s “Super
Doctors” listing in KC Magazine.
Karen Cox, RN, PhD, Executive Vice President/Co-Chief
Operating Officer, was honored as the 2008 University of
Kansas Distinguished Nursing Alumna, the highest honor
presented by the KU Medical Center Alumni Association.
of Pediatrics District VI seat on the National Nominating
Committee; Paul Dowling, MD, Allergy/Asthma/Immunology,
has been elected to a two-year term on the board of the
Joint Council of Allergy as a representative of the program
directors; Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has named Michele
Kilo, MD, Section Chief, Developmental and Behavioral
Sciences, to serve on the Missouri Commission on Autism
and Jennifer Lowry, MD, Clinical Pharmacology and Medical
Toxicology, to serve on the state’s Advisory Committee on
Lead Poisoning; and Gregory Kearns, PharmD, PhD, Chairman
of the Department of Medical Research, received the Robert
J. DeSalvo Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University
of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy. Dr. Kearns also has been
invited to serve as a member of the World Health Organization
Expert Advisory Panel on Drug Evaluation.
Kansas City Chiefs star Tony Gonzalez, left, and "American Idol"
winner David Cook of Blue Springs gave a very special present to
Children's Mercy patients when they visited the hospital on Dec. 22
to sign autographs and take photos with the children. Twelve-yearold
Kenna Bradley gave each of them a pink "Fight Cancer" bracelet,
which the two stars proudly displayed in their photo with Kenna.
Sandra Lawrence, Executive Vice President/Chief Financial
Officer, received the “Woman on the Move” award from the
Central Exchange, recognizing a woman who is leading the way
for other women. She also received one of three Humanitarian
Awards from Kansas City Harmony.
Children’s Mercy and Kohl’s Department Stores received
the 2008 VCC Award for Innovative Nonprofit/Corporate
Partnership Programs from the Volunteer Coordinators’
Council. The “Kohl’s Cares for Kids” program raises significant
funding for Children’s Mercy each year, and the Kohl’s “A
Team” of employees provides many hours of volunteer service
at the hospital as well.
Members of our medical staff and faculty continue to be
recognized in a variety of ways as well: Sharon Wilkerson,
MD, General Pediatrics, received the 2008 “Dr. Seuss Award”
for Community Volunteer of the Year from Kansas City Reach
Out and Read; Daryl Lynch, MD, Section Chief, Adolescent
Medicine, has been elected to the American Academy
treasures winter 2009 | 13

Kudos Winter 2009
Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa generously donated $11,750 to Children’s Mercy Northland for the purchase of three transport
stretchers and a sinus telescope. This equipment benefits Northland children with safer, faster and better care. Argosy has supported
Children’s Mercy in many different ways since 1995.
Thornton Cooke has pledged $100,000 to Children’s Mercy. Specifically, this gift will support the purchase of an Atomic
Absorption Spectrometer and a High Fidelity Cardiovascular Physiology Measuring System to further the work of the Cardiac Surgery
Research Laboratory.
West Platte R-II third grade students put on a carnival
for the first and second grade children during their learning about
economics. The third graders made products and games that
connected with a certain region in the world. Children were able
to buy tickets to attend the carnival. The tickets were used to buy
products, lemonade, popcorn and play games. The students voted
to donate their profit of $200 to Children’s Mercy Hospital to help
purchase toys and games for children to play with during their hospital
stay.
Thanks to the generosity and passion of Suzanne, Rebecca, Joel and Audrey Schaefer, we are pleased to announce the
establishment of the Ginzy Schaefer Music Therapy Fund at Children’s Mercy Hospital. These funds support Music Therapy, a program
that uses music to assess strength in a child, meet goals for rehabilitation and increase the normalization and quality of life for children
while they are being treated at Children’s Mercy. This will include equipment, software, instruments, and performer payments.
Aflac and Macy’s teamed up again this year with a special holiday promotion to benefit the Children’s Mercy Cancer Center. One
hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of the limited edition Aflac Holiday Doll at participating Macy’s stores were donated to
35 pediatric cancer programs throughout the nation. In the past three years, this special promotion has raised more than $13,000 for
Children’s Mercy. Macy’s stores in our area who participated in this year’s promotion included the stores at Prairie Village, Town Center
Plaza and Metcalf South.
The American Legion Riders Chapter 153 in association with Johnny’s Tavern held their annual 90 mile poker run from
Overland Park through Lawrence and back to Overland Park.on September 20. For the second year all proceeds totaling $1,200 were
donated to the Children’s Mercy Cancer Center.
The 1st Annual Benjamin E. Twyman Memorial Golf Tournament was held August 15 at Dub’s Dread Golf Club
followed by a dinner and silent auction in Kansas City, Kansas. More than $15,000 was donated to Children’s Mercy Hospital Pediatric
Intensive Care Unit in Ben’s name.
The 2nd Annual Vikings USA Bootheel MO #421 known as Eddie’ s Lounge Benefit Golf Tournament held a four person
scramble at the Shamrock Golf Course in Lee’s Summit on October 4. John and Pat Adams, owners of Eddie’s Lounge helped raise
over $5,000 for the treatment of children’s with Cancer at Children’s Mercy Hospital.
14 | childrensmercy.org

Dan Dechant, Senior Vice President and Complex Manager at Morgan Stanley, presented three carts full of art supplies to Megan
Delanty, Child Life Specialist at Children’s Mercy. The employees at Morgan Stanley held an art supplies drive in November to benefit
the patients at the hospital. (photo in e-mail from Kati)
A local builder has special place in his heart for Children's Mercy. B&F Homes
partnered with KMBC-TV and TLC Concepts to coordinate the building and
marketing of a 9,000 square foot Mission Hills home. Part owner Brad Bond was delighted
to offer Children’s Mercy a chance to collect donations during an open house weekend. His
now-teenage daughter was a cancer patient when she was 6 years old. Volunteers ended
up collecting more than $7,000 for the hospital’s oncology program.
A multimedia music and dance work loosely based on a section of Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" debuted on
September 5, with 50 percent of all the proceeds donated to Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics Cancer Program in memory of
Kathryn Ann McCallum Lackey, the mother of composer William J. Lackey.
The 14th Annual Bill Mounkes Golf Tournament was held on August 1, with
all the charitable funds going towards the purchase of a Fun Center gaming cart. The
tournament raised $8100 in memory of Bill Mounkes, who was active in the Optimist Club
and read to the patients at Children’s Mercy.
A check for $11,660.00 was sent to Children’s Mercy on behalf of those who played and
supported the Mechanical Contractors Association of Kansas City’s golf
outing. Members of the Association gathered on September 29 and played a foursome
"Purple Ball Scramble".
The Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City has awarded the Children’s Mercy Family Friends Program with a
$15,000 grant. The grant will be used to develop the new Diamond in the Rough program, which will give girls being raised by their
grandmothers the tools they need to grow up with high self esteem, healthy habits and the tools they need to be successful.
Northland Health Care Access was formed in 1991 to coordinate advocacy and financial support to address the limited
resources available for basic primary health for uninsured families living in Clay and Platte Counties. In 2005, Children’s Mercy
Hospital and Northland Health Care Access entered into a partnership to provide services through Children’s Mercy Northland Urgent
Care Center. NHCA contributes $15,000 annually to cover urgent care services for the uninsured of the Northland.
The Wyandotte Health Foundation made a gift of $125,000 to Children’s Mercy West - The Cordell Meeks Jr. Clinic, bringing
its total donations to this primary care clinic in Kansas City, Kan. to more than $1 million since 2000. The foundation was formed in
1997 from proceeds of the sale of Bethany Medical Center to Columbia HCA.
treasures winter 2009 | 15

Calendar
CRA Uniform Sale
Children’s
Feb. 12-13, 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Children’s Mercy Hospital Board Room
Dr. Seuss Day at Children’s Mercy
March 2
Call the Volunteer Services office at (816) 234-3496 if you
would like to volunteer to be a Dr. Seuss reader.
Mix for Kids Radiothon
To benefit Children’s Miracle Network
March 4-6
Tune in to Mix 93.3 for the 11th annual radiothon that raises
funds for Children’s Mercy and for the pediatric programs at KU
Medical Center.
Relief Association Silver Sale
April 29-30, 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Children’s Mercy Hospital Board Room
Hospital Advisory Council Plant Sale
May 7
Children’s Mercy Hospital and Children’s Mercy South
Zach Marion Memorial Golf Tournament
June 6
Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe, Kan.
Sponsored by the Knox Presbyterian Church in memory of Zach,
who lost his life to leukemia in 2004. For more information,
contact Craig J. Campbell at (913) 709-9716.
Century Club Book Sale
March 25-26, 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Children’s Mercy Hospital Board Room
Friends of Children’s Mercy Annual Meeting
and Volunteer Recognition Luncheon
April 17, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Westin Hotel
Call Marjorie Duker at (816) 346-1362 for more information.
Editor’s Note: Treasures is a publication for individuals who donate time or money to Children’s Mercy. Please forward announcements,
ideas for articles or other information in writing to Children’s Mercy, Resource Development, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO,
64108. Include your name, address and telephone number. The editor may alter submissions for clarity, length and style. Children’s
Mercy is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and a United Way agency. If you would like to make a gift to the hospital or
want more information, call Resource Development at (816) 346-1300.
Community Partner
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Kansas City, MO 64108-4689
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