1. It was a historical day at Akron Children’s as the first 10 caregivers were able to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Pediatric Infectious disease physician Dr. John Bower was among the first to receive the vaccine.
There were some adjustments made due to the pandemic, but the spirit of Christmas was everywhere the Clauses went.
Tucker (R) will be at the Mahoning Valley Campus and Chase will be at the Akron Campus to visit and protect patients on a daily basis.
4. As we continued to vaccinate our employees, many were excited to share why they chose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Thanks to staff like Dr. Ian Rossman, we continue to make our hospital as safe as possible for our patient families, volunteers, and fellow employees.
5. The annual Children’s Tree of Lights celebration went virtual due to the pandemic, captured in this video featuring many highlights from the event.
Akron Children’s Hospital CEO and president Grace Wakulchik reprised her role as Mrs. Claus, reading an adaptation of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
6. It was the first time in more than 100 years that we didn’t get to see OSU play Michigan, so we shared a pre-COVID gathering of staff from 2019 showing their support for their favorite team.
For 16 years, Dr. Mark Adamczyk (the Michigan fan at right) has coordinated a luncheon for some good humored OSU vs Michigan rivalry the week of the big game for our Orthopedics and Sports Medicine teams.
7. It was with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to Karen King, who volunteered at Akron Children’s for the past 47 years.
Karen King took pride in every scarf she tied on Barkers. She was known for her spunky personality and over-the-top outfits.
8. Operations Santa’s Sleigh lit up Akron Children’s before Christmas as dozens of local law enforcement vehicles paraded around the hospital.
Patients and families could wave and watch the “goodnight lights” from their windows while officers drove by flashing lights and blaring sirens.
9. We were so thankful for the many who accessed our Amazon patient wish list to help keep the holiday spirit alive for those we serve.
The Amazon wish list is one of several contact-free giving options for those who’d like to help Akron Children’s Hospital maintain its mission.
10. 5-year-old Hallie Dieters found “joy” on our windows, as well as during her regular oncology clinic follow up appointment, where she found out she is still in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Our hospital bridge windows have been painted with messages throughout the pandemic to help inspire our families, staff and visitors.
