President and CEO Chris Gessner congratulates Emily Mars on her award.
Every month, Akron Children’s recognizes an employee for providing an outstanding patient experience. Our most recent honoree is Emily Mars, speech therapist at Akron Children’s Rehabilitative Services in Massillon. She recently received these kind comments from a grateful mom:
“Emily Mars, the speech therapist, goes above and beyond for our son each week. We have been doing episodes of care with Emily for over a year, and our son has grown so much. We were always told that he would never read, but Emily saw potential in him from day one and helped him feel confident in himself. He’s now reading at a 2nd grade level. We are amazed, and we feel like his world has just opened up.
“On top of her skill set as a speech therapist, she goes above and beyond to make sure that our son feels important. When I canceled an appointment and put a note that our son was sick in the comment box, Emily sent us a message on MyChart with her well wishes for our son and that she hopes he feels better the next week. She is truly unlike any other, and she treats our son like she’d treat her own children.
“She has provided my husband and me with materials to help our son read at home and resources for the school staff. He’s doing much better at school with her suggestions in place. She’s one in a million, and our son wouldn’t be where he is today without the support he’s received from her.”
How long have you been a speech therapist?
I have been a speech therapist for 3 years. I am currently pursuing my doctorate degree in speech pathology and am halfway done!
How long have you worked at Akron Children’s?
I have been at Akron Children’s for a year and a half.
What drew you to the field of speech therapy?
I wanted to be a speech therapist because I wanted a career that would allow me to make a difference. I strongly feel that all people deserve the right to be able to express themselves in a way that allows them to interact with others and the environment around them.
Communication, to me, is a fundamental human right. When children or adults are able to find an effective way to express themselves, the trajectory of their world changes. It’s a privilege to witness and to be a part of that.
What do you like best about working with kids?
They have endless potential and are eager and excited to learn. I love building connections and trust with my patients, and I love how excited they get to come to their sessions. Children are some of the most resilient people on this earth. I meet children who have endured more than I can imagine, and they still have radiating joy. My favorite part about my job is the kids’ faces when I get them from the waiting room. I am always greeted with smiles, warm hugs and exciting stories. It’s an honor to make trusting connections with families.
How did you feel when you read this recognition from the thankful mom?
I immediately had happy tears flowing from my eyes when I read the message from this grateful mom. It feels special to be recognized. I take ownership in my patients’ successes and love finding innovative ways to get the child engaged and excited to participate.
I am grateful that I have the opportunity to instill confidence in each child. Hearing that a family appreciated my efforts so much that they took the time to write such a heartfelt message means so much. Messages like this are the reason I chose to be a speech therapist; seeing the reward is beautiful.
The parents were initially told their son wouldn’t be able to read. What did you see in him that made you think otherwise?
Prior to meeting this child, I reviewed his chart. I saw that during his initial assessment, he wasn’t given the “secondary” (reading and writing) portions of the assessment. There was a note indicating that this child was a non-reader.
When I met this middle school-aged child, I immediately knew he lacked all confidence in himself. For a few weeks, we focused on various language goals. He blew me away with his abilities when he put in his best effort.
I started introducing basic consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words to him, such as c-a-t, and showed him ways to blend the sounds together to create words. After he mastered CVC words, I started teaching him about the words that follow their own sets of rules. He continued to have moments where he’d get frustrated and want to give up, but I always asked him, “What would I have to say about that?” He responded, “You’d tell me that I’m smart and that I can do hard things.”
Seeing his joy for learning blossom has been one of the highlights of my career. He now eagerly brings in his homework each week (even math) to show me that he completed it. His mom tells me that his grades have improved significantly in all areas. He hardly ever says he “can’t” anymore and loves showing me all the things he CAN do. Truly, he just needed someone to believe in him. I’m grateful that it was me.
What does family-centered care mean to you?
To me, it’s doing the little things daily that make a big difference. It’s learning siblings’ names and providing materials, so the family feels equipped at home. I know what my patients enjoy and tailor my treatment sessions around their interests to maximize participation.
The patient, their family and I are all part of the success team. It’s critical to ensure that everyone feels important and seen. We celebrate each child’s milestones together, too.
As a mom, I want my daughters’ providers to take care of them as they’d take care of their own children. I vow to do the same for my patients. From the moment we meet, they’re family to me. When patients and their families succeed, I feel successful. Even the weeks spent apart – whether the child is sick, taking a short break from speech therapy or they’ve graduating from my care – they’re still family and I still think of them. I want my patients to know that.
Every Akron Children’s employee makes an impact on our patients and families. Join our team!
