During her sophomore year in high school, Phyllis Mesko was given an assignment – write a book report on “Sue Barton, Student Nurse.” Little did she know that book would change the course of her life. Inspired by the fictional character’s glamorous career, Phyllis decided to pursue nursing herself. In 1970, Phyllis realized her dream […]
Hospital Updates
Diane Pitts reaches 50-year milestone as a nurse
Diane Pitts didn’t begin her nursing career in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). But once she took a leap of faith to become a NICU nurse, she found her professional home. Her early career Diane started at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Youngstown, working in the recovery room for 11 1/2 years. “My best friend […]
Patient experience spotlight: Kevin Jones
Every month, Akron Children’s recognizes an employee for providing an exceptional patient experience. May’s honoree is Kevin Jones, desktop operations assistant in Information Services, who recently received this feedback from a grateful family: “You have a ONE-OF-A-KIND, GENUINE EMPLOYEE who has the heart to be here. We had a terrible morning, coming for X-rays […]
Service with a smile: Sarnetta Bradshaw retires
Sarnetta Bradshaw, surgery aide, finds fulfillment in service both at work and at home. Sarnetta started her journey at Akron Children’s 35 years ago in Environmental Services (EVS) before moving into a surgical aide position in 1999. From her EVS work in the NICU to comforting patients heading to the operating room (OR), Sarnetta’s positive […]
Cyndi Ott’s journey from candy striper to 50-year employee
The year was 1975. Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” terrified moviegoers. Bill Gates founded Microsoft. The Captain and Tenille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together” earned the top spot on the Billboard music chart. And Cyndi Ott started her career at Akron Children’s. “I’ve been here so long that more than one building I’ve worked in has been […]
Celebrating the future of pediatric care: Akron Children’s honors its 2025 graduating residents
Akron Children’s is proud to celebrate the exceptional physicians completing their pediatric residencies this year. Residency is a transformative time – full of challenge, growth and lifelong bonds. As they step into the next chapter of their careers, we asked a few of them to reflect on their favorite moments and share what lies ahead. […]
