Physician assistant Staci Shaffer has always been a bit of a “night owl,” so it’s no surprise that she is Akron Children’s first advanced practice provider (APP) night house officer, hired in 2017 when this service was added. “I am happiest at 2 a.m.,” she said. Staci loves the variety that this role offers, as […]
Back to childhood: Julian celebrates one-year anniversary of victory over leukemia
There’s nothing quite like the sweet sound of ringing victory bells — especially when they’re end of treatment bells that your son is ringing. It’s a sound that says he beat leukemia, he’s moving on and he can get back to childhood. That’s how Julia felt watching her son, Julian, ring the bell a year […]
Jersey winner’s design takes the field at RubberDucks game
Levi Buxman, age 10, is eagerly anticipating the Akron RubberDucks baseball game on August 9 for a very special reason – the team will be wearing jerseys that he designed as part of the Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders’ annual design contest and patient celebration event. This exciting occasion is made […]
Dr. Steven Kuerbitz composes a retirement filled with playing pipe organ masterpieces, traveling the world and savoring life
Steven Kuerbitz, MD, pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Akron Children’s, has never shied away from challenges. When he was young, Dr. Kuerbitz, his parents and siblings attended a church that had just installed a new pipe organ. He loved its sound. Although he was only 15, he decided he wanted to learn to play this grand […]
Stow family affected by cancer starts foundation to support pediatric cancer patients
Life can turn on a dime and no one knows that better than 17-year-old Dylan Fink and his family. Prior to Sept. 2020, Dylan was a healthy teenager playing baseball, lacrosse and conditioning in a CrossFit gym. When he noticed a swollen lymph node on his neck in June of that year, no one, including […]
Local family shares daughter’s courageous battle with neuroblastoma
Andrew and Brittney Harr still vividly remember the day in November 2022 they learned their 3-year-old daughter, Dylan, had cancer. “Dylan was complaining that her back hurt and was limping and walking differently,” said Brittney. “I took her to the doctor a number of times, but they chalked it up to growing pains.” Following her […]
