Living in rural New Waterford, Ohio, 19-year-old Joey Hawkins grew up fishing, hunting, motocross racing and dirt biking. “Joey prefers activities that give me heart palpitations and usually end up with cuts, bruises or stitches,” joked his mom, Angie. “He’s been a daredevil since the age of 3.” In November 2022, Joey and some friends […]
CNP Cody McCullough brings a fun-loving energy to new role in emergency medicine
If you ask Cody McCullough, CNP, he’s a kid walking the halls of Akron Children’s in big-kid shoes. He’s a Harry Potter-obsessed, Sesame Street-loving, magic of Christmas-fanatic kid-at-heart. He says it’s this perspective that better helps him connect with children and families as Akron Children’s newest certified nurse practitioner in emergency medicine. So, it’s no […]
Sexting and sextortion: What parents need to know
Is your teen sexting? It’s a question many parents don’t want to think about their children doing, but it’s important to consider because it’s more common than you might think. Sexting, or sex texting, is on the rise, especially as more and more kids get smartphones. According to Common Sense Media, about 88 percent of […]
Online rewind: Our top content of 2022
From inspirational patient stories to tips on how to be the best parent you can be, we’ve shared hundreds of photos, videos and blogs throughout 2022. Here are the ones that made the biggest impact on you. Facebook 1. Halloween around the hospital 2. Preschool students at Norwalk Catholic School learning about the body/medical field […]
Patient Experience Spotlight: Stephan Sammartino
Every day at Akron Children’s, we strive to deliver compassionate care and create positive experiences for our patients and families. This month, we’re spotlighting Stephan Sammartino, MSN, APRN-CNP, a nurse practitioner in the Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley emergency room (ER), who recently received the following feedback from a patient family: “The nurse practitioner (Stephan Sammartino) […]
As Dr. Mike Bird retires, Dr. Wendy Van Ittersum to lead patient and staff safety
While attending medical school, Dr. Mike Bird never thought he would become a health care administrator. However, during his pediatric residency and fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine, he developed an interest in improving health care systems. This led him to pursue a graduate degree in health care administration soon after joining Akron Children’s in 1994 […]
