There is no shortage of love in the Penrod household. It flows between Lori and Marv Penrod and Marissa Anderegg, their 19-year-old daughter who has several life-threatening conditions. From there, it extends to include Akron Children’s Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care Center, which has made caring for Marissa at home possible. “Palliative Care has always […]
Brandon has a place of his own
Brandon Johnson, 26, knows it’s not every day that a person with medical complexities gets to move into their own apartment but, thanks to his care team at Akron Children’s Hospital, Brandon is defying the odds and giving hope to those who have the same goal. “Brandon’s independent living still requires around-the-clock care so we […]
Narrative medicine lets Cerriana share her story
After a year of managing a brain cancer diagnosis, dozens of surgeries and relentless medical treatments, Cerriana (14) of Alliance was hopeful the worst was behind her. When she learned her cancer was back, she didn’t know if she had the strength to do it all again, but she knew she had something to say […]
Nicole Robinson honored by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Nicole Robinson, narrative medicine coordinator, was recently honored with the Humanities Award from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine for her work advancing the relationship between humanities and palliative care and using the discipline to improve end-of-life care through community and professional education. Nicole works under the auspices of the Haslinger Pediatric Palliative […]
West Akron teenager gains confidence and independence, one step at a time
Like most teenagers, Serenity Smolen is constantly learning, exploring and discovering what she does and doesn’t like. Some of the time, she encounters a learning curve. When it comes to conquering new undertakings, Serenity, 13, is a pro. It’s something she’s done all her life. Serenity, who was born with congenital limb differences that affect […]
Reading, writing, reflecting: Narrative medicine gets boost at Akron Children’s
Medical professionals routinely take their patients’ medical histories when providing care. Now a grant-funded project at Akron Children’s Hospital is taking that idea a step further to encourage use of literature and personal stories to promote resiliency for patients and providers. “Taking Our Histories: Providing Hope Through the Humanities” is a yearlong project that includes narrative medicine workshops for health care professionals at Akron Children’s, as […]
