Lacrosse is a rough sport, and no one knows that better than Lauren Pierce from Lake High School. In May 2024, she got a concussion from being hit in the head with a lacrosse ball. Months later, the concussion symptoms remained. “Female lacrosse players aren’t required to wear helmets, and most of us don’t,” Lauren […]
Quick action of Akron Children’s school nurse saves life of student
A lot of fate helped Jacob Burley on Dec. 17 when he collapsed in his school gym. For starters, he had fast-acting friends, teachers and a school nurse nearby trained in CPR and an AED on hand to help revive his arrested heart. Jacob, 14, an eighth grader at Crestview Local Middle School in […]
Service with heart: Long-time employee Barb Allen retires
Barbara Allen began her career at Akron Children’s 21 years ago, cleaning toys. After COVID halted the toy cleaning program, Barb transitioned to housekeeping. She’s been an important member of the Environmental Services support staff here at Akron Children’s. “I’ve known Barb a long time,” said Crystal Cline, administrative secretary for Environmental Services. “She’s great! […]
As he looks forward to retirement, Dr. John Pope relishes the privilege of taking care of kids
Since joining Akron Children’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in 1998, John Pope, MD, has held additional roles that enabled him to make a bigger impact on our organization and our patient families. These other responsibilities allowed him to explore interests in areas such as medical ethics, teaching and global health. Yet he found his […]
Family says counseling, open communication key to strong mental health
For Cohen Pierce, it was triggered by the transition to middle school. For his younger sister Lila, it was most apparent the morning of test days. The “its” in both cases were mental health concerns. Cohen’s depression manifested as changes in his personality. He went from his normal happy-go-lucky self to feeling down and negative […]
5 ways to reduce the risk birth defects
January is National Birth Defects Awareness Month. If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, learn how to reduce the risks. Facts Birth defects are conditions present at birth that may adversely affect an individual’s health by changing the body’s shape or functioning. They can affect general health, how the body develops or how […]
