Rajeev Kishore, MD, pediatric allergist and immunologist, decided to go into pediatrics after his father encouraged him. Dr. Kishore’s father, who was also a physician, saw a need for the specialty in their native India. A family member recommended Akron Children’s, providing the impetus for Dr. Kishore to come to Akron. “Initially, my wife and […]
Connie Stout is ready to take a deep breath and blast off into retirement
Connie Stout, pulmonary function technician, knows when it’s time to get loud. She’s good at it, especially while coaching her patients to exhale and empty their lungs during their pulmonary function tests (PFTs). “I tell patients to really blast it out,” Connie said. “But sometimes I get so loud that my officemates make sure I […]
Retired nurses return to work at Akron Children’s amid pandemic
After nearly 36 years of working as a nurse in Akron Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Lisa Palmer, RN, retired in April 2021, eager to spend more time with her family, particularly her 2 young granddaughters. But a few months later in October 2021, the hospital sent out a request to recent retirees asking […]
Vickie Webb closes the chapter on her nursing career with gratitude and fond memories
Long before she was hired as a float nurse in 2002, Vickie Webb, senior nursing performance improvement coordinator, roamed the halls of Akron Children’s Hospital as both a pediatric patient and teen volunteer (who were called Candy Stripers back then for the red-and-white striped smock they wore). Now, as she prepares to retire from her […]
Grace Wakulchik concludes three-decade career at Akron Children’s
When Grace Wakulchik was a Cuyahoga Falls High School student considering a career in health care, a friend’s mother introduced her to a nurse who had earned her master’s degree. At the time, most nurses were trained in hospital-based schools and not colleges. But Grace took her advice and enrolled at Case Western Reserve University. “She suggested that I get a bachelor’s degree in nursing and then a master’s, and that was a big influence in […]
Kari Phillips signing off after 32-year career as executive assistant
When Kari Phillips applied to Akron Children’s in 1989 at the urging of her childhood friend (Gayle Zimmerman), she never imagined they both would have 30+ year careers at Akron Children’s and retire in the same year. On Oct. 1, Kari will log off her computer for the last time as executive assistant to Pam […]
