A Magazine from Akron Children's
Every parent wants a happy, safe and healthy life for their kids. Access to high-quality, convenient healthcare is an important piece of the puzzle.
That is one reason Akron Children’s continues to grow. By opening more primary care offices and specialty locations, families can get expert care for their children closer to home. Regional health centers, including those in Beachwood and Medina, offer many services in one place. Tools like MyChart and virtual visits make it easier than ever for families to stay connected with their child’s care team.
Let’s hear from two parents who are grateful for the improved healthcare landscape their kids enjoy.
Rebecca Lee and her older sister grew up in Parkersburg, West Virginia. They had a primary care doctor nearby but did not have convenient access to specialists.
“My sister had to go to Charleston, West Virginia to see her specialists,” Rebecca recalled. “My specialists were in Columbus and Akron.”
Rebecca had severe migraines as a child and had frequent appointments with neurology specialists. “My hand would clamp up and be stuck like a fist until the migraine ended, which could be anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours,” she said. “I’d have to miss a day of school anytime I had a specialist visit, and my mom would have to take off work.”
Today, Rebecca rarely gets migraines. She’s a busy mom to 3-year-old Elliott and 1-year-old Piper. Both kids have a condition called “eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).” This happens when white blood cells build up in the esophagus. The buildup causes swelling and makes the esophagus stiff, which can make swallowing painful.
The kids receive care at Akron Children’s Gastroenterology (GI) in Marietta. “We had some issues with Piper’s diet because of her allergies, along with her EoE,” Rebecca recalled. “We had a bad experience at another healthcare facility. That’s why I decided to find a provider through Akron Children’s.”
Elliott and Piper get regular GI checkups in Marietta from Certified Nurse Practitioner Breaunna Williams. “She’s a wonderful healthcare provider; my kids and I love her,” Rebecca said. “I don’t know what we’d do without her.”
The Lee family only has to travel to the main Akron Children’s Golisano campus once a year for an upper GI scope. “The Akron Children’s team has been amazing, and the kids are doing great,” Rebecca said. “I still live in West Virginia, and it’s so convenient to have Akron Children’s right across the Ohio River. We can get to the Marietta office in 17 minutes. That’s so different from my childhood, when going to a specialist would take an entire day due to the travel time.”
The Lee family is grateful to have Akron Children’s pediatric experts so close to home.
A new treatment plan for Lily’s eczema has improved the Goodwin family’s quality of life.
Juan Goodwin grew up in the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland, now called Midtown. His mom didn’t drive, so she would walk Juan and his brother to the Hough-Norwood Clinic for medical care. “Unless your leg was falling off and you needed to go to the emergency room,” Juan joked, “we went to the outpatient clinics for everything.”
Going to the doctor wasn’t a pleasant experience for Juan. “The doctors and nurses were overwhelmed, so the care felt transactional. We never talked about family health and wellness because they had so many other patients waiting,” he recalled. “We’d wait for hours to be seen, and then we’d walk home.”
Access to medical care is much better for Juan’s daughters: 11-year-old Lily and 7-year-old Lena. They get primary care at the Akron Children’s Pediatrics office in Mayfield Heights — just a six-minute drive from their house. Lily also gets specialty care.
“She’s battled with eczema her whole life. The first dermatologist we saw at another facility said we needed to get rid of the family dog because Lily was allergic,” Juan shared. “We changed to nurse practitioner Jennifer
Messenger with Akron Children’s Dermatology. The treatment plan for Lily was totally different, and it changed the quality of life for our whole family. Her medications are delivered by mail, and that’s also been a game-changer.”
Now, Lily can play outside without worrying about an itchy flare-up that will keep her up all night. “She feels better physically, and she’s not self-conscious about her eczema anymore,” Juan said. “Now that she’s in middle school, her self-confidence is so important.”
Juan recalls his parents talking about their lack of access to everything from medical care to fresh fruits and vegetables. “Different things matter to you when you get older — like hospitals and green spaces,” he said. “I didn’t think about that stuff as a kid. But now that I’m a dad, those things really matter.”
From inspiring stories, to medical miracles, the More childhood, please.® magazine will make you appreciate those precious 6,574 days of childhood.
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