A Magazine from Akron Children's
What do trees and communities have in common? They need strong support systems – roots – to survive and thrive. The late Mark Redding, MD, of Akron Children’s Pediatrics, planted roots in the Mansfield community decades ago – and his impact as a doctor, philanthropist and arborist lives on.
A legacy of caring
Dr. Boroff celebrated graduation from medical school with her siblings, Hannah and David; husband, Jacob; and parents, Sarah and Mark.
Dr. Redding passed away unexpectedly in May 2021. His daughter, Kate Boroff, MD, is now a pediatrician at the Mansfield office where he worked. “There was a time when Dad and I talked about me coming back to Mansfield and practicing alongside him, but he passed two years before I finished my training,” Dr. Boroff said. “I’m so glad I ended up coming back here to my hometown. Although I probably would’ve figured it out eventually, I think Dad showed me the way.”
Dr. Boroff’s mom, Sarah, is also a physician. The Reddings founded the nonprofit Community Health Access Project (CHAP) in Mansfield and the nationally renowned Pathways Community HUB Institute®. Partnering with community health workers and community nonprofit organizations, these programs connect underserved families to medical and behavioral health care; necessities like housing and food; and adult education and employment resources.
“Dad had huge dreams and goals; he never did anything halfway. Mom is very practical and would figure out how to make Dad’s ideas happen,” Dr. Boroff explained. “They always talked about CHAP and getting the program developed. Sometimes, my siblings and I wished they’d talk about something else. But, looking back, it was cool to hear those conversations.”
Despite having two doctors in the house, Dr. Boroff didn’t feel pressure to choose a medical career. “They were amazing doctors, but they didn’t push any of us to go into medicine,” she said. “They just wanted us to be happy, and they would’ve been excited no matter what we ended up doing.”
Dr. Boroff joined Akron Children’s Pediatrics, Mansfield in August 2023. People tell her that she’s carrying on her dad’s legacy or following in his footsteps, but she considers that impossible. “The way he did things was so special that no one could do it the same way ever again,” she said. “He was so intelligent and involved in so many projects that improved our community. But what patients remember – and what they talk to me about – is how compassionate he was and his connection with them.”
Dr. Redding didn’t just care for his patients during office hours. “He made evening phone calls from home to check on patients, and he even had patients come to our house on weekends to take a look at them,” Dr. Boroff recalled. “He was very much like a rural medicine doctor who just wanted to help people.”
Dr. Redding didn’t rush through appointments, and as a result, he often ran behind schedule. “He made people feel like they were the most important thing to him in that moment, which made him never on time for anything,” Dr. Boroff said with a chuckle. “The nurses still talk about him running an hour behind schedule, and families getting upset. Once he walked in the exam room and greeted the families, all was forgiven. He sacrificed time management to make his patients feel important – and I use his example to make my patients feel taken care of and listened to.”
Coming full circle since those early conversations around the Redding house, Dr. Boroff now refers families in need to her parents’ CHAP organization. “My parents have always said that what doctors do in the office is one small piece of this big puzzle,” she explained. “Many other aspects affect a child’s care. We can prescribe medicine, but the parent may not have transportation to pick it up or may not be able to read and understand how to give the medicine. The family support provided by our Akron Children’s social workers and the CHAP community health workers makes me feel like I can do more to help my patients.”
A dedicated pediatrician
Dr. Mark Redding joined Akron Children’s in 2016, when Mansfield Pediatrics became part of the Akron Children’s Pediatrics network.
Dr. Kate Boroff (third from left) treats the Meltons like family – just like her dad did
Dr. Boroff gets to care for many patients who previously saw her dad. One family is Mammie Melton and her grandkids: 17-year-old Lilly and 14-year-old Mark. “I’ve seen them a lot since joining Akron Children’s Pediatrics,” Dr. Boroff said. “It feels nostalgic when they come into the office, even though I didn’t know them when Dad was around. They knew my dad so well, and he cared about them so much.”
The feeling was mutual. “There are no words to describe what Dr. Redding meant to us,” Mammie said. “He was awesome. One of a kind. He gave me his personal phone number and said, ‘Listen to me. If it’s midnight and you need something, call me.’”
Dr. Redding specialized in caring for kids with autism, as well as behavioral and mental health issues. He was the perfect doctor for Mark, who has autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The two bonded over more than just sharing the same first name. “Dr. Redding would tell us that he loved us, and he was like a family member,” Mammie said. “When he passed, my grandkids took it hard. Lilly is quiet, so she was sad but didn’t say much. Mark wasn’t himself; he was off for quite a while.”
The Mansfield staff gave Mark the memorial photo of Dr. Redding that hung in the office waiting room. Three years after Dr. Redding’s passing, the picture still hangs on Mark’s bedroom wall.
It takes time to adjust to a new doctor, especially under the sad circumstances of Dr. Redding’s death. “I was a bit scared after he passed, and we started seeing Dr. Boroff,” Mammie shared. “But she welcomed us like she’d known us for a long time. She’s so sweet and caring, like her dad.”
Outside the office, Dr. Redding’s interests included planting trees and being in nature. “Trees were a currency growing up in our family,” Dr. Boroff quipped. “To get our little flip cellphones, we had to plant trees. We grew up planting a lot.”
Dr. Redding planted a whopping 16,000 trees in his lifetime – including more than 14,000 on his property. “Our family tries to be environmentally friendly because of his love of nature,” Dr. Boroff said. “He was passionate about electric vehicles, so my mom, sister and brother have electric cars. We have solar panels on my parents’ property, and everyone recycles. We try, in our own ways, to respect Dad’s focus on the environment. But we don’t have the itch to plant more trees.”
Although Dr. Boroff and her siblings aren’t arborists like their dad, they have each carved a path that shows their dad’s influence. “My sister, Hannah, is training to be a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Knowing Dad was so passionate about mental and behavioral health, it’s cool she chose that field,” Dr. Boroff said. “My brother, David, has Dad’s laugh – and David’s ability to work with kids and families at the community center resembles Dad a lot.
“I love being a pediatrician. It’s so rewarding to have that connection with families, and I also feel the connection with my dad. I get to hear stories from his patients – who are now mine – and the people I work with are wonderful. The staff loved Dad, too.”
Dr. Boroff misses a million things about her dad. “His advice and guidance, his laugh and his ability to lighten everything. Whether a life- or patient-related situation, he was so wise in giving advice,” she shared. “It’s amazing how much people have an impact on you, and that brings comfort after they’re gone. You never stop missing them or recognizing how important they are.”
The Redding family
The Redding family loved spending time together outdoors.
From inspiring stories, to medical miracles, the More childhood, pleaseTM magazine will make you appreciate those precious 6,574 days of childhood.
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