Tony Ferrante, age 24, was born with complex congenital heart disease (CHD). His condition is called pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and it’s a condition he has and will live with for the rest of his life. According to one of Tony’s adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) cardiologists, Dr. Ashish Saini, CHD is the […]
Akron Children’s nurse finds support and advocacy for son with Down syndrome
Hilary Tonni’s connection to Akron Children’s runs deep. Not only has she worked here for the last 16 years (currently as a clinical research nurse), it’s also the place she seeks care for her 8-year-old son, Gabe, who has Down syndrome. Hilary’s journey with Gabe began with a 20-week ultrasound that hinted at the possibility […]
How a tiny patient sparked an adoption journey for an Akron Children’s nurse
May is National Foster Care Month, and Akron Children’s is celebrating the stories of families created through foster care and adoption. For NICU nurse practitioner Katelyn Ruff, meeting a tiny patient 10 years ago blossomed into the start of her family. In June 2014, Katelyn began working as a nurse in the NICU at Akron […]
School Based Health Services provides care and connection for busy mom of 6
When Heather Peterson and her family moved from Lake City, PA to Warren, OH in Nov. 2023, they were looking for a fresh start. With 6 kids to enroll in school, Heather didn’t have time to look for a pediatrician, so she was pleasantly surprised to learn about Akron Children’s School Based Health Services (SBHS) […]
Early intervention for autism helps preschooler find her voice
When Alice Fuchs was just 2 years old, she was belting out song lyrics word-for-word from the movie Frozen. Yet, at the same time, Alice was struggling to express her basic needs to her parents. “She couldn’t verbalize what she wanted for a snack,” said Beth, Alice’s mom. “I noticed differences in Alice’s development from […]
Mary Schatz named Ohio’s school nurse administrator of the year
The Ohio Association of School Nurses recently named Mary Schatz, MSN, RN, LSN, nurse manager for Akron Children’s School Health Services, the Ohio School Nurse Administrator of the Year. This prestigious, statewide award honors Mary’s exceptional leadership and commitment to fostering a healthy and supportive environment for students across 43 school districts. Mary’s leadership style […]