Healing Gifts Spring 2014 - Advocate Children's Hospital Insert
PHILANTHROPY at
Advocate Children’s Hospital
News and views for our generous friends
Spotlight: Pediatric Orthopedics at
Advocate Children’s Hospital
For children with bone and joint disorders
resulting from birth defects, illnesses or
injuries, daily life can be an uphill struggle—
physically, socially and emotionally.
Orthopedic problems can stunt their growth,
restrict their activity and often impair their
appearance.
Advocate Children’s Hospital is renowned
for its exceptional orthopedic care for
children and adolescents. The hospital’s
pediatric orthopedic experts are specially
trained to treat the unique orthopedic needs
of children’s active and still-growing bodies.
Our team is committed to helping improve
children’s musculoskeletal health and
function, allowing children to enjoy a more
active, carefree childhood.
The expertise of Advocate Children’s
Hospital staff and the extraordinary
breadth of the cases they handle combine
to create the perfect arena for pioneering
improvements in care that make a big
difference for many patients. Philanthropic
funds for medical education and research
help lead to advances that dramatically
improve quality of life for children with
orthopedic problems.
For more information or to make a gift,
visit advocatechildrenshospital.com/giving.
To Walk in her shoes
Born with a short femur, Claire Jerome waited until a new
technology was available to lengthen her limb in a safe and
less invasive manner.
Like many little girls, Claire Jerome wanted a pair of light-up
shoes. However, she was never able to wear them because
until recently, Claire had to use a special lift in her left shoe that
would only fit in certain footwear.
Claire was born with her left femur six centimeters shorter
than the right, making her one of the 100,000 people who are
diagnosed with limb-length disorders in the U.S. each year. If
left untreated, the condition can result in chronic leg and back
pain and other debilitating conditions.
When Claire was 6 months
old, her parents, Marsha and
John Jerome, took her to
see Andrea Kramer, MD, a
pediatric orthopedic specialist
at the Illinois Bone and Joint
Institute who is on staff at
Advocate Children’s Hospital
– Park Ridge. Dr. Kramer
thought it would be best to
monitor Claire’s growth and
perform corrective surgery—
but not right away.
“At the time I met Claire the
Claire Jerome and her mom, Marsha
common treatment option
for leg lengthening was an external fixator, which has pins and
a frame on the outside of the leg—making the patient more
susceptible to infections and potential fractures after the
lengthening,” says Dr. Kramer. “We were aware that a new
technology was being pioneered that would make the process
much easier and safer for the patient. Waiting for that new
procedure was the best option for Claire.”
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