The stuffed animals are being collected in honor of Yogi, a brown bear who was humanely euthanized at John Ball Zoo this week after suffering from arthritis due to his advanced age.
Yogi was born in the wild and had been with John Ball Zoo since 1994 after repeated human area conflict in Yellowstone National Park. Yogi would have been euthanized at that time if the John Ball Zoo had not provided him with a home. At the Zoo, he lived well beyond his life expectancy.
A 30-year zoo icon
“John Ball Zoo is heartbroken by the loss of Yogi, who was a beloved presence at the Zoo for almost 30 years,” said Jaime Racalla, zookeeper supervisor at John Ball Zoo. “We’re very proud of the long life he had and the excellent care he received from our team into his later years. It is heartwarming to know that Yogi will continue to bring tokens of joy and comfort to children through the stuffed animal drive in his honor.”
Yogi’s caretakers will miss his gentle, easygoing personality.
“Yogi’s favorite day of the week was bone day,” said Jackie Wolflinger-Zellinger, swing keeper at John Ball Zoo. “He would pass up his dinner and any sweet snack we had for him, such as his evening medications mixed with honey or jam, for it, and he would be busy chewing until all the meat was gone. He was such a joy to work with.”
Teddy bear drive details
Donated stuffed bears can be dropped off at John Ball Zoo Guest Services through Oct. 19
John Ball Zoo will collect stuffed animals from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily Oct. 5-19 to be donated to the children’s hospital. The toys should be new with tags and can be dropped off at John Ball Zoo Guest Services office.
“Thank you to John Ball Zoo and our community supporting our pediatric patients at the hospital,” said Jeannine Brown, certified child life specialist at Helen DeVos. “These stuffed animals comfort our kids during their admission and aid in the healing process. We pass out many stuffed animals every day to brighten a child’s stay, especially if they forgot their treasured stuffed animal or lovey at home. Thank you for helping us make their hospital stay a little bit better with something to hold and hug.”
On a brisk, cold Tuesday morning, representatives from about 17 area first responders and law enforcement agencies — including Wyoming and Kentwood — helped Santa Claus by delivering about 500 new toys to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
“This is just awesome to have this opportunity to spread some holiday cheer especially among some children who may not be able to be home,” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Officer Chad Lynn.
The Toy Express to the children’s hospital was made possible through a grant from the First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), a national nonprofit organization that provides financial relief to the families of first responders who have been injured or killed in the line of duty. The event was spearheaded by the Grandville Police Department, which wrote the grant request to FRCF.
Wyoming police officers Chad Lynn and Devin Quintard and Kentwood officers Jamie Karwowski and Jeff Augustyn help deliver presents to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“On the second Wednesday of the month, local first responders come out and turn their lights on for the children [at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital],” said Grandville Chief Paul Anglim, who had served with the Wyoming Public Safety Department for 27 years.
“It was just a natural extension of the Project Night Lights since the group was already formed.”
Project Night Lights is a program of Silent Observer, a non-profit established in 1972 to help solve and prevent serious crime in the Grand Rapids area.
“Silent Observer is so appreciative of this donation and is thrilled that Grandville Police Department and the FRCF are recognizing Silent Obersrver’s efforts involving Project Night Lights and all the First Responders who give up their time, month after month, to show their love and support of the patients at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital,” said Silent Observer Executive Director Chris Cameron.
The parade went from the Grand Rapids Community College’s parking garage off of Ransom Avenue and made its way up to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital on Lake Michigan Drive. Officers then unloaded the toys to carts which were wheeled inside to the hospital.
“We’re so pleased to have donations like this from the generosity of the community,” said Kelly Dyer, president of Spectrum Health and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundations. “The generosity is simply amazing. It has been such a challenging year for everyone, and we are grateful for those who make time for this kind of thing.”
It’s all about bringing a little bit of joy, she added with a smile.
Grandville Chief Paul Anglim (WKTV)
“Making a child feel normal while managing a challenging situation like being in the hospital is what it’s all about. Bringing a little bit of joy…that’s what we’re trying to do here.”
Glenn Colbert, a former Kentwood Police officer who is now manager of security at Spectrum Health, agreed with Dyer, adding he felt it was a great opportunity to showcase the public outreach many officers do for the community.
“We are happy to have this opportunity to partner with our fellow law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel by supporting the children in the hospital,” said Matt Brinkman, director of security at Spectrum Health.
Along with Grandville, Wyoming and Kentwood police departments, other law enforcement and first responder agencies that participated in the Toy Express event were Spectrum Security Police, Grandville Fire, Michigan State Police. Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Rapids Police, Walker Police, East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety, Rockford Department of Public Safety, Grand Rapids Community College Police, Plainfield Township Fire, American Medical Response, Life EMS, Lowell Police, and Grand Valley State University Police.
Kentwood officer Jamie Karwowski and Jeff Augustyn help unload toys.
Kentwood Officer Jamie Karwowski hands a present to Officer Jeff Augustyn
Wyoming Officer Chad Lynn helps to unload a truck
Wyoming Officer Chad Lynn and Kentwood Officer Jeff Augustyn help with the toys
Wyoming Officer Chad Lynn places boxes full of toys on a cart
All of the law enforcement officers who helped on Dec. 7
Leah Davidson, 9, rolled down the hall in her hospital bed to visit Charlie in the playroom. Her mom and staff pushed her bed up to the door and Charlie walked up to the side of her bed to get some love from Leah.
She is being treated for osteogenesis imperfecta, a group of inherited disorders characterized by fragile bones that break easily. She smiled from ear to ear as she touched his nose, whispering, “Hi, Charlie.”
Photo by Taylor Ballek, Spectrum Health Beat
Charlie’s owner, Ronica Froese, especially enjoys Charlie’s visits to the hospital. They started their therapy visits in 2015 when Charlie was just a year old.
“I said if my horse can do this, this is what I want to do with my life,” Froese said. “And it turns out (Charlie) was made for the job.”
Froese handed out cards with Charlie’s hoof print on them, as well as small plush horses with Band-Aids on their legs that read, “Get well.”
Several children enjoyed their visit with the handsome miniature horse, who sports sneakers and a great attitude.
Froese’s favorite part is seeing the children’s big smiles.
“It’s good for everybody’s heart,” Froese said.
The Child Life team at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is always looking for community visitors to bring activities and events to the hospital for patients. If you are interested in having your group host an event, more information is available online.
Take precautions before and after entering the pool to stay healthy. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Susan Hollman Krieger, Spectrum Health Beat
You know that sign at the entryway of your local pool that asks you to shower before entering the water? Do it.
And then make sure to shower again after you are done swimming for the day. You may be saving yourself and other swimmers a miserable summertime bout of diarrhea.
According to the CDC, although both E. coli and norovirus are eliminated by chlorine and other chemicals used in pools, cryptosporidium survives for up to 10 days. People who have or who recently had diarrhea can carry the parasite into the pool, exposing other swimmers. They, in turn, develop diarrhea a few days later.
So is the answer to stay out of swimming pools and head for one of Michigan’s beautiful lakes?
Not necessarily, said George Fogg, MD, PhD, an infectious disease specialist with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
“This parasite has always been around in our pools. It only receives attention when there is an outbreak of cases in a water park or in a community, for example, when cryptosporidium got into the Milwaukee municipal water supply,” Dr. Fogg explained. “The two most common parasites that can cause diarrhea are giardia and cryptosporidium and they have been around for a long time. We are seeing more incidences lately because we are doing a better job of detecting and reporting the cause of these intestinal disorders.”
Dr. Fogg said that swimmers developing diarrhea after being in a pool is still “very uncommon. You have a greater risk of getting norovirus on a cruise ship than getting cryptosporidium in a swimming pool—it is very rare.”
He recommends that swimmers who do experience diarrhea inform their health provider, although they will likely see the condition “self-correct” within a few days.
While there isn’t currently a chemical that is both safe to use in a pool and that would kill the parasite, Dr. Fogg said that taking normal precautions will help swimmers stay healthy.
Avoid ingesting any pool water. “That is how it gets into your system.”
Shower before and after swimming. “Soap can remove the spores from your skin and prevent you from inadvertently ingesting them through touch.”
Stay out of the pool if you have a compromised immune system. “That is who we really worry about—people who have other health conditions who are particularly vulnerable to parasites.”
All in all, Dr. Fogg said not to let unnecessary worry about what’s in the water curtail your traditional summer activities.
By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat, photos by Chris Clark
Cuddling her favorite stuffed dog as she tucked down into a hospital bed, Acacia Walter-Rooks dreamed of life with a healthy kidney.
“I’m excited to eat more foods and go to school and see my friends,” she said.
At the top of the list for this 14-year-old: French fries and macaroni and cheese.
The busy life of a teenage athlete seemed within reach—if her body accepted the donated kidney, and if disease did not attack the new organ.
Two big ifs.
Acacia had already surmounted one big hurdle: She had a living kidney donor who was a good match.
The next day, she would undergo surgery at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital to receive a kidney from Beth Hill, a 46-year-old mother of four young children.
And Hill was not the only one who offered.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Acacia’s parents, Brie Walter-Rooks and Ryan Rooks, marveled as dozens of friends, neighbors and co-workers volunteered as donors when they learned a rare disease destroyed Acacia’s kidneys. Some potential donors didn’t even know the family well.
Transplant coordinators halted the application list at 30, just so they could process the offers on hand.
The generosity buoyed the family at a difficult time.
“My hope is that Acacia will always remember how loved and cared for she was by her community, and people’s desire to love and care for her so her life can be full and whole,” Ryan said.
For Hill, a friend from church, being chosen as the best match was an honor.
“I feel very blessed to be able to do that,” she said.
‘Always in motion’
Before kidney disease struck, Acacia exuded good health. She played soccer, made the cut on a select volleyball team, and did gymnastics for fun. She and friends from East Grand Rapids Middle School rode bikes, hung out in Gaslight Village and went to movies.
It became clear we needed to take the next big step.
Brie Walter-Rooks Acacia’s mom
“She was just a really active kid,” Brie said. “Always in motion.”
Brie and Ryan adopted Acacia when she was 3 weeks old. They also have a 15-year-old daughter, Mica. The two girls, just a year apart in age, “are totally different and extremely close,” Brie said.
Acacia showed the first signs of kidney disease in July 2013, at age 11. She had puffy eyes, swollen ankles and a bloated stomach. Her face and neck swelled.
They learned she had a rare kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which scars and damages the kidney’s filtering units.
Genetic testing showed Acacia has a genetic mutation in the APOL1 gene that is sometimes found in people of African descent. The mutation boosts protection from African sleeping sickness, but also carries a sevenfold risk of kidney disease.
Acacia had an exceptionally aggressive form of the disease, one that can rapidly lead to end-stage kidney failure. Doctors said she would likely need a transplant in two to six months.
But she went 30 months before she reached that point. Even with kidneys functioning at 30 percent, Acacia played sports full-speed and hiked in the mountains on family backpacking trips.
In January, however, her kidney function dropped below 20 percent, and her blood pressure rose. Her doctor said she should stop playing sports.
“It became clear we needed to take the next big step,” Brie said.
On Feb. 11, a surgeon removed Acacia’s failing kidneys.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
She began receiving dialysis three times a week. The treatments did the blood-cleaning work of her kidneys, but they left her nauseated and tired. She had to stay home from school.
As Acacia underwent final tests before the transplant, her parents also faced the possibility that the new kidney would not be the fix they sought. Thirty percent of those with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis get the disease back within minutes to hours after transplant.
Before the operation, Brie said she and Ryan were concerned, but they chose not to dwell on possible downsides.
“You realize there is a higher probability that she will be healthy,” Ryan said. “And you go with that.”
‘Called to do this’
Hill remembers the day at Genesis Methodist Church when Brie talked about her daughter’s kidney disease and how she would need a transplant one day.
“It was heart-wrenching,” she said.
Over the next few weeks, Hill thought several times about donating a kidney. She thought about what she would want for her four young children if they were sick. She ultimately decided she could, and should, offer to help.
“I felt called to do this,” she said. “I believe in following those urges.”
Talking with her oldest daughter, 6-year-old Emersyn, Hill explained that she had two kidneys but only needed one.
“We have to help where we can,” she told her.
And Emersyn said, “It’s like having two chances.”
At first, Hill wanted to keep a low profile about her decision to donate. She eventually agreed to discuss it publicly to raise awareness about those waiting for kidney transplants.
“So many people are suffering,” she said.
All those who volunteered to give a kidney to Acacia “are just regular people,” she said. “We all have our own lives and jobs and things that need to be taken care of. Other regular people can help, too.”
Transplant day
The morning of the transplant, the festive crowd gathered in the pre-op area. Acacia curled up under a blue fleece blanket, clutching her stuffed dog, while Mom and Dad talked, smiled and hugged her.
I’m very glad I did it. A little bit of pain is worth it.
Beth Hill Kidney donor
Julia Steinke, MD, Acacia’s pediatric nephrologist, appeared at Acacia’s bedside.
“This is the best day ever,” Dr. Steinke said.
Nearby, Beth Hill lay in another bed, while her spouse, Lisa, held her hand. Their pastor, the Rev. DeAnn Dobbs, moved from bed to bed, leading them all in prayer.
Hill went to the operating room first. As her bed rolled by, she and Acacia raised their hands to each other―a long-distance high five.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
In side-by-side operating rooms, one team worked to detach Hill’s left kidney while another team prepared Acacia for the transplant. Surgeon Stanley Sherman, MD, carried the kidney from one room to the other in a basin filled with a slushy saline mixture.
Acacia’s parents sat in a waiting room, hoping for updates.
Clinical transplant coordinator Eric Beuker soon entered with good news: The kidney was in place and already working.
“We have liquid gold,” he said.
In the hours and days following transplant, the news got even better. Acacia’s new kidney continued to function well, and her kidney disease did not reappear.
“From a well-being standpoint, she is really doing better than expected,” Dr. Steinke said.
Acacia will need medication for the rest of her life to prevent rejection of the new organ. But she will no longer have restrictions on her diet. And she will be able to spike volleyballs over the net again.
Two days after transplant, Acacia took her first walk. With baby steps, she covered 80 feet down the hall at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. She sunk back into the recliner in her room, and her parents and therapists applauded.
Acacia, exhausted, had a request: French fries and an Oreo-vanilla milkshake.
Live-saving
In Hill’s room at Butterworth Hospital, her four kids clustered around her. Kathryn, 2, sat on her lap, and Brendan, 3, asked when she would come home.
Caught off guard by the pain on the second night post-transplant, she’d pulled through with adjustments in medication.
“I’m very glad I did it,” she said. “A little bit of pain is worth it.”
Donors go through extensive medical evaluations to make sure patients will function well with one kidney, Dr. Steinke said. Surgery is done laparoscopically, so recovery is quicker than it was in the past. Still, it can take four to six weeks for a donor to recover, as the body adjusts to a 50 percent drop in kidney function.
A living donor benefits more than just the recipient. Thirteen children are waiting for kidney transplants at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. When a living donor volunteers, it means the line shortens for those waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Dr. Steinke marvels at the commitment of donors like Hill. While some know the recipient well, others volunteer to give to a stranger.
“That is just an amazing, selfless act that I always am so humbled by,” she said.
For kids like Acacia, a functioning kidney means a chance at a full life and a healthy childhood and teen years.
“It’s a life-saving procedure,” Dr. Steinke said. “She will be able to follow whatever dream she wants.”
If you are considering becoming a living kidney donor, call the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital pediatric kidney transplant team at 616.391.2802.
Kids traveling through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) have a fun new space to play, complete with a replica helicopter and air traffic control tower, thanks to a partnership with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
The new space officially opened today after a celebratory ribbon cutting, and includes new foam tile flooring, scenic graphics on the wall, a propeller ceiling fan, an illuminated air traffic control tower, toys, and even a replica Spectrum Health AeroMed helicopter where kids can get behind the controls and experience life as a pilot.
The official ribbon cutting in the new pre-security Kids Play Area at GFIA.
“As a father of seven children, I can tell you nothing is more important than having an exciting, vibrant space where kids can unleash some energy while they are traveling,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “We are thrilled to see how this space turned out. The team at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital did an incredible job of turning our vision into a reality, and we appreciate their support and partnership.”
GFIA and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital are also currently designing and constructing another Kids Play Area post-security.
“Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is pleased to be able to sponsor the new Kids’ Port play area at Gerald R. Ford International Airport,” said Dr. Matthew Denenberg, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. “The children’s hospital is happy to play a part in welcoming visitors to West Michigan with this fun new addition for families and children to enjoy.”
The Kids Play Areas are one part of the Airport’s $45 million Gateway Transformation Project that also includes new terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, new restrooms & nursing rooms, family restrooms, pre and post security business centers, new retail and food & beverage space, and much more. Different portions of the construction will open throughout the summer with phase one set to be complete in late August. Construction on the Gateway Transformation Project began in December 2015.
West Elementary School second-grader Max Troche plans to wear his brand new helmet when he rides his green and black bike this spring.
“I’m excited because the helmet I have hurts my head,” Max said.
Thanks to a donation from Hudsonville Rocket Cheer, a program for girls in first through eighth grades, he is one of 520 kindergarten through fourth-grade students at West who have brand-new bicycle helmets.
Kim Hernden, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital injury prevention specialist, gets the fit just right for second grader Yulian Merced
Along with the headgear, they received helmet fittings from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital representatives, who led education sessions on bike safety. Students learned how, when and why to wear bike helmets.
In 2016, of nine children admitted to the hospital because of bike accidents, only two were wearing helmets, said Kim Hernden, DeVos Children’s Hospital injury prevention specialist.
Britni Schipper, director and owner of Hudsonville Rocket Cheer, said the program hosts a fundraising event every year. “We wanted the girls to learn more than just the sport of cheer,” she said. “By collecting funds, the girls learned to come together as a team to be able to give back to our community.”
Schipper and her assistant director are both emergency room nurses at Spectrum Health, so keeping children safe is “near and dear to our hearts,” she added.
West Elementary physical education teacher Shani Padding helped share information on bike safety during the fitting session. “It’s been fun for me to see the kids being excited about being safe,” she said.
West Elementary School second-grader Max Troche plans to wear his brand new helmet when he rides his green and black bike this spring.
“I’m excited because the helmet I have hurts my head,” Max said.
Thanks to a donation from Hudsonville Rocket Cheer, a program for girls in first through eighth grades, he is one of 520 kindergarten through fourth-grade students at West who have brand-new bicycle helmets.
Along with the headgear, they received helmet fittings from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital representatives, who led education sessions on bike safety. Students learned how, when and why to wear bike helmets.
In 2016, of nine children admitted to the hospital because of bike accidents, only two were wearing helmets, said Kim Hernden, DeVos Children’s Hospital injury prevention specialist.
Britni Schipper, director and owner of Hudsonville Rocket Cheer, said the program hosts a fundraising event every year. “We wanted the girls to learn more than just the sport of cheer,” she said. “By collecting funds, the girls learned to come together as a team to be able to give back to our community.”
Schipper and her assistant director are both emergency room nurses at Spectrum Health, so keeping children safe is “near and dear to our hearts,” she added.
West Elementary physical education teacher Shani Padding helped share information on bike safety during the fitting session. “It’s been fun for me to see the kids being excited about being safe,” she said.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
For most people, St. Patrick’s Day typically includes spending time with friends and family having a few beers.
St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a national non-profit organization that raises money for childhood cancer research.
But for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, St. Paddy’s day is spent a little differently. The foundation celebrates the holiday through a head-shaving fundraiser to raise money for children’s cancer research.
St. Baldrick’s raises money all over the country for cancer research, and for a second year, the event took place in West Michigan. This year’s host was the 84th Street Pub and Grille in Byron Center. This year the event raised over $45,ooo!
Pat Schrager of Byron Center is St. Baldrick’s local event coordinator. “This is the seventh year I’ve done it. We were doing it in Indiana where we lived. When we came to Grand Rapids, we were surprised it wasn’t here.”
While shaving your head can certainly be difficult for anyone to face, when it comes to a good cause, most people are up for the challenge.
Volunteers step up to have their heads shaved to raise money.
Bobbi Halas is one of those people. She faced the fear of shaving her head to give to the fundraiser.
“It was the weirdest feeling I’ve ever had and I was scared spitless,” Halas said. “But it’s such a great cause.”
Bobbi, along with many others, came out to show their support for children’s cancer research. Cancer survivor Allison Slagter was impressed.
“It’s really fun watching everyone so eager to shave their heads, because that’s kind of scary if they don’t want to,” Slagter said. “Everyone’s just really eager to donate”.
Money for cancer research doesn’t grow on trees. But hair does grow on heads
Schrager explains that the St. Baldrick’s donations are also helping West Michigan local hospitals fund cancer research including the Children’s Oncology Fund, their largest benefactor. “And Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital participates in that,” adds Schrager.
Although the event is only in its second year in West Michigan, Schrager says the number of eager donors is growing.
“As you get people involved and start talking about it, they realize it’s only hair, it grows back,” Schrager said.
