Mary Bridge Children’s team helps Parker find courage
Like many 11-year-old kids, Parker Marion likes to be active — he enjoys basketball, wall ball, playing cello and he’s even on the safety patrol at his school. Parker also lives with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).
Parker had his first visit to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital at just one month old. A decade later, he’s a Mary Bridge Children’s veteran. Parker’s diagnosis has resulted in a lot of time with Mary Bridge Children’s doctors, nurses and specialists both inside and outside of the hospital. But, Parker says that’s not always so bad.
“The doctors at Mary Bridge always find a way to make me smile no matter what’s happening,” Parker says.
Doctors like ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, Mark Boseley, MD.
Dr. Boseley has been part of Parker’s care team since he was seven years old. As a result of his CF, Parker develops polyps in his nose that require removal. Since his first surgery, Parker has had four additional polyp removal procedures, one every six months, that require a hospital stay — often in isolation. He also has frequent screenings, which can be painful.
“I can’t say enough about Parker,” Dr. Boseley says, “He’s a delightful young man and is mature beyond his years. He always has a smile on his face, even when having to endure uncomfortable procedures in our office. I think we can all learn a lot from Parker’s resilience.”
Dr. Boseley is a source of comfort for Parker, along with Child Life Specialists like Kelsey Mitchell who works primarily with ENT patients.
“Kelsey really works on keeping Parker calm especially when he has to get screened for polyps, which requires a scope that can be painful,” Parker’s mom, Victoria, says.
The Child Life team is a donor-supported program that helps comfort, entertain, teach and even distract patients when they are in Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital or clinics. For Parker, this means keeping him calm during scopes and explaining what will happen during procedures.
His medical history would be a lot for an adult, but this fifth grader greets every day with a smile, a sarcastic joke and a whole lot of courage.
“Parker knows he’s brave, because he can make it through these surgeries and hospital stays,” Victoria says. “If he fights, he’ll come out fine on the other side.”
The new hospital will be designed to meet the needs of kids like Parker
“The new Mary Bridge Hospital will allow for us to even better care for children with complex medical needs,” Dr. Boseley says. “I anticipate that the new hospital will entice even more of our nation’s top doctors to relocate to our area. We will also have access to state-of-the-art technology in a space dedicated to our pediatric patients, making for an improved patient experience.
Mary Bridge Children’s patients will be able to receive specialty care and surgery all in one child-centered facility. The new hospital will provide Mary Bridge Children’s with the opportunity to build one of the nation’s top surgical programs.
