Summer Scamper Attracts Thousands, Raises Over $660K
Thank you to the nearly 3,000 Scamper-ers who walked, ran, rolled, and sprinted across the finish line on Sunday, June 23, 2024! Together, we raised over $660,000 for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and the child and maternal health programs at the Stanford School of Medicine. Since 2011, Summer Scamper has raised more than $6 million for children’s health.
It was truly an event to remember! Summer Scamper was bursting with energy as we kicked off the 5k run, walk, and wheelchair race, and then the kids’ fun run—every child received a medal! Meanwhile, the Family Festival offered a lively atmosphere with music, family-friendly activities, vendor booths, and food and drinks.
We’re grateful to our Patient Heroes: Austen, 5 months, Santa Cruz; Armaneigh, 2, Modesto; Aiden, 12, East Palo Alto; Zenaida, 12, Hollister; Max, 13, Palo Alto; and siblings Alex, 7, Kate, 7, and Matthew, 9, Portola Valley. Making the day extra special, our Patient Heroes counted down the start of the 5k and joined us on the Festival Stage.
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor Gardner Capital and corporate sponsors: Altamont Capital Partners, Artemis Connection, C.M. Capital Foundation, The Clement Palo Alto, The Draper Foundation, Joseph J. Albanese Inc., Niagara Cares, Perkins Coie, Santa Clara Family Health Plan, Sheraton Palo Alto, Stanford Federal Credit Union, and The Westin Palo Alto.
And as always, Scamper wouldn’t be possible without our amazing volunteers, including athletes from the Stanford University football and women’s basketball teams.
We can’t wait to see you next year!
Heart Transplant Recipient Celebrates 40 Years
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Craze recently celebrated an incredible milestone—40 years since her heart transplant at Stanford.
In 1984, only a handful of transplant centers were performing heart transplants on small children—and one of them was Stanford. “When Lizzy was transplanted, we really didn’t know how long a child with a heart transplant could survive,” says David Rosenthal, MD, pediatric cardiologist and the director of the Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Therapies (PACT) program at Stanford. Lizzy was the youngest heart transplant recipient at Stanford at the time and was expected to survive only five to 10 years.
But four decades later, Lizzy is still thriving on the same donor heart, and even running marathons. She’s also—with the help of in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and genetic testing at Stanford—a mother of a child without the heart condition that affected Lizzy and her siblings.
Welcoming First Chief Health Equity Officer to Stanford Children’s
In July, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health welcomed Ndidi Unaka, MD, MEd, as the inaugural chief health equity officer. Unaka also joined the Department of Pediatrics as a clinical professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine.
In her new role, Unaka focuses on embedding health equity into every aspect of the organization. She leads efforts to enhance care delivery systems through an equity lens, improve patient experiences, and integrate inclusive health practices into operational frameworks.
Unaka joined Stanford Children’s from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Unaka’s leadership marks a pivotal step forward in Stanford Children’s deep commitment to health equity.
Dr. Marc Melcher Named Chief of the Division of Abdominal Transplantation
Stanford Medicine recently appointed Marc Melcher, MD, PhD, the new chief of the Division of Abdominal Transplantation. He oversees all aspects of abdominal transplant programs, including liver, kidney, and small bowel transplantation at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
Melcher follows Carlos O. Esquivel, MD, who was division chief for 26 years. Esquivel was an early advocate for offering liver transplants to sick children and will continue treating patients at Stanford Children’s.
“I am honored to continue the growth of the program to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to those who are waiting for a lifesaving transplant,” says Melcher.
Dr. Mitchell B. Cohen to Join Stanford Children’s as Chief Medical Officer
In January 2025, Mitchell B. Cohen, MD, will join Stanford Medicine Children’s Health as chief medical officer. He will also serve as senior associate dean for maternal and child health at the Stanford School of Medicine.
Cohen is an accomplished physician-scientist with an international reputation as an expert in pediatric digestive disorders. Cohen hails from Children’s of Alabama, where he currently serves as physician-in-chief. He is described by Lloyd Minor, MD, the Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford, as a “visionary leader, dedicated mentor, and prolific physician-scientist.”
Packard Children’s Named a Top Children’s Hospital in the Nation
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford has been recognized once again in the U.S. News & World Report 2024–25 Best Children’s Hospitals survey, published in October.
The rankings identify the top 50 pediatric facilities across the country, listing Packard Children’s as a pediatric center that delivers high-quality care across multiple specialties and shapes the future of health care and medical research. The hospital is also tied for being the highest-ranking center in Northern California.
This marks the 20th consecutive year that our hospital has been celebrated for its exceptional care and patient outcomes. For the ninth consecutive year, Packard Children’s has ranked in all pediatric specialties. Three of the hospital’s specialties ranked in the top 10: neonatology (No. 5), nephrology (No. 7), and pulmonology (No. 10). The hospital also ranked in cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, cardiology and heart surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, urology, and pediatric and adolescent behavioral health.
“To continue to be recognized as a top children’s hospital is a testament to the excellence in specialty care that has come to define Lucile Packard Childrenʼs Hospital Stanford,” says Paul A. King, president and CEO of Packard Childrenʼs Hospital.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of the Packard Children’s News.
