As a child, I spent many hours in hospital waiting rooms. I have a rare bone disease, and I met many other kids in those waiting rooms, all of whom had unique stories. My curiosity and desire to improve the quality of life for kids like me around the world led me to be a pediatric and newborn hospitalist.
I care for newborn babies and children who are in the hospital. I understand that having a child in the hospital can be very stressful, and I’m here to help your child and support your family.
Sometimes I play another role in the pediatric exam room as the parent of a child with the same condition I have. Being the mom of a kid with a disability has changed me as a doctor and a human being and inspired me to be a voice for children and parents.
In my practice, I treat every child and parent how my child and I would want to be treated. As an advocate for every baby, I’m the voice for every child, everywhere, especially those kids who are vulnerable and underserved. I include parents and guardians as part of their child’s care team since they know their child the best.
I am a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, which recognizes role models of the human connection in healthcare. I authored an essay titled “I Am That Parent” that was featured in JAMA’s Top Essay issue.
In my research, my colleagues and I are looking for ways to provide patient and parent health education resources across cultures and barriers. We are also working on teaching pediatric residents and medical students about health disparities and equity, decreasing maternal and child health disparities, and increasing health equity, from rural Kenya to Avondale.
In my free time, my family and I love to go on adventures with our two kids — from hiking in Cincinnati parks to exploring the zoo to traveling to new places.