Montana’s Best Kept Secret: Shodair Children’s Hospital
This is part of a monthly series of "Miracle Memories", personal experiences shared by the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals staff. Becky Ruley, West Central Director, pulls back the curtain on a member hospital in Helena, Mont., where treatment extends far beyond the usual medical care provided at most hospitals.
I have had the privilege of visiting many of the incredible hospitals in our Network but my recent tour of Shodair Children’s Hospital was a bit different.
Shodair is far from a typical children's hospital. It has four child and adolescent residential treatment units—an acute unit, a children’s unit, and two adolescent units, and in addition to general care they focus on child and adolescent psychiatric care as well as medical genetic research.
Newborn screening follow-ups for all babies born in Montana are done at Shodair, where issues not apparent at birth can be identified through a small blood test taken in a child's first day of life. Shodair’s nationally recognized medical genetics department works with the parents of babies that have tested positive for 28 various conditions. Additionally, tests can be done prior to birth to determine if there are any inherited genetic issues at play. Giving kids a chance at the best care and treatment starting the second they are born.
During my visit I was introduced to Karri Lesofski, a teacher at Shodair (the hospital offers a fully accredited K-12 education program). She explained some of the challenges she faces in keeping students focused and showed me a few of the ways they help the kids do just that, including special equipment paid for with funds raised by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. There were chairs shaped like exercise balls, a cape made of weighted frogs and a balance board that prevent kids’ minds from getting stuck in one place. She demonstrated how bouncing two balls at the same time, one with each hand, strengthens both sides of the brain.
I’m grateful to Shodair Children’s Hospital and its staff, including Karri, for caring about kids and helping to make their lives better. Seeing results from the donations my organization helps earn was inspiring; this experience has left me with an everlasting sense of pride for what I do.