Cook Children's

11/28/2025

While you’re shopping all the sales this weekend, know that your generosity makes wishes come true! If you’re looking for a way to help fulfill a need, provide assistance and bring a smile to patient families at Cook Children’s, please consider checking out the items on our wish list.

Online donations continue to be the best way to give. However, if you choose to drop off items in person, our holiday drive thru donation days will take place:
- Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Your kindness makes our patients’ holiday season merry and bright!

View our Amazon and Walmart Wish Lists and learn about other ways to give here: https://brnw.ch/21wXzsu

💙

11/27/2025

Outside of our Child Life Zone, we asked patients and families to share what they are grateful for. These artists added feathers to our gratitude turkey. As the holiday celebrations continue, we hope you are reminded that joy often comes from the smallest things.

We are always grateful for our patients, our patient families, and everyone at Cook Children’s who helps create moments of magic every day.

From all of us at Cook Children’s, we wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

11/25/2025

For the first time ever, Cook Children’s hosted its own Thanksgiving Parade! Patients and families were excited to watch the decorated floats and see these celebrations up close. Many teams throughout Cook Children’s dressed up and created these festive floats to spread holiday cheer throughout the halls. The Thanksgiving Day Parade is a fun tradition we are excited to bring to Fort Worth!

Thank you to our Child Life department and Child Life Zone for making this special morning possible! We are so grateful for you and the holiday magic you bring every day.

11/24/2025

As we prepare for , Ashley Pagenkopf, M.S., CCLS, child life specialist in the emergency department at Cook Children’s, shares tips for fostering gratitude in your family:

By Ashley Pagenkopf, MS, CCLS, Child Life Specialist at Cook Children'sAs we approach the season of gratitude followed immediately by the season of gift-giving and receiving, it’s easy to feel the whiplash of these two periods. These seasons can make for a tough ending to the year for parents an...

11/21/2025

Reggie was an energetic and popular young athlete, enjoying life with friends and family, until a seizure at school changed everything. Following a trip to the Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health at Cook Children's, doctors discovered that Reggie's seizures needed comprehensive care.

Cook Children's level IV epilepsy care center and Neurosurgery department has a team of doctors and neurosurgeons focused on care for children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

During , learn more about Reggie's road to a seizure-free life and our Neurosurgery department: https://www.cookchildrens.org/services/neurosciences/specialty-programs/neurosurgery/

11/20/2025

Confetti exploded across the Hochberger Auditorium on Wednesday as the American Nursing Credentialing Center announced that Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth has achieved its fifth consecutive Magnet® designation.

The medical center didn’t just hit the benchmarks, but exceeded them, to achieve Magnet with DistinctionTM. Less than 2% of the nation’s 6,093 hospitals have achieved Magnet® designation at least five times, according to data from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and less than five children’s hospitals in the world have received the recognition five times in a row.

“Nurses are the number one care providers at the bedside in the nation and certainly at Cook Children’s,” Kaylan Branson, Director of Nursing Quality & Magnet Designation, said. “It feels great to recognize the nurses who do this day in and day out. This recognition is a validation of their hard work.”

The Magnet® Recognition Program is the gold standard in nursing excellence and validation of high-quality patient outcomes. Research shows Magnet® hospitals have increased patient satisfaction, decreased length of hospitalizations, and lower mortality rates, as well as above average nurse-satisfaction and retention rates.

“Everything that goes into magnet designation is recognizing nursing excellence; and a huge part of that is patient outcomes,” Nursing Excellence and Wellbeing Manager Ora Asheton said. “So, everything we’re being recognized for is about the outcomes we have for patients and patient families.”

Hospitals must re-apply for the designation every four years, and Cook Children’s has been recognized consistently since 2006. The requirements become more strenuous each time, Cheryl Petersen, Chief Nursing Officer said, meaning Cook Children’s has to showcase how it has grown, evolved and improved. The designation is a powerful testament to Cook Children’s excellence, but Peterson said Cook Children’s is not content with simply reaching that summit; it's committed to continue exceeding all expectations.

To learn more about this exciting achievement, visit: https://tinyurl.com/ypea6j74

11/20/2025

For many years, the Cook Children’s Physician Network has remained a symbol of compassionate care, driven by growth and community service. The anniversaries of our clinics celebrates every child and life touched through this unwavering commitment to patient care, every milestone celebrated, and every challenged overcome alongside our remarkable patient families. These local clinics ensure that exceptional and specialized treatment is accessible, right where our children and families need it most, all throughout the state of Texas.

The exceptional care provided inside of each of these clinics is all because of the amazing staff, nurses and physicians who have dedicated their lives to this work. The milestones and celebrations would not have been possible without their hard work. We best serve our patients and their families because of each of them. On , we celebrate you and thank you for everything you have done this holiday season!

To read more about these exciting celebrations, visit:

For many years, Cook Children’s Physician Network has remained a symbol of compassionate care, driven by growth and community service. The anniversaries of our clinics celebrates every child and life impacted through this unwavering commitment to patient care, every milestone celebrated and every ...

11/18/2025

In 2023, more than 223,000 deaths occurred in the U.S. due to preventable injuries, according to . This represents a rate 95% higher than in 1992. The message is clear — injuries are not always accidents, and with thoughtful strategy and awareness, lives can be saved.

Prevention does not have to be a long or tedious process. “You can prevent an injury and save a life by taking a few moments of your day to safe-proof your home,” said Eric Gonzalez, program manager for injury prevention at The Center for Community Health at Cook Children’s.

Every two minutes, a preventable injury-related death occurs in the U.S. Simple steps like locking up medications, placing babies in safe sleep environments, and locking and unloading fi****ms can dramatically reduce the risk of tragedy.

Cook Children's Medical Center -- Fort Worth will join health organizations across the country in shining green on Nov. 18, National Injury Prevention Day. The color symbolizes safety, health, and “all good things along life’s path,” the motto for National Injury Prevention Day. Along with this symbolic gesture, the Injury Prevention Team will offer sweet treats, educational handouts, and safety resources to families and staff across Cook Children’s Fort Worth and Prosper medical centers, as well as the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center.

To learn more, visit:

By Francesca BrownIn 2023, more than 223,000 deaths occurred in the U.S. due to preventable injuries, according to National Injury Prevention Day. This represents a rate 95% higher than in 1992. The message is clear — injuries are not always accidents, and with thoughtful strategy and awareness, l...

11/18/2025

Criar a un niño puede generar muchas preguntas, especialmente cuando se trata de su salud y bienestar. El tema de las vacunas puede despertar mucha conversación y curiosidad entre los padres. Nuestra prioridad es proporcionar a los padres y cuidadores información clara y confiable. Por ello, le pedimos a la Dra. Laura Romano, médico hospitalista en Cook Children’s, que compartiera las 10 preguntas más frecuentes que recibe de las familias.

Deslice aquí para obtener más información. https://tinyurl.com/2ssufsxv

11/18/2025

Raising a child can come with a lot of questions, especially when it comes to their health and well-being. Vaccines, in particular, often spark a lot of conversation and curiosity among parents. It’s our priority to provide parents and caregivers with clear, reliable guidance. That’s why we asked Laura Romano, D.O., a hospitalist at Cook Children’s, to share the top 10 questions she receives from families.

To learn more, visit: https://tinyurl.com/36ba6xzt

11/14/2025

Two years ago today, on November 14, 2023, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the neighborhood health center in the Las Vegas Trail community! On August 5 of this year, the new neighborhood health center opened its doors, bringing a fresh wave of safety, health and nutrition resources to Las Vegas Trail residents.

The center is a first-of-its-kind partnership between JPS Health Network, Cook Children’s Health Care System, The City of Fort Worth, LVTRise and WestAid. More than just a clinic, it serves as a health care hub, connecting individuals and families to services that support every facet of well-being, from personal safety and medical care to food security, financial stability, and strong family foundations.

In the first month of being open, Cook Children’s had 929 visits at this neighborhood health center. Of those 929, 371 are new patients and 74 are newborns. We are excited to have already met and served so many in the community!

To read more about the ribbon cutting on August 5, visit: https://tinyurl.com/yvdt7uz4

11/12/2025

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program are investigating a multistate outbreak of 15 infant botulism cases, including two in Texas. Nationally, 84 cases of infant botulism have been reported since August 2025.

Infant botulism is an illness caused by ingesting Clostridium botulinum spores or toxins that attack the nervous system. Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s, explains that infant formula has not been shown to cause infant botulism previously, noting this is the first time.

“Preliminary testing reveals the possible identification of Clostridium botulinum in one of the cans of formula, with confirmation still pending,” said Dr. Whitworth.

The CDPH Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program (IBTPP) reported an increase in botulism type A infections among infants consuming ByHeart powdered infant formula from August 2025 to November 2025. All 15 cases included in this outbreak are reported to have consumed ByHeart brand powdered infant formula.

The FDA notified ByHeart on Nov. 7, and the company announced Tuesday, Nov. 11, a voluntary recall of all ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula and single-serve Anywhere Pack™ sticks.

To learn more, visit: https://tinyurl.com/mvd6skvj

La FDA y La CDC junto con el Programa de Prevención y Tratamiento del Botulismo Infantil del Departamento de Salud Pública de California están investigando un brote multiestatal de 13 casos de botulismo infantil, incluidos dos en Texas. ByHeart amplió su retiro voluntario de productos el 11 de noviembre a todos los productos de la fórmula infantil ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula y single-serve Anywhere Pack™ sticks.

Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., directora médica de Enfermedades Infecciosas en Cook Children’s, explica lo que padres debe saber. https://tinyurl.com/mtejsw9s

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program are investigating a multistate outbreak of 15 infant botulism cases, including two in Texas. Na...