Ochsner Children's

11/19/2024

We are proud to welcome Mackenzie Soderstrum, MD, to Ochsner Health. Dr. Soderstrum is a pediatrician at Ochsner Children’s Health Center – New Orleans.

Dr. Soderstrum is a native New Orleanian. She received her undergraduate degree in medicine, health and society from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She attended medical school at Louisiana State University School of Medicine – New Orleans and completed her pediatric residency training at The University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

“I have a passion for preventative medicine, population health and child advocacy,” Dr. Soderstrum said. “I love being able to make my patients feel better when they’re sick, but I love it even more if I’m able to keep them healthy and prevent illnesses in the first place.”

When she’s not taking care of patients, Dr. Soderstrum enjoys going to local festivals and spending time with her husband and young daughter, often taking long walks in City Park with their two dogs.

“I am excited to be back home and get involved in efforts to make our local community healthier one child at a time,” Dr. Soderstrum said.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Soderstrum to Ochsner Health!

Learn more about Dr. Soderstrum here: https://www.ochsner.org/doctors/mackenzie-soderstrum-md.

Learn more about pediatrics at Ochsner Children’s here: https://www.ochsner.org/services/pediatrics.

Mackenzie Soderstrum, MD, specializes in Pediatrics at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, LA

11/18/2024

Ochsner Children's is excited to announce the arrival of our new Chief Executive Officer, Dana Bledsoe. Bledsoe will begin on Nov. 18, 2024.

“Welcoming Dana to the Ochsner Children’s team perfectly aligns with our mission to deliver unmatched healthcare to our youngest patients,” said Vincent “Butch” Adolph, MD, chief medical officer for Ochsner Children’s. “Under Dana’s leadership, we will continue to build upon our successes, ensuring that every child receives the highest quality of care available.”

For over three decades, Bledsoe has proven her outstanding leadership abilities at various healthcare facilities nationwide. She began her career as a nurse at Children's Hospital in Denver. Over the years, she’s held pivotal roles at renowned institutions, including the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Texas Children's Hospital, and CHOC Children’s in Orange County, California.

"As I join the great team at Ochsner Children’s, I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to lead in a field that has long been my passion,” stated Bledsoe. “Pediatrics is not just about treating young patients; it’s about nurturing their dreams, supporting their families, and creating a healthier future for them. My journey from nurse to CEO has been guided by the countless moments shared with children and their families, where every encounter strengthened my commitment to this mission. I am confident that we will continue to build a compassionate and innovative environment at Ochsner Children’s, where every child can thrive."

With Bledsoe at the helm, Ochsner Children's continues its focus on the success of its nationally ranked programs and increased access to high-quality pediatric healthcare for the Gulf South.

Please join us in congratulating Dana Bledsoe on her new role and welcoming her to the Ochsner Health family!

Read more here: https://news.ochsner.org/news-releases/ochsner-childrens-announces-new-ceo-dana-bledsoe.

Learn more about pediatrics at Ochsner Children's here: https://www.ochsner.org/services/pediatrics.

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11/14/2024

Ollie stopped by Ochsner Health Center - Gonzales and got his flu shot and a check-up, and now he's ready for flu season!

Are you ready for flu season?

Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting your shot today. It’s a quick and easy way to stay healthy all season long.

For more information on how to get your flu shot at Ochsner, please visit: https://www.ochsner.org/health-resources/flu-shots.

11/12/2024

Has your child or family been hit with the stomach flu? Here's everything you need to know about the stomach flu in 2024, from symptoms to treatment.

Norovirus, which causes the stomach flu, is highly contagious, and cases are on the rise. Here’s how to stay healthy.

10/31/2024

Ochsner Children’s Child Life department hosted their annual pediatric fall parade on Thursday, Oct. 31, to celebrate and bring joy and treats to our pediatric patients during the Halloween and fall season! 👻

Pictured are some of our incredible Ochsner Children’s staff, patients and parents dressed up and ready to celebrate.

The krewe rolled throughout the hospital while our patients cheered and caught candy, stuffed animals and toys before making their way to the Winter Garden to continue the fun.

Everyone had smiles on their faces. It was such a great day!

Thank you to everyone who donated items for the parade and to the incredible team at Ochsner Children’s for organizing such a fun day for our patients and their families.

Happy Halloween! 🎃

Learn more about pediatrics at Ochsner Children’s here: https://ow.ly/C5WC50TXw3S.

10/31/2024

Trick-or-treating can be stressful for parents who have kids with allergies, food sensitivities or intolerances.

Molly Kimball, RD, shares some Halloween goodies that are allergy friendly for the health-conscious parents so their kids (and other kids with allergies) can enjoy the holiday, too.

https://blog.ochsner.org/articles/allergy-free-halloween

You can hand out all kinds of fun surprises that aren't candy for Halloween!

10/30/2024

Today for Week, we are extending our gratitude to Caroline Handy! Caroline is a child life specialist at Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans, where she helps children and their family members minimize stress associated with the healthcare experience.

Thank you to Caroline and all of our child life specialists for giving kids tools to reduce fear and anxiety and supporting their individuality, strengths and mechanisms for coping.

10/29/2024

Gearing up for trick-or-treating but hoping to find some healthier options? Molly Kimball, RD, shares some of her Halloween favs with cleaner ingredients and less sugar.

https://blog.ochsner.org/articles/halloween-treats-best-worst-picks

Here are a few fun ideas for well-priced Halloween options that parents can actually feel good about.

10/24/2024

Thank you to New Orleans Mom for spotlighting Summer Vinet, mother of Ochsner Children's pediatric oncology patient Autumn and her journey with Osteosarcoma.

Summer wrote a first-hand account of her experience navigating her daughter's diagnosis and the power of her unwavering strength and collective support from her care team at Ochsner Children's Hospital.

Read the full story here: https://neworleansmom.com/sponsored/a-mothers-experience-supporting-her-daughters-journey-with-osteosarcoma/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGHlsxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHW-IUOH-sl2-N1tPe3cK30Y7al5mm4MMvZT8LVHxaCKAQ0e1sk85s68kyQ_aem_x3yFsl-OtGIW7qb-nsQEsQ.

"On Sept. 8, 2023, we realized something serious was happening when my daughter Autumn started to feel pain in her right ankle. We thought it might be an old softball injury, but her doctor at Ochsner Children’s suggested an X-ray to be sure. It was a shock when they found what looked to be a “suspicious osteogenic sarcoma”. This led to many visits at Ochsner Children's Hospital, and by the end of September, we learned Autumn had a type of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma in her right ankle."

Read more :: {https://bit.ly/3BYgC76}.

10/24/2024

We had such a great time at our annual Say Boo to the Flu trunk-or-treat event on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Ochsner Children's Health Center - New Orleans! 👻

More than 100 kids received their flu vaccine before heading out to trick-or-treat.

Thank you to our incredible pediatrics team for organizing this event and for showing up and showing out with your creativity skills! The trunks and costumes were incredible, and everyone had a spooktacular time!

Happy (almost) Halloween!

Flu shots are available at Ochsner for people ages 6 months and older. Learn more about scheduling your flu shot here: https://www.ochsner.org/health-resources/flu-shots.

10/15/2024

What does it mean being No. 1? Providing kids in our community with the highest quality of care – close to home.

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Ochsner Children's Hospital gathered to celebrate the recent U.S. News & World Report announcement that ranked Ochsner Children’s Hospital as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana.

Ochsner Children’s Hospital ranked in three specialties: Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, and Orthopedics.

“This is a testament to the great work of Dr. Ben Peeler, Dr. Sam Lucas, Dr. Thomas Young and their dedicated pediatric cardiology and heart surgery teams,” Pediatrics System Chair at Ochsner Health William Lennarz, MD, said. “Dr. Ryan Himes, the entire GI team, as well as the pediatric transplant and surgery teams. And our orthopedic teams led by Dr. Lawrence Haber.”

With more than 100,000 patients cared for every year across 30 specialties and more than 200 pediatric physicians on staff, Ochsner Children’s is proud to lead the way in kids’ care in Louisiana and across the Gulf South – and we’re just getting started.

“The continued recognition of Ochsner Children’s Hospital as Louisiana’s No. 1 hospital for kids by U.S. News & World Report is an incredible – and rare – honor and testament to the dedication of our physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and other clinicians who provide exceptional care every day,” said Dr. Robert Hart, chief physician executive for Ochsner Health. “What a joy it is to watch great healthcare professionals achieve such great results and recognition.”

We are proud to care for the children in our community and beyond now and for many years to come. 💙

Learn more about Ochsner Children’s here: https://www.ochsner.org/services/pediatrics.

10/10/2024

What does it mean to be No. 1? Knowing your child’s care team has their back and loves what they do. 😊

Pediatric nurses at Ochsner Children’s are celebrating Ochsner Children’s Hospital being the No. 1 ranked hospital for kids in Louisiana – and you should, too!

With more than 100,000 pediatric patients cared for every year, our dedicated team of nurses are helping to expand our pediatric programs and increase access to high quality care for more kids. And we’re just getting started.

Happy Pediatric Nurses Week!

Special shout-out to the following nurses who spoke about why they love being a nurse at Ochsner Children’s:

Tressan Hinton, RN
Catherine Street, RN
Erin Banks, LPN
Makayla Graham, RN
Meghan Ursin, LPN
Stephanie Fried, RN
Nancy Acosta, RN

To learn more about our new home for Ochsner Children’s, please visit https://www.ochsner.org/newhomeforpediatrics.

10/10/2024

In December, we announced plans for a new home for the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana, which will allow us to provide more kids in our community with the highest quality of care – closer to home.

This year, U.S. News & World Report named Ochsner Children’s Hospital the Best Children’s Hospital in Louisiana and among the top 50 in the country.

Ochsner Children's is a trusted leader in heart care, orthopedic care and GI care for kids. We are proud to care for the children in our community and beyond now and for many years to come.

To learn more about Ochsner Children’s, please visit https://digital.ochsner.org/childrens/.

10/09/2024

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, Ochsner Children's pediatric oncology patient Cecilio celebrated his No Mo Chemo party at our pediatric hematology/oncology clinic!

And to add even more excitement to the day, New Orleans Saints player Johnathan Abram surprised Cecilio with a brand-new bike and helmet as an early birthday gift after learning that he’s been unable to ride a bike due to cancer treatment. But now that treatment is complete, he can. 😊

We’re so proud of you, Cecilio! Way to go!

Special thanks to Johnathan Abram for the generous gift, support for our pediatric patients and for bringing such fun energy to a wonderful celebration.

Ochsner is proud to be the Official Healthcare Provider of the New Orleans Saints and support our community together. 💙

10/08/2024

New Orleans Saints linebacker D’Marco Jackson congratulates Ochsner Children's Hospital for ranking as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for four consecutive years. by U.S. News & World Report.

Thank you, D’Marco! We’re honored to receive this recognition and shout-out! 😊

Learn more about Ochsner Children’s here: https://www.ochsner.org/services/pediatrics.