Articles tagged with 'cook children's' | Checkup Newsroom

If you’ve been near Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth’s campus for the last few months, you know that the pediatric health system is busy building. The lane closures, orange traffic cones and metal cranes stretching above the blue peaks …

Through every hurdle, side by side,A subtle strength takes root.It’s found in every supportive smileAnd every brave pursuit.It’s the anchor guiding the way,A heart so proud and true—The hope at Cook Children’sStarts with fathers like you.

By Ashley Pagenkopf, MS, CCLS, Child Life Specialist at Cook Children'sThe summer is gearing up, and camps have already begun! For some Cook Children’s patients, the joys and anticipation of camp are dancing through their minds. Camp is …

Ricky Morris is dedicated to the Cook Children’s promise not just at work, but in every aspect of his life. In honor of Nurse's Week, we are sharing Ricky’s story and how he embodies our values inside and outside of Cook Children’s …

Welcoming a newborn is a life-changing experience, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. This is why several Cook Children’s Primary Care offices are now offering free newborn classes for new and expecting parents.Tina Manshadi, M.D. from Cook …

Each year, the Cook Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hosts a reunion for patients and families who were cared for in our NICU. It's an opportunity for the care teams and families to connect and see how much these babies have grown …

At 8 years old, a child should focus on fun with friends and family, learning and reading, climbing jungle gyms and playing with toys. What a child should not have to endure is what George Morford had to go through, beginning in February 2025.Each …

Meet EvalynFour-year-old Evalyn Scuderi is like any other toddler: she loves Moana, lights, music, swimming and being hugged. Vivacious Evalyn is one of many patients at Cook Children’s born with a rare disease.She was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, …

One inch of water – that is all it takes for a child to drown. In 2025, Cook Children’s treated seven children who drowned in bathtubs, and one passed away.Surfer Bethany Hamilton knows the pain of losing a loved one to a bathtub drowning. Fifteen …

As another year winds down, we want to revisit a few of the 2025 headlines that demonstrate the values we prioritize at Cook Children’s. Those values -- kindness, collaboration, imagination, respect, safety and generosity --- happen in big and small …

After hours and hours behind the microphone recording incredible stories of hope and resilience, Cook Children’s Raising Joy Podcast is posting its final episode. And it is ending right where it got started: with a conversation with our very first …

Cowboys, high-fives and holiday cheer!It was a very Merry Cowboys Christmas this morning! The Dallas Cowboys stopped by for their annual visit with Cook Children's patients on Dec. 8, 2025. Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients …

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 …

Happy Halloween from all of us at Cook Children’s! We're excited to share some of the fun and spooky happenings from this week. We had a spook-tacular time celebrating in many ways:Pumpkin Painting Patient Event: On Wednesday, our patients in …

By Caroline DenningHave you ever spotted a furry friend in the halls of Cook Children’s? Chances are, it is one of Cook Children’s many animal-assisted therapy dogs.Skylar (Sky) Runnels, patient care technician and medical assistant at Cook …

Advanced Practice Providers (APP) are integral members of the health care team that promote and support the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective care here at Cook Children’s. What does that encompass? APPs consist of all types of …

Not even the Grinch can resist a little Christmas magic in July! Cook Children's patients and families experienced holiday cheer this week with our annual “Christmas in July” festivities.On Wednesday, Santa visited Cook Children's Medical …

By Tahnae Allen, Ph.D., Pediatric Neuropsychologist at Cook Children’s In January 2025, a close friend of mine experienced the devastating loss of her 5-year-old son, Harvey, due to complications from a congenital heart defect. Watching her …

By Ashley AntleCook Children’s Neuroscience Research Center, led by Christos Papadelis, PhD, is the recipient of a $50,000 research grant funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Pediatric Rehabilitation Resource …

Playful themes brought smiles to patients' faces at the Bed Pan Open miniature golf tournament held Tuesday morning at the Atrium of Cook Children's Medical Center - Fort Worth.Patients and families putted their way through four whimsical …

By: Rick W. Merrill, President & CEO, Cook Children’s Health Care System Imagine being forced to forfeit a local, trusted resource that serves as your medically fragile child’s lifeline to out-of-state strangers for no good reason at all. That …

Easter came early to Cook Children's Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper. Patients and their siblings participated in our variety of festive activities at our vibrant Easter wonderlands.Colorful Easter eggs were hidden throughout the Medical …

Thirteen-year-old Zoe Saldana was recently named an honorary member of the Fort Worth Police Department, but unfortunately, a hospital stay prevented her from attending her official swearing-in ceremony.On Wednesday, April 16, several officers …

As part of our efforts to protect Cook Children's Health Plan members, Rick Merrill, President and CEO of Cook Children's Health Care System, wrote an op-ed to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram highlighting two proposed bills that offer a ray of hope. He …

In this episode of Untold: The Stories of Cook Children’s, we sit down with Megan Chavez, Assistant Vice President for the Cook Children's Experience, to explore the deeply personal and evolving world of patient experience. Megan shares her journey …

Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., division chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s, spoke with the Dallas Morning News to discuss how Cook Children’s will be ready if measles spreads to North Texas.Cook Children’s has six …

In this episode of Untold: The Stories of Cook Children's, we dive into the fascinating world of pediatric neurology with Scott Perry, M.D., head of Neurosciences and director of the Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health at Cook Children's. …

Physicians dedicate their lives to healing others, but what happens when the healers themselves are struggling? In this episode of Untold: The Stories of Cook Children's, we sit down with Kirk Pinto, M.D. and Sara Garza, M.D., the passionate voices …

As the measles outbreak in West Texas continues to grow, North Texas doctors say they’re fielding a growing number of questions from concerned parents.Alice Phillips, M.D., medical director for Abulatory Quality at Cook Children’s, said families can …

As state health officials monitor the current outbreak of measles in West Texas, Julee Morrow, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Southwest, recalls treating kids in the early 90s when a large measles outbreak happened in …