Empowering Families through Mental Health Conversations
Raising Joy podcast hits milestone
In 2021, a surge in suicide attempts among children and teens was a call to action for Cook Children’s Health Care System.
In March of that year, a record 43 patients were admitted to Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth after attempting suicide. This staggering figure was nearly double the number of suicidal patients seen previously. Even worse, kids were dying.
In 2020, Cook Children’s recorded seven suicide deaths, marking the first time suicide was the leading cause of trauma deaths at the hospital, surpassing child abuse and car wrecks.
“We started the journey back in 2021, when we were seeing the devastating increases in kids and teens trying to take their own lives,” said Wini King, co-host, executive producer, and Chief of Communications and Employee Connections at Cook Children’s.
The Joy Campaign was launched as a suicide prevention communication initiative. Joy, an acronym, reminds us all to ‘Just Breathe,’ ‘Open Up,’ and ‘You Matter.’
After a year of articles, media interviews, and speaker requests from the public, the Joy Campaign grew into the Raising Joy podcast. Feb.11 marks the 100th episode.
Hosted by King and Kristen Pyrc, M.D., medical director of outpatient psychiatry at Cook Children’s. The podcast tackles tough topics like depression, anxiety, stress, bullying, and social media.
Dr. Pyrc recalls treating patients as young as 6 and 7 for suicide attempts.
Anecdotal stories like this one are backed up by data collected through Cook Children’s Emergency Department (ED). In 2022, more than 30,000 patients in the ED, aged 8 and up, were screened using the Ask Suicide Questions (ASQ) tool. The results were alarming. Six hundred and forty kids screened positive for suicide risk and a crisis contact information sheet was provided to more than 2,000 families.
Dr. Pyrc and King recall seeing the shocking data.
“It was right here in our very backyard, in front of our very eyes,” said King. “It was a lot.”
Hard conversations
Three years later, the Raising Joy podcast has listeners in 60 countries and more than 23,000 downloads.
King and Dr. Pyrc interview medical professionals and families who share their personal experiences. They both say those personal stories have been the most impactful.
“We have had a lot of people who lost babies, who are taking care of catastrophically ill babies, but still manage to smile, encourage and inspire,” King explained.
Dr. Pyrc adds some of her favorite episodes have been speaking to teens, and hearing their insights.
While the goal is to make a difference in the community, Dr. Pyrc shared that these conversations have also impacted her parenting.
One of her most memorable guests was Brad Hunstable, a Fort Worth father who lost his son Hayden to suicide just four days shy of his 13th birthday. Hunstable was one of the first people to open up and share his story for the Joy Campaign. He later appeared as a guest on Raising Joy.
“That was very impactful for me, and it changed more how I parent than how I practice being a psychiatrist,” explained Dr. Pyrc.
She shared how this episode impacted her conversations with her kids, especially when they are sad or seem down. Dr. Pyrc emphasized the importance of open communication and nonjudgmental responses to children’s questions.
“I do not want a child ever to think that there is anything that they can do or say, that would justify them having to think, ‘I need to because my mom or dad are disappointed,’” King said.
While the conversation around mental health has increased since 2021, the need for resources continues to rise.
In 2023, Cook Children’s screened more than 32,000 patients in the ED with the ASQ tool. Of those, 713 screened positive for suicide risk and a crisis contact information sheet was provided for 2,221 kids struggling with sadness and worry. Twenty-four children were suicidal but were visiting the ED for a different medical complaint.
While 2024 data is still being compiled, Dr. Pyrc and King continue to focus on informing and educating the public about mental health. King hopes that parents can relate and find solace in their own experiences by hearing from others.
“Hearing the incredible life experiences of others helps you understand your circumstances are not impossible,” King said.
Raising Joy has inspired many parents and families across the world to be more open about their mental health needs and how to seek guidance. Listen to the amazing guests and stories on Apple Podcast or Spotify here.
About Cook Children's
Cook Children’s is more than a health care system: we strive to be an extension of your family, growing with your child from their first steps to adulthood. By collaborating to deliver on our Promise—to improve the well-being of every child in our care and our communities, we connect the dots for our patients. Between primary and specialty. Between home and medical home. Between short-term care and long-term health.
Based in Fort Worth, Texas, we’re 10,000+ dedicated team members strong, passionately caring for over 2 million patient encounters each year. Our integrated, not-for-profit organization spans two medical centers (including our state-of-the-art location in Prosper), two surgery centers, a physician network, home health services, and a health plan. It also includesthe Child Study Center at Cook Children's, Cook Children's Health Services Inc., and Cook Children's Health Foundation. In 2024, Forbes named Cook Children’s the top health care employer in the U.S., and third on the list of ‘America’s Best Large Employers.’
And our impact extends beyond the borders of Texas. We proudly treat children from virtually every state in the nation and 32 countries. By seeing the world through the eyes of children and their families from all backgrounds, we’re able to shape health care suited to them: connected by kindness, imagination, and respect—with an extra dose of magical wonder.
Discover more at cookchildrens.org.
