Hunter Ezernack, an 11-year-old from Louisiana, comes to Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth for health care … and for haircuts. Hunter is nonverbal and diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. At other hair salons, he tends to kick and scream. But Jasmine Villarreal, manager and stylist at Cook Children’s Mirror Mirror, knows how to put Hunter at ease. Jasmine has some tricks up her sleeve – shielding his wheelchair with a plastic drape, giving Hunter combs to play with, and soothing him with the hum of the hair dryer. Jasmine says appointments for kids like Hunter might take a little longer than normal. But it’s fulfilling when stylists can make children feel safe and a little pampered.

“I want them to be able to come here and feel special,” Jasmine said. “We see kids with all different situations. We’re not scared. We welcome them.” 

Groundbreaking Technique Offers Breathing Relief to Athletes

Despite being in great shape, a 13-year-old athlete experienced chest pain and trouble catching her breath during exercise. Pulmonologist John Robertson, M.D. and his colleagues at the Cook Children’s Exercise Respiratory Center in Prosper put Jessye Tout on a treadmill to find out whether it was her voice box or her windpipe causing the discomfort. With a camera through Jessye’s nose and her feet pounding the treadmill, the team was able to take an in-depth look at her breathing capabilities while the symptoms occurred.

That technique performed in Prosper is believed to be the world's first continuous bronchoscopy during exercise (CBE) on a pediatric patient. “The groundbreaking part of our CBE is that it was done in a pediatric patient. So far, all of the published medical literature on the subject has been done in adults,” Dr. Robertson said.

The findings? Jessye needed speech therapy to help prevent her voice box from closing while she exercised. Jessye could get back to playing the sports she loves.

The Cook Children’s Promise Begins Before Birth

The critical mission of the Cook Children’s Health Plan (CCPN) and its 400 dedicated employees drew statewide attention in the spring. CCPN serves 125,000 children in North Texas, along with pregnant women who are CCPN members. Under the health plan, each high-risk pregnancy is assigned a maternity case manager like Chrystal Bryant. Chrystal checks in regularly to make sure her clients have prenatal care, nutrition, transportation to appointments and other resources.

“Cook Children’s Health Plan is committed to ensuring that all children in our community are safe and healthy, and that begins at conception,” Chrystal said.

"She's concerned about the baby, but she's also concerned about me," said first-time mom Shaquerial Evans.

When the two women met in person for the first time, after speaking over the phone for months, they hugged and talked like old friends. For Shaquerial, Chrystal was a source of encouragement and a shoulder to lean on. 

Let the Sunshine In: Cook Children's Advances Legacy of Healing and Hope with New Patient Tower

Several patients and Peaks the Dragon helped shovel dirt in May when Cook Children’s broke ground on a 760,000-square-foot tower at Medical Center – Fort Worth. Construction is expected to take five years on what’s being called, for now, the West Tower. Planning the West Tower is a collaboration involving staff, patients and the design and construction teams. The addition will include two dedicated cardiovascular operating rooms, paving the way for heart transplants. The West Tower also will create more space for medical research and expansion of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

“This groundbreaking of the West Tower is not just the laying of concrete and steel. It is a powerful continuation of the pioneering spirit,” said Rick Merrill, president and CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System. “It is a tangible manifestation of our enduring commitment to the future, a bold step driven by the same courage and vision that defined Fort Worth from its earliest days.”

Here’s to the generous investment and forward thinking that ensures Cook Children’s will continue to meet the needs of our growing population in the Metroplex.  

Nelson Ku High Risk Asthma Clinic Provides Hope and Help to Families

Before an asthma attack gets severe enough to require a trip to the hospital or Urgent Care, there’s a multidisciplinary team at Cook Children’s taking proactive steps to prevent asthma from flaring up. Cook Children’s opened the Nelson Ku High Risk Asthma Clinic in May to address needs in a clinical setting and through community education. Upon referral, patients come in for evaluation by respiratory therapists and pulmonology clinicians. Child Life specialists introduce patients to the doll Asthma Abby to demonstrate how the lungs work. The goal is to reduce hospitalizations by helping patients recognize their asthma triggers so that families can manage the symptoms before they escalate.

“Sometimes a patient is in the hospital a lot because they have bad asthma, but sometimes it's because they don’t have access to their medications for a variety of reasons, or they don’t understand why they need their medications or how to use them correctly,” said Kate DeVore, LCSW, Case Management Social Work Team Lead.

A New Beginning Takes Flight: Inside the Landmark Collaboration Bringing Las Vegas Trail a One-of-a-Kind Community Health Care Hub

A partnership like none other launched this summer, bringing a comprehensive infusion of safety, health and nutrition resources to the residents of Las Vegas Trail (LVT) in west Fort Worth. The neighborhood health center serving the LVT area officially opened its doors in August with a ribbon cutting that included high school band members and cheerleaders. The center is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between JPS Health Network, Cook Children’s Health Care System, the City of Fort Worth, LVTRise and WestAid. Cook Children’s provides well-child checks, sick care, childhood immunizations, pediatric behavioral health care, food and nutrition education, and assistance navigating the health care system and community resources. Visitors can also find workforce development, a food bank, demonstration kitchen and police storefront on site. 

“This project represents a major strategic investment in the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, demonstrating our commitment to this vital part of our community,” said Mayor Mattie Parker. “We are establishing a best practice here, and Fort Worth’s innovative approach will be a model for other cities.”

More than just a clinic, this health care hub connects individuals and families to conveniently located services that support every facet of well-being, from safety and medical care to food security, financial stability and strong family foundations. 

Creative Community: Neighbors Pitch in to Paint Mural at Neighborhood Health Center in Las Vegas Trail

Giant butterflies, flowers and children’s handprints embellish the outdoor mural that greets visitors to the neighborhood health hub serving the Las Vegas Trail community. Kids and adults who live nearby were invited to help paint the mural, giving them a sense of ownership in the project and a way to make their mark on the 3.7-acre campus. In the planning stages, Cook Children’s asked local children for input on the mural design and the art inside the building. Those voices were heard. Las Vegas Trail families can proudly say they helped create a beautiful and vibrant work of art, fostering a sense of belonging and community engagement in the process.

“In everything we do, we put the patient first,” said Veronica Tolley, vice president of Cook Children’s Primary Care & Specialty Services. “This is another example of that, by kids bringing their imagination to a project that’s already been very innovative.”

The mural, which measures 50 feet long and 11 feet high, gives a friendly welcome to guests who pull into the parking lot. It stands as a giant symbol of hope and making connections to one another.

Community Health Team Connects Residents to Resources

Fifty-five families that once struggled with homelessness now live at a Fort Worth affordable housing complex where the Cook Children’s Center for Community Health sets them up to thrive. Casa de los Sueños offers residents much more than a roof over their heads. When they moved in, the center welcomed residents with cookware, air purifiers, pack ‘n plays and other items geared to prevent injury and promote health. To help meet ongoing needs in a pinch, families have access to a diaper closet and emergency food pantry. The center even provided toys that foster child development, sparking joy for the kids. 

“We continue to support these families on their climb out of the situation that they were previously in,” said Lenee Bassham, MSSW director of Child Safety in the Center for Community Health. “We want to surround them with the resources they need to succeed.”

Tackling big challenges like homelessness takes an ongoing commitment to build relationships and trust. Initiatives and generous donations at Casa de los Sueños hit the target for practical solutions and respect for the dignity of residents.

CCMC- Prosper opens NICU

Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper opened a state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in September, bringing specialized care to the smallest and most vulnerable babies. The Prosper NICU marks a milestone because it’s the first NICU contained in a children’s hospital in the rapidly growing region of North Texas around Prosper. Patients in the new NICU receive expert care from multidisciplinary pediatric experts, led by neurologists. Comfort, privacy and convenience of families were considered in every aspect of the design. For instance, the oversized NICU rooms are built thoughtfully with features like extra cabinetry for storage and sleep spaces for parents when they want to stay overnight. A bedside camera system allows parents to see their babies via an app when they’re away.

"Our new NICU is a promise to families that their children will receive expert, compassionate care without having to leave their community," said Kevin Greene, President of Cook Children's Medical Center - Prosper. "With each investment we make into our medical center and in our outpatient clinics, we are building a foundation for exceptional pediatric care close to home."

Home Health Goes the Extra Mile

Cook Children’s Home Health celebrated its 25^th anniversary in September, marking a quarter century of care for patients in their own homes.  What started as a single location in Fort Worth has grown to satellite sites in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. Services include nursing, rehab, respiratory therapy, pharmacy infusion and injectable services, custom mobility, orthotics and prosthetics as well as durable medical equipment and supply services. Our Home Health team brings life-changing care directly to patients like Vivianna Madera, whose new robotic arm improves her mobility and independence.

“My favorite part of working at Home Health is getting to be creative within my position and seeing the results firsthand how our Custom Mobility department helps the families that we serve,” said Joel Murray, custom mobility technician. “The Assisted Technology Professionals and technicians on our team are incredible human beings who are here to help people have better lives.”  

Brother's Bone Marrow Cures Sister's Sickle Cell Disease

The Johnson family, who live in Killeen, found kindness and the skilled care Anyah needed at the Cook Children’s Sickle Cell Program. Now Anyah and her brother Cobus share a unique bond: identical blood and immune systems. That’s because doctors at Cook Children’s infused a small portion of Cobus’ bone marrow into Anyah so that she could make healthy red blood cells. That stem cell transplant cured her sickle cell disease. As the matched sibling donor, Cobus felt supported too.

Gretchen Eames, M.D., Medical Director of the Cook Children’s Stem Cell Transplant Program, said the team looks out for the entire family during the transplant process. “It’s a very big deal, very serious therapy, but the success rate is very high,” Dr. Eames said. “And if we can get a patient to be pain free, not needing transfusions, now they have a healthy outlook for the rest of their life.”

Cook Children's Medical Center Fort Worth Achieves Fifth Magnet Designation

Congratulations to the nurses at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth, which celebrated its fifth consecutive Magnet® designation from the American Nursing Credentialing Center. Earning that designation for a fifth time puts our Fort Worth medical center in the elite company of fewer than 2% of hospitals in the nation. When the announcement was made in November, we learned that our medical center actually exceeded the benchmarks to achieve Magnet with Distinction^TM. The Magnet® Recognition Program is the gold standard in nursing excellence and validation of high-quality patient outcomes.

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

Bravo to the Magnet Champion Team who spent months preparing for a site visit so that appraisers could see examples of nursing excellence, innovation, leadership and compassion across all units and departments.

Journey to a Lifetime of Helping Others

Dr. Rao attended medical school in India where she met her husband. In 1980, the couple moved to the United States, and Dr. Rao completed her residency at University of Illinois before moving to Texas. She worked at Kaiser for eight years and admitted many patients to Cook Children’s. At the time, most Medicaid patients did not have a primary care physician, so all physicians were on call. 

“When we discharged patients, we didn’t have anywhere to send them for the follow-up care they needed,” Dr. Rao said. “The neighborhood health centers that Cook Children’s started have been a meaningful addition to help us continue caring for children and families close to home.”

In 1996, Dr. Rao worked in the first Cook Children’s neighborhood health center – a 500-square-foot mobile building on a playground. 

“We have come a long way since then with nine neighborhood health centers serving the underserved,” Dr. Rao said.

A Passion for Preventive Care

Dr. Rao was determined to work at the neighborhood health center, ensuring every patient had a primary care home and referrals to specialists. She promoted immunizations, well checkups and other issues like mental health or speech therapy. 

“The neighborhood health centers serve as a patient’s home for treatment of existing conditions and preventive care,” Dr. Rao said. “The goal is to pick up on any problems early on instead of waiting until they have to visit an Emergency Department or Urgent Care.” 

One of the ways Dr. Rao focused on preventive care was taking a special interest in supporting children with obesity. At the time, nutritionists did not work with kids, so Dr. Rao stepped in to fill that gap. One of her patients who struggled with obesity visited the neighborhood health center every two weeks, and she made a personalized meal plan to help him make healthier choices. At 16 years old, it was time for him to transfer to another doctor due to his age. Dr. Rao will never forget the last conversation with his mom. 

“The patient’s mom said she appreciated my effort to personally meet with him so often, and it meant a lot to me,” Dr. Rao said. “It was heartwarming to hear that he benefited from it.”

Advances in Modern Medicine

Throughout her 29-year career at Cook Children’s, Dr. Rao has seen many advancements such as the change from paper to electronic records. Dr. Rao said EPIC is linked to specialists, Emergency Department and Urgent Care visits which allow for continuity of care as pediatricians are able to look up labs and imaging. 

She has also seen a difference in common diagnoses due to immunizations. 
“People don’t realize how much immunizations have helped,” Dr. Rao said. “When I started as a resident, meningitis was the most common reason for hospital admissions. Tetanus, measles and chickenpox were also prevalent childhood diseases. My hope for the future is that the immunization schedule will stay the same.”

Looking to the Future

Dr. Rao is thankful for the Cook Children’s vision to open the neighborhood health centers and sees it as the hospital’s ongoing legacy. She said the training and advancements at the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center will have a far-reaching impact.

The Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center features services such as counselors, social workers, and speech therapists. The new space also allows families to take part in hands-on learning, including kitchen demonstrations where they prepare healthy meals together. 

“Having onsite specialists makes a big difference as there is no delay in treatment,” Dr. Rao said.

A Mother’s Insight

As a mother of two children, Dr. Rao understands that some challenges children face go beyond parenting and require compassionate care to help each child thrive. 

“I was able to pick up on problems with other kids that came from my own experience as a mom,” Dr. Rao said. “It is not just the home situation that makes them who they are. They come with their own personalities and there is no guidebook.” 

Dr. Rao said one of the most rewarding experiences is when former patients bring their own children to see her – a full circle moment. 

A Legacy of Serving the Underserved 

Dr. Rao retired in October. She is looking forward to continuing to serve the underserved through volunteering. 

Above all, Dr. Rao is grateful for her time at the neighborhood health centers and counts it a privilege to have cared for each of her patients. 

“I’m thankful I was able to be part of the legacy at Cook Children’s to care for the underserved.”

Join us as we delve into the lives of patients, families, staff, and physicians who are making a difference in the lives of children. From tales of resilience and hope to the unwavering dedication of healthcare professionals, “Untold” offers a glimpse into the extraordinary work happening at Cook Children's.

Listen to hear stories of:

• Patient journeys: Discover the challenges, triumphs, and resilience of children and their families.
• Staff experiences: Learn about the dedication and passion of those working on the front lines.
• Physician perspectives: Gain insights into the medical field and the challenges faced by healthcare providers.

Our first episode features the incredible story of Chelsee Greer, D.O., and her mother, Lindee. Together, they share their journey of overcoming cancer and Dr. Greer's dedication to fighting for the health of her patients as an oncologist at Cook Children's.

We join a distinguished group of past recipients, including Amon Carter, a renowned Fort Worth leader, and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

Specifically, in a quote to the Fort Worth Report our President and CEO Rick W. Merrill said: "We are deeply grateful to the Fort Worth Exchange Club and its members for recognizing Cook Children's with the prestigious Golden Deeds Award.  It does not go unnoticed that we follow in the footsteps of countless trailblazers who have defined and shaped this city.

This recognition shines a light on the incredible legacy of care we've built over the last century and inspires us to continue writing the next chapter of this story – a story fueled by compassion, expertise and community collaboration. On behalf of our 10,000 employees, thank you."

Cook Children’s Health Care System earned a top spot on Forbes America’s Best Large Employers 2024 list, debuting at No. 3 out of a lineup of 600. The rank acknowledges something we already knew — Cook Children’s is one of the best places to work among all large businesses across all industries nationwide.

Cook Children’s was also named No. 1 in the health care and social industry category among large employers on the list. View the entire list here.

Rankings are determined by a survey of thousands of Americans working for large companies defined as having more than 5,000 employees. The survey was administered by a national market research firm. Respondents remain anonymous and the companies on the list do not pay a fee to be included.

“It’s a huge honor to be recognized in this way on such a national level because it speaks directly to the culture we are working so hard to build here. One where our employees feel valued, supported and connected to our Promise, to our patients and to each other,” said Rick Merrill, Cook Children’s president and CEO. “It’s our people that make this place magical, and now the entire country is getting a glimpse of that magic.”

A number of criteria was used in the survey to evaluate companies, including working hours, gender pay equity, opportunities for training and promotion, workload expectations, parental leave benefits, the degree of diversity on the management team and whether employees would recommend the company to their friends and family, according to Forbes. 

In recent years, Cook Children’s launched a number of initiatives to promote many of these gold standards for growing a healthy and happy workforce.

Healthy and Happy Employees Lead To Excellence

Working in health care can be personally and professionally fulfilling, but it’s no secret that it can also be hard. The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on health care workers across the globe, and exposed the burnout weighing on physicians, nurses and staff. Several internal surveys and listening sessions gave us a glimpse into the burnout Cook Children’s employees at all levels of the organization were experiencing.

“Our listening strategy is an investment in our people. Honest feedback helps us discover opportunities to improve and helps bring together leaders and teams to collaborate on solutions. No matter what your role is at Cook Children’s, your well-being matters,” said Kathy McLean, Cook Children’s Vice President of Brand and Team Experience.

In response, we are making meaningful changes and developing programs that reduce stress, support employee well-being both on and off the job, and cultivate a culture where employees feel like family.

“When we use our culture to build everything – from system strategies to our day-to-day work – we can deliver care that puts our employees and the children at the forefront of everything we do,” Kathy said.

It all starts with seeing the world through the eyes of others, whether it’s patients, family or staff. This gives our team members a unique perspective on where things are working well, as well as the opportunities for growth. Our employee feedback has been the catalyst for initiatives like the Employee Resource Groups supporting the many faces and voices within our organization.

In all of our employee benefit efforts — from providing primary care and mental health counseling for staff and their families, to supporting career development through tuition reimbursement, to expanded parental leave — our goal is to connect the dots for employee well-being. We know that helps pave the way for the safe, kind, respectful, collaborative, generous and imaginative care of our patients and their families. A healthy, valued and supported workforce allows us all to deliver on our shared Promise of “Everything for the child.”

“You cannot pour from an empty cup,” Megan said. “We believe in protecting the noble profession of caring for others by protecting our staff’s well-being and allowing them the autonomy they need to bring their best self to the job. We have the honor of caring for families, often on their worst day. That can take a toll, and we recognize and support the healing needed to continue to be present for the next situation we will encounter.”

At Cook Children's, taking care of our employees is a top priority because we know that employees can serve our patient families best when they feel healthy, happy and strong. To be acknowledged of our dedication to our employees, specifically for our Healthy Me Wellness Program is outstanding.

Healthy Me is Cook Children’s voluntary employee wellness initiative to create an overall culture of health and wellness for all of our employees. The program offers a range of unique benefits available to all employees, including our onsite 24/7 fitness center called the Wellness Zone, making it convenient to incorporate exercise into everyone’s daily routine. The Wellness Zone is staffed with fitness experts who offer group exercise classes and personalized fitness assessments, enhancing the overall wellness experience. Within the last year, 47% of our employees have participated in 589,222 workouts.

Beyond physical health benefits, the Wellness Zone also plays a crucial role in supporting employees' mental well-being, with yoga classes seven days a week. The Healthy Me program also includes webinars about burnout and stress, financial planning, and healthy eating, and maintains a wellness room where employees can take a break and relax with adult coloring books, journals and other resources.

Cook Children's would not be able to provide amazing services without its employees. Very special thank you to our Healthy Me Wellness Program team for all they do to support all 9,000 employees.

“I make sure my patients are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When they get their trays, I love to see that smile so that’s what I’m there for,” Sandra told the show’s producers for a taped segment that aired during the episode.

Sandra is the lead ambassador in Food and Nutrition Services and logs 30,000 steps a day delivering meals throughout the medical center.

Live on the show, Tamron asked Sandra why she does what she does, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s just natural. I just love to do it. And joy is always in my heart, so I just love it,” Sandra said with a big smile.

Corey was also featured in a segment on the show. He said he finds joy in uplifting Cook Children’s patients and families and shared the story of a little boy who was unable to walk.

“I walked past him one time, and said ‘Hey buddy, how are you doing?’ and he smiled with a big smile and he showed me his muscles, and I said ‘I’m going to show you my muscles,’ and I showed him my muscles and said ‘You stay strong and you keep on getting strong,” Corey explained. “This kid wound up walking three months later in this hospital. That’s what drives me to keep on coming to work.”

All four Cook Children’s employees were part of the virtual audience received gifts from the show as appreciation for their commitment to serving throughout the pandemic.

“Congratulations. You’ve been chosen to be the mother of a beautiful baby girl.”

Excited. Shocked. Joyful. Overwhelmed. I imagine most people would have similar feelings upon hearing those words, especially when just 48 hours earlier neither my husband nor I knew that our daughter was preparing to enter the world.

I remember that day vividly--the day of her birth. I lived three states away from her birthplace and spent morning entirely unaware how much our lives were about to change. I’d taken our two- year-old daughter, Gracie (who is also adopted), to the splash pad park. I was watching her with soaked hair in a neon floral swimsuit as she tried to scoot her way down a blue slide when I received an email notification. It was from our adoption agency and was marked urgent.

Four months earlier the adoption of Gracie’s half-brother fell through on the day he was born. Needless to say, our hearts were broken and it took us months to feel ready to begin the matching process with an agency. We had been approved to start again just two weeks earlier. I opened the email to see that a birth mom was on her way to the hospital at that moment and when she arrived she wanted to view profiles of prospective adoptive families. If we wanted to be considered we needed to let our agency know immediately.

As I stared at the words, a half dozen fears came pouring into my head. We weren’t ready. We hadn’t made arrangements. There was so little information available about the situation, etc., etc.—on and on my head went. Yet my heart was strangely warm and still. It was telling me the answer. I quickly called my husband and asked him to read the email. After asking how he felt, he said, “I don’t know if this will be our baby but I feel we need to try.”

She was born that June 5th day. After being told we’d been in the birth mom’s top two, it was radio silence. We’d had situations fall through when trying to adopt our older daughter and, of course, the failed adoption four months earlier. We weren’t strangers to disappointment. Still, we couldn’t help feeling disheartened after jumping at every text, email or phone call for the last 36 hours. My husband and I had determined the lack of news was not good news.

This is likely the reason for my amplified shock when I answered my phone driving home from work that day. I could barely comprehend as I replied in broken sentences (fairly certain I squealed), tearing up as I replied, “Wait, wha... Are you serious? What does that mean?” The social worker chuckled and said, “It means you need to get on an airplane real fast. We need you at the hospital at 9 tomorrow morning.”

Lots of packing, little sleep and a 5 a.m. flight later, we landed in another state, anxiously raced toward the hospital and, with excitement bouncing in our bellies, met the social worker at the nurse’s station of the birth hospital’s newborn unit. Our two-year-old daughter was not allowed back so my husband stayed with her as I was led into the nursery. It’s possibly best described as a slightly humorous reversed telling of the children’s book “Are You My Mother?” as I walked past tiny bundles in clear bassinets thinking as we neared each one, “Are you my baby? Are you my baby? Are you my baby?”

As we approached a far corner I spotted two nurses standing beside a pediatrician carefully examining a small baby with big eyes, a perfectly round head, smooth skin and a slightly upturned nose laying on a fuzzy blanket decorated in pink and blue footprints. She was my baby. Our Everly.

It’s impossible to recount that moment without emotion. Picking up my daughter for the first time. Cradling her to my chest in the dim corner of the nursery. Whispering in her ear as those chocolate-colored eyes absorbed me. Feeling her incredible warmth when we first did skin-to-skin. The absolute unparalleled joy of wheeling her into a room to meet her impatiently waiting daddy and sister. Tears poured from my husband’s eyes as he held her in his big arms. Protecting her, as he has every day since. We both smiled as Gracie kept asking to see Everly’s toes and saying, “Put her in car seat. We take her home now.” Everly patiently tolerated her countless kisses, toe tickles and lots of head patting. They’ve been each other’s biggest fan ever since.

Adoption is a journey. One filled with foreign paths, fear, disappointments and doubts. But watching my two girls, one dark and the other fair, bent over in belly-rocking giggles at the simple bliss of splashing together in a bathtub full of bubbles, I say with ardent assurance that the road they came by holds no regrets. The doors that didn’t open, the opportunities we couldn’t take, they led us all to their loving arms and slobbery kisses. If I lived two lifetimes I would never find adequate words to describe the debt. The small moments I’ve shared with their birth mothers are sacred. They gave our girls life. Then gave us the supreme gift to raise them in it.

Yes, adoption is a journey. Our journey. And the destination is so much better than we ever could have imagined.

Deann Kenaly’s Adoption Story

My husband and I started our domestic infant adoption journey with Gladney Center for Adoption in 2015. We attended classes in person and online, became CPR certified and had our lives and home dug deep into before becoming “ready to adopt.” The waiting was long and hard, until August 2016, when we got a call from CPS asking us to foster our nephews.

This changed everything for us. We were in line to have an infant, not 4 and 6-year-old boys. We soon became foster-certified and were willing to do anything we needed to do for these two boys to come live with us. We put our domestic adoption with Gladney on hold at this time. On November 16, 2017, we welcomed Joseph and Jesse into our lives forever and officially adopted them.

In March 2018, we were ready to continue our journey with Gladney. We had a few more bumps in the road along the way. On December 31, 2019, we got a call from our Gladney caseworker presenting us with a potential birth mom, which is something she commonly did, so not out of the ordinary. She told me the history and background of this little baby girl. She was already born on December 10, 2019, and she is healthy and beautiful. I immediately said, “Yes, please show this birth mom our profile book.” Our caseworker then said, “Deann, she is yours. The birth mom has already given up her rights and this perfect little girl is yours!”

I didn’t know what to do but cry tears of joy and repeatedly say, “Really, are you serious?” I was then able to call and share the news with my husband. That night we shared our happy news with the boys. With the New Year’s holiday and some paperwork that had to be completed we were able to pick up our little girl on Monday, January 13, 2020. We waited to tell our immediate family until the night before we picked up our little girl.

Monday morning came and we all got dressed up to go to Gladney to meet baby Stella and bring her home. We were ecstatic to finally meet and bring home our sweet baby girl. On July 10, 2020, Stella finally became an “official” part of our family. Although it was the longest journey ever, it was well worth it. Within 5 years we became parents to three wonderful children--Joseph, 10, Jesse, 8, and Stella, 9 months.

Claire Cartmel’s Adoption Story

We’ve always wanted to adopt. It’s been part of our conversations for years. My background of volunteering and working social services, combined with our love for children, made this desire a no-brainer. We struggled with knowing when the time would be right to grow our family through adoption. It’s hard to know when to hit the ground running toward a journey well known for its ups and downs.

After wading through mounds of paperwork, we became active in February of 2020 and matched with a mother due six months later. For reasons that are not my story to tell, that match failed, and we found ourselves back at the drawing board sad but hopeful.

The morning after we got this news, our social worker set up a phone call for us to talk with another expectant mother. Instead of a phone call at our agreed upon time, we got a text telling us to hang tight. We soon learned that the mother was on her way to the hospital, unsure if she was in labor. When it was clear that she was, we spent the next couple of hours packing, buying last minute things and trying to enjoy the unfolding journey. Our daughter was born the next morning as we traveled to meet her—22 minutes into our 8-hour drive, and just four days after the news of our failed match.

While 2020 hasn’t been the poster year for many things, it has been a particularly memorable one for us. Stay-at-home orders have afforded us more time with our family than we could have ever imagined. We finalized our adoption this summer and marvel daily at the precious gift that she is to our family.