POSTED BY:
David J. Bailey, MD, MBA

This article originally appeared in STAT on December 15, 2016. When 6-month-old Asher Camp was diagnosed with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy, a leading genetic cause of infant mortality, his family measured his life in days, not years. They dreaded the future, wondering how much time they would have with their beautiful baby boy. Parents of children with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy aren’t guaranteed to see their baby’s first steps, first day at school, or other treasured milestones that make up a child’s life. Instead, they watch anxiously as developmental milestones are missed, as common colds require trips to the emergency room, and as hope fades for reaching the day when a cure becomes available. Asher got lucky. He was able to take advantage of a life-changing opportunity, the kind that needs to be available to all children. Just a month after Asher’s parents, Amanda and Jeremy Camp of Lakeland, […]

Dear Nemours Physician, THANK YOU! As our nation celebrates Doctor’s Day 2016, I am both honored and delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate each of you. Thank you for all that you do for the thousands of children and families who rely on you and Nemours for both hope and healing. It is more than fitting that this annual recognition celebrates the dedication and compassion of physicians in caring for their patients and alleviating human suffering. Fitting, because compassion and alleviating human suffering are the very foundation upon which our benefactor, Alfred I. duPont, envisioned what we know today as the Nemours Children’s Health System. Doctor’s Day is also a time to recognize our physicians for their contributions to the body of medical knowledge and the creation of tools necessary to win the unending battle against disease that leads to better outcomes for patients. Yet, beyond the wonder of […]