Children's Health Heroes: Providing Hope One Little Heart at a Time

In their own words and through their own lens, team members at Children’s Health SM describe a moment in time as the virus that causes COVID-19 took center stage in our lives. As we move forward, these Children’s Health superheroes continue to care, serve and protect our patient families. Among them the nurse who left a profitable career in business to care for some of our community’s tiniest and sickest. The chaplain who helps his team members find peace amid uncertainty, while searching for his own. The Child Life specialist and music therapist who brings laughter to patients isolated from the outside world. When schools and businesses around us closed earlier this year and many of us were required to stay at home, thousands of Children’s Health team members kept working. Some provide services necessary for patient care and comfort. Others are relied on to keep our hospitals clean, and our families fed. And some pioneered innovative ways to be there for our patients, even if at a distance. These are their courageous stories.

JOSEPH CANTU- RN, Clinical Resource Team, Children’s Medical Center Plano

I started my career in the business world and came to Children’s Health originally as a volunteer. But I fell in love with helping kids and went back to school to become a nurse.

I call myself a float nurse, and our team name is CRT: Clinical Resource Team. We’re trained in all areas of the hospital for clinical care, and I’m pre-assigned to the COVID-19 response team to treat patients who test positive or presumptive positive for the virus.

I felt prepared and trained by the hospital for this. As nurses, this is what we signed up for, and I was ready and proud to be part of the team.

Nursing has completely changed my life and opened up my eyes. When you walk out of the hospital after seeing kids all day fight for their lives, it gives you perspective. It’s honestly made me a better man.

DALYA CANNON- Environmental Services, Housekeeping, Children’s Medical Center Dallas

I’ve worked at the hospital for the last year as a housekeeper. I’ll go into patient rooms and do their daily cleanings. But the most important part to me is making the families laugh and making them feel comfortable when I’m there.

A long time ago, my mom was my manager when we cleaned at a hotel. One day, I asked my mom, “Why do you work so hard?” And she said, “This is my name, and this is the only name I’m getting, so I do a good job wherever I go.” That stuck with me. I’m really passionate about cleaning and very thorough, so my colleagues speak highly of me.

I work with a lot of positive ladies. These days, we’re dancing when we’re at work. We even have the doctors dancing sometimes.

RYAN CAMPBELL- Manager of Spiritual Care, Children’s Medical Center Dallas

Because everyone is required to wear a mask, it helps support the solidarity of team members. It’s as if we’re saying, “This is what we’re going to do because we want to keep each other and the patients we serve safe.”

I’m trying to make eye contact with colleagues in the hallways. There is a need for connection.

Being able to connect with other chaplains I work with and colleagues I’m close to – whether they’re psychologists, social workers, Child Life specialists or others – has been helpful, knowing we’re all in this together.

I try to help center the staff members I care for in finding their own sense of hope and meaning and whatever tethers them. In doing that, it helps me remember to do that for myself.