Inside Gillette Blog

1. What is your position at Gillette? I am honored to have joined the team here about two months ago as President and CEO.  I was drawn to Gillette by its model of care – one that has a strong focus and a very clear mission.

2. What are some of your hobbies outside of work?  When I’m not at office, I like to truly disconnect. That means no email, no phone, no texts. I don’t always succeed at that, but it is my goal so that I can spend time with my family and friends.  One thing that often takes my mind away from work is watching a sports game – I love watching the Vikings and the Wild, but the truth is that my heart is still with my hometown teams from Buffalo, NY.

3. Do you have any children or pets? I have a daughter, Marianna who is 5 and a dog who is nearing 13, Snap.  He is still adjusting to his new “sibling.”

4. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I would go one of two places – either Iceland or New England in the off season. These are two of my favorite places to get away from daily routine.

5. What is one fun fact about you? Growing up, I was always a devoted fan of Snoopy.  Some might say I was even obsessed. It is very fitting that I now live in St. Paul, the home of Charles Schulz. He wrote one of my favorite quotes of all time, and something that has become my own personal motto, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, just as long as you are sincere.”

1.  What is your position and/or role at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare? I am a Pediatric Dietitian at Gillette. I work mostly with patients on the ketogenic diet, from initiation in the hospital to their follow up outpatient visits. My other main role is being part of the multidisciplinary feeding team at Gillette.  I travel to all the other Gillette sites so that we can offer feeding therapy for families across the metro. I remember vividly one of the first patients I started on the ketogenic diet here at Gillette, about 15 years ago. He had severe seizures from a brain injury and was not verbal. While hospitalized on the 2nd day on the diet, he began to wimper a little and I remember feeling sad because I thought he was sad.  But his mom was elated that he was showing emotion for the first time in his life, so she started crying and then I started to cry. Together we shared a really special, emotional moment together. He left the hospital seizure free, and continued to develop cognitively once his seizures were managed.  Another favorite moment is in feeding clinic, when I have shared in the joy of a parent watching their child eat something for the first time, or applying a new feeding skill they have just mastered.  It doesn’t really get more inspiring than that.

2. What are some of your hobbies outside of work? Outside of Gillette, I like to take advantage of all the sporting, arts and cultural events the Twin Cities has to offer. I really like going to MN Vikings games and the shows at the Children’s Theatre are phenomenal. In the summer I try to go to all the arts festivals around town and visit all the beautiful parks here, like Minnehaha Falls and Lebanon Hills. I also like to spend time in the kitchen, cooking meals from scratch. I read cookbooks like novels and find it relaxing to try new recipes with unusual ingredients or cuisine that is traditional in other countries.

3. Do you have any children or pets? I have 2 sons, ages 7 and 9.  They are very active and keep me young at heart. With 2 boys, we have had lots of “pets” in our home over the years including a bunny named Rosie and a frog named Joey. We hope to get a puppy at Christmastime and have already named her Penny. We chose this name because my youngest son wished on a ‘penny’ at a fountain at the Mall of America that he could have a dog, so it seemed fitting we would name her Penny. 

4. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? We love to travel as a family and I would really like to take my boys to Honduras.  My dad and husband go there every year to build houses for those less fortunate, and I  think it is vital to expose our kids to a different way of life and instill in them a value of helping others. I also want to go to Liverpool England next fall for the 4th International Symposium for Dietary Therapies for Epilepsy and other Neurological Disorders. Thanks to Gillette, I have been able to attend the previous 3 conferences and I have learned so much about making the ketogenic diet a useful treatment option for our families.

5. What is one fun fact about you? I am a music junkie! I especially love live music and going to concerts. My favorite concert experience was seeing U2 at the TCF stadium a couple years ago.  It was raining and stormy, which added a unique mood to the event that I will never forget.

By: Adele Harris, Gillette patient mom

Earlier this year, we were so honored when our girls, Kaeli, 12 years old, and Lily, 8 years old, were asked to be Minnesota’s, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare ambassador champions for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Champions Across America program. Every state is represented by a child, or siblings that are treated at a CMN Hospital. The champions program brings together every state’s representative and their family, first to Disney World, then to Washington D.C. There, the champions are recognized for their continuing medical fight, meet with sponsors, advocate for their hospital, have fun sightseeing, and meeting and networking with other families that are going through similar experiences.

Our trip started Oct. 8^th. We woke up bright and early, and as soon as we arrived at the MSP airport, our VIP treatment started by Delta, who was one of the main sponsors of the champions trip. A Delta employee escorted us to the front of the security line, then directly to our plane.

When we landed in Orlando, the girls received an ovation on the plane after the flight attendants announced them. Then, when we got off the plane, a huge crowd of Delta and CMN Hospitals employees were waiting for us at the gate with balloons, cheering our arrival. We were once again escorted through the airport, our baggage was handled, and the VIP treatment continued! This was only the beginning of 10 days of being spoiled.

Our time in Disney World was fantastic. We spent some time at the parks, but the most fun was at the CMN Hospitals planned events. The highlight of the trip for me as a mom, was the medal ceremony, which thousands of people attended, and every champion was acknowledged. The ceremony was hosted by Nick Cannon, who was joined onstage by Miss America, Zendaya, Marie Osmond, and John Schneider. All these kids, most of whom have gone through something life threatening, all got their individual turn to come out onstage, smiling, waving, doing a little dance, and then receiving a medal for going through all they have gone through. Seeing Kaeli push Lily out on the stage was such an emotional moment, remembering all the things both my girls have gone through. Hearing and seeing the standing ovation the girls received, was such a proud moment for me.

Our time in Disney World, also included, media appearances, VIP seating for parades, lunches and dinners with all the families, a mom’s suite sponsored by Chico’s FAS, and a pin exchange with sponsors, where the kids and sponsors get to meet each other one on one .

After our time at Disney, we were taken on a private charter provided again by Delta. Before boarding the plane, we were taken directly onto the tarmac, where we went through security, and met the pilots and flight attendants. A high school band provided music, and of course, there was another cheering reception!

Our time in D.C. was a bit slower paced than originally planned because of the shutdown. We all made the best of it though. We had family come visit us, so some of our canceled events meant more visiting time with them.

We were still able to do some of our scheduled events, including individual and group photos in front of the U.S. Capitol, lunches, a wonderful wreath laying experience at The Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington National Cemetery, and a fancy 3 hour dinner cruise on the Potomac River. This was another big highlight! It was a gorgeous night out on deck of the boat, but inside there was yummy food and a big dance party. This night was one of my favorites from the trip.

Our final day brought the biggest thrill! We were able to go to the White House for a meet and greet and photo with President Obama! We were on the South Lawn which is directly across from the Elipse and the Washington Monument. The President said some very nice things about how much our kids have gone through, and how it puts things in perspective for him when he has a bad day. He then took a few cute questions from the kids about a bowling alley and hot tub in the White House. The visit with the President was pretty quick, because this was the day the shutdown ended and he was needed elsewhere. I think for all families, no matter which side of the aisle they are on, meeting the president on the White House lawn is something none of us will forget!

I can’t thank enough, Gillette, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and all the sponsors that made this possible! It was so nice to forget all worries with doctor’s, paperwork, phone calls, etc…and just be pampered for a week and a half. We are so grateful for the whole experience and for the opportunity to meet other families who understand and are going through similar medical experiences. The VIP treatment will never be forgotten. My girls have memories that will last a lifetime.

1. What is your position and role at Gillette? Do you have a favorite story or memory? My position at Gillette is a Neurodiagnostic Technologist, and that is preforming neurologic tests such as an EEG.  One of the most fun activities, which has led to many memories, is to go on the Stroll For Epilepsy each year as a team member of Gillette.
2. What are some of your hobbies outside of work? One of my favorite hobbies is to play team sports, such as football and basketball.  Also, I enjoy watching movies, playing the guitar and discovering new trails on walks or while biking.
3. Do you have any children or pets? I have two cats Tootsie and Brie who I inherited through marriage; and I have a new addition to my family, my daughter Haley, who is now three months old.
4. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? If I could travel anywhere in the world I would travel to New Zealand to go hiking, or South Africa to go cage diving with the sharks.
5. What is one fun fact about you? A fun fact about me is I am from Green Bay, WI and I am a Packers fan!!!

On Monday evening, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare illuminated a tree with 10,000 lights visible for miles in downtown St. Paul. The tree is a symbol of the hope our patients and families have, the expertise of our staff, and the generosity of our donors. The event attracted coverage from local TV stations KARE 11, WCCO and FOX 9. You can also donate and help us light Gillette's tree. 

1. What is your position and role at Gillette? Do you have a favorite story or memory? I am the inpatient charge nurse on the Neurosciences unit.  I have worked at Gillette on the same unit for 10 years.  My favorite part about working at Gillette is developing a relationship with our patients and families.  I feel so honored to be a part of their lives, and I love to see returning patients and families!  There are some patients and families that I have known since I started working here 10 years ago and still get to see!

2. What are some of your hobbies outside of work? I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, being outside (only when it’s warm!), going to the cabin, reading and taking pictures.

3. Do you have any children or pets? I have two children; Corey who is 4 and Kennedy who is 1.  They keep me busy, so I don’t have any pets!

4. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? It would be hard to choose just one place to travel to, but I have always wanted to volunteer in an orphanage somewhere.  I haven’t told my husband this yet, because he would say I would want to adopt some of the kids and bring them home!  (Which is probably true).

5. What is one fun fact about you? I have been working with children since I was 12, including babysitting, working as a summer nanny for four summers, working at an after school program in high school, working at a summer camp in Florida, and working at a daycare in college.  I guess I knew early on that I wanted to work with kids for my career.  If I had to do it all over again, I would still be a Pediatric Nurse.

My pregnancy was healthy and normal. An ultrasound said we were having a girl! My husband and I were on vacation four hours from home. We spent hours in our boat talking about how we would take our daughter fishing. I was 23 weeks along – just over halfway. But on the last day of vacation, I went into labor. I was airlifted to a hospital with a high-level NICU. And the baby was born. It was not breathing.

Doctors were working frantically. Everyone was crying. And then I heard the most amazing sound – a tiny little cry! The baby was alive! My husband was able to cut the cord. That’s when he noticed that we had a boy instead of the girl we were expecting! Jaxson surprised us by coming 17 weeks early, and he has kept us on our toes ever since.

Jax was the youngest baby in that NICU…ever. Doctors gave him a 4-percent chance of healthy survival. But he proved from day one that he was here to stay. Our little 1-pound, 8-ounce fighter was the “feisty” baby. He was a wiggler and was drugged so he wouldn't pull out his IVs. He extubated himself four times. He had significant trouble with his insulin levels and received six blood transfusions in the first three weeks of life. Jax had aggressive and severe ROP in both eyes, which required Avastin injections and laser eye surgery. He is still monitored closely, but so far his eyes look great!

After 93 days in the NICU, Jax came home. He was released an entire month before his due date! This is unheard of for 23 weekers. His pediatrician calls him “a superhero” every time he sees him.

Jax has done very well, but he still faces some challenges. He’s had four surgeries, with another one scheduled for this fall. He struggles daily with chronic lung disease. We have a million doctor appointments, but the main thing we do is love each other! Jax just turned 14 months old and after months of physical and occupational therapy at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, our little buddy celebrated by pulling himself up to standing! He is always on the go.

Jax has the amazing power to lift your spirits anytime he’s in the room. His genuine smiles, open-mouthed kisses, and friendly “talks” make every day special. Jax is also independent. He does his own thing and goes his own way. He doesn't fit the mold and defies the odds every single day. Jax is also very adaptable. Jax is the most laid–back kid. He goes with the flow and does it with a smile on his face. Jax had oral aversion problems when we introduced solid food. After only three months of therapy, he will now eat whatever you put in front of him. He faces challenges head on: show him once, and he figures out a way! Jax is a hilarious kid – he makes us laugh everyday with his funny faces and goofy songs. He loves music and always moves to the beat. Some of his favorite things are going for walks in his stroller, reading books, playing with his cousins, and meeting new people. He’s so friendly – he has a smile for everyone he meets. You’d never know by his happy personality that he spent three months in the hospital fighting for his life!

Thursday, November 14 is Give to the Max Day, a 24-hour online fundraising event hosted by GiveMN.org. Thanks to a generous donor, every donation made to Gillette on Give to the Max Day will be matched – up to $10,000! Help us spread the word so we can maximize this matching gift to its highest amount. 

Make a donation of $50 or more and we’ll display your name on our virtual tree of hope.  The tree is a symbol from our new Moving Forward campaign, like the one in our TV spot featuring Ellie, a Gillette patient.  We’ll send you a link to view your name on our tree the day after Give to the Max Day.

You can go to our GiveMN page now and pledge to make a gift. Your credit card won’t be charged until November 14 so that your donation can be matched. Just click on the “Make My Donation Count for Give to the Max Day” at the bottom of the form before clicking “donate now.”

Let others know that you support Gillette on Give to the Max Day by changing your Facebook profile or cover picture to one provided here.  Simply click the image, save it on your computer, and upload it onto your Facebook page.

Whether you donate, tweet or post, your support will help make this year’s Give to the Max Day a successful one.