The center originally opened its doors in 1991. Philanthropist Suzan Thames is a former speech pathologist and audiologist who has volunteered at the center from its beginning.
“When we first started, there was just a huge, big, round, open outpatient clinic for all children in our state who were being treated for diseases,” she said at the opening reception. “Children with challenged immune systems, such as children with cancer or with blood disorders, did not need to be mixing in with children with other diseases. As I'm sure you've heard on many occasions, we didn't even have any kind of vaccination for chickenpox, which was often deadly to these children with challenged immune systems.”
With help from the Junior League of Jackson, a volunteer organization, the center was able to open to help care for children with various diagnoses of cancer, as well as those with blood disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell disease.
Over time, it became apparent that these patients and their care providers needed an updated space. Teenaged children and toddlers were sharing televisions, there was a limited amount of exam rooms and not enough space for families to relax.
Major donors and fundraisers raised over $5 million to help create a new center that was filled with technologically advanced amenities and fun, creative spaces for the children.
Dr. Betty Herrington is a professor of pediatrics and the division chief for pediatric hematology and oncology at Children’s. “Our staff will tell you it's been a breath of fresh air,” she said. “We really enjoyed it. We have always been proud of the work that we do here, but we, like you, understand that offering world class care is important, but it's also important to offer comfort to our families. We know that this comfort is essential to a patient's experience at Children's of Mississippi.”
Patients can now receive treatment in the privacy of their infusion bays, each one complete with its own television. The amount of exam rooms have almost doubled, which has decreased patient’s wait times. There are now spaces where social workers, teachers and volunteers can work with children and their families.
Dr. Herrington notes that the center is also a space of learning. “We do not only clinical care, but we teach the next generation of health care professionals here,” she said. “We also do very important research. At the current time, we have about 70 clinical trials ongoing.”
Children’s of Mississippi cares for about 550 patients annually.
