Alumni Notes Fall 2020

Dear CHOP Alumni Family,

Cindy Christian, MD Where to begin this second PANDEMIC issue? I hope you all remain healthy and safe and are finding some time for simple pleasures. Personally, I miss the old way of life—the one that included lots of travel for work and vacation, frequent dinner parties and get-togethers with friends, casual meetings with colleagues, fellows, residents, and students. On a positive note, however, it’s easier to attend a lot of meetings without having to commute across campus! And personally, we are now the owners of an outdoor projector and large movie screen, and have been hosting many outdoor, safely distanced, movie nights in our backyard with bowls of popcorn and movie theater candy. Let’s hope our colleagues develop a safe and effective vaccine in the near future, and that we all emerge from the pandemic with our physical and mental health intact.

As a hospital, university, and medical school, we have been struggling not only with the challenges of COVID, but with how to appropriately respond to the chronic racial injustices highlighted by tragic events over the past months. As pediatricians, we are well versed in racial health inequities that impact many of our patients, and I look forward to identifying effective efforts to address the social causes that fuel these injustices.

In light the challenges we face, it is ever so important to remember to celebrate our accomplishments and those of our colleagues. And so, I turn to one of our most wonderful annual CHOP traditions, and to our CHOP Alumni Motto:

As always, remember our CHOP Alumni Motto: Keep … Tradition, Keep … in Mind, and Keep … in Touch!

Keep … Tradition: Each year, at the annual meeting of the medical staff, we pause to celebrate a colleague whose career has greatly influenced and impacted pediatric medicine. This year, we presented the Richard D. Wood Distinguished Alumni Award to Linton Whitaker, MD, a trailblazing craniofacial plastic surgeon. Dr Whitaker, who is now Surgeon Emeritus at CHOP, was Chair of Plastic Surgery at Penn for almost 2 decades, and spent much of that time building a world-renowned multidisciplinary craniofacial reconstruction program at the hospital and university. Dr Whitaker has spent his career dedicated to research, education, and the treatment of appearance-related disorders, and he is as much an artist as he is a surgeon. Although our usual spring celebration was postponed to the fall, and we held our annual meeting mostly virtually, we were delighted to celebrate Dr Whitaker and express our admiration for his life’s work and career.

Keep … in Mind: Getting involved with the Alumni Organization has never been easier, more rewarding, and impactful! I hope you’ll consider making a gift, as well. Visit chopalumni.org today.

On a sad note, we share that Dr. William B. Carey passed away on July 25, 2020. Dr Carey was an admired clinician, educator, researcher, and mentor as well as a national leader in establishing the field of developmental and behavioral pediatrics. Dr Carey completed his pediatric training at CHOP in 1960 and never left the institution. He taught generations of CHOP alumni about pediatric development, behavior, and, of course, colic. He was a pioneer in the field of developmental pediatrics. He continued to teach developmental and behavioral pediatrics to pediatric residents, fellows, and primary care physicians participating in his Collaborative Office Rounds series through June 2019. Dr Carey is remembered for his multiple contributions to the care of children, his commitment to the education of trainees at CHOP, and his role as one of the founders of the field of developmental and behavioral pediatrics.

And finally, Keep ... in Touch!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE send me an email with an update about your career. I would love to highlight the work of our great CHOP alumni in this column, but can only do so if you reach out! My email is Christian@email.chop.edu, and I’m constantly checking emails, so send some my way!! Also, if you have recently scheduled a virtual get-together, let us know. We are happy to showcase your parties and hear about your CHOP memories. Until next time, stay safe, work hard, but not too hard, find time to enjoy life, know that this too shall pass, and keep in touch!

Cindy