Ochsner Children's

10/26/2026

Mimi Gary, MSN, RN, CPN, manager of school nurse operations at Ochsner Children’s, was recognized by the Great 100 Nurses of Louisiana as one of the top 100 nurses in the state and one of fourteen recognized at Ochsner. ⭐

These nurses were honored for their concern for humanity, contributions to the nursing profession and mentoring of others — all qualities that define nursing excellence across our system.

For 39 years, the Great 100 Nurses Foundation, founded in New Orleans, has recognized nurses across the state who embody these qualities and more. Ochsner Health is proud to sponsor the Great 100 Nurses of Louisiana program and even prouder of these 14 team members who represent the best of our profession, especially Mimi here at Ochsner Children’s. 💙

Please join us in thanking Mimi for her dedication to the field of nursing and for showing up for patients, families and colleagues every single day!

10/26/2026

Say boo to the flu! 👻

Join us on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Ochsner Children’s Health Center - Lapalco (4225 Lapalco Blvd., Marrero, Louisiana) for trunk-or-treat!

Festivities start at 5 p.m.! Come trick-or-treat, play games and even get your flu shot.

Getting a flu shot is a personal decision and should be discussed with your doctor.

Walk-ups welcome. You can also make an appointment by calling 504-842-3900 or through MyOchsner.

See you there! 🎃💙⭐️

10/26/2026

Oct. 28 in Marrero! See you there! 👻

Join Ochsner Children's at Say Boo to the Flu Trunk-or-Treat on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at Ochsner Children's Health Center – Lapalco! 👻

Ochsner Children's care teams and staff will be handing out candy, prizes and other goodies for kids and families. Costumes are encouraged!

🍬 What: Ochsner Children's Trunk-or-Treat
🍬 When: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026
🍬 Where: Ochsner Children's Health Center – Lapalco (4225 Lapalco Blvd., Marrero, Louisiana)

Flu shots will also be available for children ages 6 months or older. A physician will be onsite to answer questions about the flu. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

Getting a flu shot is a personal decision and should be discussed with your child's pediatrician.
Make an appointment by calling 504-842-3900 or schedule on the MyOchsner app.

See you there! 💙⭐

10/26/2026

😊💙⭐

We had a wonderful time at McLindon Family Foundation's These Bikes Change Lives! Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen, those who rode and raised money, and to those who made it possible to gift our patients at the Michael R. Boh Center for Child Development adaptive bikes!

10/23/2026

Born with sickle cell disease, Kaiyen had a typical childhood until a stroke, a serious and very real complication of sickle cell disease, revealed a second diagnosis: moyamoya disease. Moyamoya disease is a rare cerebrovascular disorder where the internal carotid arteries in the skull slowly narrow or block, reducing oxygen-rich blood flow to the brain.

Kaiyen’s family turned to the team at Ochsner Children's Hospital in New Orleans, where hematologist Corey Falcon, MD, and the transplant team led by Robert J. Vasquez, MD, PhD, and nurse Jodi Ormond, created a healthcare plan that would ultimately save her life. And part of that care plan was a stem cell transplant.

"Don't lose hope," Kaiyen's mother Harriet J. said. "I know it gets really scary, but don't lose hope." This mantra kept her going through the challenges.

That hope carried Kaiyen’s family through months of treatment, and it led to a discovery that Harriet credits as a miracle: Kaiyen's younger sister turned out to be a perfect stem cell match for her sister.

After receiving a donation from her sister and undergoing a stem cell transplant, Kaiyen's blood no longer shows any sickled cells, which are the sickle cell shapes that make up sickle cell disease.

"All of the staff at Ochsner were so kind, so reassuring and so helpful through the process," Harriet said. "With the Ochsner team informing us of every procedure, this helped us to maneuver through the process with a little less stress."

Today, Kaiyen is thriving. She recently started high school and attended her first homecoming dance, milestones her family once feared she might not reach.

"Kaiyen is an inspiration to me and our entire pediatric sickle cell team at Ochsner Children's," said Dr. Falcon. "She persevered through all of these tribulations with grace, honor and humility. Kaiyen is now thriving in school, art, design, and entrepreneurship, and I couldn't be prouder of her."

To learn more about the pediatric care available at Ochsner Children's, visit: https://ow.ly/cPGB50ZZPEM.

10/23/2026

Knowing how to perform CPR safely for both infants and children is not only an important skill to have, but it's a lifesaving one.

Join Ochsner Children's on Saturday, Oct. 24, for a free infant's CPR course at Ochsner Children's Health Center - New Orleans (1315 Jefferson Hwy) from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

⭐ Registration is required. Sign-up here: https://ow.ly/LgBx5100Czh.

10/23/2026

Ochsner Children's and Ochsner Philanthropy's ninth annual Pie a Leader event was a smashing success! 🥧😊

Pie a Leader is an annual community event hosted by Ochsner Revenue Cycle and HIM Division, benefitting the Ochsner Children's Pediatric Family Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to families in need during their child's hospital stay.

The fund provides assistance with essential needs such as meals, transportation, car seats, hotel stays, groceries, household expenses and bills so families can focus on what matters most: their child's health and well-being. 💙

Special shout out and thank you to everyone who helped plan this event and to all who attended. Extra kudos to the physicians, executives and leaders who volunteered to be the target for ultimate (and friendly) pie-throwing!

The goal of our 9th annual Pie-a-Leader was to raise $40,000 for the fund. Stay tuned to find out the final number raised to support families in our community! ⭐

Learn more about Ochsner Children's Pediatric Family Assistance Fund, including how you can give, here: https://ow.ly/ibUO5100B3F.

10/21/2026

Ochsner Children’s has joined the Tiny Baby Collaborative, an international research network dedicated to improving the lives of babies born at or before 23 weeks and their families. Ochsner Children's is the only hospital in Louisiana to receive this recognition.

Here's what Ochsner Children’s joining the Tiny Baby Collaborative means for families we serve in the Gulf South and beyond:

💙 Ochsner Children’s NICU team works alongside leading newborn care centers across 61 hospitals worldwide and across eight countries.

💙 Doctors and researchers share data and move research forward together to continue providing life-saving care for infants.

💙 Giving families with premature infants hope and peace in knowing their babies will receive the highest-quality care close to home.

"When a baby is born weighing less than a pound or months before their due date, families suddenly find themselves on a journey they never expected," said Dr. Jose Perez, system medical director of neonatal intensive care at Ochsner Children's. "Joining the Tiny Baby Collaborative reflects our commitment not only to providing the highest level of care for these incredibly fragile infants, but also to supporting the families who navigate every setback, milestone and hard-won victory alongside them."

To every family walking this path: You have a team right here at home, backed by expertise from around the world. 💙⭐

Read more about Ochsner Children's joining the Tiny Baby Collaborative here: https://ow.ly/ePiq50ZZNVk.

Ochsner Children’s joins the Tiny Baby Collaborative, an international research network working to improve care and outcomes for extremely premature infants.

10/21/2026

Congratulations to Lawrence Haber, MD, on being named a 2026 New Orleans CityBusiness Healthcare Heroes Award winner! 🏆⭐

Lawrence Haber, MD, is a nationally recognized pediatric orthopedic and spine surgeon at Ochsner Children’s and one of the leading experts in pediatric spinal deformity care.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Haber has helped establish Ochsner Children’s as a destination for pediatric spine care, with families traveling from across the country and internationally to seek his expertise. He is particularly known for his work in innovative, motion-preserving scoliosis treatments, including vertebral body tethering, and has played a key role in bringing leading-edge technologies and techniques to children throughout the Gulf South.

In 2025, Dr. Haber helped lead the first robotic-assisted pediatric spine deformity surgery performed in Louisiana and the Gulf South, expanding access to advanced orthopedic care closer to home for regional families.

"Being part of Ochsner Children’s for the past 10 years has been incredibly enriching and rewarding," Dr. Haber said. "Within our pediatric orthopedic and spine surgery program, we have achieved national recognition and care for children and adolescents from across the South and South America."

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Haber on this recognition, which celebrates his dedication to patient care and his work in pediatric orthopedic and spine surgery. 💙

🩺 Learn more about Dr. Haber here: https://ow.ly/QsLP50ZZNBI

10/21/2026

Join Ochsner Health for a drive-thru flu event on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus (2500 Belle Chasse Hwy., Gretna, LA, 70056).

Flu shots will be available for children 6 months and older.

Getting a flu shot is a personal decision and should be discussed with your physician or child's pediatrician.

Learn more about the flu shot and where to get your flu shot at www.ochsner.org/flu.