Laura Gessman MD

09/24/2026

Dilly is retiring, but before he becomes a full time V.I.P. (very important pet), we wanted to share a few favorite memories. Send us your favorite pics of him in the comments!

09/23/2026

For children and teens with neuromuscular conditions, orthopedic care can help support movement, function and overall well-being.

From mobility and bone health to spinal alignment, orthopedic needs can vary from child to child. In a new Q&A, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Christine M. Goodbody shares what families should know about orthopedic care and how specialists can work together to support each child’s needs.

Read the Q&A: http://ms.spr.ly/6181a5R3X.

09/23/2026

Underage drinking is more common than many parents realize.

Here's what you should know:
1. Peer influence is the strongest predictor of teen drinking.
2. Digital alcohol marketing is linked to higher rates of drinking and binge drinking.
3. Age of first drink is one of the strongest predictors of alcohol use disorder later in life.

Get the facts with : http://ms.spr.ly/6181agiUU.

09/22/2026

Cameron took her first steps at 15 months old. Getting there was anything but easy.

Born breech, Cameron was diagnosed with severe developmental dysplasia of the hips, with both hips dislocated. After all non-surgical options were exhausted, Dr. Wudbhav Sankar gave her the chance to walk confidently into childhood.

Explore Cameron's story, below.

Born with hip dysplasia, Cameron can now walk thanks to Dr. Wudbhav Sankar and the experts at CHOP. Cameron and Dr. Sankar. He performed a procedure which preserved Cameron’s ability to walk. Amber and Nicole knew their daughter, Cameron, was in a breach position and likely to be delivered via c-s...

09/21/2026

During our annual CHOP It Up! Summer Cooking Camp, our patients with chronic kidney disease participated in hands-on cooking lessons, preparing kidney-friendly meals while learning how to manage salt, potassium and other dietary factors that can cause issues when kidney function is impaired.

Registration for our next fall cooking workshop, in partnership with the Culinary Literacy Center at the Free Library of Philadelphia, is now open to our nephrology patients: http://ms.spr.ly/6188a5uZp.

09/21/2026

Throughout 2026, we’re celebrating the many “firsts” that have made CHOP a world leader in pediatric healthcare. Today, we’re highlighting CHOP’s first woman CEO, Madeline Bell.

Madeline began her career at CHOP as a bedside nurse in 1983 and went on to hold a number of leadership roles before being named CEO in 2015.

As CEO, Madeline led CHOP through one of the most transformative periods in its history. She oversaw the expansion of the CHOP Care Network and the Philadelphia Campus; the creation of the Middleman Family Pavilion, the Roberts Center for Pediatric Research and the Morgan Center for Research and Innovation; and the development of the Center for Advanced Behavioral Healthcare, the Behavioral Health & Crisis Center, and Roberts Children’s Health, a new inpatient complex that will open in 2028.

Madeline has invested in cutting-edge science that led to breakthroughs like the first personalized gene-editing therapy and the first gene therapy for congenital blindness. She has advocated for policies that advance children’s health and created community programs that reach thousands of families throughout our region. And she has built a team of more than 33,000 workforce members who share her commitment to CHOP’s mission and values.

At the end of this month, Madeline will retire after nearly 40 years at CHOP. We are deeply grateful to her for her visionary and compassionate leadership – and for the remarkable legacy of breakthroughs she leaves behind.

09/18/2026

Our pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Christopher J. DeFrancesco is one of a few surgeons in the country who offer total hip replacement, a rare procedure for a patient Lily’s age.

After coming to our hospital, Lily and her family learned that she had avascular necrosis, also known as Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, a condition that caused the bone in her hip to deteriorate.

At 13, Lily underwent a total hip replacement with Dr. DeFrancesco. Today, she’s back on her feet, back to being herself and looking ahead to the things she loves. 💙

Read Lily’s story, below.

Diagnosed with avascular necrosis, Lily underwent a total hip replacement at CHOP, preserving her ability to walk. CHOP orthopedist Dr. DeFrancesco would complete Lily’s hip replacement procedure, preserving her ability to walk. Lily’s case was uncommon, even to the seasoned experts in the Ortho...

09/18/2026

We're welcoming a new era of pediatric research and innovation. 🧬🔬

The 350,000-square-foot, 17-story Morgan Center for Research and Innovation will bring hundreds of researchers together with flexible lab space, collaborative environments and cutting-edge resources designed to accelerate discoveries and breakthroughs for children.

Thank you to the Morgan family for the $50 million gift in support of the researchers and innovators helping to shape the future of pediatric medicine.

Explore this cutting-edge facility: https://www.chop.edu/news/childrens-hospital-philadelphia-celebrates-ribbon-cutting-morgan-center-research-innovation.

09/17/2026

Meet Ezra, our one-year-old patient who recently started learning how to walk. This may seem like an ordinary milestone for a toddler, but it's a special one for Ezra's family. Ezra was diagnosed at birth with metachromatic leukodystrophy or MLD, a rare genetic disorder that affects how children grow and develop. Babies with MLD appear healthy at birth, but around ages 1 to 2, they begin to lose the skills they once had. However, a new gene therapy can stop or slow the damage caused by MLD, but only if the treatment is given before symptoms begin.

Ezra traveled from West Virginia to our hospital to receive the gene therapy before symptoms began, and we are thrilled to share he's reaching his milestones and doing great!

09/16/2026

Should vaccinations be delayed for preemie babies? In this week's , we explain what "corrected age" is and why it should only be used for tracking developmental milestones and not for vaccine schedules.

Get the facts: http://ms.spr.ly/6187ajgzR.