School's in session at the Kansas University Medical Center.
The shelves in Kathy Davis' classroom tell children there's fun waiting for them: Puppets, stuffed dolls, games, live frogs, a Nintendo video game system, puzzles and books share space in the sunny room.
For the most part, children eagerly await a trip to see Davis. It's a bright spot in an otherwise scary situation for many of them: a trip to the hospital.
For the past 18 years, Davis has taught children at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., blending fun and learning for children who jump at the chance to participate in activities their peers are pursuing in their own classrooms.
Davis teaches children and young adults -- even some college students, with the help of medical students at the center -- including patients with cancer, cystic fibrosis, head injuries and a variety of other illnesses and conditions.
"These are kids with chronic illnesses who can't go to school, can't go to birthday parties, can't go to the prom, roller-skating or can't go outside and play," she said. "They become very bored and desperate for normalizing activities. School becomes something that not only they don't mind, but they really seek it out."
Pediatric Pavilion
Davis and other staff members of the medical center's fifth-floor Pediatric Pavilion gave visitors tours of the new unit on Friday, and first lady Linda Graves was on hand to officially dedicate the unit. Patients first stayed there on May 17.
The layout of the 25-bed unit is a radical departure from the previous pediatrics unit in another building at the medical center complex. Before, children's rooms were placed single-file down a long hallway. Now, the rooms form a horseshoe around a central nurses' station, allowing nurses to respond to calls for help faster.
The unit is closer to the pediatrics intensive care unit and the obstetrics department, and Davis said it's closer to other key personnel.
"If we have a patient that needs to see a doctor whose not necessarily specializing in pediatrics, we're right here with them," she said.
Davis' classroom is not a new feature. In fact, the space she has is smaller than in the previous building. But she credits the medical center's administration for making room for the class even though space was scarce. The classroom is in a space that was a hallway before the renovation.
"Of course, I'm not a moneymaker for the hospital," said Davis, who is an employee of the Kansas City, Kan., school district. "The incredible thing was the hospital said 'We're going to find a way to make sure we can continue to provide services for kids.'"
A class act
On Friday afternoon, hours after the hoopla from the dedication died down, Davis sat on the floor with Branden Hall. In June, 3-year-old Branden was diagnosed with a primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor, a cancer that attacked a nerve in his left leg. The tumor forces him to walk hunched over, but he quickly joined Davis on the ground, giving a doll a bath.
"He loves this," said his mother, Lisa Hall, of Topeka. "This is the one bright spot."
For the past three months, Branden has traveled to the medical center every three weeks for chemotherapy, a process that requires him to stay three or five days at a time. Early next month, doctors will remove the tumor.
"He was very shy, but since he's been here, he'll talk to anybody," said Lisa Hall.
Soon, he was helping another patient, 11-year-old Brandon Williams, play a puzzle game. Brandon, son of Merle and Roberta Williams of Galena, was in the hospital for treatment on a finger infection that hadn't healed since July.
"This is great. It's homey for the kids," Merle Williams said. "Brandon's more relaxed here."
Harsh reality often interferes with Davis' duties, and children often leave for physical therapy, surgery, medication or shots. Doctors and nurses know Davis has a rule: No shots or other invasive treatment can take place in her classroom.
"When the kids are in here, they know this is a safe haven and they don't have to think about leukemia, brain tumors, cystic fibrosis, child abuse or any of the things that might have brought them to the hospital," she said.
Sometimes the class discussion turns toward death, as it did two weeks ago, when two of Davis' students died. Davis and Camille Schoettlin, a para-educator in the classroom, talked to the children about the deaths, and they had their own memorial services. Davis said she won't underestimate the power of teaching, remembering a young girl she met shortly after starting at the medical center 18 years ago. The girl, whose leg and part of her pelvis had been amputated, had stayed in bed for weeks but asked to go to class one afternoon. For the next two hours, Davis helped her make gifts for her family. Later that night, the girl threw a tea party for her family. The next morning, she died.
"It made me realize that there is no time to say that school is over. Every person, whether it's a child or an adult, wants to live and achieve and be successful and productive, and for kids sometimes that drive lasts up until the very end," Davis said. "I've become a real advocate for ensuring that we, as adults, don't determine what it is kids should have on their agenda."
Foster grandparents
Down the hall from the classroom, Veola Richardson spooned pureed carrots and orange gelatin into the waiting mouth of a 9-month-old girl. Richardson and about half a dozen other volunteers work at the medical center as part of the Foster Grandparents program, which has volunteers at hospitals, day-care centers and other facilities throughout the city.
The foster grandparents feed the babies, read to them and play with them.
"We hold the babies and spoil them," Richardson said. "We give them all the love we can."
Nearby, a nurse changed a diaper on another baby. All nurses in the unit have an electronic tracking device, allowing supervisors to know where nurses are.
"If a nurse is in room 18 and the nurse in room 14 needs assistance, we can just tell the closest nurse to go to that room, instead of the entire unit hearing the message," said Barbara Lessovitz, assistant nurse manager of the Pediatric Pavilion.
Lessovitz said the technology in the new unit outpaces that of the future pediatrics department. A three-bed "close observation" room has a computer near a window, and medical center employees can keep a close eye on infants needing heart or apnea monitors.
Two positive pressure rooms ensure children won't catch germs from visitors or hospital employees, and two negative pressure rooms ensure others won't catch germs from the patients.
Other new features include a security system that bars visitors unless they are approved by the family and places monitors on the children so they can't wander from the unit.
"It takes a lot of worry away from the parents," said Merle Williams.
Delta Delta Delta sorority alumni members in the Kansas City area paid for Nintendo game systems and VCRs for each room, and bought furniture for the Delta Room, reserved for terminal patients. The room features a microwave, refrigerator, coffee table, chairs and a foldout couch/bed.
-- Chris Koger's phone message number is 832-7126. His e-mail address is ckoger@ljworld.com.
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