University of Missouri Health Care

It turns out that 6-year-old Sophie’s love for opossums was exactly what she needed to help her face osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. When Dr. Cecilia Belzarena, our pediatric orthopedic oncologist, found that the cancer had spread to over 85% of Sophie’s bone, she knew she would do everything possible to save Sophie’s arm. That’s when she called in Dr. Thomas Willson, our pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Together, they came up with a unique solution: a complex procedure to transplant a piece of bone from Sophie’s leg into her arm. Through every step of treatment, Sophie had the support of her family, her care team, and, of course, her beloved opossum stuffed animals by her side. “I think that being treated at Children’s Hospital made a world of difference,” says Sophie’s mom, Beth. “It’s been such a seamless process. We had an amazing experience with MU Health Care — from the doctors and nurses to all the support staff who cared for Sophie. We know we made the right decision.” Read her full story: https://brnw.ch/21wOn0i

More than 400 MU Health Care employees teamed up to create an unforgettable Halloween for the kids in our Children’s Hospital this year. Reverse trick-or-treating is one of our favorite traditions that makes the day extra sweet!

E-I-E-I-OH so cute! Happy Halloween from the sweetest trick-or-treaters in our NICU. 🎃

After tearing her ACL and medial meniscus in high school, Claire turned to our walk-in Sports Medicine Injury Clinic for the help she needed. In just one day, she got an MRI, received a diagnosis and had her surgery scheduled — all thanks to the expertise of our team. “Looking beyond the devasting news of my injury, I had a great experience,” Claire said. “Dr. Brady Fleshman and Dr. Richard Ma made me feel comfortable and listened to all my concerns. I felt at peace knowing that my care and recovery were in the best hands possible.” Although Claire’s recovery journey took months of hard work, she is now back on the field, living out her dream of playing college softball. She’s also pursuing a career in nursing, inspired by the care she received at MU Health Care. We take pride in helping athletes and patients get back in the game. Learn how we’re making a difference through our Sports Medicine Injury Clinic. ➡️ https://brnw.ch/21wOfjJ

Join us in welcoming Dr. Deepak Alapati, MU Health Care's new psychiatrist! With a decade of experience in adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, Dr. Alapati is dedicated to holistic patient care and shared decision-making. Explore his full profile to learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wOaMc

Our spiritual care team isn’t just a resource for our patients — they provide support to our team members too! As we wrap up #SpiritualCareWeek, learn more about the various hats they wear to provide care for our patients and staff.

Join us in welcoming Dr. Vikas Satyananda to MU Health Care! As our new surgical oncologist, Dr. Satyananda specializes in complex surgeries for liver, pancreatic and other cancers. He’s committed to providing compassionate and quality care for his patients. Learn more about his expertise: https://brnw.ch/21wO4YG

Whether it’s managing ventilators or helping patients with conditions like asthma and cystic fibrosis, our incredible team of respiratory therapists help ensure our patients can breathe easier. That’s why this #RespiratoryCareWeek, we’re proud to highlight their hard work and commitment to saving and improving lives every day. Interested in joining our expert team of respiratory therapists? Apply today! https://brnw.ch/21wO4tv

What started as asthma-like breathing issues turned into something much scarier for 3-year-old Bennett. After fevers that wouldn’t go away and trouble breathing, our team found a large mass in his chest. Our experts from pulmonology, oncology and infectious disease came together to figure out what was going on. That’s when Bennett was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called T-cell leukemia. While his treatments started right away, he hasn’t slowed down one bit. Thanks to our Child Life team, he’s still able to enjoy being the playful, energetic kid he’s always been. “He’s definitely a celebrity within the MU Health Care family,” said Dr. Tyler Severance. “There’s never a shortage of people who want to join him for a quick UNO game or a soccer match in our clinic halls. I think he enjoys his clinic visits more than anyone!” Read his story: https://brnw.ch/21wO2on