ROBYN JACKSON

Phyllis Smith of Shannon, Terri Hughes (holding son Cooper) of Tupelo and Twana Miller of Saltillo are among those thrilled with the opening of the new Le Bonheur Outreach Program on the North Mississippi Medical Center campus in Tupelo.

Families living in the Tupelo area no longer have to travel to Memphis, Tenn., to seek treatment at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, thanks to a partnership with North Mississippi Medical Center.

The Le Bonheur Outreach Program, located in the former Med Serve clinic at 410 Council Circle on NMMC’s Tupelo campus, provides specialty services, including neurology, general surgery and cardiology. The specialists travel to Tupelo from Memphis once or twice a month, helping to ease the burden and expense of families whose children need treatment.

“I always had to interfere with someone else’s schedule to take off and drive us to Memphis,” said Phyllis Smith of Shannon, whose son, Chase Meadows, began going to Memphis for treatment five years ago when he was 10 and having seizures. A pediatric surgeon operated on Chase’s brain, and for almost a year, he was seizure-free. Now 15, Chase only has seizures occasionally, and his mother said they are much milder than before.

“It is wonderful to have a partner in North Mississippi that is committed to quality pediatric healthcare and is supportive of Le Bonheur’s programs,” said Meri Armour, president and chief executive officer of Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center. “This partnership truly benefits families with more immediate access to pediatric sub-specialists and to the expertise of Le Bonheur Children’s. North Mississippi families have told us they’re happy they don’t have to travel to Memphis for their follow-up appointments. Our physicians are very pleased with the services and space that North Mississippi Medical Center has provided for this program.”

Tupelo-area families had asked for more accessible care for their children, said Ellen Friloux, administrator for NMMC women and children’s services. “Parents have been very pleased with the convenience of the clinic. We certainly hope to expand the variety of specialists available in the clinic.”

With gas prices at $4 a gallon, driving to Memphis can be a big blow to the budget, said Steven Prewitt of the Alpine community of Union County.

“By the time you drive to Memphis and eat a meal, it’s easy to spend $100 to $150 for a doctor’s visit. Now they will be here if you have a problem.”

Prewitt and his wife, Pam, began taking their daughter, Brittany, to Le Bonheur 10 years ago. Brittany was born with a congenital heart defect. Just before she had her third birthday, her pediatrician referred the Prewitts to a pediatric cardiologist in Memphis, who immediately referred them to a pediatric cardiac surgeon.

“They told us Brittany needed surgery right away or the damage to her heart would be irreversible,” Steven Prewitt said. “We were young and didn’t know what to do. They held our hands as we walked through it. It was just a blessing.”

Brittany is now a seventh-grader at East Union Attendance Center and active in several sports, including slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball, basketball and cross-country. After a decade of follow-up visits to her pediatric cardiologist in Memphis, she is set to have her final check-up this year.

“We are very excited about the expanded relationship with Le Bonheur,” said NMMC President Chuck Stokes in a prepared statement. “This partnership will reduce travel time and stress for patients and families in the area. The stellar reputation of Le Bonheur is consistent with the mission, vision and values of North Mississippi Medical Center, and that is what makes a great relationship.
Le Bonheur has been present in our community for many years providing cardiology and neurology services, and has provided these services in an exemplary manner. The expanded relationship will raise the standard of pediatric services and care provided to our community. We look forward to continued growth in services to our children that can be provided locally.”Armour said Le Bonheur has plans to continue increasing the types of services offered in Tupelo, “and we’re excited that Dr. James Tutor will soon be offering pulmonology services in the clinic.
We’re also in discussions about expanding to include neurosurgery services in the future.”Le Bonheur, which was founded in 1952, is the Mid-South’s first and only comprehensive pediatric medical facility. Each year, it treats almost 140,000 children from 47 states and numerous countries. It boasts one of the nation’s 10 busiest pediatric emergency departments and one of the largest pediatric surgical brain tumor programs. It is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to build a new state-of-the-art $327 million facility, which will open in 2010.


Phyllis Smith of Shannon, Terri Hughes (holding son Cooper) of Tupelo and Twana Miller of Saltillo are among those thrilled with the opening of the new Le Bonheur Outreach Program on the North Mississippi Medical Center campus in Tupelo. All three mothers have sons who are being treated at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis.



August 2008