Texas Children’s family, I’m really excited to share something new with you: On the Mark, a new blog I’ve launched to share stories, ideas and insights with you.
Some of what you read here will focus on Texas Children’s and our priorities. Other blog posts will give you an inside look into how we determine the future of Texas Children’s and what we need to do in order to best serve our mission. And still others will allow me to share my personal stories about the things that influence and impact me and my leadership, here and at home.
Believe it or not, it was the correspondence with you over the past few months that motivated me to start this blog. I have always enjoyed the open dialogue I share with so many of you across the organization. But the strength of the relationships we’ve built really struck me while I was away. It was the countless emails, cards and letters I received from you that encouraged and supported me. I have no doubt that it was all of your faithful, unrelenting prayers that helped me recover so quickly and completely.
Beyond your support of me personally, however, was the tremendous inspiration you gave me as you shared story after story of what brought you to Texas Children’s and what drives you to do your work here every day. Here’s part of one kind note I received from Lindsey Gurganious in January:
“I want to share something with you that I am so terribly proud of. My mother, Sandy, has worked for Texas Children’s Hospital for more than 35 years. I am so proud of her, and I cannot stop telling people this. She mostly works nights, and when I was growing up, she worked every shift she could to give my brother and me the experiences of a lifetime and everything we ever needed.
My bed time stories were her telling me about her shift and the people she helped, whether they were patients or her colleagues. Because of her stories, I knew that I would work at Texas Children’s Hospital one day. I did not know what I would be doing for certain, but I have never doubted that this is where I would plant my roots and grow.
I used to wear my mother’s TCH t-shirts to school, steal every TCH pen she had, and, in first grade when we were asked to write what we wanted to be when we grew up, I wrote that I wanted to work at Texas Children’s Hospital. I believe I even drew a very poor TCH logo! I am not alone in this. My brother is also working here as well! The Gurganious family is taking over!”
Lindsey, pictured above with her mom and brother, is an administrative assistant in Critical Care. Her mother Sandy is a nursing administrative coordinator. And her brother Anthony is a Security Services sergeant. They have made serving Texas Children’s mission a family affair. Amazing!
Lindsey’s letter made my day. And pretty much every morning began like that for weeks. Your wonderful stories of dedication and courage lifted my spirits. I simply could not wait to get back to doing what I love, working with all of you to make Texas Children’s the best hospital in the world.
So consider this blog my way of sharing with you my personal thoughts and ideas. But let’s make it our space, because I want to continue to hear from you too. I want to share your Texas Children’s stories. What brought you here? What drives you? Tell me how you care for our patients. Maybe you will share something here that someone else in a completely different area will read, and it will impact a patient’s or family’s experience for the better. And I want to know the stories about the colleagues who inspire you. I want On the Mark to be a source of hope and inspiration for all of us.
Until next time,