On Saturday, June 27, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children will bring magic to life at the third annual Character Breakfast.

Kids from all over the community can meet their favorite caped crusaders, storybook princesses and sports mascots during this one-of-a-kind morning. The best part? While you’re watching your kids’ eyes light up, you’ll know that you’re also supporting the young patients at Texas Scottish Rite.

Character Breakfast was started three years ago by Crayon Club members Dorothy McGowan and Natalie Womble as a way for young professionals to raise money for the hospital while having the opportunity to interact with children in the community.

“We wanted a way to separate ourselves from other young professional groups who usually throw a ball or gala to raise funds. Character Breakfast allows club members and other young professionals to not only raise money, but volunteer while doing so.”

The morning begins with a scrumptious breakfast served by Crayon Club volunteers and friends. All attendees are welcomed and encouraged to dress up as a character, and the excitement builds as the kids receive a special autograph book to collect the characters’ signatures. Their jaws will drop when the character parade enters the room with all of their favorite friends, from Elsa and Cinderella to Batman and Spiderman.

As soon as breakfast is finished, it’s time for a photo and autograph extravaganza. The kids enjoy one-on-one meet-and-greets and photos with the characters. Face-painting stations, family photo booths and tons of other activities keep everyone entertained and smiling.

Parents can explore a fun-filled silent auction with a variety of items for kids and adults alike. Past silent auction packages have included tickets to local sports games, week-long sports and summer camps, family photography sessions, and a cake-decorating party. The silent auction is a great way to find a special birthday gift while supporting children’s care.

Tickets sell out quickly for this limited-seating event, so make sure to purchase early. You don’t want to miss out on the fun!

Event Details
Character Breakfast
Saturday, June 27, 9-11 am
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Child ticket: $15
Adult ticket: $25
Table (eight seats): $150
Admission is free for children under 2

To purchase tickets, please visit Community.TSRHC.org/CrayonClubBreakfast, or call 214-559-7656 for questions about the event.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children has been caring for children since 1921. TSRHC treats children with orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hand disorders, hip disorders and limb length differences, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders such as dyslexia. Please visit us online at scottishritehospital.org or Facebook.org/tsrhc, or call us at 214-559-5000 for additional information.

Anna, Elsa and Olaf thaw the ice with warm smiles at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital's Character Breakfast.

Photo courtesy of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Anna, Elsa and Olaf thaw the ice with warm smiles at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital's Character Breakfast.

In many ways, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Sports Medicine Center looks like a typical sports medicine clinic. With signed athletic jerseys and state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation equipment, you may expect to see Cowboys or Mavericks players working to become game-day ready.

The TSRHC Sports Medicine Center sees its fair share of linebackers and power forwards, but these patients are a little young for the pros. Focused on assessing and treating acute and chronic sports-related injuries in young athletes, these experts understand the importance of athletics to their young patients, both from a physical and emotional perspective.

Diagnosing and treating young athletes takes more than a skilled understanding of pediatric orthopedics; it requires a sensitivity and comprehension of what it means to be a child experiencing an injury that is keeping him or her from doing what he or she loves.

Pediatric sports physician and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Henry Ellis knows the impact an injury can have a young athlete’s body and mind. A graduate of University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio with a residency at University of Texas Southwestern Orthopedic Residency, Dr. Ellis has diagnosed and treated hundreds of athletes throughout his career. As an athlete himself and former physician for the U.S. women’s ski team, Dr. Ellis understands athletes’ physical and mental drive, determination, and the potential psychological effect of an injury.

It is apparent when observing Dr. Ellis with his patients that taking care of their mental health is as important to him as treating their physical injuries. Eric is a 14-year-old football and baseball player with a serious elbow injury. He is currently in the middle of baseball season in Waxahachie, and his team is likely headed to the Little League World Series in July.

Dr. Ellis knows telling this young man and his mother that he should no longer play baseball will not be easy. After spending some time discussing how current pitching regulations and mechanics may have caused his initial injury, Dr. Ellis shifts the conversation. “I’m not here to lecture you. Let’s talk about goals and how we can address them.”

While talking about the injury and an upcoming surgery with Eric and his mother, Dr. Ellis agilely shifts between addressing technical details and pragmatic concerns, including the emotional impact of Eric’s leaving baseball mid-season. Eric is also a skilled football player, and Dr. Ellis encourages him to shift his athletic focus exclusively to football, which would not have the same damaging effects on his elbow as baseball.

Ultimately, Dr. Ellis leaves the next steps to Eric and his mom. “We have a little bit of soul searching to do right now.”

It is this care and attention to the whole child that makes Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Sports Medicine Center such a special place. With a team of surgeons, physicians, nurse practitioners and physical therapists, every detail of this practice is focused on treating children. Sports-related concussions, sports-related injuries, growth-plate injuries and stress fractures are all treated with careful attention to the unique physiology of a child.

Dr. Ellis sums up the center perfectly when talking to a nervous 11-year-old boy about a procedure Dr. Ellis will perform on his knee.

“We’re talking a lot of adult talk, but we’re talking about you — your knee. We work in a place where everyone takes care of kids. So we’re all going to take really good care of you. Does that sound okay?”

The little boy nods, and with a high-five from Dr. Ellis, he says, “It’s okay.”

For more information on the TSRHC Sports Medicine clinic, please visit www.tsrhc.org/sports-medicine or call 469-303-5000.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children has been caring for children since 1921. TSRHC treats children with orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hand disorders, hip disorders and limb length differences, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders such as dyslexia. For more information or to get involved, visit scottishritehospital.org or Facebook.com/tsrhc, or call 214-559-5000.

Dr. Ellis (second from right) is one of the medical staff who join Texas Scottish Rite Hospital patients on the its annual amputee ski trip in Winter Park.

Photo courtesy of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Dr. Ellis (second from right) is one of the medical staff who join Texas Scottish Rite Hospital patients on the its annual amputee ski trip in Winter Park.

Desmond Blair is an artist and a problem solver. Being born without hands has not stopped this talented young man from pursuing his painting with passion and ferocity.

As a child learning how to write, Desmond would practice in coloring books with his grandmother. That early exposure to color and graphics instilled in him a love of art that has become a driving force in his life. With a background in 3D and digital art, Desmond now works primarily in oils on canvas, with a focus on portraiture.

“Part of the reason I paint, and will continue to paint, and will continue to get better at painting, is to prove that just because somebody has a disability or is born different doesn’t mean they are limited in what they do,” he says.

“I know there will be somebody coming along behind me and will have to deal with the same things, and if the pathway is already kind of cleared. ... I think I can rest easier knowing I made somebody else’s life a little easier.”

Currently working as a project manager in the IT department of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Desmond credits a hospital fundraising event, Summer Colors Art Show, as one of the main reasons he has gotten serious about his painting in the past few years. In 2011 he was asked to donate a piece to the silent auction, and Desmond says it has become one of his favorite shows and a benchmark for his work.

Desmond is just one of the local artists being showcased this year at Summer Colors Art Show on July 30. Founded in 2009 by Jenny and Loren Koziol and Dupree and Jill Scovell, Summer Colors has grown from a small two-person show to an exciting silent auction featuring upward of 25 artists from around Dallas-Fort Worth, and it has raised nearly $50,000 for the hospital.

Entering its seventh year, Summer Colors offers the Dallas community a chance to support Texas Scottish Rite while being exposed to some of Dallas’ most exciting up-and-coming artists.

Co-founder and artist Jenny Grumbles Koziol says the main goals of Summer Colors are to introduce new friends to the hospital, raise funds and to give emerging artists a platform to share their work. “Plus it’s a good deal,” she adds. “Because it’s an auction, you can leave with some beautiful art at a great price!”

Event details:

Summer Colors Art Show
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
Thursday, July 30, 6:30-8:30 pm
Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door
To purchase tickets: https://community.tsrhc.org/SummerColors

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children has been caring for children since 1921. TSRHC treats children with orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hand disorders, hip disorders and limb length differences, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders such as dyslexia. Please visit us online at TSRHC.org or Facebook.org/tsrhc, or call us at 214-559-5000 for additional information.

Desmond Blair works in IT at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, but he's also a talented artist who contributes works to the Summer Colors fundraiser.

Photo courtesy of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Desmond Blair works in IT at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, but he's also a talented artist who contributes works to the Summer Colors fundraiser.

You wouldn’t expect to hear “doggie, doggie, doggie!” at a children’s hospital, but Tristan, age 2, can’t contain his excitement when he looks down from his wheelchair and sees Buddy, a gray Miniature Schnauzer.

Buddy’s owner, Marilyn Nelson, lifts Buddy into a chair so Tristan can have a closer look. The young boy and the bearded dog stare at each other in silence. Buddy has been visiting with children for five years, and he knows that sometimes even the bravest child may need a moment to adjust to a new visitor, especially one with four paws.

As Tristan’s small face melts into a smile, Buddy scoots closer to the boy, ready with a gentle nudge and a soft lick. Tristan erupts into giggles as his mother looks on. Some of the tension in her shoulders seems to release, and she shares a laugh with her son.

It’s Wednesday morning, and that means the dogs are on duty at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Once a week, volunteers from Paws Across Texas and Pet Partners bring their canine companions to TSRHC to spend time with the young patients. These therapy assistance dogs and their owners bring smiles, laughter and, for many patients, a reminder of their furry friends waiting at home.

The path to becoming a therapy animal is no walk in the park — for the dogs or the owners. Every animal that enters the hospital has gone through a rigorous certification process. Before receiving their therapy assistance status, the dogs receive expert training and are put through a series of drills to test their patience and demeanor. Regular evaluations, veterinary checkups and special baths are just part of a therapy dog’s routine.

Charissa Kumar and her Standard Poodle, Izzy, have been volunteering for the past year. As a former X-ray technician in a cardiology center, Charissa is accustomed to helping patients.

“There are so many ways to help people that are not just technical — and this is one of them,” she says. Izzy takes her work just as seriously. “When her yellow therapy leash comes out, she knows! Her tail starts wagging, and she is ready to get in the car.”

As seriously as these dogs take their jobs, there is also plenty of room for fun. Micki Jenkins makes sure her Maltese, Kristal, is wearing the latest canine couture for her hospital visits. Micki jokes, “Kristal is always ready for her close-up.”

Kristal’s partner that day is an equally fashionable Tibetan Spaniel named Elvis. He trots down the hall, smiling at everyone and everything he sees. As Elvis wraps up a visit, his owner, Linda Herrrscher, tells him to “throw kisses,” and with a gesture worthy of the King himself, Elvis puts his paw to his mouth and blows a kiss to his new friends.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children has been caring for children since 1921. TSRHC treats children with orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hand disorders, hip disorders and limb length differences, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders such as dyslexia. For more information or to get involved, visit scottishritehospital.org or Facebook.com/tsrhc, or call 214-559-5000.

Volunteer Linda Herrscher holds Elvis, a Tibetan Spaniel, while he visits with 5-year-old Texas Scottish Rite patient Mary, sister Jurnee and mom Janae of Houston.

Photo courtesy of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Volunteer Linda Herrscher holds Elvis, a Tibetan Spaniel, while he visits with 5-year-old Texas Scottish Rite patient Mary, sister Jurnee and mom Janae of Houston.

From the moment you meet Eliana Gill, you notice her warm eyes and welcoming smile. Wearing her red uniform jacket and name badge, this is a young woman who clearly has a passion for volunteering at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Eliana was introduced to TSRHC three years ago when she was a senior at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin. She had been experiencing pain and stiffness in her hips and legs, and she was unconvinced by her pediatrician’s opinion that it was growing pains. Without a proper diagnosis, Eliana felt frustrated and alone in her pain.

Her parents took her to a sports medicine doctor who determined that she might have hip dysplasia and referred her to Texas Scottish Rite’s Center for Excellence in Hip Disorders for an MRI, official diagnosis and treatment.

An equestrian and competitive show jumper, Eliana underwent hip surgery and spent six days as an in-patient at TSRHC. Afterward, she spent three months in a wheelchair relearning how to walk, but it wasn’t long before she was back on her horse and riding in the Texas Hill Country.

She credits the supportive care of TSRHC’s volunteers and staff, especially the nurses, on her excellent progress. Her experience at the hospital influenced her to volunteer one night a week and visit with patients.

Every Wednesday, Eliana spends time with children in the in-patient ward of the hospital. From delivering snacks and bed linens to playing games and making crafts, Eliana knows firsthand what an impact these volunteer visits can have on a patient.

She remembers her first hospital visit with a laugh. “I was your typical teenager — cocky, not scared — and I thought it was no big deal. At first.”

That’s when Eliana laid eyes on the giant needles that were going to inject dye into her body for the MRI, and her stomach dropped. Arwen, Eliana’s first nurse at TSRHC, helped comfort her and alleviate her fears.

“I remember Arwen standing by me, and she grabbed both of my hands, and I felt so much less scared and so safe,” Eliana says.

That moment changed the course of Eliana’s life and inspired her to become a nurse herself. Finishing her junior year at Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Eliana is on track to become a pediatric nurse and offer her patients the same care and support that she received as a patient at TSRHC.

“I want to make people feel secure and well cared for — that’s my goal.”

She is certainly well on her way.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, visit http://www.tsrhc.org/volunteer.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children has been caring for children since 1921. TSRHC treats children with orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hand disorders, hip disorders and limb length differences, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders such as dyslexia. Please visit us online at TSRHC.org or Facebook.org/tsrhc, or call us at 214-559-5000 for additional information.

Eliana Gill was an equestrian and competitive show jumper.

Photo courtesy of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Eliana Gill was an equestrian and competitive show jumper.