Every day, Ali Spikestein, MS, Certified Child Life Specialist, brings smiles to her young patients and their families who are being treated at the Mount Sinai Blau Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disease.

She credits her work partner for many of those happy faces, though. That is because Ali is a facility dog handler and her partner is Professor, a golden doodle who has been on the Mount Sinai Hospital staff since 2017. Professor is one of three facility dogs who work full-time as part of the Paws & Play program in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department.

Ali explains that Professor allows her to do her job better. “He can provide physical comfort, which goes a long way in helping patients cope and adjust, especially when I am doing my part explaining treatments and outcomes; these are sometimes difficult discussions.” She adds, “Professor provides consistency for children and their parents who may be lacking that as they progress through their disease journey.”

Ali says that children mark their calendars in anticipation of seeing Professor and that they say they feel calmer and braver undergoing transfusion and infusion treatments with him in the room.

“I cannot overstate the impact that Professor makes,” she says. “And not just on patients; he is a morale booster for staff, too.”

In addition to providing comprehensive child life and animal-assisted therapy programming, Ali is driving an innovative research study investigating the effectiveness of utilizing a facility dog during invasive medical procedures. Her data is close to being finalized, but she expects it will provide evidence of what she sees happen whenever Professor connects with a patient: lowering of anxiety and distress.

Morgan Stojanowski, MS, CCLS, Assistant Director, Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy, at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, has high praise for this team.

“We are very fortunate to have Ali and Professor as members of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department,” she says, “and we are proud of their amazing work. “

Members of the REACH Program Multidisciplinary Team at weekly case conference.

David Rivers, was dealing with addiction, medical issues, and other personal challenges when he found the REACH program at The Mount Sinai Hospital. It had been a 10-year cycle of trying to find his way, but he discovered the path to turning his life around through REACH. “They do it all, and then some,” he says. “Importantly, everyone at the program shows genuine concern for you, from the secretaries to the doctors in charge.”

The Respectful and Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program provides a patient-centered, harm-reduction approach to primary care for people who use alcohol and other drugs, and for people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Located within The Mount Sinai Hospital’s Internal Medicine Associates, REACH offers comprehensive primary care services, including office-based buprenorphine treatment, stigma-free risk reduction counseling, HCV treatment, overdose response training, integrated behavioral health care, and support groups.

Jeffrey Weiss, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Director of the REACH Program says that offering these services can change how patients with substance use disorders perceive healthcare. “People who use drugs have very often had predominantly negative experiences accessing health care and are very reluctant to do so, “ he explains. “Our goal is to provide a positive experience grounded in respect, harm reduction principles, and health equity which can start to reset this negative attitude toward health care and lead to successful engagement with our multidisciplinary team of health care professionals.”

Andres Santiago, sober for three years, says REACH is very different from other medical facilities and physicians he has turned to in the past. “Thank God for them,” he says of his providers.  “The services went beyond my physical health; they even included my wife so she could be involved with solutions to problems. There is nothing they can’t figure out.”

Merlene Baker is especially grateful for the respect she receives from the REACH team. “They take time with you,” she explains. “It is a two-way conversation.  I feel comfortable that I can open up and talk freely. And I feel like what I say has value. They truly care about me, and I trust them with my life.”

Andres and David speak with one voice when it comes to recommending the program to others. “If I were asked about the program by a stranger,” says Andres, “I would say you will not regret your decision.” And David says, “It changed my life. That says it all.”

Kelly Purcell, left, with her husband, Kevin, and newborn

Kelly Purcell was already a mother of two, with both children born at The Mount Sinai Hospital, but this time the circumstances were dramatically different. She was due to give birth at the end of March 2020, the beginning of the surge of COVID-19 in New York City. Due to an abundance of caution, there were safety restrictions at that time, and her husband would not be able to be present at the birth, visit, or stay over.

Friends and family offered to host Kelly and her family in Virginia and New Jersey so that she could give birth in a hospital that then allowed visitors. But Kelly only wanted her baby to be delivered by Francesco Callipari, MD, at Mount Sinai, where she believed the best care would be provided for her and her newborn. To her surprise and joy, Dr. Callipari called Kelly a few days before the birth to share the good news that the visitor policy had been updated and healthy partners were allowed to be in the delivery room.

After a successful birth, Kelly wrote a heartfelt note with high praise for her labor and delivery team:

“I am eternally thankful for the care I received at The Mount Sinai Hospital,” she says. “After having regular contractions, it became more difficult to consistently find the baby’s heart rate and when detected, it was dropping during contractions.  All signs were pointing towards an emergency C-section.  Dr. Callipari ushered the extra medical staff who had gathered away and sensing my husband’s worry, he approached him – I think he even grabbed him by the shoulders – looked him in the eye and assured him that he was going to take care of me.  He then worked with me to miraculously deliver my healthy baby girl, who was born with the umbilical cord around her neck.”

Kelly continues, “The postpartum care was equally noteworthy, with doctors, nurses, and staff from patient services, food services, maintenance, as well as the kind hearts who cleaned the room, all going above and beyond to ensure my baby and I felt supported, comforted, and cared for during our stay. The knowledge and experience of Dr. Callipari and the team at Mount Sinai and the sincere and genuine care shown for their patients are unparalleled and simply best in class. In the wake of this pandemic, it was humbling to see the health care providers in their PPE, giving 100 percent of their focus and energy to me and the birth of our child. We are forever grateful that I was able to walk out of the hospital with a beautiful, healthy baby in my arms, and we couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

Blair Goldberg

Blair Goldberg and Allison Scherich, two actors, have more in common than careers in the theater. Years ago, both delivered babies at Mount Sinai West. And both were so moved by their experiences, they are now pursuing new careers in labor and delivery nursing.

Blair progressed through labor rapidly, a situation that requires careful monitoring.

“My labor and delivery nurse, Keira Downes Vogel , was wonderful. Calm, cool, and collected,” she says, “Keira kept watch and alerted my wonderful physician, Richard Wind, MD, as I was dilating so quickly. I had not wanted a natural childbirth, but my son Nolan had other ideas. Keira was positive and motivating and helped me get through my apprehension.”

Blair was also focused on breastfeeding as she had experienced difficulties after the birth of her first child and wanted to nurse right away.

“You could say I was obsessed,” she says. “I was determined not to repeat that failed attempt.” She credits Kristen Giordano, BSN, Nurse Manager for Maternal Child Health at Mount Sinai West, for making it happen.

“Kristen made sure I was introduced to a lactation consultant right away, and she gave me her personal cell number so I could call if there were any delays or any other problems.  Kristen didn’t wait for my call, but checked on me during the day to make sure everything was going well. She also arranged for a second lactation consultant whom I had researched before my delivery and was known for her expertise, to see me shortly before my discharge. That meant the world to me.”

Allie Scherich, right, and Kristen Giordano, BSN. Photos taken prior to the pandemic.

Allie Scherich’s labor and delivery process was not so quick. Pregnant with twins, she experienced complications due to preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure in the mother-to-be.  At twenty-eight weeks, Allie was admitted, and she was in and out of Mount Sinai West for the next six weeks.

She also has high praise for Kristen. “This was an incredibly scary time for me. It was my first pregnancy, and Kristen made me feel cared for; I did not feel like a number. She also looked out for my husband, and got to know him, making sure he was informed and comfortable.”

Allie is appreciative of the entire team. “I had a seizure after birth and my babies had to be cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Everyone on the antepartum floor was incredibly kind, and saw me through this challenging time.”

Allie describes her treatment at Mount Sinai West as “highly personal.” She adds, “I felt like I was at a community hospital, not a big city medical center.”

Blair and Allie say they want to provide other new moms with care similar to the care they received.

For Blair, the decision to go into nursing was based on a number of factors. “I have loved my acting career but the pandemic put me out of work indefinitely, and I began to think about my other passions and interests,” she says. “I have never forgotten my experience at Mount Sinai West and I am so excited to work towards my nursing license.”

Allie is in her second semester of the nursing program at Concordia College and echoes the sentiment. “I definitely got the bug to be a labor and delivery nurse from my experience at Mount Sinai West. It made such an impact on me; I want to do the same for others.”

Allie Scherich’s twin babies

When Suzanne Wetanson first came to meet Sundar Jagannath, MD, Director of the Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma and Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at The Tisch Cancer Institute, she felt very scared and insecure, only knowing she had a blood disorder, but not much else.

She says this about Dr. Jagannath: “He made me feel secure, safe, and comfortable. He actually made me laugh! In the years since that first meeting, Dr. Jagannath has always been available to answer questions or talk about my concerns. I think he is a genius; a unique physician who will think out of the box to meet a patient’s needs. Truly remarkable—you do not find physicians like Dr. Jagannath every day.”

Suzanne, an artist, created a sculpture for Dr. Jagannath, which he donated to The Derald H. Ruttenberg Treatment Center of The Tisch Cancer Institute.

Suzanne says, “I wanted to bring beauty and peace of mind to his patients.”

Alexis Merino, left, and Diego Garcia

Relax and Refresh is a collaboration between The Mount Sinai Hospital Obstetrics team and Eleven West, Mount Sinai’s premium amenities unit, to provide healthy snack options to mothers before and after delivery.

Food is prepared by the culinary team at Eleven West and is delivered to each patient room by the Eleven West Guest Services team. The snacks are designed to be healthy and allergy friendly, with vegan options. Piloted in October 2020 and fully implemented a month later, the program has been a resounding success, judging from  patient response.

Mothers are enthusiastic about the snacks and equally impressed by the two 11 West Guest Service staffers who deliver the snacks, Diego Garcia and Alexis Merino. Here are a few of the patients’ comments:

“The food/snack is delicious, and the guy that comes to deliver it to each patient is so polite and always has a smile on his face. Makes you feel like he is a friend and you might forget for a while you are at a hospital.”

“The food and smoothies have been delicious. The people delivering the food are so kind and accommodating. One of the best parts of the day! “

“The presentation of the food, as well as the smile and the dress code on the person delivering the food, was great. The food was delicious. I even decided to keep the cup that the smoothie came in because it has the Mount Sinai logo on it. Love it!”

Diego considers all of his patients “family,” and says, “I ‘m going to do my very best for them. I want them to be relaxed.” Alexis feels the same way. “I really enjoy what I do. My goal is to go above and beyond and provide patients with a magical experience.”