Dubai – January 19, 2016 - As
part of the new International Program at Cook Children’s Health Care
System, the Hematology and Oncology Center is one of five specialties to
offer comprehensive care to children with complex diagnoses outside of
the United States.
The
International Program is a complete service for patients visiting the
Fort Worth-based Medical Center from countries outside the U.S.
Recently, Cook Children’s has treated patients from the Middle East
including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and others. Additionally, patients came to Cook Children’s from Latin America, including Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru.
Since 1986, Cook
Children’s has performed nearly 1,000 pediatric bone marrow and stem
cell transplants. In 2015, the medical center performed 50 transplants
for a variety of diseases, including leukemia and lymphoma, and boasts a
state-of-the art, nine-bed stem cell transplant unit.
Today, stem cell
transplantation is routinely used as treatment for many patients
suffering from hematologic malignancies, non-hematologic malignancies,
some blood disorders, metabolic disorders and immunodeficiencies. Cook
Children’s Stem Cell Transplant Program is accredited through the
Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy.
"At Cook Children’s,
we pride ourselves on providing world-class cancer care to our pediatric
patients. We are very excited to expand our reach outside of the United
States," said Meaghan Granger, M.D., Neuroblastoma Program, Stem Cell
Transplant Program. "We look forward to bringing our innovative and
cutting edge cancer services to patients from around the globe."
Cook Children’s also
offers new therapy approaches for neuroblastoma patients who have not
had success with standard chemotherapy, or for those facing relapse.
Cook Children’s is a member of New Approaches of Neuroblastoma Therapy
(NANT), a clinical trials consortium comprised of 15 hospitals and
universities strongly committed to neuroblastoma research in patients
with relapsed and refractory disease. Through NANT, Cook Children’s is
able to offer clinical trials with new drugs and new combinations that
target neuroblastoma and are not available elsewhere.
In addition to
transplantation and new therapies, Cook Children’s also offers a
clinical research trial specific to neuroblastoma tumors and metastases.
International
Program staff – including physicians, nurses, and clinical interpreters
– will coordinate all aspects of each international patient’s visit.
The team will work to meet each family’s needs through concierge
services designed to make the health care experience as comfortable,
convenient and efficient as Cook Children’s Announces New International Program H/O – Fort Worth/Page 2
possible, including
helping with Visa requirements and coordinating travel plans,
accommodations and other services. As part of consideration for the
program, the families of the international patients must be eligible via
private pay or through global insurance.
Cook Children’s, a
not-for-profit, nationally recognized pediatric health care
organization, is supported by one of the largest pediatric transport
programs in the nation. Its Teddy Bear Transport team brings the most
medically fragile children and neonates from throughout the United
States and, now, Latin America to its award-winning Medical Center
quickly and safely.
U.S.News & World Report named
Cook Children’s to its 2015-16 "America’s Best Children’s Hospitals"
list for excellence in 6 specialties, including Neurology, Hematology
and Oncology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Neonatology and
Orthopedics. Cook Children’s is also recognized as a Top Children’s
Hospital for quality and safety by the Leapfrog Group.
For more information
or to refer a patient to the International Program, please contact
01-682-885-INTL (01-682-885-4685) or visit: www.
About Cook Children’s Health Care System
- Cook Children’s Health Care System is a not-for-profit, nationally
recognized pediatric health care organization comprised of eight
entities – a Medical Center, Physician Network, Home Health company,
Northeast Hospital, Pediatric Surgery Center, Health Plan, Health
Services Inc., and Health Foundation. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, the
integrated system has more than 60 primary and specialty care offices
throughout North Texas. Its service region includes Denton, Hood,
Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties, with an additional referral
area encompassing nearly half the state.
Cook Children's traces
its roots back to 1918, but throughout its continual change and robust
growth, it still embraces an inspiring promise – to improve the health
of every child in its region through the prevention and treatment of
illness, disease and injury. To live up to this promise, Cook Children’s
combines the art of caring with the use of leading technology and
extraordinary collaboration to provide exceptional care for every child,
every day. For more information, please visit www.cookchildrens.org.
