Top 10 Stories on Checkup Newsroom in 2024

As we reflect on the incredible year that was 2024, we’re filled with gratitude for the countless moments of magic that unfolded across Cook Children’s Health Care System. From heartwarming patient stories to exciting announcements of growth, each day brought new reasons to celebrate the extraordinary work happening at Cook Children’s and our team’s unwavering commitment to providing the best possible care for every child. 

Join us as we revisit the top 10 most viewed Checkup Newsroom stories of this year.

10. Record Broken: Cook Children’s NICU Reaches New Milestone with 101 Patients

On Jan. 25, Cook Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hit its highest patient volume with 101 babies. Brittany McLaughlin, NICU director, said this milestone is evidence of the continued growth in our community and its impact on our hospital.

Cook Children’s NICU has 99 private rooms and is the only one in Tarrant County that offers single-patient rooms. With roughly 450 employees, the department is the size of a small hospital in itself.

The milestone coincided with one of the biggest fundraisers supporting Cook Children’s NICU. On Jan. 31, the legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo donated half of all proceeds from tickets to Cook Children’s NICU.

9. Cook Children’s Marks One Year in Prosper with 1,800+ Bear Donation

Jan. 9, 2024 marked one year since Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper opened its doors. To celebrate, a sea of teddy bears filled the medical center’s lobby. In December 2023, Sandra Peak, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Lewisville – Castle Hills, challenged her fellow pediatric offices in the Denton/Collin County area to collect Prayer Bears throughout the month.

Doctors at each participating primary care office posted a callout on their social media accounts and the community answered in a big way.

A total of 1,821 Prayer Bears were delivered to Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper during the hospital’s first birthday celebration. The bears were given to patients as a source of comfort and encouragement during their hospital stay.

8. Cook Children’s Named as One of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women by Newsweek

Newsweek named Cook Children’s one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024. In this piece, we introduce some of the women who make Cook Children’s such an amazing place.

7. Celebrating National Doctor’s Day: Slime-A-Doc 2024

In March, we celebrated National Doctor’s Day with slime! Patient families and employees voted for the physicians, nurses, child life specialists, administrative staff members and advanced practice providers they wanted to see covered in slime. It was a special day spent celebrating the ones who take care of us when we’re feeling green.

6. Cook Children’s Named to No. 3 Spot on Forbes “America’s Best Large Employers” 2024 List

In February, with gratitude and a touch of pride, we announced Cook Children’s earned a top spot on Forbes America’s Best Large Employers 2024 list, debuting at No. 3 out of a lineup of 600. The rank acknowledged something we already knew — Cook Children’s is one of the best places to work among all large businesses across all industries nationwide. Cook Children’s was also named No. 1 in the health care and social industry category among large employers on the list.

5. Surgery of the Century: Celebrating One Year

Jan. 23, 2024 marked one year since cheers rang out and tears of joy streamed in a private family waiting area at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth following a long-awaited and monumental announcement to the parents and family of conjoined twins JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley.

“You have two babies on two separate beds.” 

The declaration that the sisters were successfully separated in an 11-hour surgery performed by a team of 25 medical professionals, including six surgeons, was more than a year in the making. Planning and preparation for the twins’ complex care and intricate surgery began months before the girls were born. Back then, all hoped and prayed for the best, but few could imagine that seven short months after their separation JamieLynn would take her first steps, followed by sister AmieLynn a month later. In this celebratory update, we shared that the twins were moving at a toddler’s pace, keeping mom and dad on their toes and on high alert.

4. Cook Children’s Sees Rise in Cases of Mycoplasma Pneumonia

In July, the Emergency Department at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth experienced a significant spike in cases of Mycoplasma pneumonia, which is a common bacterial infection that can cause “walking pneumonia” in children. Usually, this infection presents with cold-like symptoms, which are treated at home. Stephanie Felton, D.O., associate medical director of the Cook Children’s Emergency Department, and Nicholas Rister, M.D., infectious diseases physician, explained symptoms and prevention tips.

3. Cook Children’s Unveils Plan to Expand Critical Care to Meet Community Demand

In November, we announced a 10-year master plan to expand and enhance our Fort Worth medical center. The plan includes a new 700,000-square-foot medical tower, known for now as the West Tower, which will add another signature blue peak to Cook Children’s flagship campus and Fort Worth’s skyline. It will be a seamless extension of the existing medical center, connected both above and below ground, and make way for an expansion of the NICU with an additional 37 beds. It will also allow for an expansion and redesign of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and increase capacity for Hematology/Oncology services and research, as well as additional operating rooms and imaging services.

 2. Cook Children’s NICU Welcomes First Quadruplets in Over a Decade

Catie Pulsifer, RN, and her husband Cameron already had two children—3-year-old Allie and 5-year-old Robin—when they decided they wanted a third. On July 4, 2023, the pair discovered they were finally expecting.

When Catie went to her first ultrasound, her scan showed not one, not two—but five gestational sacs!

At the beginning of 2024, Catie gave birth to the first set of quadruplets Cook Children’s has seen in over a decade. Catie is a Psychiatric Nurse in the Behavioral Health Unit at Cook Children’s, making this extraordinary event all the more special for everyone at the hospital.

1. Cook Children’s Looks to Expand Medical Campus to Keep Up with Unprecedented Growth in Fort Worth

Fort Worth is growing fast and so is the need for pediatric critical care. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Fort Worth’s population was 978,468 as of July 2023. With an estimated 59 people moving here every day, the city expects Fort Worth to hit the one million mark this year. In September, we shared why Cook Children’s was exploring options to expand our Fort Worth campus.

Spencer Seals, vice president of Construction and Real Estate at Cook Children’s said, “The goal is to make more room on our current campus for critical care services, which we direly need. We’re evaluating our options to see what best serves the community, just as we have for the past 106 years.