Compassion: Gifted and Received

When it comes to pediatric health care, nobody knows kids better than Le Bonheur. For some Le Bonheur physicians, the care they provide their patients is filled with extra compassion because as parents of Le Bonheur patients, they have walked in the same shoes as the families they are caring for.

Hometown Hero

“I work at Le Bonheur because of the mission. We care for every kid who walks through our doors and we do whatever it takes to get them better.”

Cynthia Cross, MD, who serves as medical chief of Le Bonheur Community Health and Regional Services, lives by those words daily. There are a few people you will meet at Le Bonheur who don’t have a special story about Dr. Cross, the compassionate care she provides. During the course of her decades-long career, she has touched thousands of lives and made an indelible impact on children and their families. 

As a former nurse and parent of a lifelong Le Bonheur patient, Cross brings a unique perspective to the care she provides. A native Memphian, Cross worked her first shift as a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Methodist University Hospital in 1976. Cross loved caring for babies, yet two doctors there encouraged her to go to medical school to become a pediatrician.

After attending medical school and completing her residency at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Cross worked for several years in private practice before joining Le Bonheur and becoming the inaugural chief of hospital medicine in 2008.

Prior to becoming a Le Bonheur physician, Cross’ experience with the hospital was through the role of parent. Cross’ daughter Camille experienced febrile seizures as a toddler. A few weeks prior to her third birthday, Camille had seizures, but this time she had no fever. Cross took Camille to the emergency department, where she was admitted to Le Bonheur for further testing. Brain scans showed that Camille was experiencing seizures that would require medications to manage.

After a few months of medications, Camille’s seizures were under control and she experienced her last seizure at age 8, returning to Le Bonheur each year for routine follow-up appointments and monitoring.

“Le Bonheur is home; everyone made me feel taken care of when Camille was at the hospital,” Cross said. “Le Bonheur is my family, and it was so comforting to me to see how much people care about not just my child but every child who comes to Le Bonheur.”

Camille, now in her early 30s, lovingly refers to Le Bonheur as “mom’s hospital.” In the 25 years since she was declared seizure-free, Camille has experienced a seizure only once — at age 31, brought on by a virus — and made a full recovery. She has currently been seizure-free for more than two years.

“Having gone through this journey with Camille, it has taught me true compassion for families. It is so agonizing for most parents to have their child admitted to the hospital with testing, procedures and all that comes with a hospitalization,” Cross said. “Being Camille’s mom has made me want to make the hospital experience as painless as possible for families.”

A Beacon of Hope

From newborns with respiratory viruses to teenagers with broken bones, Brad Schneider, MD, is prepared for whatever comes through the doors of Le Bonheur’s emergency department. For more than nine years, Schneider has cared for kids when they need it most, helping families find answers to illnesses or provide emergent care following an accident.

Schneider brings a unique perspective to his role as an emergency department physician, as his 15-year-old son, Cooper, is a Le Bonheur patient. Cooper was born with a chromosomal abnormality and has a seizure disorder that causes him to be unable to walk or talk, relying on his parents, Brad and Crady Schneider, for care.

Cooper sees specialists at Le Bonheur and has had several overnight stays at the hospital for everything from severe dehydration to seizure management. Not only has Cooper received expert care, but the Schneider family has received the support they need to help Cooper thrive.

“Cooper’s journey has provided me with a unique insight into what our families experience at the hospital. My education as a pediatrician has been greatly informed by my experiences with him,” Schneider said. “Cooper is easily the single most important puzzle piece for the doctor I am today and has provided me with great empathy for what our patients and families endure on a daily basis. I feel as though I’m much more empathetic than I otherwise would have been as a doctor and human because of Cooper.”

While Schneider has personal experience as a parent at Le Bonheur, he is proud to work at the hospital because of the population served and the high level of care provided. He is grateful to be part of a team that gives the best care to those in the community who need it most.

“Le Bonheur is special because of what it does and can do for the community at large,” Schneider said. “Memphis is grossly underserved for pediatric care, and Le Bonheur is often the only medical resource that some of these families have. This hospital serves as a beacon of hope for patients and families.”

Cooper has also inspired his dad to always be kind to those who seek help, serving as a reminder that while we have no idea what others may be going through, it is important to lend an ear and listen. Schneider often cares for patients and families during times of unspeakable tragedy or a traumatic medical emergency, and sometimes the most important part of Schneider’s interaction with a family is making sure they are heard and understood.

Schneider credits Crady for being Cooper’s biggest champion along the way and encourages others to advocate for their own kids to ensure they receive the care and support they need. The Schneiders also advocate for others at Le Bonheur by serving on the Family Partners Council, a group of Le Bonheur patient families who work to improve processes within the hospital.