The Best and Brightest Come to Doernbecher

Doernbecher is not the country’s largest children’s hospital, but I think it is one of the best. The reason? Great people.

That is why I was so proud to be joined by one of the top young pediatric neurosurgeons in the country, who began her practice at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital today.

Dr. Lissa Baird graduated from Brigham Young and earned her MD degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She underwent residency training at the University of California, San Diego, during which time she also completed an infolded fellowship in skull base neurosurgery at Louisiana State University, Shreveport (where I originally met her while a visiting professor there). She just finished as the 2011-12 Shillito Fellow in pediatric neurosurgery at Boston Children's Hospital. 

Dr. Baird has clinical and scientific interests in pediatric brain tumors and in new approaches using an endoscope to remove some tumors through the nose.

It would be an understatement to say that pediatric neurosurgeons are in demand around the United States. Dr. Baird was a top faculty candidate this year. I am proud that the opportunities, collegiality, and clinical and scientific talents evident across the institution attracted her to join the faculty at Oregon Health & Science University.

I think she will be a terrific addition to the program and will advance the goals and values we have been working on, most particularly technically excellent and compassionate care of Oregon’s children, and those of the region and nation.

Dr. Lissa Baird

Campagna Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery

Mario and Edie Campagna are a precious commodity in our state. Committed Oregonians, they have worked hard their entire lives to build a wonderful state and then continued watching out for Oregon through wise and active philanthropy.

Mario Campagna was educated at the (then) University of Oregon Medical School here on Marquam Hill. Successful in school, he was called to the Mayo Clinic to train in neurological surgery, a new but cutting edge specialty requiring the greatest dedication and skill. Mario and Edie were so attached to their home state, though, that they returned to Oregon. After initiating his career here in Portland, Mario and Edie made a dramatic choice that would transform neurological care in Southern Oregon and help build the Medford community. Mario opened the first major neurosurgical practice between Portland and San Francisco.

For decades, Mario and Edie were respected leaders of the Medford community and medical world. Mario built a neurosurgical and neurological practice that was the mainstay of a huge region of Southern Oregon and Northern California. One of his four children also attended OHSU, and went on to train in Pediatrics at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and to serve Oregon as a pediatrician. Mario and Edie became philanthropic leaders in Southern Oregon.

Imagine the pride I have had, then, since 2005, serving as the Mario and Edie Campagna Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery, the only endowed position for a pediatric neurosurgeon in the state. During this time, Mario and Edie’s personal mentorship, advice, and guidance have been a wonderful part of my career and the growth of our program.  Thus, June 29^th, 2012 is a special day that will always have special meaning for neurosurgery at Doernbecher. I flew with Dr. Stacy Nicholson, Credit Unions for Kids Professor and Physician in Chief of Doernbecher to Medford to celebrate the launch of the Campagna Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery with Mario, Edie and other friends and family. Mario and Edie’s generosity means that pediatric neurosurgery will now receive tremendous additional support and will be able to attract a national program leader, in perpetuity. The Campagna Chair is the first endowed chair in neurological surgery in the state (and the 2^nd endowed position overall).

The Chair celebration was, most of all, a wonderful opportunity to visit with two individuals who are not just wise philanthropists that have devoted their careers and lives to Oregon and raised their families here. It was also a chance to spend time with now dear friends, who have a deep and tremendous sense of the value of Oregon and of Oregonians, and a clear vision of why we should all work to better their interests now and in the future.

Nathan R. Selden

Mario and Edie Campagna Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery

Oregon Health & Science University

Minimally Invasive Brain Tumor Surgery at Doernbecher

Doernbecher has a distinguished record for removing some of the most difficult tumors faced by pediatric neurosurgeons.

One of the toughest, a rare tumor called craniopharyngioma, is tucked deep in the center of the head, between the carotid arteries emerging from the skull base, the vision nerves, the most sensitive areas of the base of the brain, and the brainstem (see an example, below). Our novel report of using a newer skull base surgical approach in children to remove craniopharyngiomas, while preserving visual function at record high rates, was highlighted on the cover of the leading Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, in 2009.

Modified orbitozygomatic craniotomy for craniopharyngioma resection in children

Now, for some smaller craniopharyngiomas, an even newer, more innovative approach is available at Doernbecher: using an endoscope to enter the skull base through the nose and remove the tumor minimally invasively, and completely. Remarkably, this trans-nasal surgery leaves no scar at all.

Some larger tumors are still removed using the open skull base approach Doernbecher helped develop in children. Along with our superb brain tumor program colleagues, these innovations offer the best odds for children with one of the most difficult to treat pediatric brain tumors.

Patients Giving Back

Every day I come to work I am amazed at the privilege of caring for babies and little children. It is the most rewarding aspect of my career that parents, faced with fear and anxiety for the health of their precious children, put their confidence in our team to give them the best care possible.

Dawson Tucker is a great example. Born with hydrocephalus, or water on the brain, this beautiful boy needed the surgical implantation of a shunt to relieve the pressure and allow his brain to develop normally. It was a real pleasure to care for him and to get to know his parents and extended family that came to the hospital in his support.

I got a big surprise when Dawson came back to clinic for his post-operative check-up. Dawson’s family had seen how important it is for older children in the hospital to have fun activities and a supportive environment. They saw that some kids go for rides in little red wagons to lighten the day, get out of their rooms, or relieve the anxiety of going for a test.

Dawson’s grandfather decided to get together with other family members and donors in his town and build the most tricked out red wagon Doernbecher had ever seen! The result is below. Every day when I see a patient riding in the Tuckers’ wagon down the halls of Doernbecher, I am reminded what a great community I am a part of. It involves doctors, nurses, patients, families, donors, professional staff, and thousands upon thousands of other Oregonians.

Best of all? Dawson’s family had so much fun building this wagon for Doernbecher, they decided to build more. Thanks, Tuckers!