Stacey Stone, M.D., began walking the halls of All Children’s Hospital well before she wore a doctor’s white coat. Touring the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as a teenager, she became smitten with the idea of helping babies so she volunteered. That interest blossomed into a desire to become a neonatologist.

After her medical education, she returned to join the staff at All Children’s in 2002 and now specializes in neonatology in the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Maternal, Fetal & Neonatal Institute. She leads the neonatal vascular access program and is a member of the Center for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) team. In 2017, she won the Johns Hopkins All Children's Excellence in Service & Professionalism Award.

Having gone from stocking materials and assisting the NICU clerk to becoming a specialist in a unit that carries a Level IV rating — the highest given by the American Academy of Pediatrics — Stone gives us some insight into a pediatric specialists’ life.

Did you always want to become a doctor? If not what would you be?

As long as I can remember I always wanted to be a neonatologist.
 

What’s something people don’t know about you or would find surprising?

I ran a couple of marathons, including the New York City Marathon.
 

What are your hobbies and what do you do to take your mind off work?

I spend most of my time out of work with my three kids. Ages 13, 12 and 9.
 

What’s the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing at night?

My kids and the babies I’m taking care of at the hospital.
 

Do you have a favorite TV show or movie?

I really enjoy A Million Little Moments TV show.
 

What’s your typical day look like?

I work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week. Four to five nights a month, I stay all night.
 

What’s your favorite thing about working at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital?

I love working at this hospital. I have a long history here and the hospital is always getting better at taking care of babies. I have the best of both worlds. I’m practicing neonatology and also caring for CDH patients.
 

What made you want to work in the nationally recognized CDH unit, the only one solely devoted to CDH care in the country?

CDH patients are taken care of in the NICU in most hospitals. Truly, our care for CDH babies is different than anywhere else in the country, and we have superior outcomes. It is exciting to be a part of that. It is so rewarding taking care of patients who travel from all over the country for our care and go home with great outcomes and quality of life. It’s very gratifying.
 

How has COVID-19 impacted you personally and professionally this year?

I’m a single mom and when my kids were home schooling it made it tremendously hard for them to be home with me here at work. That was a big challenge. I think it’s difficult for all of us health care providers, who are taking care of the sickest patients and working with stressed out families. It adds an additional challenge for us.