As we move closer to the holiday season, we are so pleased to share this issue of Hopkins Children’s magazine, which is filled with inspiring stories about our people, patients and families. The medical odyssey of the doctor who dons our cover is nothing short of extraordinary. No “spoilers” from us, but suffice it to say that when Sara Kathryn Smith treats young patients with advanced liver disease, and counsels their families, she draws from a deep well of personal experience. And you won’t want to miss "Lifeline," which offers a whole new window into the world of palliative care provided by our dedicated and compassionate team.

Those are just a few highlights of an issue rich with uplifting accounts of the stellar patient care, promising scientific advances, and committed fundraising support that have come to define us.

Unfortunately, the season has also brought an earlier-than-usual wave of respiratory virus of unprecedented severity, which is taxing our pediatric health care system — locally, regionally and nationally. We have created a Virtual Incident Command Center to keep leaders well informed of daily concerns and activated a capacity optimization team that is allowing us to meet the surge with expanded emergency care and critical care services. Our experts are leading the national conversation on how best to ensure the health of our nation’s children during this critical time, and we are so grateful to them for sharing their wisdom with the media.

We are grateful as well to the nurses, doctors and allied health staff members who are working tirelessly — and coping graciously amid the stress of this latest health crisis — to provide exceptional care to our young patients and their families. Patient-centered care remains central to everything we do. Toward that end, we are very proud to share that two of our own — pediatric emergency medicine specialist Thuy Ngo and critical care specialist Jamie Schwartz — were inducted this fall into the Johns Hopkins Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence. They joined the ranks of Johns Hopkins doctors who are the “best of the best” in clinical care.

We close with a heartfelt shout-out to our families. Thank you so much for continuing to trust us with the care of your most precious treasure, your children.

Margaret “Maggie” Moon, M.D., M.P.H.
Co-Director and Pediatrician-in-Chief, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

David Hackam, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-Director and Surgeon-in-Chief, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center