Charlotte, North Carolina

Why should I take my child to the St. Jude affiliate clinic in Charlotte?

When a child is sick, most parents would go to the ends of the earth for the best care. But if you live in the southeastern United States, the best care may be close to home. Children with cancer or blood disorders can now be treated in Charlotte, NC, at the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital. It’s the only St. Jude affiliate clinic in the Carolinas. Its location is just one reason it could be the best place for your child.

Treatment for many types of cancer

The St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital treats the same types of cancer as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis:

• Adrenocortical carcinoma
• Brain tumors
• Ewing sarcoma
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Neuroblastoma
• Osteosarcoma
• Retinoblastoma
• Wilms tumor

Top-notch training

The St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Noval Health Hemby Children’s Hospital and its physicians and clinical staff have the best training, credentials and support to care for your child:

• Doctors are nationally recognized for their work in treating cancer and blood disorders and work closely with St. Jude experts in Memphis.
• Certified pediatric oncology nurses (CPONs) give your child specialized care.
• Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital is one of only 5% of U.S. hospitals to be a Magnet Health Care facility. This is a mark of the highest level of nursing care.
• It is a member of the Children's Oncology Group. This research group is funded by the National Cancer Institute.

Access to clinical trials

Because of our affiliation with St. Jude, the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital gives your child access to more clinical trials than any other facility in the Southeast.

Many clinical trials study new, experimental drugs to find out how well they work in treating diseases such as cancer. Experimental means that doctors are trying something new. If researchers learn that the new drugs work better than standard treatments, they will keep testing. After further testing, the experimental drugs become the new standard treatments for other children. This type of research has led to new treatments that increase your child’s chances for a better future—and for a cure.

Lessening the impact of cancer on your child’s life

Staff at the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital want kids to get back to their normal activities. The goal is to offer every child who walks through the doors easy access to quality care in a child-friendly environment. Here are a few ways they do that:

• Exam rooms are welcoming and decorated with a beach theme. At the end of the visit, your child will get a gift from the treasure chest.
• The Novant Health Buddy Kemp Cancer Support Center community cancer program has support groups, counseling services, educational programs and a library for children with cancer, as well as for their families and friends.
• The Arts for Life program uses art to help your child cope with illness and treatment.

Support for your whole family

Just like at St. Jude in Memphis, the St. Jude affiliate clinic provides care that focuses on your child’s as well as your family’s emotional, spiritual and social needs.

Child Life specialists are trained in child development. They can:

• Clearly explain tests and other care to your child
• Set up play activities that may help your child cope with the stress of treatment
• Visit your child’s school to teach the class about your child’s illness and treatment

Social workers help provide support to your family, including:

• Emotional support
• Financial, educational and community resources
• Transportation and housing options
• Help with out-of-state treatment needs

Chaplains offer their services 24 hours for spiritual guidance and support. Your family may take part in:

• Individual and group prayer
• Phone consultations
• Counseling
• Help with end-of-life issues and decisions
• Help with grief and bereavement

To learn more, visit www.novanthealth.org/Hemby/StJudeClinic.

About Novant Health

Novant Health is a progressive health system nationally recognized for its quality and safety standards and locally known for its remarkable healthcare experience. The system is a four-state integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient care experience to our communities. Novant Health consists of more than 26,000 team members, including 1,200 physicians, who provide remarkable healthcare at nearly 500 locations, including 14 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics.

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for patients and communities, serving more than 4 million patients annually. In 2014, Novant Health provided more than $639 million in community benefit, including over $135 million in charity care to uninsured and indigent patients. This care ranged from providing flu shots to comprehensive cancer treatments. As a not-for-profit health system, Novant Health is committed to fulfilling its mission to improve the health of the communities it serves, regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

Visit NovantHealth.org for more information.

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center is a 622-bed tertiary medical center located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, and provides the residents with nationally recognized, quality care. Since 1903, Presbyterian Medical Center has been a cornerstone of the Charlotte community by providing excellent healthcare services and by supporting the community through partnerships and outreach. With 7,000 team members and over 700 physicians on medical staff, Presbyterian Medical Center is committed to improving the health of the communities served. As one of the largest medical centers in the region it is well known for its quality care, high patient satisfaction scores and commitment to giving back to the community.

Presbyterian Medical Center offers leading-edge health services ranging from prevention and early detection to breakthrough treatments in cancer, stroke and heart disease. It also is designated a Magnet hospital, the nation’s highest honor for excellence in nursing. To bring even more advanced care to the region, Presbyterian Medical Center has partnered with some of the most reputable healthcare organizations in the country, such as Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute – ranked No. 1 among U.S. hospitals year after year for comprehensive cardiovascular care.

Visit NovantHealth.org/presbyterian-medical-center to learn more.

About Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital

Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital offers patients remarkable medical care, while offering parents peace of mind. From neonatal and pediatric intensive care to a wide variety of pediatric specialties, Hemby is small enough to give patients individualized attention, yet large enough to attract some of the most skilled experts in the region.

Hemby Children’s Hospital has expert pediatric doctors, nurses and staff who work in a child-friendly atmosphere to care for children like they are family. Should a child need to be hospitalized, Hemby is the right place for him or her to heal and get back to being a kid.

Visit NovantHealth.org/hemby-childrens-hospital to learn more.