A 30-Year Treasure Trove of Love

A 30-Year Treasure Trove of Love

by | Oct 20, 2026 | Events, General News

Published in Rite Up, 2026 – Issue 3

Step back in time to 1996 at the Scottish Rite for Children Dallas campus. Inside the Atrium, under the Flying Machine mobile, treasures fill the room, organized in a street fair arrangement. Each guest brings a personal treasure to contribute. While enjoying drinks, hors d’oeuvres and music, people mingle and mosey up and down the streets silently bidding on the items, hoping to take home the perfect one. The attendees also have another goal in mind — to raise $35,000 for Scottish Rite’s Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) Clinic. That first year, guests not only took home beloved treasures but also raised more than $166,000. Treasure Street was an instant success.

On October 22, Scottish Rite for Children will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Treasure Street, its signature event that has raised more than $16 million to date. Three decades ago, the idea for the fundraiser was born around a kitchen table. Dee and Dodge Carter wanted to give back to the hospital for treating their daughter Nicole, who received care for tuberous sclerosis complex. TSC is a rare genetic disease that causes noncancerous tumors to grow in parts of the body, most commonly in the skin, brain, eyes, kidneys, heart and lungs.

“Our baby Nicole was at Scottish Rite all the time. She was so well cared for, and we didn’t have to worry about finances,” Dee says. “We thought, ‘We have to do something for this incredible place that’s taking care of our daughter.’” The Carters approached each of their parents, including Dee’s father, Harold Carter, and her late mother, Bitsy Carter, and Dodge’s parents, Margaret and Syd Carter.

One family’s decision made 30 years ago has inspired numerous donors and friends to engage in Treasure Street and contribute year after year. Over time, the event has grown tremendously, introducing more and more people to Scottish Rite and its mission of giving children back their childhood. Guests have enjoyed fun-filled themes from Dancing in the Street to A Few of My Favorite Things. Entertainment has included the go-to Dallas favorite, Emerald City Band, as well as recording artists Pat Green, Lee Ann Womack, Andy Grammer and Robert Earl Keen to name a few. In 2011, when Scottish Rite for Children celebrated its 90th birthday, former President and Mrs. George W. Bush served as honorary event chairs.

To commemorate Treasure Street’s 30th year, Nicole’s brother Dodge and his wife, Diane, are continuing their family’s legacy by serving as the 2026 event chairs. Dodge was 6 years old when his parents started Treasure Street. “To stand here 30 years later and help lead the event alongside Diane is humbling,” Dodge says. “We’re not building something new. We’re carrying forward something a lot of people have poured themselves into. If Diane and I do our jobs right, the 30th anniversary will set up the 40th.”

Dodge Carter Jr. and Diane. Treasure Street Event Chairs

”Throughout the years, more than 50 Treasure Street champions have served as event chairs, inviting their friends to discover the magic of Scottish Rite’s culture, an altruistic atmosphere permeated by kindness. “Every dollar raised on October 22 traces back to a little girl who needed care and a hospital that showed up for her,” Dodge says. “Getting to honor Nicole in this way is the greatest privilege I have had.

What began as an effort to support the TSC Clinic and the patients served by it has grown to benefit all children treated at Scottish Rite. Countless compassionate individuals have poured out their love for the organization and the patient families in its care through Treasure Street. As the institution celebrates its 105th birthday, Treasure Street is a model of pure goodness that exemplifies the soul of Scottish Rite for Children.

Eman’s Quiet Confidence Shines Through the Reconstruction of Her Leg

Eman’s Quiet Confidence Shines Through the Reconstruction of Her Leg

by | Oct 19, 2026 | General News, Limb Lengthening

Published in Rite Up 2026, Issue 3. 

The night before her surgery at Scottish Rite for Children, Eman found a quiet place to sit, reflect and pray. “I let go of all the anxieties and fears that were going through my head, and a wash of ease came over me,” she says. “I was able to put full faith in what was ahead of me, in my doctors and their plan.”

From Ontario, Canada, Eman is 17 years old and lives with her mother Samia in Houston. They came to Scottish Rite for another opinion after Eman had undergone various unsuccessful treatments from multiple healthcare institutions for her leg.

At the age of 3, Eman fell out of bed and fractured her right tibia, or shin bone. X-rays revealed her bone was not normal, with what appeared to be a benign bone tumor weakening her bone.

She was diagnosed with osteofibrous dysplasia (OFD), a rare bone disorder in which normal bone is replaced with abnormal bone and fibrous tissue that forms a slow-growing benign tumor. OFD tumors can become worse over time, cause the bone to change shape and increase the risk of fractures. Additionally, as a child gets older, the tumor may become malignant, or cancerous.

Unfortunately, Eman fractured her right tibia a second time, and when she was 6, surgeons in Canada placed a rod in her leg to decrease the risk of recurrent fractures and guide bone growth. After surgery, Eman experienced a known complication from tibia rod placement called compartment syndrome, a painful condition that affects circulation, causing muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the nerves. She spent months in the hospital and later at a rehabilitation center receiving physiotherapy. “I wasn’t able to walk,” Eman says. “I had a very hard time regaining my walking ability and gaining back sensation that I lost in the bottom of my foot.”

After that experience, Samia and Eman moved to the Middle East to spend time with family. “We took a break from the negative experiences and emotional toll that we had endured in Canada,” Eman says. “We spent a lot of time with family, which was really nice.”

A few years later, they moved back to Canada. “What had been surfacing was my limb length discrepancy, which caused a pretty pronounced limp in my gait,” Eman says. Her right leg had become shorter than her left leg, and she started wearing high-top sneakers with a shoe lift. “Because of the leg length discrepancy, I put a lot of pressure on my shorter leg,” Eman says. “I was not confident in my ability to walk, and I felt emotionally exhausted.”

After reevaluating her leg at multiple treatment facilities and feeling ignored, Samia and Eman moved to the United States. Eman underwent another surgery that improved the position of her foot, but she did not see a significant change in her gait or the pain she experienced while walking. The doctors recommended amputation or shortening her left leg to equal the length of her right leg. Discouraged by these options, Samia asked for another opinion and was referred to Scottish Rite for Children.

At Scottish Rite, Eman saw David A. Podeszwa, M.D., pediatric orthopedic surgeon and director of the Center for Excellence in Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction. “Eman has by far the most extreme case of OFD we’ve ever seen,” he says. “She had a tumor the size of a cantaloupe. In addition to the cancer risk, the growing tumor caused a massive deformity in her leg, affecting the shape of her leg, the length of her leg and the function of her foot and ankle.”

After a long list of negative healthcare experiences, Eman says she felt on edge about seeing someone else. But, in her first conversation with Dr. Podeszwa, he discussed something she says no other doctor had addressed before — her tumor. “Every other doctor I’d seen was too worried about damage that could happen if they touched my tumor,” she says. “Dr. Podeszwa and his team immediately wanted to get rid of what had been in my leg my whole life, and they opened my eyes to see something that I didn’t realize was the core of all my issues.”

Hand surgeon and microvascular specialist Scott Oishi, M.D., FACS, collaborated with Dr. Podeszwa to define a customized treatment plan for Eman that would begin with a 12-hour surgery. Before the procedure, Eman had a series of visits with pediatric psychologist Whitney M. Herge, Ph.D., who not only prepared her for treatment but also helped her confront her past experiences.

“I was overwhelmed and reluctant to put my trust in something else after having done that before and not seeing a positive outcome,” Eman says. Over many months, she discussed with Dr. Herge what had happened to her, who she was and what she wanted. “Dr. Herge made me feel comfortable and in control of my health.”

Eman emphasizes that no other hospital had cared for her mental health. “It was a game changer to see that there was a team of people at Scottish Rite who were looking out for my mental health as much as they were looking out for my physical health,” she says.

In January, after a time of reflection and prayer, Eman, at ease, entered the operating room. An expert, multidisciplinary team of surgeons performed the operation, including pediatric orthopedic surgeon and musculoskeletal oncologist Alexandra K. Callan, M.D., pediatric orthopedic surgeon Elizabeth W. Hubbard, M.D., Dr. Oishi and Dr. Podeszwa. Dr. Callan removed the tumor from Eman’s right leg, which removed a large segment of shin bone, including part of her tibia and fibula because both were damaged by the tumor. To close the large gap in her bone, Dr. Oishi performed what is called a free vascularized fibular transfer. He took the fibula, or small leg bone, from her left leg with its blood supply and transplanted it into the gap in her right leg. Drs. Podeszwa, Callan and Hubbard fixed the transplanted fibula into the remaining tibia to reconstruct a new leg using screws. After stabilizing the bone, Dr. Oishi connected the veins and arteries under a microscope. Dr. Oishi says that, over time, the fibula will hypertrophy, or remodel itself, to look like a new tibia.

“Wherever you put the fibula, it remodels itself to become the bone it replaces,” Dr. Oishi says. “If you put it in the femur, it grows to be a femur. If you put it in a tibia, it remodels to look like a tibia.” He clarifies that Eman will not need the portion of fibula in her left leg that was removed because enough was left to keep her ankle stable. To finish the procedure, Dr. Hubbard and Dr. Podeszwa applied an external fixator to Eman’s leg to stabilize the bone and help bear the weight of her leg as the bone heals.

“Eman’s condition is a very unique problem that required a large reconstruction and a team with the expertise of three subspecialties within orthopedics to make this happen,” Dr. Podeszwa says. “We are fortunate at Scottish Rite to have the people and the resources to offer these complex reconstructions that are fairly rare.” In addition to the surgical team and psychologist, Eman receives nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy services at Scottish Rite.

After a successful surgery and months of recovery, Eman and her mom traveled to Canada for a summer vacation. Using her walker, Eman walked around in her fixator visiting her friends. “The external fixator is designed for Eman to walk and bear weight, which stimulates healing,” Dr. Podeszwa says. Eman will wear the fixator until her fibula gets thicker and stronger, like a new tibia, to support her full weight. “Eman is an amazing kid and a wonderful patient,” Dr. Podeszwa says. “She’s highly intelligent and highly motivated. Her attitude, outlook and engagement makes our job easier.”

“I’m so grateful that I have a team like the one I have at Scottish Rite,” Eman says. “I’m in awe of how much they’ve put into my care. They’ve shown me what it means to be a resilient and positive person. Scottish Rite has filled me with hope for what is to come.”

 

Cameron’s Milestone Moment: A Testament to Early Invervention

Cameron’s Milestone Moment: A Testament to Early Invervention

by | Oct 19, 2026 | Clubfoot & Foot Disorders, General News

Published in Rite Up, 2026 – Issue 3

At 16 months old, Cameron, of Irving, Texas, reached a milestone his parents have been eagerly anticipating — he walked independently for the first time. For parents Briana and Ryan, watching their son take those confident first steps represent more than a typical toddler achievement. It is a testament to early medical intervention and consistent treatment from a care team that has been there from the start.

Cameron’s story began before he was born. During a prenatal ultrasound at 20 weeks, Briana discovered her son would be born with bilateral clubfoot, a condition in which the feet are rotated inward and fixed in a downward position at the ankles. Clubfoot ranges in severity, and it is treatable with early intervention.

“When I looked online and saw babies with full leg casts, it looked very jarring,” Briana says. “I didn’t know if he would be able to walk.”

Pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Director of the Center for Excellence in Foot Anthony I. Riccio, M.D., evaluated Cameron just nine days after he was born. Cameron received follow-up care with nurse practitioner Libby Powell, FNP-C. The team applied the Ponseti method, using weekly casting to gradually manipulate the foot outward.

“Clubfeet, such as Cameron’s, are expected to correct nicely with careful and proper application of the Ponseti technique,” Dr. Riccio says. “When applied successfully, children never realize their foot is different than any other child’s.”

One challenging aspect of treatment is correcting the tight, shortened Achilles tendon, which often requires an Achilles tenotomy, a surgical procedure to release the tendon behind the ankle. Dr. Riccio performed this procedure, and Cameron recovered for three weeks in a cast. Then, he transitioned to wearing a boots and bar brace for 23 hours a day. The brace is composed of two shoes attached by a bar to hold the feet at an outward-rotated position.

“I was worried about whether he’d hit his milestones and how delayed he might be,” Ryan says. “But, I always felt confident he’d ultimately be OK.”

Fourteen months later, Cameron progressed to wearing the brace only at night. Physical therapists focused on strengthening his core and legs. About three weeks into therapy, he began to walk.

“The key to success with clubfoot is consistent brace wear,” Powell says. “As long as families are compliant, most children don’t require any other interventions.”

Early diagnosis, consistent treatment and a dedicated care team put Cameron firmly on the move. “We were very happy with his care at Scottish Rite,” Briana says. “We felt like we were in great hands the entire time.”

EpicShare Highlights Scottish Rite for Children’s Pediatric Suicide Screening Program

EpicShare Highlights Scottish Rite for Children’s Pediatric Suicide Screening Program

by | Sep 23, 2026 | General News, Press Coverage

Scottish Rite for Children was recently featured by EpicShare for its innovative approach to identifying and responding to suicide risk among pediatric patients.

Since 2021, Scottish Rite has screened patients 10 and older for suicide risk during clinic visits using the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) tool. More than 143,000 screenings have been completed, helping the team identify 88 emergent cases in which a patient was actively considering suicide at the time of their visit.

Although Scottish Rite specializes in pediatric orthopedics and does not have an emergency department or psychiatry department, the organization recognized that a specialty care visit can provide an important opportunity to identify a child who may be struggling. Patients complete the brief screening electronically during check-in, and a positive response immediately alerts Scottish Rite’s behavioral health response team.

The response team includes mental health navigators — licensed clinical social workers who provide suicide risk assessment and immediate follow-up. On average, intervention protocols begin less than five minutes after a positive screening.

Jill West, Ph.D., director of psychology and a pediatric psychologist at Scottish Rite, told EpicShare that the team has come to view suicide screening much like checking a patient’s other vital signs.

“We can’t look at someone and tell that they’re experiencing suicidal ideation,” West says. “We need to screen everybody because we don’t know who’s struggling.”

The EpicShare feature explores how Scottish Rite developed the program, how the screening and response process works in practice and the impact it has had on patients and families.

To read the full EpicShare article, click here. 

Training the Body and the Brain: Preparing Young Athletes for Sport

Training the Body and the Brain: Preparing Young Athletes for Sport

by | Sep 21, 2026 | Sports Medicine

Young athletes rarely have the luxury of thinking about only one thing at a time. During a game, they may be running, tracking the ball, watching an opponent and deciding where to move next, all within seconds.

That connection between thinking and moving is one area researchers at Scottish Rite for Children are studying to better understand how young athletes move and how training may help reduce injury risk.

Sophia Ulman, Ph.D., division director of the Movement Science Lab at Scottish Rite, recently returned to the Right Moves podcast with Dr. Debbie Rhea, EdD., M.Ed., for the second part of a conversation about sport readiness. This time, Ulman took listeners inside the research underway in the Movement Science Lab at Scottish Rite’s Frisco campus.

Studying How Young Athletes Move

The Movement Science Lab uses technology, including 3D motion-capture cameras and force plates, to study movement, loading and recovery. Researchers work with patients at different phases of treatment and rehabilitation while also conducting studies focused on injury prevention.

One area of that research looks at what happens when athletes have to think and move at the same time.

In the lab, an athlete may run forward and quickly change directions . Sometimes, they know which direction they are going in advance. Other times, a light signals the direction at the last second, requiring the athlete to process information and react while moving.

Ulman says researchers have found that athletes’ mechanics can change when they must make that split-second decision.

The team has also added cognitive challenges to the testing, asking athletes to process and remember information while responding to a directional cue. The goal is to better reflect what happens during competition, when athletes are simultaneously thinking about the ball, their teammates, their opponents and the next play.

The research raises an important question: If athletes have to think and move simultaneously during competition, should training prepare them to do the same?

Taking Injury Prevention Beyond the Lab

Scottish Rite is translating that research into practical resources for athletes, parents and coaches.

Physical therapists, athletic trainers, physicians, researchers and community outreach specialists collaborated to develop an eight-week injury-prevention program focused on stability, shock absorption, strength and balance. Designed to be completed twice a week, the program uses exercises supported by existing research on injury prevention.

This summer, 20 local high school athletes from a variety of sports participated in a study at the Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center to help validate the program. Researchers assessed their movement patterns, strength and balance before and after eight weeks of training.

Instructional videos and resources for the exercises are also freely available, helping bring the work happening in the Movement Science Lab directly to the community.

Helping Young Athletes Prepare for the Game

For Ulman, sport readiness goes beyond strength, speed or maintaining a particular skill. As athletes get older, she encourages them to pay attention to their bodies, recognize when they need rest and recovery and communicate when something does not feel right.

“You have to understand your body,” Ulman says.

She also encourages patients and coaches to seek credible, evidence- based information about training and injury prevention rather than relying on trends they may see on social media.

By studying what happens when the body and brain are challenged together, researchers at Scottish Rite are working to better understand what young athletes need to move, react and compete safely.

To listen to the full podcast, click here.