Scottish Rite for Children Announces World Champion Gymnast Skye Blakely as Its Health Care Ambassador

Scottish Rite for Children Announces World Champion Gymnast Skye Blakely as Its Health Care Ambassador

by | Sep 9, 2025 | Press Coverage, Sports Medicine

Scottish Rite for Children proudly welcomes Frisco’s own Skye Blakely, world champion gymnast and former patient, as its newest ambassador. Blakely will use her journey as an elite athlete to help spotlight Scottish Rite’s groundbreaking research in injury prevention and recovery, showcasing how advanced care and innovation can inspire and support young athletes in pursuit of their dreams. 

“Partnering with Skye Blakely is a natural fit for Scottish Rite for Children,” says Scottish Rite for Children President/CEO Robert L. Walker. “Her talent, heart and resilience perfectly align with our mission, and we are thrilled to support her pursuit of excellence. We look forward to cheering her on as she continues to reach new heights.” 

Blakely, an eight-time U.S. Gymnastics National Team member, is eager to join forces with Scottish Rite, a leader in pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine with campuses in Dallas and her hometown of Frisco. Part of her work will include collaborating with Scottish Rite’s Movement Science Lab, helping athletes understand how their movement quality affects performance. Blakely also looks forward to connecting with patients and young athletes through in-person visits to highlight the importance of pediatric orthopedic specialists and inspire others to train and recover with confidence. 

“I’m so excited to work with an organization that has been such an important part of my own journey in keeping my body healthy,” says two-time world champion gymnast Skye Blakely. “Growing up in Frisco, I was lucky to have Scottish Rite for Children right around the corner, supporting our community in so many ways. Now, as an ambassador, I feel honored to be part of that support system and to connect with patients and families. I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share hope, encouragement and inspiration.” 

Scottish Rite has influenced the local gymnastics community through extensive research, studying both healthy and injured athletes to learn more about why injuries occur in gymnasts and how they could be prevented. A long-time partner of WOGA Gymnastics — Blakely’s home gym — Scottish Rite frequently offers education for young, elite-level gymnasts as a proactive approach to injury prevention in this high-risk population. With Blakely’s support, Scottish Rite will reach even more gymnasts in DFW and beyond. 

Currently a rising sophomore at the University of Florida, Blakely’s recent triumphs signal a remarkable comeback to elite competition after overcoming a right Achilles tendon injury sustained just before the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Her perseverance, talent and determination embody the very spirit of Scottish Rite for Children’s commitment to help young athletes overcome challenges and reach their full potential.

Scottish Rite for Children Launches Partnership With Dallas Trinity FC

Scottish Rite for Children Launches Partnership With Dallas Trinity FC

by | Sep 5, 2025 | General News, Press Coverage

Scottish Rite for Children has been named the official pediatric healthcare partner of Dallas Trinity FC. In collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical Center, Scottish Rite is the official front-of-kit sponsor. This multi-year partnership highlights a continuous commitment to supporting young athletes across North Texas.

“This is an exciting moment for us!” says Scottish Rite for Children President and CEO Robert L. Walker. “Women’s professional sports are reaching new heights, and we are honored to stand alongside these incredible athletes. As the official pediatric healthcare partner of Dallas Trinity FC, Scottish Rite celebrates not only their skill and dedication on the field but also the role they play in showing young people what is possible when you chase your dreams.”

Dallas Trinity FC is a professional women’s soccer club based in Dallas and is a member of the Gainbridge Super League, a Division One professional women’s soccer league. The 2025-26 season has begun, with a touch of Scottish Rite at every game.

Read the full statement.

Get to Know Our Staff: Katie Hayward, Child Life

Get to Know Our Staff: Katie Hayward, Child Life

by | Sep 3, 2025 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a child life specialist. I help prepare patients for procedures and offer support by encouraging them to utilize the coping skills they learn.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I love preparing a patient who is anxious about a procedure and seeing them cope well during the procedure. It is rewarding to see them understand and realize their coping skills.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
Scottish Rite is a special place to me because it gave me my start to working in child life. Scottish Rite continues be a special place the longer I work here. It also has given me the chance to make meaningful friendships.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I have always loved the health care setting and to work with children. Child life is a good mixture of both, allowing me to do what I love.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
My job allows me to make special connections with patients and their families. I get to build a rapport with the patient, which helps me support them during their procedures.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I love to exercise, read, watch movies and spend time with my growing family.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I am from North Richland Hills and have lived in the DFW area my entire life.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would love to travel to Greece. The country is beautiful and has stunning beaches. I also heard the food is delicious!

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A cheeseburger and fries! I could never turn down a good burger and fries. 

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
The entire Harry Potter series.

What is the first concert you attended?
NSYNC

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
I would choose anywhere in Fort Worth, but especially anything along Magnolia Avenue. It has a charming look and feel, as well as amazing restaurants!

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Anne Hathaway or Jennifer Garner!

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Be true to yourself in everything you do so you can be confident you are exactly where you are meant to be.

Healing More Than a Hip: Pierre Spreads Compassion After Perthes Disease

Healing More Than a Hip: Pierre Spreads Compassion After Perthes Disease

by | Sep 2, 2025 | Hip Disorders

Riding a bike is a rite of passage in childhood — a symbol of freedom and fun. For 8-year-old Pierre, gliding through his neighborhood in Michigan was a favorite pastime. But one day, what started as an ordinary ride ended with a sudden, sharp pain in his hip.

“The pain was immobilizing,” Pierre says, now 18, reflecting on this memory. “I could barely walk.”

Concerned for his health, Pierre’s family brought him to a local emergency room and consulted several specialists, which led to a diagnosis of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. Better known as Perthes disease, this rare childhood hip disorder occurs when the blood supply to the ball of the hip joint is disrupted, which causes the bone to die.

After searching for ways to treat his rare condition at other facilities across the country and receiving surgical treatments that failed to improve his hip, Pierre’s family ultimately found their way to Scottish Rite for Children and began treatment with pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Director of the Center for Excellence in Hip Harry Kim, M.D., M.S.

“Scottish Rite was a place I actually looked forward to visiting,” Pierre says. “The hospital itself was huge and child friendly with interactive spaces. Those things made it feel less like a hospital and more like a place for kids to heal.”

Pierre required surgery to heal his hip. Dr. Kim performed an osteochondroplasty to reshape Pierre’s hip, which involves removing the excess bone on the hip socket to improve hip mobility. Additionally, Dr. Kim performed a soft tissue release, a procedure done to loosen the tight, contracted tissues around the joint to improve movement. Following surgery, Pierre continued to heal through various stretching exercises and physiotherapy, eventually regaining his ability to walk independently and play sports.

“Dr. Kim not only fixed my hip, but he protected my childhood,” Pierre says. “Dr. Kim brought humor, peace and consistency when everything else felt unpredictable. He made the whole experience easier for my family and I.”

After healing, Pierre reflects on nothing but positive memories of the community he built at Scottish Rite, including his care team and the other patients he met. “Scottish Rite was the first place where I felt seen, respected and uplifted through the hardest time of my life,” Pierre says. “Just being able to be around other kids reminded me that I wasn’t broken. I was just in progress.”

With his senior year of high school underway, Pierre is finding purpose in helping other children find their community and play the sport he loves — basketball. He hopes to provide the children he coaches with a similar level of compassion that he received from his care team at Scottish Rite years ago.

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Adaline’s Courage Outpaces Stiff Skin Syndrome

Adaline’s Courage Outpaces Stiff Skin Syndrome

by | Aug 26, 2025 | Other Conditions, Rheumatology

The motto 14-year-old Adaline follows is to live life to the fullest. “That’s what I try to do with every activity I have the ability to do,” she says. Adaline’s courage grew over the years, beginning in infancy when her parents noticed skin tightness and limited mobility in her hips.

While living in Colorado, Adaline was diagnosed with stiff skin syndrome, a rare condition in which hard, thick skin forms on various parts of the body. This condition causes joint stiffness and limited range of motion. According to the National Institutes of Health Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, less than 1,000 people in the U.S. have this condition.

When Adaline and her family moved to Texas, they were referred to Scottish Rite for Children. Adaline began receiving treatment from pediatric rheumatologist Julie M. Fuller, M.D. She has used various immunosuppressive medications, like injections, to soften her skin.

Stiff skin syndrome causes flexion contractures, or joints that get stuck in bent positions. Adaline’s condition requires a team approach to treat her multiple contractures. In addition to Dr. Fuller, Director of the Center for Excellence in Foot Anthony I. Riccio, M.D, and Medical Director of Movement Science Lane Wimberly, M.D., work together to manage the multiple contractures in Adaline’s hips and feet.

“My favorite part about Scottish Rite is the continuity of care,” says Mary, Adaline’s mother. “Adaline is surrounded by an amazing care team, friends and family who are all there to help her achieve her goals. People truly care at Scottish Rite.”

With the new school year underway, Adaline will begin her role as an athletic trainer for her high school’s sports teams. She looks forward to learning more about the medical field, an interest enhanced by her treatment. “Scottish Rite holds a special place in my heart,” Adaline says. “This place makes sure every kid receives amazing care, opportunities and kindness.”

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