Get to Know Our Staff: Rowana Moreau, Dental

Get to Know Our Staff: Rowana Moreau, Dental

by | Jan 22, 2025 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?   
I am a clinical dental hygienist. My role is to help provide checkups and cleanings to our patients at Scottish Rite. I also assist our dental manager with daily activities in the clinic, including scheduling surgeries, ordering supplies and managing clinic flow.

 

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
It’s definitely the kids. Being able to provide care to our patients is very rewarding. A smile from them can brighten my whole day.

 

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
There is always a little magic in the air at Scottish Rite. It’s a place where everyone feels included and cared for.

 

What made you choose a career in health care?
I always loved to help people, so I chose a career where I could work in a nonprofit setting and provide care to an underserved population. I am also a total science nerd, and I love to learn new things. I feel like I get to all of that at Scottish Rite!

 

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
We sing a lot in dental. If you haven’t heard us in the hallways, you should swing by sometime. Many of our patients get nervous before their appointments, and they ask us to sing to calm them down.

 

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
My two passions outside of work are gardening and yoga. I have spent the past few years putting together an extensive vegetable and flower garden. I also have practiced yoga for more than 20 years and love the way it makes me feel.

 

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am really good with a hammer! In 2018, I bought a fixer-up house and spent two years gutting and remodeling it.

 

Where are you from and what brought you to DFW?
I was born and raised in Dallas.

 

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would love to travel to Spain. It is the one country in Europe I haven’t been able check off my travel list.

 

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I would choose chicken, as well as macaroni and cheese with fried okra. It reminds me of my childhood. Must be the southerner in me!

 

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
Everyone should watch “Groundhog Day”. I think if we all had a chance to re-do one day, we would learn that the way we treat each other is one of the most important things to remember.

 

What was the first concert you attended?
New Kids on the Block.

 

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
My favorite is the Balcony Club in East Dallas. It’s the cutest jazz bar with live music every night, almost like a time capsule of the 1980s.

 

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
I would choose Scarlett Johansson.

 

What is some advice you would give your younger self OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
If I could give my younger self advice, I would say don’t worry so much about how the world sees you. You should worry more about doing better each day.

Juju Displays His Winning Spirit at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Juju Displays His Winning Spirit at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

by | Jan 21, 2025 | General News, Neurology

Scottish Rite for Children patient Juju, of Mesquite, Texas, cheered on The Ohio State University Buckeyes as their honorary captain at the 89th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

In a 28-14 victory against The University of Texas, football fans across the country gathered to watch the matchup and also learned about Juju’s inspiring story on the jumbotron. Over the last six years, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic has donated more than $90,000 to Scottish Rite for Children, supporting the ability to provide world-class care for children, like Juju

At age 6, Juju represents resilience. He was born with myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida, which is a complex condition that occurs when the spine does not close properly during development. He and his family came to Scottish Rite to receive care from the Spina Bifida Program at 2 months old, beginning his care journey with a multidisciplinary team of experts.

Juju is known to light up any room he enters! One of his favorite parts about visiting Scottish Rite is spending time with his occupational therapist Grace Evasco. Better known to him as “Gracey-Grace,” Grace has introduced Juju to new activities that he loves, such as throwing the ball around with friends and family.

As Juju continues to make amazing progress through his care journey, we are here to cheer him on! Watch his exciting Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic experience here.

Dallas Morning News: How Volunteering at Scottish Rite Fostered a Heartwarming Friendship

Dallas Morning News: How Volunteering at Scottish Rite Fostered a Heartwarming Friendship

by | Jan 17, 2025 | Press Coverage, Spotlight

At Scottish Rite for Children, volunteers play a vital role in staff, patients and their families’ experiences. By contributing their unique skills, they unite to support the organization’s mission of giving children back their childhoods.

24-year-old Nick Blockzynski returned to Scottish Rite as a volunteer, previously treated for scoliosis. He began volunteering in 2019 and worked in the organization’s mail room. He met 62-year-old retiree Tom Shehan there, and the two quickly formed an extraordinary bond. From delivering mail to having meaningful conversations, Nick and Tom work together as a dynamic duo to bring joy to all children who visit Scottish Rite.

Read the full Dallas Morning News article here. 

Back on Beat: Alyson’s Determination to Heal Her Knees

Back on Beat: Alyson’s Determination to Heal Her Knees

by | Jan 16, 2025 | Sports Medicine

Alyson, a 17-year-old of Dallas, TX, has a passion for the fine arts! She has performed in her school’s musical productions, such as “Chicago” and “Mean Girls,” and even sings in the choir. Her most beloved hobby is dancing, but Alyson’s love for dance was threatened at age 9 when she began to feel frequent pain at dance practice.

Prior to visiting Scottish Rite for Children, Alyson was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in her knees. OCD causes the bone and cartilage at the joint surface to separate due to a lack of blood supply. It is common in young athletes, and may cause symptoms whensport requires running or jumping frequently. Alyson also has a condition called genu valgum, commonly known as knock-knees.

“I found myself needing frequent breaks from dance class, often icing my knees afterwards,” Alyson says. “In choir, I was often told, ‘Aly, stand with your knees straight.’ I physically could not.”

When Alyson’s paid did not improve, a pediatrician referred her to Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center in Frisco. Philip L. Wilson, M.D., assistant chief of staff, director of Sports Medicine and pediatric orthopedic surgeon, met Alyson and her family and recommended surgery as the best course of action to heal Alyson’s knees.   

“My world came to a standstill,” Alyson says. “My afternoons that I previously spent laughing with my friends or learning techniques from my dance teachers were now spent crying and feeling sick to my stomach with the dread of potentially not dancing again.”

Already familiar with Dr. Wilson from a fracture years before, Alyson decided to proceed with surgery. Dr. Wilson performed a double knee surgery, which involved placing plates and screws in both of her knees. The plates stabilized her knees and assisted in helping her knees grow straighter. The road to recovery required Alyson to stop dancing until she was fully healed.

“All of the doctors and nurses were so helpful,” Alyson says. “My determination to return to my sport fueled me through months and the challenging journey of learning how to walk again.”

Once the screws were removed, Alyson began working hard to heal her knees through physical therapy. What began as a painful setback has transformed into a triumphant comeback, and Alyson’s determination has led her to become her school’s drill team captain this year.

“When the ability to not move freely was taken away from me, I realized how much dance shaped me — not just on the stage and field, but in all areas of my life,” Alyson says. “Scottish Rite will always be remembered as an amazing environment for me. Not only were all of my nurses and doctors encouraging, but I also truly felt open to share what I was feeling with them.”

When and Why to Choose a Pediatric Spine Specialist

When and Why to Choose a Pediatric Spine Specialist

by | Jan 14, 2025 | Scoliosis & Spine

Your child may look or act like a miniature version of you. Still, on the inside, crucial differences make specialized pediatric care a must. When it comes to spinal conditions and injuries, children and adolescents need specialists who understand their growing bodies and developmental stage, as well as the needs of their caregivers and families.

Scottish Rite for Children’s spine experts are here to be an essential part of your child’s care team, whether your child has recently been diagnosed with a genetic spine condition or sustained a spinal injury. Since the 1970s, the multidisciplinary spine team at Scottish Rite continues to conduct leading-edge research, with the goal of identifying the seemingly unanswerable questions regarding spinal conditions.

Anatomy and Development of the Spine

The spine is made of small triangular bones called vertebrae. These bones stack one on top of another, creating a tunnel that wraps around and protects the spinal cord. Openings between the vertebrae allow nerves to branch out to the rest of the body. Muscles and bands of tissue called ligaments help support the spine. Between each bone in the spine is a flexible disc that provides shock absorption and aids in flexibility of the spine (facet) joints.

Although the basic anatomy is the same, a child’s spine is not a smaller version of an adult’s. In infants and children, the spine is more flexible, and the bones are softer. Much of the child’s spine is still cartilage which has not yet turned into bone.

These natural differences in the pediatric spine make children more vulnerable to certain spine conditions and injuries and less vulnerable to others. For instance, some spine and spinal cord conditions, such as scoliosis or spina bifida, typically develop early in life or are present from birth. Additionally, although spinal injuries can happen at any age, children are less likely than adults to have a spine injury. Children under 8 years old who do have this type of injury are more likely to have damage to the vertebrae in the neck than older children, teens or adults.

Specialized Training in Spine Conditions and Injuries

Orthopedic specialists are experts in bone, joint and muscle health. A doctor must complete specialized education beyond medical school to be a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Typically, this includes a five-year supervised program of orthopedic surgery with at least one additional year of fellowship training specific to children.

Spine surgeons are orthopedic doctors who diagnose and treat spine conditions and injuries. Still, not all spine surgeons are experts in treating infants, children or teens. Becoming a pediatric spine surgeon requires additional education and expertise.

 

Benefits of Choosing a Pediatric Spine Specialist

In addition to education related to the spine, pediatric spine specialists have additional training in child development and growth. The spine team at Scottish Rite understands how young patients differ emotionally, mentally and physically depending on age and developmental stage. This unique combination of education and experience allows our pediatric spine specialists to provide outstanding medical care while making patients and their families as comfortable as possible throughout diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

..,.Pediatric orthopedic specialists dedicate all their time to caring for infants, children and teens. Because of this, they can offer a range of treatment options tailored to young patients. Scottish Rite’s spine specialists also stay on the leading edge of research, bringing innovative approaches and procedures to those who need them, including:

 

  • Growing rods, a scoliosis treatment for children under age 10 that minimizes the number of surgeries needed
  • Spinal fusion, a procedure that prevents abnormal spine growth
  • Vertebral body tethering, an implanted anchor and cord system that straightens the spine as children grow
  • Scoliosis bracing, made in-house by Scottish Rite’s orthotics and prosthetics team to provide an individualized experience for each child         
A Team of Specialized Support

Effectively treating spine conditions in infants, children and teens requires a team of experts. Our pediatric spine specialists can easily connect with other pediatric healthcare specialists at Scottish Rite. An interdisciplinary pediatric spine program helps support the whole child throughout treatment and recovery.

Depending on your child’s diagnosis and needs, he or she may receive care from multiple pediatric specialists, such as:

When a child or a teen requires treatment for a spine condition, it can affect the whole family. In addition to expertise in treating children, our pediatric spine specialists can also help connect you to helpful resources. A skilled team of pediatric specialists allows you to focus on caring for your child while providing a safe, comfortable place for your child to heal and grow.

Want to learn how pediatric spine specialists can help your child? Schedule an appointment with a Scottish Rite for Children scoliosis and spine expert.