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Statement on Gun Violence

As a society whose primary focus is on the safety of children, we stand beside you in shock, in anger, and in grief for the innocent victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the community of Uvalde, Texas – their lives will be forever changed by this horrific act of violence.

It is unimaginable to us that, despite Columbine High School, Sandy Hook Elementary, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and many other school shootings, very little has been done to decrease gun violence in our country. How many more children’s lives will be lost before we as a country take action?

Several years ago, SPA Past President, Randy Flick MD, MPH, FAAP, authored an open letter deploring gun violence. Today, we again call upon you as physicians who have dedicated your lives to the care of children to raise your voices in support of actions that will advance our understanding and knowledge of the impact of gun violence on children and families and the steps necessary to prevent the atrocious loss of other children in our country.

We stand steadfast in our commitment as a society to both the perioperative care of children and the advancement of science that improves the lives of the children and families about whom we care so deeply. In as much, the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia will be donating $5,000 to Everytown Support Fund. We will also be considering mechanisms for our society to contribute more meaningfully as advocates for the safety of children.

Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Board of Directors

Statement on Transgender Care

Leaders of the Texas state government recently issued a letter to its state health agencies announcing that providing gender-affirming medical treatments to transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) youths “constitutes child abuse” under state law. Governor Greg Abbott then stipulated that teachers and health care providers are now legally required to report parents who aid their child in receiving age-appropriate and medically necessary gender-affirming care to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

In response, the ACLU, the ACLU of Texas, and Lambda Legal have sued to prevent implementation of these predatory actions. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also issued a statement which indicates that denying TGD youth medically necessary health care is discriminatory and illegal under federal law. However, health care systems within Texas have “paused” hormone-related therapies for gender-affirming services to protect the families and healthcare professionals who could face the legal ramifications of this order. Innumerable youth now face the possibility of abrupt cessation of their treatment, and their supportive families and healthcare providers must fear criminal investigation for providing the current standard of care.

These actions are a direct attack on TGD youth, their supportive families, and the entire TGD community that disregard well-established medical research and put the mental health and well-being of these children at stake. This proposed legislation is not an isolated event. So far in 2022, more than a dozen states have introduced legislation seeking to restrict access to and criminalize gender-affirming healthcare. In total, more than 30 states have introduced over 100 pieces of anti-trans legislation already this year, attacking not only healthcare equality, but also TGD youth’s rights to safe and appropriate restrooms and equitable participation in sports. If these discriminatory laws are passed, they will have catastrophic consequences for a vulnerable population that already suffers from higher rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide.

The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) joins with many other major U.S. medical organizations (e.g. American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychological Association, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians) in recognizing that gender-affirming care is life-saving and medically necessary. The SPA will continue to support the rights of TGD youth and help ensure that they receive the gender-affirming care that they seek.

As perioperative medical professionals and patient safety advocates, we have a duty to protect and care for all vulnerable pediatric populations. TGD youth are under attack across our country and deserve our protection. Now is the time to stand up, make our voices heard, and uphold our ethical standards in the face of injustice.

Specifically, we call on our members to:

increase their understanding of gender-affirming care for TGD youth
remain vigilant of the current anti-trans legislative trends, especially legislation specific to their state
support the efforts of pediatricians and mental health practitioners who provide age-appropriate, gender-affirming care to TGD youth
ensure equitable access to gender-affirming care, noting that the inability to access such care can result in morbidity and mortality.

SPA has made a $5,000 donation to the National Center for Transgender Equality. You may also wish to consider a donation to one of the following organizations:

National:
National Center for Transgender Equality
Human Rights Campaign
Lambda Legal

Texas:
Equality Texas
Transgender Education Network of Texas
Texas Freedom Network

Support for Ukraine

As we all watch the horrors that are happening in the Ukraine, we cannot help but see the suffering of families, children, and our medical colleagues there. There have been so many stories of the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian people as they face an unprovoked war. Yesterday, we heard of the loss of a Ukrainian Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Dr. Marina Kalabina, who was killed taking a wounded nephew to the hospital. Thousands of Ukrainian children are also being displaced.

The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia stands with the people of Ukraine and our Ukrainian colleagues as they fight and care for the children there. We have made a $10,000 donation to UNICEF. If you would like to donate on your own as well, the following organizations assist in areas of conflict globally, including in the Ukraine.

UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/conflict-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children

Save the Children: https://www.savethechildren.org/

International Rescue Committee: https://www.rescue.org/

Global Giving: https://www.globalgiving.org/

World Kitchen: https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine

Okhmatdyt Specialist Pediatric Hospital in Kyiv: https://ohmatdyt.com.ua/

International Red Cross: https://www.icrc.org/en/humanitarian-crisis-ukraine

In Memoriam: Lisa Wise-Faberowski, MD, MS

Written By: Rita Agarwal MD, Chandra Ramamoorthy MD, and James Fehr MD

It is with a heavy heart that we share the untimely death of our dear friend and colleague Lisa Wise-Faberowski MD, MS. Lisa was a faculty member in the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. She was a dedicated clinical pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist, scientific researcher, gentle, kind teacher, and mentor.

After a residency in pediatrics, pediatric critical care and anesthesiology, Lisa made pediatric cardiac anesthesia and critical care her calling. Her bench to bedside investigation into the effects of anesthesia on the developing brain won her several prestigious awards and honors. She was the recipient of more than several awards including the John J. Downes Award and the young investigator award from both the Society of Neuro-Anesthesia-Critical Care and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia. In addition to other departmental awards, Lisa had a scientist development award from the American Heart Association. Additionally, Lisa had several grants to support her research on neuronal apoptosis in animals and children with heart disease.

Dr. Wise-Faberowski’s career took her from Duke University to the University of Florida in Gainesville, to the Children’s Hospital in Denver, University of Colorado. I (RA) had the opportunity to get to know Lisa well both professionally and personally and admired her greatly. In 2010, Lisa was recruited to join the pediatric cardiac division at Stanford University where she continued her laboratory studies on neuroapotosis in the developing brain. At Stanford, Lisa went on to obtain a Masters in Health research and outcomes. Lisa could explain findings of her research to the uninitiated in an easily understandable manner and break down really complex issues into clear and easy to follow concepts. She was a patient teacher and allowed her trainees autonomy.

Lisa was involved with several national societies including the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia, the Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society (CCAS), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA). She was on the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (AAP SOA), and was on the Education Planning Committee for the upcoming SPA/AAP Annual Pediatric Anesthesiology Meeting in Tampa, Florida. She was the Chair of the AUA Communication Committee and a member of the Executive Council. Lisa served on the SPA Education and Communications Committee and several ASA Committees. She has spoken nationally and internationally on a variety of topics primarily related to neuroanesthesia, neurotoxicity, and congenital cardiac anesthesia.

While Lisa appeared fragile, as if a strong wind would blow her away, beneath lay a tenacious, stoic, and strong- willed individual. Lisa was soft spoken, unfailingly gentle and kind to her trainees and laboratory assistants and was inclusive of them in her publications, of which she has many. She was a mentor and role model to multiple aspiring physicians, trainees, faculty, and clinician scientists. All who knew her recall her gentle demeanor and unfailing kindness. We have had messages from several of her trainees and colleagues expressing surprise and sadness at her untimely demise.

In reviewing her CV, I (CR) was awestruck on how much Lisa had accomplished both academically and outside of work. I have not met many individuals who could push themselves as much as Lisa did. Despite a busy clinical and research career, Lisa found time to be the team captain of her children’s basketball team, team manager of soccer teams, be a foster parent to animals and, periodically, Lisa would send me (CR) a picture of her latest fluffy friend.

Dr. Lisa Wise-Faberowski was a compassionate and dedicated physician caring for some of the sickest children. She was an amazing woman, a devoted wife, and a mother of four. She was brave in her long fight against breast cancer but never allowed her illness to define her. She will be missed by her family and many friends at Stanford and elsewhere. We mourn her untimely loss.

Call for Applications – Mission Driven Mentoring Program

The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is pleased to announce the Mission Driven Mentoring Program (MDMP).

Informed by member responses to the 2020 SPA diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) survey, the MDMP aims to advance DE&I work in pediatric anesthesiology by supporting the growth and advancement of individuals who participate in these efforts. MDMP provides DE&I training through a structured curriculum and skills building through practical work. It also provides opportunities for mentees to network with DE&I faculty at the national level.

Grants will fund SPA member (including SPA trainee members)-initiated efforts that aim to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at a variety of levels within pediatric anesthesiology. We invite proposals that can be completed during a 1-year funding period. Reflecting current opportunities, we are open to a variety of approaches to advancing DEI, e.g. quality improvement, dissemination and implementation science, advocacy, research, workforce pipeline, representation within SPA membership.

Application Submission Deadline is February 1, 2022.

Click here for more information and application criteria.

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Statement on Gun Violence

Statement on Transgender Care

Support for Ukraine

In Memoriam: Lisa Wise-Faberowski, MD, MS

Call for Applications – Mission Driven Mentoring Program

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