Marianne Clay: Writer and Editor

Man’s Best Friend Puts Young Patients at Ease Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center By Marianne Clay Four-year-old “Jake” wails as he crumples into a corner. Ten feet away looms a large, box-like machine, a CT scanner. For the last half hour, Jake’s parents, a Child Life specialist and a CT technician at P enn State Children’s Hospital,  have been trying to both comfort and convince Jake to lie down on the scanner’s table at the machine’s center. “Look,” they say softly, “the table goes in and out of the tunnel like a train.” Their coaxing is not soothing Jake. Will Jake, like other young children, require anesthesia before they can perform this test? “Kaia,” a pediatric radiologist suggests. “Let’s try Kaia.” Kaia’s secondary handler and Child Life specialist for pediatric radiology, Alicia Cesare, quickly calls for Kaia. A few minutes later, a 50-pound golden retriever enters the room, her tail gently wagging. Ashley Kane,  Child Life Program ...

Meet the First Four Diamonds Patient: Denise Voloshin February 12, 2018 at 3:21 pm   pennstatemedicine 1 comment By Marianne Clay Just days before this year’s  Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) Weekend  Feb.16-18 at University Park, cancer survivor Denise Voloshin marvels at the accomplishments of the world’s largest student-run philanthropy and of its sole beneficiary,  Four Diamonds . Since the days when Denise was a patient at  Penn State Children’s Hospital , THON has raised nearly $150 million for the work of Four Diamonds. Like it has since 1977, Four Diamonds will use the millions raised during this year’s THON to provide financial support to pediatric cancer patients and their families at Penn State Children’s Hospital and to fund innovative cancer research. “The incredible ways THON and Four Diamonds help young cancer patients and their families is nothing short of amazing,” Denise says. She should know. She was the fir...