Dallas Morning News: Breaking bones, barriers
Scottish Rite for Children hosted 40 high schoolers as part of an outreach program to expose girls to orthopedic surgery and engineering.
Get to Know our Staff: Fabiola Reyes, M.D., Neurology and Rehabilitation
What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am a pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. I work with children who have mobility impairments. Because cerebral palsy is the leading cause of physical disability in in the United States, this population makes up the majority of my practice. My goal as a pediatric physiatrist is to facilitate mobility, function, activities and care for children with physical disabilities using nonoperative means.
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I work with an awesome team of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, orthotists and therapists to assess function and rehabilitation needs of children with cerebral palsy. In my clinics, I help identify and set therapy goals for children. I also treat conditions that may interfere with mobility and function, such as tone. I use a variety of tools, including therapy, orthoses, oral medications, botulinum toxin injections, intrathecal medications and casting to help children be comfortable, active and participate in activities they enjoy. In addition, I also assess and diagnose causes of motor control disorders in children when they come into clinic without a diagnosis.
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
My first job was doing administrative work in an environmental engineering firm in my hometown of El Paso the summer after my first semester in college. I was inspired by my father — an engineer, and my mother — a nurse, to study biomedical engineering in college. I worked for GE Healthcare after I graduated. My job at GE Healthcare required spending time with cardiologists. This experience helped me see how doctors solve problems like engineers, but they also get to form strong relationships with people of all backgrounds. This led me to apply to medical school. I then chose physical medicine and rehabilitation because it allowed me to follow patients with complex medical conditions longitudinally and help them achieve goals that sometimes seem insurmountable.
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
My favorite thing about working at Scottish Rite is that we are guided by the CARE RITE values. Specifically, being child-focused allows me to build strong rapport and have fun with my patients in clinic. I always leave clinic with a huge smile on my face and am excited to tell my husband how much fun I had at work. In addition, by putting children and family first, the CARE RITE values promote excellent teamwork and multidisciplinary care of children with complex needs. This means that my colleagues and I are always on the same page — we will do what is best for the patient and families always.
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know.
I completed six years of residency and fellowship training in order to become a pediatric physiatrist. I did one year of internal medicine at Parkland/UT Southwestern. I then did three years of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Columbia/Cornell in New York. Finally, I completed two years of pediatric rehabilitation medicine at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s in Houston. All this training is needed to help physiatrist learn function from a multisystem perspective. In training I learned about diagnosis and management of bowel and bladder dysfunction due to spinal cord injuries; neuropathies and muscular dysfunction from cancer and cancer treatments; cognitive impairments from traumatic brain injuries; among many other conditions that affect function. The year I spent doing internal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital was very challenging, but it gave me a very good perspective on the medical and social challenges some of our patients will face once they age out of the pediatric medical system.
What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Volleyball. I played middle blocker in high school in El Paso. I love volleyball because it requires a lot of practice to develop skills, but it also requires very good communication with your teammates. For example, without letting your backrow teammates know that you are bumping the ball, or letting the setter know that you are ready to strike as a middle hitter, that ball will drop on the floor. In fact, volleyball reminds me of health care — it can be very intricate, requires a lot of coordination and requires players to be excellent at their individual position. Without good teamwork, communication and flexibility, though, a play can easily fall apart. Again, this is why I love working at Scottish Rite. If we were a volleyball team, I have no doubt we would be national champions!
How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
My family is from Mexico. My parents were born and grew up there. Because of many psychosocial challenges my grandparents faced in Mexico, none of them were able to complete elementary school. My maternal grandfather was a silver miner, and my paternal grandfather was a carpenter. Despite their limited education, my grandparents instilled the values of hard work and education on my parents. Through these values, my mother became a nurse and my father an industrial engineer. Seeing my parents work hard to meet their professional goals when we moved to the United States has been an enormous inspiration for my siblings and me. We have always been so proud of my parents and our heritage for this reason.
Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?
My birthday is on Christmas Eve. In Mexico, a lot of families celebrate Christmas on December 24th. Getting together with extended family at my grandmother’s home in Juarez, Mexico, eating tamales and breaking a birthday piñata are some of the most cherished memories I have from childhood. To this day, we still make tamales and break a piñata for Christmas.
What is your favorite meal or recipe?
Chile Rellenos. My grandmother used to make them for us when we would visit her on the weekends in Mexico. And now that we are older, this is one of the meals my mother makes for my husband and me when we visit her in Houston. Chile Rellenos was also the first meal I cooked for my husband when we were dating, and when I started working at Scottish Rite, my mother came to my house to help me cook a big batch for a work celebration. They are very time consuming to make, but they are also delicious in a corn tortilla with beans and salt!
What is your favorite travel destination?
Big Bend National Park. It sits on the Chihuahuan Desert and is on the border with Mexico, similar to El Paso, where I grew up. It is very remote and isolated, so it is easier to find solitude and time to reflect while hiking. Surprisingly, it has a significant amount of bird, insect and plant diversity, as it is the only national park that houses a whole mountain range — the Chisos, a desert and a river. The flora and fauna have to be tough and resilient, but still thrive, and it houses the Mexican Black Bear, which was extirpated, but made a comeback into Big Bend National Park in the 1980s.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
It means connection. Not only to my parents, grandparents and traditions but also to my patients. I chose to practice in Dallas partly because it has a substantial Hispanic population — 41.5% per the 2021 census. Being able to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month gives me a reason to celebrate together with a large portion of my patients.
How do you identify within the Hispanic community?
I identify as Mexican-American. While the people with Hispanic and Latino heritage can be very diverse in geography, culture and colloquialisms, I love connecting through our shared values. For example, I love bonding over music with one of our Neurology/Rehab nurses whose family is from El Salvador but grew up listening to the same music that our parents listened to. In New York, being able to communicate with a large population of Dominican patients was also very gratifying. One of my favorite memories in residency was when an Ecuadorian hospital worker brought me Mexican tamales from New Jersey because he knew I was missing my family during Christmas.
What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?
Being able to bond with patients with similar heritage. While doing a botulinum toxin injection, one of my patients was listening to Vicente Fernandez, a Mexican singer and songwriter who is considered one of the greatest by many. After completing the injection, I knew my patient had tolerated it well when he belted one of Vicente’s most famous songs at the top of his lungs. At that point, I had no other choice but to join him in singing!
What does community mean to you?
Community means shared values and beliefs. This in turn helps me find connection and rapport with my patients. By being part of the same community, I hope to inspire my young Hispanic patients to aspire to become doctors too.
What do you enjoy most about your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
Being able to work with a diverse group of people in skill and background with similar goals and values. Every person I have worked with, and those who have supported me at Scottish Rite, have not only shown kindness and excellence but also a strong commitment to deliver the best experience and care for the diverse group of patients we see.
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I was named after my older sister’s imaginary friend! She had a slew of imaginary friends, and my parents like the name Fabiola.
Get to Know our Staff: Randy Preston, Security
What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am the security manager for the Frisco campus, and my role is to ensure a safe environment for the staff and visitors.
I am the security manager for the Frisco campus, and my role is to ensure a safe environment for the staff and visitors.
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
Observe, react, respond, listen, train and fix if I can. I try to be alert to anything out of the ordinary that may be going on inside or outside our facility. I’m always busy making rounds through clinics and departments, checking live and recorded camera footage, listening to staff concerns, making employee badges and assigning proper access clearance and a lot of other little but important things that are semi-top secret.
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
My first job was a mail clerk for an insurance company. Before coming to Scottish Rite, I was a bank fraud investigator, which allowed me to learn and work alongside the FBI, Secret Service and several other areas of law enforcement. I loved the job, but I had to deal with dishonest individuals and criminals. Coming to Scottish Rite provided an atmosphere better for my heart. I’ll be coming up on my 22nd anniversary this year.
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love the family feel I get from the staff, and I could feel it when I first arrived. Times have changed, but it’s still there! Even the grumpy staff, which only makes it more like a family. Throughout the years I’ve worked alongside all levels of staff, including our trustees. The one common theme is the way we care for the kids and each other.
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know.
I actually get a lot of security and safety improvement ideas from the staff and my officers by just listening to their concerns or asking questions. Some are a bit over the top. I’m a semi-perfectionist, so I’m constantly trying to improve every aspect of security for our facility.
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
Pebble Beach Golf Course. Two years ago my best friend and I made a pact to play a PGA golf course every year. It was an extremely beautiful course and to know that you are playing the same course that Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus played was amazing. That was last year. This year we played TPC Sawgrass and had the same “WOW” feeling.
What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Football is always first on my list. I still enjoy playing catch with the kids in the neighborhood. I love watching my Dallas Cowboys, when they are winning, and any Texas college team, but I do lean more toward the UT Longhorns. Golf became my sport because of the individual challenge it provides. Also, I can yell at myself instead of my teammates. I’m kind of competitive. Ok, I’m competitive!
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
For one month I was an actor. The opportunity came up when I was transitioning from banking to Scottish Rite. I was an assistant coach in the movie Any Given Sunday that was filmed at the old Texas Stadium. I was only a glorified extra, but I did get to meet Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Jim Brown, the greatest NFL running back of all time, and several other stars. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime things.
Get to Know our Staff: David Calles, Inpatient Unit
What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am a Patient Care Technician, and I assist the nursing staff with patient care.
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I take vital signs, prepare the surgery beds, run labs, occasionally answer the phones, assist patients with their activities of daily living and support my nursing staff with taking patients to and from procedures.
I am a Patient Care Technician, and I assist the nursing staff with patient care.
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I take vital signs, prepare the surgery beds, run labs, occasionally answer the phones, assist patients with their activities of daily living and support my nursing staff with taking patients to and from procedures.
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
I worked at a place called James Coney Island in Houston serving food and dressing up like a big hotdog! I have worked at Scottish Rite for 10 years as of July 31. It’s been a true blessing to have Scottish Rite in my life.
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
The feeling of family and that I am making a difference. I love to make special connections with the patients and family members.
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know.
My favorite part about my job is that I get to connect with the patients and make them smile and feel normal. I like to take their minds off of what they are going through and make their stay/day brighter.
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
The Aztec ruins in Mexico — it’s amazing to think that they initiated a game similar to basketball and how advanced they were for what is considered a primitive time.
What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
UFC mixed martial arts to watch and hunting as a hobby.
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I love to dance.
Caring for the Communities They Serve
Article previously published in Rite Up, 2022 – Issue 1.
Scottish Rite for Children is not the only organization celebrating a major milestone. Twenty years ago, H-E-B opened its first Central Market in Dallas at Lovers Lane and Greenville Avenue. Another connection between the two — sharing an unwavering commitment to help strengthen the communities they serve. H-E-B/Central Market and its president, Stephen Butt and his wife, Susan, have worked with Scottish Rite for Children for many years
“The quality of the team and the clarity of its mission have made it very easy to build the strong partnership with Scottish Rite that we have now enjoyed for the past 20 years,” Stephen says. “Our relationship began to grow as we saw firsthand the strong care and compassion they showed for these children and families — a long-standing trait of Scottish Rite.
The Butts and H-E-B/Central Market have been steadfast community partners to cities around Texas. Donating 5% of pre-tax annual earnings to charitable organizations, the company has given more than $10 million to the surrounding areas
”The amazing depth and breadth of Stephen and Susan’s unyielding commitment is remarkable,” Vice President of Development Stephanie Brigger says. “They’ve provided strong leadership for our special events and introduced countless friends to Scottish Rite.
In 2012, the Butts and their good friends Betsy and Richard Eiseman, Jr. were co-chairs of Scottish Rite’s signature event, Treasure Street. Behind the scenes, the couple has hosted fun-filled patient activities as well as provided tremendous support to our staff. “They have gone the extra mile over and over again,” Brigger says. “They have catered and served delicious meals to our teams and given overflowing bags of groceries to brighten the holidays for our staff and their families.
For more than a decade, Central Market has hosted The Foodie Classic Golf Tournament, which provides H-E-B/Central Market suppliers an opportunity to support Scottish Rite as well. The tournament has raised more than $1.2 million directly benefiting patient care
“Susan and Stephen Butt have been wonderful friends of Scottish Rite,” Assistant Chief of Staff and Foundation President Karl E. Rathjen, M.D., says. “They have always been ready to ‘answer the call’ for our patients and their families. Their loving, inclusive leadership is reflected every time you step into Central Market. I am always amazed at the similarities of our two organizations’ team members — great people who love what they do and go out of the way to serve others!
“Scottish Rite for Children holds a special place in the hearts of its many supporters,” Stephen says. “We are proud of the relationship we are building with Scottish Rite, through H-E-B/Central Market as well as personally, and we look forward to our partnership with Scottish Rite continuing to grow into the future.
Congratulations to H-E-B/Central Market as it has broken ground on four new H-E-B locations in Plano, Frisco, McKinney and Forney. We are grateful for the support of Stephen and Susan Butt and H-E-B/Central Market and can’t wait for the next 100 years of serving the community united together.
Get to Know our Staff: Dana Dempsey, Therapeutic Recreation
What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
As director of the Therapeutic Recreation department, I make sure my team has the resources and support they need to provide therapeutic recreation services to our patients. Therapeutic recreation services include inpatient interventions, outpatient interventions and community outreach programs, such as camps, All-Star Tennis and the Learn to Golf program. I also provide direct patient care when my teammates are occupied with other patients.
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
Each day is a little different, depending on variables like how many inpatients are in the unit, clinic schedules, project meetings and preparations for community outreach programs. On a typical day, I can find myself meeting with a patient and parent in the clinic, prepping for camps or pulling golf clubs and confirming instructors for Learn to Golf clinics.
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
My first job at Scottish Rite for Children was as the Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator. In 1997, Scottish Rite opened the Jas. F. Chambers Jr. Youth Fitness Park, and I had the privilege of using that park as a tool. At the time, we didn’t have a therapeutic recreation department. I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by wonderful colleagues while developing therapeutic recreation programs that provide a variety of services for our patients. Prior to coming to Scottish Rite, I provided therapeutic recreation services in mental health settings for about 10 years. This October, I celebrate 25 years at Scottish Rite.
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
“Our patients” is the easiest answer. But beyond the patients, I’ve developed some close friendships with other staff members that bring amazing joy to my life. People – they are important. At Scottish Rite, that message comes through.
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know.
Although I run a junior golf program for our patients and approximately 50% of my job is devoted to Learn to Golf, I’m lucky if I get to play golf three to four times a year! Most folks think I play golf all the time.
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
I find most places I go very interesting. It’s a toss-up between Addo Elephant Park in South Africa or sailing in the British Virgin Islands. However, I find that my own backyard is really interesting, too!
What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
I’m not much of a spectator. I love to play golf!
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I’ll get to be a part of history because I am going to be at the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open in Pinehurst on July 18 – 20, 2022. Because of the Learn to Golf program, I’ve become friends with several adaptive golfers who are in the Championship Field.