The Glennon Factor

In this episode of The Glennon Factor, we celebrate the evolution of neonatal intensive care through the eyes of two extraordinary clinicians. Join us as we sit down with Dr. Robert Fleming, a neonatologist with more than 40 years of experience at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, and Dr. Lottchen Wider, a long-term critical care nurse, and Professor Emeritus, who still volunteers weekly in our NICU. Together, they share personal reflec...

Most people are familiar with the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” But what about an entire children’s hospital? That requires an entire community of support! In this episode of The Glennon Factor podcast we are joined by President of McKelvey Homes and former Cardinal Glennon board president, Jim Brennan, Director of Marketing for 4 Hands Brewing Company, Liz Swyer, Cardinal Glennon parent, Greg Shurts, and Co-Ow...

How many people does it take to help kids do hard things? It takes a whole Child Life Services team...but unfortunately we could only fit a select few in our podcast studio. In this episode we are joined by Justine Bautista, Certified Child Life Specialist and facility dog handler, Brenda Wilson, schoolteacher from the Shining Star School, Scott Duell Certified Music Therapist, and last but certainly not least...Duo Dog Thor – our ...

What does it take to become a nationally ranked heart program? Who built the first ECMO machine used at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon roughly 50 years ago? What do world-renowned pediatric heart surgeons do in their free time? All these questions and many more get answered in this insightful episode of The Glennon Factor. We are honored to be joined by recently retired cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Andrew Fiore and clinical nurse for th...

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon is blessed to have these three guests rounding in the hall every week – spreading joy to the parents and staff. These three volunteers - Lisa, Kenda and Claudia are affectionately known as the “Snack Cart Ladies” and they are all Cardinal Glennon parents who know what it is like to “Move In” while their child spends an extensive amount of time receiving care. They give back to other parents going through...

In this episode of The Glennon Factor, we explore the responsibility of our Level 1 trauma center to keep children safe, with a focus on injury prevention and violence intervention. Join Lori Winkler, MSN, RN, TNS, CPEN, injury prevention nurse coordinator at Cardinal Glennon, and Melik Coffey, MSW, LCSW, coordinator of the Life Outside of Violence (LOV) Program for the St. Louis region, as they share their experiences and insights...

Part 2: In this second part of our series on the Complex Medical Care Program, we’re joined by Dr. Aline Tanios, Dr. Michael Smiley, and the inspiring Watson family—parents Rose and Demetrius, and their 7-year-old daughter, Lavender, affectionately known as 'The Queen.' Lavender was born with Trisomy 18, a condition often described as 'incompatible with life,' but her story is one of defying the odds every step of the way. In this ...

Part 1: In this first part of our two-part series on the Complex Medical Care Program at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, we sit down with Dr. Kurt Sobush and Dr. Aline Tanios, the pioneering physicians who created this transformative program. Knowing the immense challenges that families of medically complex children endure—from endless appointments to overwhelming care coordination—these dedicated doctors took it upon themselves to fi...

In this inspiring episode of The Glennon Factor, we explore the world of Integrative Medicine with Dr. Anu French, the pioneering physician at SSM Health who blends evidence-based holistic practices with traditional Western medicine to provide a comprehensive approach to healing. Joining Dr. French are her patient, Siler, and his mother, Stacey, who share their personal journey of hope and healing through this unique program. Disco...

Join us for an exhilarating episode of The Glennon Factor as we spotlight the remarkable SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Transport Team! Listen as key clinicians share gripping stories from past transports, highlight the evolution and growth of the program, and provide an insider's look into their high-stakes, high-reward work. From managing patient transfers via ambulance or helicopter to coordinating complex logis...

Join us for this episode of The Glennon Factor, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible Glennon Guild: 100 women, one mission, under one sun, brightening countless Cardinal Glennon lives. Founded in 1957, this volunteer and fundraising organization has made a profound impact on advancing the welfare of the hospital and the children in its care, hosting a variety of fundraising events and programs and raising millions of dollar...

While most hospitals can state that they are open 24/7, the true continuum of care doesn’t end whenever the patient leaves the parking lot. Our patients are always our patients, and we go the extra mile to make sure that our patients are safe outside our walls. That is why, in 2014, the hospital invested in one paramedic’s vision to build a program known as STARS: Special Needs Tracking and Awareness Response  System. This one-of-a...

He is a father of two boys. His favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. He is a refugee of the Iranian revolution and if we cued up his preferred walk-up song, it would be “Jump Around” by House of Pain.

We are talking about Dr. Hossain Marandi, President of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon. After a brief icebreaker which included a tater tot taste test (tots being one of his favorite pleasures) we had the privilege of talking with our first ...