Children’s Hospital at Montefiore celebrates 25 years of achievements in pediatric care

CHAM opened its doors on Oct. 23, 2001. Today, the nationally ranked hospital treats about 7,000 children each year as inpatients and provides outpatient care to more than 60,000 children across the Bronx and Westchester.

Sandra Braganza, M.D., a pediatrician and director of one of CHAM’s residency programs, who has been with Montefiore for 28 years, said she has seen firsthand how the hospital’s growth has expanded access to specialized care for Bronx children.

When Braganza started, some patients had to travel to different hospitals across the city to see specialists. Today, CHAM offers a wider range of pediatric subspecialists under one roof.

“I really have witnessed how much CHAM has meant for the patients and the communities we serve here in the Bronx,” Braganza said.

Mary Mahoney, a nurse educator who has worked at Montefiore for 35 years and at CHAM since it opened, said the hospital’s evolution has also meant a greater focus on supporting families beyond their children’s medical needs.

“It’s not just about the patient. It’s always about the family,” Mahoney said.

That can mean connecting families with community health workers and resources such as food assistance and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Braganza said.

Over the years, staff developed relationships that have extended across years, and sometimes, generations. She has cared for children who first came to CHAM as babies and are now in their 20s and 30s.

“We get close to the families, and it’s nice. We’re the second home for a lot of them,” she said.

Beyond its hospital walls, CHAM providers care for about a quarter of the Bronx’s children through the Montefiore School Health Program, which brings health services to students in schools across the borough.

The hospital also works with community organizations to address families’ needs beyond medical care. Several notable partners were honored at an Oct. 29 anniversary event, including BronxWorks, which helps families access medical and social services, and the Niño de la Caridad Foundation, founded by CHAM pediatric critical care specialist Dr. Denise Núñez, which provides education, mentorship and health guidance to children and families.

The hospital also recognized Judy Gottscho-Eichinger of the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation and Reil Peerbooms of Frost Valley YMCA Camp. The organizations have partnered with CHAM for more than 50 years to give children with chronic kidney disease the opportunity to attend sleepaway camp while receiving medical care from hospital staff.

Luis Eladio Torres, principal of P.S. 55, was also honored for the school’s longstanding partnership with the Montefiore School Health Program, which has provided comprehensive medical care to students there since 1983.

“The people and organizations who have championed the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein since day one help us to fulfill our mission of providing the best medical care to our patients, while extending our support beyond clinical spaces into our patients’ neighborhoods, schools and homes – where children can learn, grow and thrive,” said Michael D. Cabana, M.D., physician-in-chief at CHAM.

CHAM has also expanded to include services for children’s mental health. The Montefiore Einstein Center for Children’s Health, a 21-bed inpatient psychiatric unit developed in partnership with the departments of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine, has treated more than 160 children in its first year. The unit cares for children experiencing severe depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis and suicidal thoughts.

As CHAM looks toward its next 25 years, Braganza said she hopes the hospital continues to expand to meet the needs of the growing borough and train the future of pediatrics. 

Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram!