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An angel among us

Lisa Albers, MD, MPH, director of the Adoption Program at Children's Hospital Boston

oday, tens of thousands of children around the world are waiting to be adopted. They can remain hopeful knowing that people like Lisa Albers, MD, MPH, director of the Adoption Program at Children's Hospital Boston, are working to make their dreams of a loving, permanent home come true.

In recognition of her work in adoption, Albers this month became a recipient of the 2004 Angel in Adoption Award presented by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which raises awareness about foster children and orphans in need of homes. CCAI created the Angels in Adoption campaign six years ago in the hope of raising awareness about adoption and related issues, and to honor dedicated constituents for their efforts in helping children and their families.

Each congressional office in the country can nominate one Angel each year, and Congressman Mike Capuano (D-MA) was pleased to nominate Albers this year. "Dr. Albers is a tireless advocate for adoptive parents, helping families through every step of this often unfamiliar and intricate process," he says. "Through her efforts, she has helped countless families realize their dream of adoption, and has given children all over the world a safer and healthier place to live and grow."

For the past 13 years, Albers has made it her mission to help adoptees and their families. Each day she helps them navigate the medical complexities of domestic and international adoptions. From consulting with families prior to adoption, to providing post-adoption evaluations and medical and behavioral care, Albers provides guidance and assurance to families throughout the adoption process.

She began her career as a primary care pediatrician at a community health center, where working with immigrants, refugees and international adoptees fostered her strong interest in international health. After obtaining her master's degree in International Health and teaching pediatrics in Cambodia, Albers decided to utilize her clinical skills to help families adopting children. She has traveled extensively with parents adopting children from China, and has visited a number of orphanages and childcare institutions in Romania, Lithuania and throughout South East Asia.

In 1998, Albers established the Adoption Program at Children's along with Kay Seligsohn, MD, in an effort to inform and support families, as well as provide services to their adopted sons and daughters. "I feel fortunate to work with kids and families," she says. "My work reminds me that there is always hope for children in need of a family."
Albers finds that watching children grow up is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. She was delighted to be named a 2004 Angel in Adoption, saying it is one of the best awards she has received. "It's a great honor," she says. "The award puts a spotlight on kids and adoption."

As November—National Adoption Awareness Month—begins, Albers has some advice for couples considering adoption. "It's important to gather as much information as possible as early in the process as possible," she says, adding that Massachusetts has a lot of local resources that can help in the decision making process (see http://odsacone.org/).
This is only the beginning of Albers' work. Future adoptees and families can rest assured that she will be there to help them too, because she loves what she does. "I plan to continue to help children find loving families for my entire professional career," she says.