Renovation becomes a labor of love
Bob Greene's construction company has been working at Children's Hospital Boston for more than three decades, so when the company bid to renovate the stem cell transplant (SCT) unit, Greene had no idea how personal the job would become.
In July 2001, Bob's wife Rene gave birth to Bobby Jr., and it wasn't long before the Greenes realized something was wrong with their baby. He got two types of pneumonia that usually affect only the elderly, and was soon diagnosed with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), a rare genetic disorder. In Bobby's case, SCID would have been fatal in one to two years. About the time the Greenes found out a stem cell transplant was the only treatment available, Bob learned his company had been awarded the contract to renovate the unit.
Luckily for the Greenes, their 3-year-old daughter Shelby turned out to be a perfect match for Bobby. So last September, when her little brother was less than 12 weeks old, Shelby donated some of her bone marrow to restore his immune system. Over the next three-and-a-half months, Bob Greene learned all he would ever need to about the SCT unit.
Every night he slept in the uncomfortable reclining chairs in his son's room, early each morning he lined up with the other parents who were waiting for the only shower on the floor, and every day he got snacks and meals in the cramped kitchen, wishing there was a comfortable place where parents could relax. When his son's ordeal was over, Bob made some adjustments to the renovation plan: "Renovation of the nourishment center and family room weren't on the original plan," he says, "but after spending that much time on the unit, I knew they needed to be updated."
By September 2002, the changes to New England's only stand-alone pediatric SCT unit were startling. It still has 13 patient rooms, but 11 of the anterooms, which were used as a buffer between each patient's room and anyone with a cold or infection, were gone (two remained for children who are immunocompromised).
A HEPA filter now cleanses the air on the whole unit, letting patients move about freely. This freedom is particularly important to SCT patients since they spend an average of 37 days in the hospital.
The filter also allows patients to use the remodeled playroom, which used to be mostly off-limits. Other changes that enhance both care and entertainment include the addition of a nursing station outside each room, brighter lights to make examinations easier, a desk, computer and video games in each room, and unique, rainbow-colored kinetic lighting in the ceiling tiles that patients can synchronize to music.
There are also additions for parents like the Greenes who spend many hours at their children's sides: beds have been built into the window alcoves, bathrooms with showers have been added to every room, and the kitchen and family areas have been renovated.
Bobby Jr. still receives treatment to boost his immune system, but is expected to make a full recovery. When the new unit opened, his mother Rene commented on all the changes. "Showers, beds and playrooms are small things, but they make all the difference to the patients and families who practically live on the unit."
For information on supporting the Stem Cell Transplant Program contact Kathleen Corcoran in the Children's Hospital Trust at (617) 355-2370 or kathleen.corcoran@chtrust.org.
