Be Well, Lakeland: Hopeful Medicine
How Local Pediatricians Find Joy and Purpose in Caring for Children and Their Parents
DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AND PHOTOS BY LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH
Dr. Tamara Pistoria, Dr. Shachi Patel, Dr. Nicole Hinds, and Dr. Christina Chen-Milhone from Grasslands Campus.
Imagine a job where you get to hang out with some of our community’s smallest, most amusing people all day—giving the sad ones a reason to smile and the happy ones cause to jump up and down with glee. That’s the life of a pediatrician.
Lakeland Regional Health pediatricians think they have the best job in the world because the rewards include building meaningful relationships with patients and caregivers. These relationships are built around their health journey but often turn into bonds that epitomize the genuine love the doctors find in helping parents and their kiddos navigate life.
“Every day that I am blessed to work with children and their families is a win,” says Dr. Nicole Hinds of the Grasslands Campus. “Those moments are even more special when the time spent counseling yields positive outcomes that benefit the entire family.”
LRH pediatricians care for children at the Grasslands Campus and Imperial Lakes locations in Lakeland, as well as the Winter Haven Central office. LRH also operates the area’s only Children’s Emergency Department at the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children.
Dr. Humam Alabsi, left, and Dr. Janelle Peery from Imperial Lakes. Dr. Susan Sandoval, Dr. Melissa Blackburn, Dr. Raul Alvarez, and Dr. Alina Stanica from Winter Haven Central.
Dr. Hinds says LRH Pediatrics offices are full of “warm hearts, magical tools, and fun treats.” Decorated in bright colors, the offices are adorned with hand-drawn thank-you notes, piles of books and toys, candy, and stickers. Around every corner, you’ll find children telling funny stories and giggling or simply waiting for a trusted voice to help them navigate a challenge they are facing.
No matter the need, or the hour, LRH pediatricians pride themselves on being accessible. They take turns serving as the on-call pediatrician in the evenings and weekends and seeing patients at Saturday appointments, which are available at the Grasslands and Winter Haven locations.
Dr. Humam Alabsi, of Imperial Lakes, says, “Ideally, the pediatrician should be someone who listens carefully to both the child and parent and provides timely care when needed. It’s also important that the office has friendly and supportive staff, creating a welcoming environment that makes visits less stressful for both children and parents. This combination helps ensure a positive, trusting relationship.”
REWARDING WORK
A primary goal of pediatricians is to help their patients thrive, and often that includes being in their lives for at least 18 years.
“Interacting with children, seeing their smiles, and making them laugh when they are nervous about shots is a daily win for me,” says Dr. Janelle Peery from Imperial Lakes. “I also love when we can turn a bad school situation around by treating ADHD successfully. It’s very rewarding to see a child completely change from failing to making straight A’s.”
Dr. Peery knew she wanted to work with kids after spending summers as a church camp counselor. Like her, many of the pediatricians were inspired to care for children when they were still kids themselves.
Dr. Christina Chen-Milhone, who sees patients at Grasslands and the Morrell location, says her pediatricians were major influences in her life.
“Growing up with a chronic condition myself, I experienced how my own pediatricians supported me and my family,” she recalls. “They were some of my role models, and I wanted to be like them and give back to the community I grew up in.”
WHOLE FAMILY CARE
Pediatricians care for parents, too, celebrating first steps and healthy milestones with them and supporting them when their children are under the weather.
Pediatricians blend science with compassion, says Dr. Tamara Pistoria from the Grasslands Campus. “Pediatrics is not simply about diagnosing ear infections or managing asthma. It is about standing beside families in some of their more stressful moments: the anxiety of their first fever, the uncertainty of developmental milestones, the relief when a diagnosis is understood. It is about reassuring parents who are doing their best and reminding them that they are not alone,” she says. “Pediatrics is hopeful medicine.”
Like many parents, pediatricians wish they could fix everything. They acknowledge they can’t, but they try anyway.
Dr. Shachi Patel brings relentless positivity to her practice at Grasslands and it has been hard for her to see a clear uptick in mental health issues among children.
“It feels like a silent epidemic,” she says. “Adverse life conditions, trauma, and abuse affect children’s cognitive ability and learning and cause emotional dysregulation and anxiety disorders.”
With that recognition, Dr. Patel took it upon herself to complete a mini fellowship on mental health for pediatric primary care.
“You’re not just choosing a medical expert,’’ says Dr. Patel. ‘‘You’re choosing someone who will partner with you through every stage of your child’s health. Modern parenting is collaborative, and great pediatric care should be, too.”
FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER
Drawing on their expertise as pediatricians and their own experience as parents, the doctors say they know raising kids is hard.
Dr. Pistoria says often simple things like having dinner as a family, reading together, and maintaining consistent bedtimes can make a significant difference in long-term outcomes.
“Raising healthy kids is less about controlling every outcome and more about cultivating a home where love, stability, and steady habits live.”
Dr. Peery calls parenting one of the hardest jobs. “It is important to pay attention to your child’s needs, encourage their talents and hobbies, and let them make some mistakes,” she says.
The physicians suggested parents think about their own priorities and philosophy of parenting when they meet with potential pediatricians. They suggest parents look for a doctor they connect with—one with whom they are comfortable speaking freely, who will listen to both the parents and the child and get to know the whole family.
“You’re not just choosing a medical expert,” says Dr. Patel. “You’re choosing someone who will partner with you through every stage of your child’s health. Modern parenting is collaborative, and great pediatric care should be, too.”
Learn more about LRH Pediatrics at
myLRH.org/Pediatrics