Our dietitians have been working extra hard for families who have been stressed out trying to get what they need to feed their medically complex children.

“Our population needs premature formula for the additional nutrients to grow their little lungs, brains, and other vital organs,” says Robyn Felten, La Rabida’s Clinical Nutrition Manager.  “Our population also needs elemental formulas for gastrointestinal disorders such as short gut or other issues such as severe allergies.”

Her team of registered dietitians have gone above and beyond to troubleshoot and find substitutions – staying late, and doing a lot of math to figure out what feeding regimens will work.

She says they have been working countless hours leaving formula for families to pick up at the main entrance, communicating with other hospitals to help find substitutes, making sure formula gets shipped to patient homes and finding new formulas our families have never used before.

“Parents have called us completely stressed out,” says dietitian Jaelen Hull. “We try to make sure we do everything we can for them so they don’t have to worry so much.”

Patients even sometimes show up without appointments, desperate for formula. The nutrition team always makes time to help.

"We're their family," says Dr. Edith Chernoff. "Where do you go when you need help? You go home to family."