Inside Pediatrics Magazine Fall/Winter 2025

Members of the Children's of Alabama neurosurgery team with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey at the signing of the Corn Masa Fortification Bill.

ACS Professor Award,” Bhatia said. “This recognition allows me to redouble my energies toward improving the outcomes for our cancer survivors.” Madan-Swain Wins Wright Ross Salk Award. The late Avi Madan-Swain, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, was recognized this spring by the Society of Pediatric Psychology with the Wright Ross Salk Award for Distinguished Service in Pediatric Psychology. The award recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding service in pediatric psychology through the development and implementation of significant programs, training models, prevention and intervention initiatives, professional leadership and scholarship. Madan Swain developed and served as director of the Hope and Cope Program in hematology and oncology. She retired in 2025. She passed away in August. Askenazi receives the Neonatal Kidney Collaborative Founder’s Award. David Askenazi, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, was honored with the Neonatal Kidney Collaborative (NKC) Founder’s Award at this year’s Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Membership Dinner. The award celebrates Askenazi’s remarkable vision, dedication and leadership over the past 11 years, which have been the driving force behind the creation and growth of the NKC.

of Alabama was named one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Employers for 2025. This recognition is based on feedback from employees across the state and reflects the strong culture, teamwork and shared commitment that define the organization. Novara named Fellow of the Child Neurology Society. Sarah Novara, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, has been named a Fellow of the Child Neurology Society (FCNS). FCNS is a prestigious designation within the Child Neurology Society that recognizes the members’ commitment to advancing knowledge and clinical practice in child neurology. Bhatia named recipient of the 2025 American Cancer Society Professor Award. Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, has been named the recipient of the 2025 American Cancer Society (ACS) Professor Award. This award is the most prestigious grant made by ACS and recognizes professors who have made seminal, high-impact contributions to cancer research across a wide range of disciplines, including fundamental, clinical, psychosocial, behavioral, health policy and epidemiologic fields. It provides $400,000 in funding for five years and can be extended for another five years. “I am deeply honored to be selected as the recipient of the 2025 AWARDS

Children’s of Alabama endocrinologist Jessica Schmitt gave the prestigious Paul Kaplowitz, M.D., Endowed Lecture, focusing on cost-effective clinical care. The lecture was established in 2015 as a collaboration between the PES and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to honor Paul Kaplowitz, M.D., who has worked to find ways to reduce unnecessary testing and treatment, particularly in the areas of early puberty, short stature and subclinical hypothyroidism. Each year, the PES selects a member who advocates for cost-effective practice and quality improvement in pediatric endocrinology to present the lecture at the annual meeting. Schmitt’s presentation was Value Added: Considering Cost in Clinical Care and Scholarly Works. She covered work that she and collaborators at Children’s of Alabama and the UAB Division of Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes— along with collaborators outside the state—have done related to cost effective clinical care. She discussed the cost-effectiveness of new “ultra long-lasting insulins,” highlighted the costs of diabetes complications to advocate for diabetes technology coverage for youth with type 1 diabetes, and explained the importance of using costly imaging only when necessary in the evaluation of children with growth hormone deficiency. Children’s Named Among America’s Best-in-State Employers. Children’s

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Inside Pediatrics | Children’s of Alabama