Vanderbilt Children's Rheumatology Franklin

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Vanderbilt Children's Rheumatology Franklin Vanderbilt Children's clinics are immediately to the north of Williamson Medical Center on Edward Curd Lane.

Access to this building is easiest from Carothers Parkway. Turn left onto Williamson Medical Center Drive heading north, or turn right onto Physicians Way heading south.

World Space Week took over Seacrest Studios at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and our patients spe...
10/09/2026

World Space Week took over Seacrest Studios at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and our patients spent it with some pretty amazing guests. 🚀

Ashley Eckstein, actress, author and the voice of Ahsoka Tano in “Star Wars,” stopped by to hang out with patients.

On the Soundcheck Morning Show, child life intern Katie talked about her grandfather, the late Jim Lovell. He commanded Apollo 13 and also flew on Gemini VII, Gemini XII and Apollo 8.

Author Allie Davis read her book “Clara and the Constellations,” and patients made constellations of their own.

Dr. Eiman Jahangir, a cardiologist at Vanderbilt Health and a Blue Origin astronaut, shared what it was like to go to space. He’s the first Nashvillian in space and the first commercial physician astronaut. His new book, “A Heart for Space: An Astronaut’s Guide to Achieving the Impossible,” is out now, and his spacesuit is on display at Adventure Science Center.

NASA Volunteer Solar System Ambassador Russell Orr showed patients how scientists use colored light, spectra and rainbows to learn about the universe.

Thank you to every guest who made this week one our patients won’t forget. And yes, Squid had a great time too. 🦑

He walked into a faculty meeting expecting an exit interview and walked out with a Summer 2026 Vanderbilt Health Credo A...
10/09/2026

He walked into a faculty meeting expecting an exit interview and walked out with a Summer 2026 Vanderbilt Health Credo Award.

Dr. Vikas Gupta, a pediatric surgeon at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, is the kind of doctor who comes back on off-hours to check on his patients. He found his path to medicine after a conversation with his own pediatrician.

"He told me that being a doctor is not about math and science," Gupta said. "The day-to-day of being a doctor is about communicating with patients, families and teammates."

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor! Read his full story at the link in the comments below.

It’s not talked about much, but postpartum urinary incontinence is common. Many women leak or have trouble controlling t...
10/08/2026

It’s not talked about much, but postpartum urinary incontinence is common. Many women leak or have trouble controlling their urination in the weeks and months after giving birth. The problem sometimes gets better with time, and sometimes treatment is needed. See the link in the comments to know what to expect.

Sissy needed a new heart. In January, she became the first child in the country to receive a donor heart recovered using...
10/08/2026

Sissy needed a new heart. In January, she became the first child in the country to receive a donor heart recovered using REUP (rapid recovery with extended ultraoxygenated preservation), a technique pioneered by Vanderbilt Health's adult heart transplant team.

Sissy was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy as a baby, and by late 2025 her heart was failing. Her family was planning for a second valve repair when the Golisano Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt called on Jan. 3.

"I thought it was about the scheduled repair. But when she told me they had a heart for her and asked if we still wanted it, I just lost it," said her mom, Tiffany.

Since getting the all-clear, Sissy has been to the aquarium to see the colorful fish and rides with her parents on a pink Make-A-Wish golf cart that plays country music. When her dad, Michael, was asked what her transplant meant to him, he gave a one-word answer: "Everything."

Read Sissy's story and learn how this new method could shorten the wait for children who need a new heart. Link in the comments below.

With hockey season officially underway, we’re excited to be cheering our partners, the Nashville Predators. 🎉
10/03/2026

With hockey season officially underway, we’re excited to be cheering our partners, the Nashville Predators. 🎉

Jon Cook has spent 17 years working as a patient transporter in the Emergency Department at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's...
10/02/2026

Jon Cook has spent 17 years working as a patient transporter in the Emergency Department at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, and his coworkers say he brings a lot more to the job than the title suggests.

"I don't mind helping anyone," Jon said. "I'm sort of a jack of all trades around here. If I am not transporting patients, I stock rooms, stock linens, changeover rooms and in general work to keep our area efficient."

This summer, Jon was named a Vanderbilt Health Credo Award winner for his dedication to patients, families and his team. His boss even pulled him away from his break under the guise of a delivery run, just to surprise him with the news.

"I was definitely shocked," Jon said with a laugh.

Congratulations, Jon! Thank you for everything you do for the patients and families. Link to the full story in the comments below.

Meet Dr. Juan C. Salazar, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt Health and system pediatrician-in-chief fo...
10/01/2026

Meet Dr. Juan C. Salazar, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt Health and system pediatrician-in-chief for Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Salazar leads more than 1,000 department members and more than 400 medical students, residents and fellows across clinical care, research and education. An internationally recognized pediatric infectious diseases specialist, he has spent his career studying HIV, Lyme disease and syphilis in children.

What he loves most about working here: "[The team is] mission oriented at all levels. Great people in the Department of Pediatrics."

His favorite place on campus is the Butterfly Garden at Monroe Carell, and his favorite memory so far is watching children smile when they meet sports and entertainment celebrities. Away from the hospital, you'll find him with his wife and adult children, at the Grand Ole Opry, or salsa dancing.

Read more about his journey and his vision for pediatric care at the link in the comments below.

10/01/2026

It was such a fun day! Thank you to everyone who joined us. ❤️⚾️

For three and a half years, Wallace's parents knew something was different about their son, but no one could tell them w...
09/28/2026

For three and a half years, Wallace's parents knew something was different about their son, but no one could tell them why. He missed his first milestones at 4 months old, and a brain MRI showed his brain had formed differently. The cause stayed a mystery.

The answer came through Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, where Wallace's geneticist enrolled him in the Undiagnosed Diseases Network after standard testing came up empty. Whole genome testing, plus a second look at his newborn blood spot, finally gave his family what they'd waited years for: a diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus, a common virus that many babies are exposed to with no lasting effects, but that profoundly affected Wallace.

"The infectious disease physicians who shared the diagnosis were very kind and assured me there was nothing I could have done differently," his mom, Caitlin, said. "But it is hard not to have mixed emotions knowing that an illness I contracted while pregnant is causing so many difficulties for my son."

Today, Caitlin describes her son like this: "He's doing great. He uses a wheelchair and a talker, goes to pre-K in public school, and loves riding the bus and meeting new friends. He is medically complicated and also one of the most joyful people I know."

Her advice for other families still waiting for answers: "Take everything a day at a time. You don't know what is around the corner and you cannot control it, but you can stay present in the moment that you have with your kids, diagnosis or not."

Learn more about Vanderbilt's Undiagnosed Diseases Program and how it helps families like Wallace's find answers in the comments below.

Before Mattie Grace ever scrubbed into an operating room at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, she sat...
09/24/2026

Before Mattie Grace ever scrubbed into an operating room at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, she sat in its halls as a family member.

Her cousin was born with spina bifida and had his first surgery here before he was even born. Now 5, he's had several more life-changing surgeries, including a stay in the pediatric intensive care unit for over a month.

This has always been "a place he found joy to be, even in his sickest and scariest moments, because of the staff and the environment. ... Our nursing team and physicians made us feel like family. I strive to reflect this to others I come across," Mattie Grace said.

Today, she's doing exactly that as a physician assistant in congenital heart surgery, and her role looks different from most advanced practice providers. She scrubs in for every case, working across the table from the surgeon throughout the operation, helping position and prep patients, and staying with them all the way to the cardiac intensive care unit afterward.

"Congenital heart surgery is different in every single case, and no child is alike. It is the most rewarding job!" she said.

Want to build a career like hers?

Learn more at the link in the comments below.

Address

2105 Edward Curd Lane, 2nd Floor
Franklin, TN
37067

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16153224397

Website

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