To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re recognizing several of the women who make up our incredible team. One of these spectacular women is Dr. Amy Harper—director of our neuromuscular program. Dr. Harper specializes in caring for kids with neuromuscular diseases, muscular dystrophy and concerns related to neonatal neurodevelopment. When she’s not caring for kids in clinic, she’s leading research to enhance care for neuromuscular conditions, including clinical trials that have brought kids to CHoR from across the country. Among her many medical accomplishments, she’s notable for being the first neurodevelopmental training graduate in the country.
I have so many. Some key people in my growth as a physician have been Dr. Barry Russman, the previous president of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy, Dr. Robert Leshner, the former director of our Muscular Dystrophy Association clinic and Dr. Peter Blasco who specializes in developmental disabilities. All of them have inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and center the patient in my work.
My grandmother was a nurse, so that definitely fueled my interest in helping people. I also volunteered with American Red Cross growing up. The more than 300 volunteer hours I accumulated before I turned 17 had a profound impact on me.
Any goal in health care is attainable, so be patient and stay focused.
Spending time with family, friends and a furry companion or two is plenty for me.
Innovations in best care practices and clinical research give me a lot of hope. I am actively involved in clinical research and the multidisciplinary team for pediatric neuromuscular patients, so I see some of these developments happen in real time. I am excited to apply those best care practices to the treatment of our neuromuscular patients. My message for anyone seeking help or relief from a neuromuscular disorder is that the solutions are HERE!