Children’s Patient Family to Advocate on Capitol Hill

A patient family from Children’s Nebraska, the region’s pediatric healthcare leader, will attend the 20th annual Children’s Hospital Association Family Advocacy Day event, June 11-13, in Washington, D.C. Seven-year-old patient Beaudin Meysenburg and his parents, Nick and Catelyn Meysenburg of Omaha, Neb., will attend this year’s visit to Capitol Hill.

A gathering of dozens of patient families from member hospitals and healthcare systems, Family Advocacy Day allows families to meet with members of Congress to advocate for important legislation that ensures access to high-quality pediatric healthcare. This year, a priority will be to highlight how Medicaid is vital to children’s health. Nearly half of all patient visits at Children’s Nebraska are children enrolled in Medicaid.

The Meysenburgs will meet with Sen. Deb Fischer, Rep. Don Bacon and representatives from the offices of Sen. Pete Ricketts and Rep. Mike Flood. The family will share their experiences and discuss the role Children’s Nebraska serves for communities across the region and the unique health challenges pediatric patient families face, all to help shape policy impacting children and families nationwide. They also will discuss investments to support strengthening pediatric care and coverage through Medicaid and increasing the pediatric healthcare workforce.

For much of his young life, Beaudin has faced a rare form of drug-resistant epilepsy that affected him as he slept. After experiencing a seizure at school, his concerned family was referred to Children’s Level 4 pediatric epilepsy center, where experts from Children’s Pediatric Neurosciences team collaborated to find the right treatment option. Ultimately, surgical intervention in June 2023 was the answer – with a craniotomy to resection his brain and disconnect the nerves that were causing his seizures, all with active, real-time guidance from Children’s epileptologists. The surgery was an immediate success and has enabled Beaudin to get back to the things he loves post-surgery – especially joining his teammates and friends on the baseball diamond.

“We are so honored to share our son’s medical journey on Capitol Hill,” Catelyn Meysenburg said. “Children’s Nebraska means so much to our family, and we know the impact this hospital has for many other families as well. We are grateful for the opportunity to advocate for all children in Nebraska and surrounding areas, as well as nationwide.” The Meysenburgs have decided to share their story publicly, aiming to encourage Congress to strengthen the pediatric healthcare system so that all children have timely access to highly specialized care.

“We are thankful that the Meysenburg family is sharing Beaudin’s care journey and their experience at CHA Family Advocacy Day,” Children’s Nebraska President & CEO Chanda Chacón, MPH, FACHE, said. “It’s important for lawmakers to hear the unique needs and realities of pediatric patients and families, and this is a unique opportunity for listening, discussion and understanding. Advocacy is a core value in Children’s mission to improve the life of every child, and pediatric healthcare plays a vital role in serving our communities.”