2004 Partners in Care Awards - Mary Scollins and Deb Jaurigue
2004 Professional’s Award – Mary Scollins
Founding board member of Parent to Parent, Mary has been described by one family as “the Patron Saint for special children in Vermont”
Dr. Mary Scollins works as a developmental pediatrician for the Vermont
Department of Health, Division for Health Improvement, Children with
Special Health Needs. Among her many accolades, Mary was named
Vermont State Employee of the Year in 1999, received a special award
from governor Howard Dean, and was named Pediatrician of the Year by
the AAP.
More impressive than the awards that she has received, however, are the
words of Mary’s friends, colleagues, and the families that she serves.
Steve Brooks, who works with Mary at CSHN, writes that
Mary didn’t invent the term or the concept of ‘Family Centered Care’
but she may as well have. She certainly lives it … Mary’s
devotion to her work and to her patients is inspirational to the
members of her interdisciplinary team, community-based care providers
around Vermont, her co-workers within CSHN, educators and, most
importantly, the children she serves and their families.
Dr. Scollins’ devotion to her patients is reflected in the hours she
spends getting to know the children and their families … not simply
arriving at a diagnosis … and in her commitment to supporting families
with loving care, sound advice, countless magazine articles and loaner
books. In fact, bookshelves in homes throughout Vermont are
populated with volumes bearing the name ‘Scollins’ written on the
trimmed edge in blue ballpoint.
Steve Contompasis echoes these thoughts.
Mary Scollins has been a pioneer in the field of family centered and
community based care for children with special health care needs in
Vermont
… She helped to create a quality service of developmental and behavioral pediatrics where no such service existed.
Her personality, dedication and leadership have attracted many others
to the program where she was able to foster their growth and dedication
to serving children with special health care needs and help the Child
Development Clinic to grow over the years.
Mary is one of those few special persons who can blend her superb
scientific and inquisitive abilities with the personal and human touch
needed when working with families.
Mary made herself available day and night to return phone calls to give
advice, counsel and support to parents, especially those whose children
had complex and often unrelenting problems. It was not unusual to
stop back in the CDC for something … to find Mary still there at 7 or 8
p.m. returning phone calls and checking up on some special kids and
families. For some it seemed as if she was an extended member of
the family, experiencing with them their frustrations and doing
whatever possible to ease the way for them.
Steve continues, noting what so many families who work with Mary have learned:
Above all, the word that defines Mary Scollins is Love. Mary’s
dedication, her smile, her kind supportive words, her gentle touch on
the shoulder, pat on the back, or hugs go beyond that of they typical
level of empathy professionals strive for. Anyone who has been
touched by her knows that her ‘specialness’ must come from a deeper
love of people and a strong spiritual belief in serving all people in
all settings with the respect and care they deserve.
The most common thing that families tell us they want to say to Mary is “thank you”. Liz Jordan-Shook, whose son Joseph has been working with Mary for the past 13 years, writes that, “Over
those years Mary has shared with us her incredible knowledge, positive
attitude and compassionate heart. Thank you Mary.”
Parent to Parent founder, Nancy DiVenere, observed that “once within
Mary’s arms – her caring hands – families remain there, not to shelter
or to protect them but to offer reassurance, encouragement, guidance
and support. Mary offers far more than medical advice, she offers
herself. She PARTNERS WITH families as they find their way”.
2004 Family Member’s Award – Deb Jaurigue
Deb Jaurigue is a woman with passion, tireless energy and dedication to the needs of others…
First among the qualities noted by her many nominators was Deb’s incredible gift as a mother. “She is passionate and seemingly tireless when it comes to her family,” wrote Maggie Morin, “so
easily showing her love and affection and really enjoying both of her
children, with a lightness and sense of humor that defies the
seriousness of the issues she deals with every day. She spends
special moments and extended times alone with Tamra, and never leaves
Madi’s side in her times of need.”
The inherently complicated life of a mother is further complicated in
Deb’s case by the reality of medical treatments for Madi. “Over
the years, many times and at a moment’s notice, Debbie has had to stop
everything she was doing to bring her daughter, Madi, to the hospital
for tests and treatments,” writes Donna Gillen. “Their
stays have lasted anywhere from one day to 4 months at a time.
Through it all, not only has Debbie continued to raise thousands and
thousands of dollars for hydrocephalus-related endeavors, Debbie has
also remained optimistic, cheerful, and always available to assist with
any projects that would assist families of children with special needs.”
Cynthia Smith seconds this notion, saying that Deb “is a wonderful
mom and even with the demands of parenting two children, one with what
I think of as extreme medical needs, she finds time to give to her
community.”
Donna Gillen recalls that even after just arriving home from one of Madi’s many hospital stays, “Debbie has been known to proceed with a planning meeting scheduled to take place at her house.” Not only does Deb not interrupt her volunteer commitments, but she “also greets us with a big smile and freshly baked goods!”
Among the many community organizations to which Deb dedicates her
talents and energy are the Rutland Family Support Network and the
Rutland Family Services Partnership. She also founded Madi’s Fund
in 1998, a non-profit endowment at the University of Vermont College of
Medicine. The purpose of Madi’s Fund is to help create a
healthier and better community through research, education and public
knowledge of hydrocephalus and associated pediatric neurosurgical
diseases. 80% of the money generated through the fund sponsors
research into the causes, treatment and prevention of hydrocephalus and
associated conditions. The remaining 20% is contributed to the
Patient Family Assistance Fund at Fletcher Allen Health Care to help
parents of pediatric patients pay for lodging, food, medical equipment
and other necessities while their child is sick or undergoing medical
treatment.
In addition to working for these many causes, Deb is extremely
committed to supporting families. She is described as being “dedicated
to helping others navigate a social services system that can boggle the
mind. Debbie does her homework … always exploring the
possibilities of better care and looking for new resources to share
with other families.”
The combination of Deb’s energy, passion for helping other parents of
children with special needs, and commitment to her own family leave
many people in awe. They describe admiration, rich friendships,
and love grown out of a shared dedication to families.
Cynthia Smith writes that “Her energy for being joyous and loving to
those around her is what draws us to her. I consider Debbie to be
one of the most beautiful flowers in the garden of my life.”
Many others share this sentiment:
Mary Blow remarks that “Her caring and heartfelt work has touched many lives and enhanced many initiatives.”
Lisa Lynch says that “Deb is not just a real go getter, she is a
whole-hearted giver. A caregiver, a fund giver, a party giver, a
committee time giver.”
Maggie Morin concludes that Deb “is not a Pollyanna or a
martyr. If you ask, she can tell you how tough things can be, but
she is radiant with hope and with great love that touches all of us.”
Congratulations Deb & Mary on this richly-deserved award.