Ochsner Children's

12/15/2025

Meet Meghan V. Louque, MD, a pediatrician at Ochsner Children's Health Center - Luling. 🩺

As a mom of two small children (and a dog 🐾), Dr. Louque knows firsthand the joys and challenges of parenthood.

"Becoming a mother has been my greatest accomplishment," Dr. Louque said. "And it’s also made me a more compassionate and relatable pediatrician."

Dr. Louque is passionate about caring for newborns and helping parents navigate life with new or growing families. She also has a special interest in adolescent weight management and obesity medicine, ensuring every child has the tools to thrive.

"My husband and I recently moved back to my hometown of Luling to be closer to family, and we couldn’t be happier to be back in St. Charles Parish," Dr. Louque said. "From walking and biking to golfing and swimming, we love spending time outdoors with our kids. And as proud LSU grads and LSU Tiger fans, we’re thrilled to be part of this amazing community again."

Working at the Ochsner Children’s Luling office is especially meaningful to Dr. Louque, because it’s located on the grounds of St. Charles Parish Hospital, which her grandfather, David “Jerry” Vial, MD, helped found.

"Continuing his legacy and improving access to medical care for children in our community is a mission I hold close to my heart," Dr. Louque said.

Dr. Louque is an active member of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Louque to Ochsner Children's! 😊💙⭐

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Louque here: https://ow.ly/HBKY50XJOsB.

12/12/2025

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! ❤️💚 Mrs. Gayle Benson hosted her annual Holiday Kick Off celebration at Ochsner Children's!

Mrs. Benson began her day visiting with pediatric inpatients at Ochsner Children’s Hospital. She visited patients in their rooms, met their families and delivered gifts. Mrs. Benson also hosted a holiday party in the Winter Garden for pediatric inpatients to enjoy! They met Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus and decorated cookies and opened gifts.

From there, Mrs. Benson visited the holiday tent outside of Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans where she met with students from Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy! ⭐️ The students decorated gingerbread cookies and enjoyed delicious treats, time with friends and singing and dancing to holiday songs. Our furry therapy dog friends joined in on the fun, as did our pals from New Orleans Saints, Saints Cheer Krewe and New Orleans Pelicans.

Along with Mrs. Benson, Ochsner Children's CEO Dana Bledsoe and Ochsner Health CEO Pete November were in attendance and had a wonderful morning spending time with the students and soaking up the holiday festivities. ❄️

Thank you, Mrs. Benson, for your continued generosity and support of our patients at Ochsner Children’s during the holidays and year-round. We’re so appreciative. ❤️ Ochsner Philanthropy

12/11/2025

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! ❤️💚

Mrs. Gayle Benson hosted her annual Holiday Kick Off celebration at Ochsner Children’s!

Mrs. Benson began her day visiting with pediatric inpatients at Ochsner Children’s Hospital to deliver gifts and spread holiday cheer. From there, she visited the holiday tent outside of Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans where she met with students from Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy! ⭐️ The students decorated gingerbread cookies and enjoyed delicious treats, time with friends and singing and dancing to holiday songs. Our furry therapy dog friends joined in on the fun, as did our pals from New Orleans Saints, Saints Cheer Krewe and New Orleans Pelicans.

Along with Mrs. Benson, Ochsner Children's CEO Dana Bledsoe and Ochsner Health CEO Pete November were in attendance and had a wonderful morning spending time with the students and soaking up the holiday festivities. ❄️

Thank you, Mrs. Benson, for your continued generosity and support of our patients at Ochsner Children’s during the holidays and year-round. We’re so appreciative. ❤️ Ochsner Philanthropy

12/10/2025

Craig Sable, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at Ochsner Children’s, recently completed a two-week surgical capacity-building mission at the Uganda Heart Institute in Uganda, focused on addressing rheumatic and congenital heart diseases in pediatric patients. As a global leader and committed partner in health, Ochsner Children’s was proud to support Dr. Sable’s efforts that deliver life-changing care to children in need.

Rheumatic heart disease affects more than 50 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of cardiac disease in children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Congenital heart disease presents significant challenges. While life-saving surgery offers survival rates above 95%, access remains out of reach for most children globally.

With support from Edwards Lifesciences, the The Thoracic Surgery Foundation - TSF, Gift of Life International, Heart Healers International, Rotary International, the Samaritan's Purse, Children's Heart Project, the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (Wcpccs2025), the Philips Foundation and many other donors, the team conducted their 20th surgical mission and Dr. Sable’s 50th trip to Uganda since beginning the program in 2003.

A passionate and talented team of 15 healthcare providers worked side by side with their Ugandan colleagues to facilitate expanding access to advanced cardiac care for the children of Uganda through crucial capacity building education initiatives. This included an extensive cardiac intensive care unit simulation program led by CICU nurse Leah Arold, RN.

Key outcomes of this effort include:

⭐ Nine children received complex heart surgeries, and three operations were successfully completed by the UHI team two weeks after Dr. Sable’s team left Uganda.

⭐ Ugandan providers led all clinical care and surgical operations, while Dr. Sable and other visiting clinicians provided technical and educational support.

⭐ The mission advanced National Institute of Health-funded research initiatives by supporting early detection of rheumatic heart disease through nurse-led ultrasound screenings and innovative AI technology. To date, the program has screened more than 300,000 patients.

By integrating advanced surgical care with preventative screening, this team is helping shape a sustainable, future-focused healthcare model.

“Finding patients with early RHD and putting them on penicillin can prevent progression of the disease and eliminate the need for future heart surgery,” Dr. Sable said. “We are leading efforts to train nurses to do screening echocardiograms with handheld ultrasound devices and are developing cutting edge AI technology for automated diagnosis. Over 300,000 patients have been screened and several thousand are on preventive medication through our RHD Research Collaborative in Uganda.”

Thank you, Dr. Sable, for your devotion to caring for children everywhere. It’s an honor to have you on the team at Ochsner Children’s, and we’re proud to support your endeavors now and in the future. ⭐💙

12/07/2025

Heading to New Orleans City Park’s Celebration in the Oaks this year? 🎄❤️ Don’t forget to ride on the Holiday Express, sponsored by Ochsner Children’s! ⭐🚂

The Ochsner Children’s Holiday Express takes you on a train ride throughout City Park and is the perfect addition to the walking tour at Celebration in the Oaks.

When you visit with your family, snap some photos and tag Ochsner Children’s so we can see the fun you’re having! 💙⭐️

Happy holidays from us to you!

Purchase tickets for Celebration in the Oaks here: https://celebrationintheoaks.com.

12/05/2025

RSVP for "Growing Up Boys" on Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at Ochsner Children's Health Center - New Orleans (1315 Jefferson Highway).

This is a free class for boys ages 9-16 on health education, like what to expect during adolescence and how to prepare for puberty.

Spaces are limited. See you there! 😊

Sign-up here: https://ow.ly/lN8f50XBAmG

12/04/2025

Let’s learn about emotional safety! ⭐️

Diego Lara, MD, chief quality officer and pediatric cardiologist at Ochsner Children’s, and special guest Sunny the emotional support pelican, interviewed physicians, nurses, managers and staff at Ochsner Children’s Hospital to ask about their favorite emotional safety tips to make their patients feel safe and comfortable. 😊

From buzzy bee to comfort holds, our team of compassionate experts are equipped with tips, tricks and knowledge to make sure your child has a positive hospital or clinic experience.

The best care for the best kids! Happy Emotional Safety Week from Ochsner Children’s to you! ⭐️💙

12/04/2025

We’re excited to introduce Jerome Volk, MD, as the newest member of Ochsner Children’s pediatric neurosurgery team! 🩺⭐ With deep roots in New Orleans and years of experience caring for children facing some of the most complex neurological challenges, Dr. Volk is dedicated to helping young patients and their families with skill and compassion.

Dr. Volk treats a wide range of conditions, including brain tumors, craniosynostosis, spina bifida and traumatic brain injuries. He uses advanced, minimally invasive cranial and spinal procedures to support better outcomes and smoother recoveries. He is board-certified by both the American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery and the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

His training spans LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, where he earned his medical degree and completed his residency, to a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Before joining Ochsner, Dr. Volk served in leadership and academic roles at hospitals throughout Greater New Orleans and remains actively involved with national neurosurgical societies, staying at the forefront of advances through research and education.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Volk to Ochsner Children's! 😊💙

Learn more about Dr. Volk or schedule an appointment here: https://ow.ly/vaGj50XBEhI.

12/03/2025

RSVP for "Growing Up Girls" on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at Ochsner Children's Health Center - New Orleans (1315 Jefferson Highway).

Growing Up Girls is a free class for girls ages 9-12 to learn about female anatomy, what happens during puberty, body image, menstruation and hygiene.

There are just a few seats left. Sign up today! 😊

Sign-up here: https://ow.ly/Miuq50XBA8l

11/26/2025

A single act of selflessness of living organ donation can change two lives forever. And it did for Ember, a pediatric liver transplant recipient at Ochsner Children’s, and Erin Dupre, the living donor who gave her a second chance at life. In early August, the two of them met for the first time in New Orleans, Louisiana, and reminded us of the power of the life-saving impact of living organ donation.

Erin and her husband, Matt, were joined by Ember and her family, along with John Seal, MD, and David Bruce, MD, kidney and liver transplant surgeons at Ochsner Health. The connection between Erin and Ember was instant, as captured in the heartfelt photos from the day.

“This is so special that we all get to be together, and you get to meet each other for the first time,” said Dr. Seal, surgical director for living donor liver transplants at Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans. “I think I can speak on behalf of our whole team that this is the most special thing that we do. It’s why we went into medicine. And it’s really a testament to extraordinary people like Erin who are willing to do this.”

For pediatric patients like Ember, a living donor transplant is more than a procedure – it’s a lifeline. Living donors can be direct donors, such as family members or friends, or non-directed donors, like Erin, who selflessly donate to recipients they’ve never met. Non-directed donations are especially transformative by offering hope and a future to those who once faced uncertainty.

“I am grateful that I got the chance to donate to Ember and that Ochsner Health and Ochsner Children’s were able to make it happen,” Erin said. “I feel blessed to have the opportunity to do it and that God picked me to help you.”

At Ochsner, we are honored to facilitate these life-changing journeys and witness the resilience of our patients and the generosity of donors like Erin who inspire us every day.

To Ember, we’re beyond excited for your bright future. To Erin, we’re humbled and grateful for your compassion and selflessness.

This holiday season, consider giving the greatest gift of all - the gift of life. Learn more about the power of living donation and how you can make a difference by visiting our website: https://ow.ly/915p50Xx4e4.

11/24/2025

Steven Arnold, MD, a sports medicine physician with the Ochsner Lafayette General Andrews Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, shares essential youth baseball training tips to help prevent common injuries like shoulder tendinitis, elbow sprains and muscle strains. ⚾🧢

From proper warmups and strength training to smart nutrition, pitch-count limits and rest, Dr. Arnold explains how young players can stay healthy, build strength and improve performance all season long. ⭐

Learn more about Dr. Arnold: https://ow.ly/wRFH50XvXR6

https://ow.ly/rMTR50XvXR5

Youth baseball players can prevent injuries with proper warmups, strength training, safe pitching, nutrition and rest. Learn tips to stay healthy all season.

11/24/2025

Ochsner Health is proud to be recognized as an Alpha-1 Foundation Clinical Resource Center, offering clinical care and research opportunities for patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited genetic disorder that increases the risk of lung and liver disease.

Ochsner Health and Ochsner Children's treats all ages and all stages of this disorder that impacts more than 19 million people in the United States.

What exactly is alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency? How do you know if you're a carrier? What are the symptoms of alpha-1?

Ryan Himes, MD, a pediatric hepatology and liver transplant medicine physician at Ochsner Children's, and Courtney Shappley, DO, a pulmonologist at Ochsner Health, share everything you should know about alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.



Read Dr. Himes and Dr. Shappley's blog here: https://ow.ly/esJY50Xw4gP

Learn more about the Alpha-1 Foundation here: https://ow.ly/csnu50Xw4gM.

This inherited condition can interfere with your liver's ability to protect your lungs and other organs from infections or inhaled irritants.