“You never know when you won’t get another opportunity
to kiss that little cheek.”

—Scarlett Lewis, who lost her son Jesse, age 6, in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

Marion Henry, MD, MPH, joined the Department of Surgery just last year and has already made a profound mark. From leading a bustling pediatric clinical practice and spearheading our Clinical Care/Access DEI Subcommittee, she significantly invests in the current and future state of surgery and our community.

A devoted wife and a mother of three children (plus an adopted bearded dragon), she has mastered the “balancing act” by eliminating it all together. With a prideful yet warm smile, Dr. Henry expressed, “I’ve grown away from using ‘balance,’ because I feel like it means one thing is over here and one thing over there, and it doesn’t really line up very well. I feel like work and life are very much integrated, and actually one of the great parts about living right here in Hyde Park. Being here in this community really brings it all together in a way that it truly is united.”

Dr. Henry’s expert ability to interdigitate the two was conceived by way of support, perseverance and time. Furthermore, the intentional decision to reside in this vibrant community has afforded her the opportunity to not only achieve the most seamless lockstitch between home and work, but also establish durable and genuine connections with the patients she cares for.

Inspiration is defined as a “divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify them to receive and communicate sacred revelation.” For Dr. Henry, the fundamental aspect that keeps her motivated is the sheer resilience that her pediatric patients have. Fate unfortunately confronts these children with most severe (and sometimes deadly) circumstances, yet, in the midst of it all, they are eager to dust off the particles of despair and carve out a double-scoop (sundae) of hope, if they survive. Witnessing this remarkable occurrence encourages Dr. Henry to do everything she can to make life better for them. For trauma patients specifically, she is keen on proactively addressing the factors that play into the many heartbreaking incidents of pediatric trauma.

In the US, Firearm-related injury is the leading cause of death among children and teens. Gun violence is a devastating public health crisis that needs swift action, and Dr. Henry holds that, as adults and healers, we can make a huge impact to mitigate this lethal epidemic. Gun violence severely affects Black and brown individuals, particularly on the South Side of Chicago. It is incumbent upon this society to be willing to work through toxic internal biases and become allies and advocates—as it is not solely a person of color’s responsibility to dismantle these systemic issues. From table to table, Dr. Henry is dedicated to actively collaborating with multidisciplinary and multi-institutional teams around the globe to make it so that these tiny soldiers can live their lives and reach their dreams. Ingesting, digesting and learning from a multitude of experiences makes for a well-rounded understanding of the dreadful issues that plague our society.

Presenting a visceral reaction while unpacking this harsh reality layer by layer, it became immediately clear that Dr. Henry is a dynamic force in the field of pediatric surgery and is all in. We were honored to sit down with her and get a better understanding of the individual (significant) fragments that make her whole.

This is Marion Henry, Behind the Mask.

Pediatric Surgery

The Section of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine includes 13 faculty members, each highly trained and specializing in the care of children. As part of the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance, our team provides care to children, from the tiniest newborns to teens and young adults, throughout the region. Our pediatric general surgeons collaborate with an array of other healthcare professionals, caring for each child and each family with a compassionate, family-centered approach.

Jessica J. Kandel, MD
Mary Campau Ryerson Professor of Surgery
Surgeon-in-Chief, The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital
Chief, Section of Pediatric Surgery
Learn More & Contact

faculty listing

Professor of Surgery
Marion Henry, MD, MPH, Professor of Surgery; Director, Pediatric Trauma, Comer Children’s Hospital
Jessica J. Kandel, MD, Mary Campau Ryerson Professor of Surgery; Surgeon-in-Chief, The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital; Chief, Section of Pediatric Surgery
Thomas K. Lee, MD, Professor of Surgery
Grace Mak, MD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics; Program Director, Pediatric Surgery Fellowship; Medical Director, Comer Children’s Hospital Operating Rooms

Associate Professor of Surgery
Brian Jones, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery
Deborah Loeff, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery
Bethany Slater, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Marielena Bachier-Rodriguez, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Mubina Isani, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Kevin Johnson, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Charlotte Kvasnovsky, MD, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Manish Raiji, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Carmelle Romain, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Kathryn Rowland, MD, MPHS, Assistant Professor of Surgery

Research Associate Professor
Sonia Hernandez, PhD, RD, Research Associate Professor of Surgery

faculty honors

Nikunj Chokshi, MD, was appointed Vice Chair, Pediatric Committee of Surgical Critical Care Program Directors Society. He was awarded an Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Research Grant of $5,000 for “Does an Educational Video Improve Parental Understanding of ECMO?”

Marion Henry, MD, MPH, was appointed Pediatric Trauma Director for Comer Children’s Hospital Level I Trauma Center. She was a Visiting Professor at Boston Children’s Hospital, an RAS Invited Speaker at the ACS Leadership Summit, and an Invited Speaker at the Illinois Surgical Conference, all in April 2022.

Sonia Hernandez, PhD, RD, received a Minority Supplement from the National Institutes of Health for her R01, which will allow funding for a graduate student to contribute to her work. She was selected for an American Association of Cancer Research Award.

Kevin Johnson, MD, was appointed Program Director of the Pediatric ECMO Fellowship.

Jessica J. Kandel, MD, was a Visiting Professor at the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery in March 2022.

Grace Mak, MD, was appointed Vice-Chair for Surgeon Life and Professional Development. She was also appointed Chair, Transition to Practice Task Force, American Pediatric Surgical Association.

Manish Raiji, MD, was appointed Site Director for Oak Lawn, Pediatric General Surgery Service Line. He was accepted into the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics fellowship program in summer 2022.

Kathryn Rowland, MD, MPHS, was appointed founding Director of the Scholars in Ethics and Medicine Course for the Hyde Park Institute.

faculty promotions

Brian Jones, MD, Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, effective August 1, 2022
Deborah Loeff, MD, Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, effective November 1, 2021

Grace Mak, MD, Associate Professor to Professor, effective April 1, 2022

select publications

Marielena Bachier-Rodriguez, MD

Lessons Learned from the Surgical Management of Childhood Cancers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sundland R, Essig R, Bachier-Rodriguez M. Lessons Learned from the Surgical Management of Childhood Cancers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pediatr Ann. 2022 Jul; 51(7):e270-e276. PMID: 35858216.

Marion Henry, MD, MPH

It begins with the search committee: Promoting faculty diversity at the source. Arjani S, Tasnim S, Sumra H, Zope M, Riner AN, Reyna C, Henry M, Anand T. It begins with the search committee: Promoting faculty diversity at the source. Am J Surg. 2022 02; 223(2):432-435. PMID: 34482952.

Mubina Isani, MD

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for COVID-19-Associated Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in a 5-year-old. Schwartz SP, Walker TC, Kihlstrom M, Isani M, Smith MM, Smith RL, McLean SE, Clement KC, Phillips MR. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for COVID-19-Associated Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in a 5-year-old. Am Surg. 2022 Feb; 88(2):174-176. PMID: 33372818.

Jessica J. Kandel, MD

Value-based surgery physician compensation model: Review of the literature. Slater BJ, Collings AT, Corvin C, Kandel JJ. Value-based surgery physician compensation model: Review of the literature. J Pediatric Surg. 2022 Sep; 57(9):118-123. PMID: 35093253.

Grace Mak, MD

Surviving the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Pediatric Surgical Perspective: Innovations in Risk Mitigation and Scarce Resource Management. Mak GZ, Slidell MB. Surviving the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Pediatric Surgical Perspective: Innovations in Risk Mitigation and Scarce Resource Management. Pediatr Ann. 2022 07; 51(7):e264-e265. PMID: 35858221.

Accuracy of Chest Computed Tomography in Distinguishing Cystic Pleuropulmonary Blastoma From Benign Congenital Lung Malformations in Children. Engwall-Gill AJ, Chan SS, Boyd KP, Saito JM, Fallat ME, St Peter SD, Bolger-Theut S, Crotty EJ, Green JR, Hulett Bowling RL, Kumbhar SS, Rattan MS, Young CM, Canner JK, Deans KJ, Gadepalli SK, Helmrath MA, Hirschl RB, Kabre R, Lal DR, Landman MP, Leys CM, Mak GZ, Minneci PC, Wright TN, Kunisaki SM. Accuracy of Chest Computed Tomography in Distinguishing Cystic Pleuropulmonary Blastoma From Benign Congenital Lung Malformations in Children. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 06 01; 5(6):e2219814. PMID: 35771571.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With the Failure of Nonoperative Management of Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Children: Secondary Analysis of a Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. Minneci PC, Hade EM, Gil LA, Metzger GA, Saito JM, Mak GZ, Hirschl RB, Gadepalli S, Helmrath MA, Leys CM, Sato TT, Lal DR, Landman MP, Kabre R, Fallat ME, Cooper JN, Deans KJ. Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With the Failure of Nonoperative Management of Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Children: Secondary Analysis of a Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 05 02; 5(5):e229712. PMID: 35499827.

Evaluating the risk of peri-umbilical hernia after sutured or sutureless gastroschisis closure. Fraser JA, Deans KJ, Fallat ME, Helmrath M, Kabre R, Leys CM, Markel TA, Dillon PA, Downard C, Wright TN, Gadepalli SK, Grabowski JE, Hirschl R, Johnson KN, Kohler JE, Landman MP, Mak GZ, Minneci PC, Rymeski B, Sato TT, Slater BJ, Peter SDS, Fraser JD. Evaluating the risk of peri-umbilical hernia after sutured or sutureless gastroschisis closure. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Dec; 57(12):786-791. PMID: 35450699.

Acid suppression duration does not alter anastomotic stricture rates after esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula repair: A prospective multi-institutional cohort study. Bowder AN, Bence CM, Rymeski BA, Gadepalli SK, Sato TT, Szabo A, Arendonk KV, Minneci PC, Downard CD, Hirschl RB, Markel T, Courtney CM, Deans KJ, Fallat ME, Fraser JD, Grabowski JE, Helmrath MA, Kabre RD, Kohler JE, Landman MP, Lawrence AE, Leys CM, Mak G, Port E, Saito J, Silverberg J, Slidell MB, St Peter SD, Troutt M, Wright TN, Lal DR. Acid suppression duration does not alter anastomotic stricture rates after esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula repair: A prospective multi-institutional cohort study. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Jun; 57(6):975-980. PMID: 35304025.

Laparoscopy versus laparotomy for pediatric ovarian dermoids. Knaus ME, Onwuka AJ, Afrazi A, Breech L, Corkum KS, Dillon PA, Ehrlich PF, Fallat ME, Fraser JD, Gadepalli SK, Grabowski JE, Hertweck SP, Kabre R, Lal DR, Landman MP, Lawrence AE, Leys CM, Mak GZ, Markel TA, Merchant N, Elliott Overman R, Rademacher BL, Raiji MT, Rymeski B, Sato TT, Scannell M, Schikler AG, Sujka JA, Wright T, Aldrink JH, Hewitt GD, Minneci PC, Deans KJ. Laparoscopy versus laparotomy for pediatric ovarian dermoids. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Jun; 57(6):1008-1012. PMID: 35292164.

Multi-Institutional Review of the Preoperative Diagnostic Accuracy for Pediatric Ovarian Mature Cystic Teratomas. Knaus ME, Onwuka AJ, Afrazi A, Breech L, Corkum KS, Dillon PA, Ehrlich PF, Fallat ME, Fraser JD, Gadepalli SK, Grabowski JE, Hertweck SP, Kabre R, Lal DR, Landman MP, Lawrence AE, Leys CM, Mak GZ, Markel TA, Merchan N, Overman RE, Rademacher BL, Raiji MT, Rymeski B, Sato TT, Scannel M, Schikler AG, Sujka JA, Wright T, Aldrink JH, Hewitt GD, Minneci PC, Deans KJ. Multi-Institutional Review of the Preoperative Diagnostic Accuracy for Pediatric Ovarian Mature Cystic Teratomas. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2022 Aug; 35(4):478-485. PMID: 35124214.

Inclusion and representation in the pediatric surgery workforce: Strategies to mitigate bias in the fellowship application process. Berman L, Renaud E, Pace D, Downard CD, Nwomeh BC, Huang EY, Weatherall YZ, Gadepalli SK, Mollen KP, Mak GZ, Newman E. Inclusion and representation in the pediatric surgery workforce: Strategies to mitigate bias in the fellowship application process. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Nov; 57(11):592-597. PMID: 35065807.

Manish Raiji, MD

Bethany Slater, MD

Multicenter Assessment of Cryoanalgesia Use in Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum: A 20-center Retrospective Cohort Study. Arshad SA, Garcia EI, Bell C, Avritscher EBC, Kumar M, Brahmamdam P, Fraser JA, St Peter SD, Aranda A, Hill M, Marquart J, Van Arendonk K, Plumblee L, Streck CJ, Zamora IJ, Ghani MOA, Reichard KW, Sacks K, Kallis M, Hong A, Richards H, Lin S, Gross ER, Kabeer MH, Reyna T, Paton EA, Camp LB, Stephenson K, Dassinger M, Vali K, Filipescu R, DeUgarte DA, Krishna V, Slater B, Islam S, Thompson G, Moore JT, Englum BR, Scholz S, Sharbaugh E, Gander JW, Tsao K. Multicenter Assessment of Cryoanalgesia Use in Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum: A 20-center Retrospective Cohort Study. Ann Surg. 2022 Jul 06. PMID: 35797475.

Long-Term Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Management of Pediatric Appendicitis. Hegde BN, Slater BJ. Long-Term Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Management of Pediatric Appendicitis. Pediatr Ann. 2022 Jul; 51(7):e266-e269. PMID: 35858217.

Association between COVID-19 related elective surgery cancellations and pediatric inguinal hernia complications: A nationwide multicenter cohort study. Hu A, Reiter AJ, Gerardo R, Skertich NJ, Lewit R, Ghani M, Witte A, Kang HS, Richards H, Perry B, Tian Y, Mehl SC, Gonzalez A, Novotny NM, Haynes J, Aranda A, Zamora IJ, Rhee D, Fialkowski E, Slater BJ, Van Arendonk K, Gosain A, Lopez ME, Raval MV. Association between COVID-19 related elective surgery cancellations and pediatric inguinal hernia complications: A nationwide multicenter cohort study. Surgery. 2022 09; 172(3):989-996. PMID: 35738913.

SAGES 2022 guidelines regarding the use of laparoscopy in the era of COVID-19. Collings AT, Jeyarajah DR, Hanna NM, Dort J, Tsuda S, Nepal P, Lim R, Lin C, Hong JS, Ansari MT, Slater BJ, Pryor AD, Kohn GP. SAGES 2022 guidelines regarding the use of laparoscopy in the era of COVID-19. Surg Endosc. 2022 05; 36(5):2723-2733. PMID: 35237900.

Global dissemination of knowledge through virtual platforms: Reflections and recommendations from APSA/IPEG. Slater BJ, Kashyap MV, Calkins CM, Powell D, Rothstein DH, Clifton M, Pandya S. Global dissemination of knowledge through virtual platforms: Reflections and recommendations from APSA/IPEG. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Sep; 57(9):124-129. PMID: 35086680.

Provider education leads to sustained reduction in pediatric opioid prescribing after surgery. Slater BJ, Corvin CG, Heiss K, Vandewalle R, Shah SR, Cunningham M, Huang E, Lipskar AM, Denning NL, Dassinger M, Cina RA, Rothstein DH, Kauffman J, Gonzalez R, Ingram MC, Raval MV. Provider education leads to sustained reduction in pediatric opioid prescribing after surgery. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 Mar; 57(3):474-478. PMID: 34456039.

residents & fellows

View the Pediatric Residents and Fellows here.