Christine Halaburka, MD

I am a parent and a doctor, so I thought I would know how it feels to care for a critically ill child, but I didn't have a clue until it happened to me. My son was critically ill for years—now he's a healthy adult. That experience gave me a whole new appreciation of what it's like to be a parent of a sick child, and helped me to better provide care to patients and families in need.

I help parents take care of themselves too. Taking care of yourself as the parent is very important, because if you're not taking care of yourself you're not taking care of your child. You can't get through it alone. Everyone needs a support network, and I am part of that network for the families I see.

The most rewarding aspect of my job is helping children and parents navigate healthy development. I want to help parents be the best parents they can be. I view the entire child in every aspect of their life as part of my job. From school life to healthy eating — to me every part of a child's life is pediatrics.