Charleston Women-Summer 2021

www. Char l es tonWomenPodcas t . com | www. ReadCW. com | www. I ns tagram. com /Char l es tonWomen CW - 27 experience with pure elation even all these years later. In high school, while volunteering in the emergency department, she shadowed a few physicians, including a neurosurgeon. This exposure solidified her desire to learn all she could about the complexities of the central nervous system. While drawn to pediatrics because of the brightness and resilience of children, she never thought it would be her first love. Dr. Lewis was intrigued with the brain’s developmental process from prenatal age and the many changes that occur so quickly. During her pediatric and obstetrics rotations, she was mesmerized with the infants she saw during their routine visits. Laughing, Dr. Lewis confessed that she considers herself a big kid at times, which lends a helping hand in gaining children’s trust. This connection deepened once she became a parent herself. She experienced firsthand the fear that comes with worrying about the health of your child. Both of her daughters, now 9 and 13, were born prematurely. Her oldest spent three months in the NICU as she continued her child neurology fellowship. “Living on the other side of medicine as a parent of a patient with medical needs is a humbling experience,” she softly admitted. Those three months grounded her ability to develop empathy and showed her just how frightening the unknown can be when it involves your own child, an experience that makes her feel a special bond when counseling parents. Dr. Lewis joined the Medical University staff in August 2020. The hospital wanted new leadership to provide stability and enhance growth in this division from a staff, faculty and patient care perspective. She was excited to remain in the collaborative environment of an academic setting with potential for clinical and professional growth. As a sub-specialist in pediatric epilepsy, the pediatric population in the Charleston area and surrounding counties could benefit from her expertise. According to Dr. Lewis, this particular population is huge and considered underserved. “In Charleston, there is a definite need to reach children to ensure they are receiving complex epileptic care as well as treatment for other neurological conditions,” she remarked. Giving back and making a difference is extremely important to her. Continuity and access to care need to improve. Turnover with the pediatric division has resulted in families not being able to see physicians on a regular basis. This can lead to a scenario where medications and assessments change, and neurological evaluation care is not assessed in a timely manner. Dr. Lewis strives to create a platform where patients can expect regularly scheduled appointments. She aspires to grow the pediatric epilepsy program and strengthen the partnership between pediatric neurosurgery and the neurosciences to evaluate children charleston women