Boardman family sings the praises of Akron Children’s Hospital in Valley

By William K. Alcorn

BOARDMAN — The nurses call him Dr. Mikey.

“Dr. Mikey” is 5-year-old Mikey Howard, who was diagnosed with leukemia on May 11 of this year.

Mikey’s father, Mike Howard of Boardman, explains the nickname.

Howard said the same three nurses usually take care of the kids in the clinic at Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley Beeghly Campus on Market Street.

But, when he is on a regular floor and the nurses there do something different, he tells them “that’s not how my other nurses do it.”

So they dubbed him Dr. Mikey.

“May 11 started our living hell,” Howard said.

Mikey has been treated at Akron Children’s main campus in Akron and the Beeghly Campus in Boardman, where the treatments and care have been phenomenal, Howard said.

The care and compassion of the staff at Akron Children’s has made the process easier, he added.

“When you go to Akron Children’s, people in the halls greet you and ask what they can do for you. Any time we have a question or a problem or a concern, if they don’t have the answer, they find somebody who does and then they come looking for you,” he said.

Akron Children’s hospitals are also conveniently located for the Howards.

“Our house is four miles from the Beeghly Campus and 54 miles from the parking deck at Akron Children’s in Akron,” Howard said.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.