Atrium Health Levine Children’s Welcomes World-Renowned Pediatric Oncologist

08.03.2020 Atrium Health News | Levine Children's

CHARLOTTE, N.C., August 3, 2020 – Atrium Health Levine Children’s is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Giselle Sholler, MSc, a pediatric oncologist, as the director of the Isabella Santos Foundation Solid and Rare Tumor Program at Levine Children’s, effective immediately. Prior to her arrival at Levine Children’s, Sholler served as the director of pediatric oncology research and head of the Pediatric Oncology Translational Research Laboratory at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sholler will see patients in Charlotte beginning mid-August 2020, including nearly 50 families that will travel across the country and across international borders to continue their care with her.

In addition to her full-time role of caring for children with cancer, Sholler is also deeply committed to research that will improve treatments for patients, with an ultimate goal of finding a cure for childhood cancer. She shares this vision with the Isabella Santos Foundation, which was instrumental in attracting Sholler to Atrium Health Levine Children’s.

“The Isabella Santos Foundation’s significant investment in the clinical program at Levine Children’s, coupled with a strong history of community support, was a compelling factor in my desire to join the team and bring new research opportunities to this region,” said Sholler, who is also the chair, founder, and principal investigator for the nationally renowned Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium. Comprised of researchers at 47 hospitals, including Levine Children’s Hospital, the consortium and research lab headquarters are now located at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital and will continue to be under Sholler’s leadership as she begins her new role at Levine Children’s.

“It is through research that we can change the standard of care for children with cancer,” said Sholler. “Clinical trials give us the data we need to move forward to safer and more effective treatments and ultimately change the outcome for patients. I’ve been working alongside the team at Levine Children’s for years now through the consortium and am delighted to be part of the program and build off what they have already created.”

Through Sholler’s groundbreaking research, including the successful opening of 19 new Phase I and II trials for neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma patients, as well as molecular guided therapy trials using precision medicine based on genomic analysis of pediatric tumors, she has garnered significant philanthropic support. The consortium has received ongoing funding from the Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation, and its generosity continues with a pledge of $5.25 million to Levine Children’s. Additionally, the Isabella Santos Foundation has been instrumental in providing support for the solid and rare tumor program through its $5 million pledge to Atrium Health Levine Children's in 2018, which will benefit tremendously from the cancer studies that Sholler brings with her to Charlotte.

“It is truly a tremendous win for us to welcome Dr. Sholler to our program,” said Dr. Javier Oesterheld, specialty medical director, pediatric hematology, oncology, and bone and marrow transplant at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital and Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation Endowed Chair for cancer and blood disorders. “Not only is she among the best pediatric oncologists in the world, but her compassion, empathy and commitment to each of her patients is evident through the outpouring of support she has received – and continues to receive – from many benefactors. We are looking forward to joining forces with Dr. Sholler to elevate the level of care and access to innovative treatments available to our patients at Atrium Health Levine Children’s.”

Atrium Health Levine Children’s is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Giselle Sholler, MSc, a pediatric oncologist, as the director of the Isabella Santos Foundation Solid and Rare Tumor Program at Levine Children’s, effective immediately

Editor's Note: Photos and video were taken before the coronavirus pandemic and may not reflect current health and safety policies. 

The hospital has been named a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for 13 years in a row. It remains the only children’s hospital in the region to make the list, and this year, Levine Children’s Hospital ranked in more specialties than ever before, including cancer. Under Oesterheld’s leadership, the pediatric hematology and oncology program features a full range of support for pediatric cancer patients, including:

  • Outpatient chemotherapy treatment that lets some children get chemotherapy in the comfort of their own homes.
  • A blood and marrow transplant program built just for children. These transplants can be a promising option for kids with conditions like leukemia and sickle cell.
  • A developmental therapeutics program that offers some of the newest, most innovative therapies for pediatric cancers and blood disorders.
  • Inpatient rehabilitation services that help kids recover and get stronger.
  • MIBG therapy, which is a highly targeted radiation treatment for children with neuroblastoma and other cancers. The Isabella Santos Foundation MIBG Therapy Suite is one of the few MIBG rooms in the region.
  • Thanks to a transformational gift from NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex, Martin’s longtime partner, businesswoman and cancer advocate, Atrium Health Levine Children’s will now be able to significantly expand its supportive oncology program. Supportive oncology is designed to treat the whole child, taking care of their emotional and psychological – as well as their physical – needs.

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About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is an integrated not-for-profit healthcare system with over 70,000 teammates at nearly 40 hospitals and 900 care locations. With locations throughout the Carolinas as well as Georgia, Atrium Health is a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine. It provides top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care to patients, as well as specialized musculoskeletal programs and organ transplants. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in eight different pediatric specialties, it has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize. Its flagship hospital, Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center, is the region’s only Level I trauma center and is consistently rated among the nation’s best. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all. Last year alone, Atrium Health provided more than $2.07 billion in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits.