New Leader, New Vision: Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center Appoints New Chief of its Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program

VALHALLA, N.Y., March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center is proud to announce the addition of Mitchell Cairo, M.D., as its new Chief of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101007/DC78126LOGO-b)

"Dr. Cairo is one of the most well-known and respected physicians in the field of pediatric hematology and oncology," explained Michael Israel, President & CEO of Westchester Medical Center. "His appointment solidifies Maria Fareri Children's Hospital's place as a leading pediatric facility, and as a destination for families seeking advanced children's healthcare. It also underscores Maria Fareri Children's Hospital's ongoing promise to provide the highest level of care to the kids that need it most."

Dr. Cairo has an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of California at San Francisco's School of Medicine.  He completed both his internship and residency at UCLA Harbor General Hospital and an American Cancer Society fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Indiana University.  Dr. Cairo has held leadership positions at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CA), Georgetown University and most recently at New York-Presbyterian's Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, where he was Director of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

A Successful Program Gets Even Better

"Our program is already the premier children's cancer and blood disorder program in New York State's Hudson Valley region. As its new leader, Dr. Cairo will work to expand Maria Fareri Children's Hospital's successful program into an even more comprehensive service line for regional and tri-state area families, as well as for children from around the world," stressed Michael Gewitz, M.D., Physician-in-Chief, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.  "This includes the development of a unique Children and Adolescent Cancer and Blood Disease Center, the foundation of which will be enhanced clinical, training and research programs."

Dr. Cairo brings a strong research background to Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, having been the principal or co-principal investigator of a dozen clinical research studies and a contributor to nearly 300 peer-reviewed publications. He has a particular interest in cellular therapies including bone marrow transplantation for childhood cancers and blood disorders, as well as childhood hematological malignancies such as acute leukemias and lymphomas.  He will lead a new research team at New York Medical College that will search for more effective cancer and blood disorder treatments.

About Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center

Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center is the advanced care pediatric facility for New York's Hudson Valley region and Fairfield County, Connecticut. As home to the region's only pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric transplant program, burn center and cardiac catheterization program, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital cares for the area's most critically ill and injured kids

A regional and national leader in children's healthcare, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center was designed from the point of view of patients and families as well as doctors and nurses.  In addition the hospital operates under the family-centered care philosophy, which encourages moms, dads, brothers and sisters to be involved in the care process.  These factors result in a special healing environment that puts children and their parents at ease so the whole family feels better.

SOURCE Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center