"Shared Struggles": Ann Schrooten co-authors a book for families of children living with complex medical conditions

Fitzgibbons attorney Ann F. Schrooten is the co-author of Shared Struggles: Stories from Parents and Pediatricians Caring for Children with Serious Illnesses. The parent of a child born with a chronic complex condition, Ann co-authored the book with Dr. Barry Markovitz, a pediatrician who specializes in critical care medicine.

Shared Struggles appeals to families of children living with complex medical conditions because it shares physician encounters and behaviors many have experienced in the care of their own children. By giving a voice to both parents and physicians, the goal is to create a bridge to better understanding that can improve communication, minimize conflicts, and foster trust and compassion among physicians, patients, and families.

Shared Struggles tells true and poignant stories from both sides of the physician-patient/parent relationship and provides a unique glimpse into how parents and physicians think, feel, and interact. The stories are grouped under four sections: Hope, Compassion, Communication, and Trust. Each section includes stories contributed by parents from all across the United States and by pediatricians practicing at many of the best children’s hospitals throughout the country.

The parents tell of interactions with physicians that had a significant impact on them and their child and offer context and insight that promote empathy and reflection. The physicians tell of interactions with patients and families that served as learning moments in their career and promote the humanization of medicine and show there is more to a physician beyond their scientific knowledge and white coat.