Making a World of Difference

WHEN SHE MET intern Maggie Ryan 10 years ago, Michelle Niescierenko, MD, MPH, spotted it at once. “There was a depth of caring unusual in someone so young,” says the Grousbeck-Fazzalari Chair in Global Health. A kinship ensued as the two shared a commitment to finding solutions to keep children from dying of preventable conditions.

But as Maggie was about to launch her career in global health, a car accident cut her life short. Her parents, Tony and Ann, searched for a way to honor their daughter.

“Maggie talked so enthusiastically about the dynamic Boston Children’s doctor who inspired her,” says Ann.

After meeting Dr. Niescierenko, the Ryans understood the tremendous impact philanthropy could have on children worldwide. They established the Maggie Ryan Endowed Fellowship in Global Health in 2017. Their gift enabled Ryan Fellow Lexie Schmid, DNP, to complete dozens of deployments, delivering training that has reached thousands of health care workers.

As the program grew, the family’s connection with Drs. Niescierenko and Schmid deepened. In 2023, Ann and Tony recognized the program had arrived at an inflection point—it was time to scale. They made a transformational gift, naming the Margaret C. Ryan Global Health Program and creating the Susanna Ryan Endowed Fellowship in Global Health, in honor of Maggie’s grandmother in 2024.

“Our goal is to drive collaborative, sustainable and strategic growth, so children everywhere can access the care they need,” explains Tony.

Different Countries, Similar Challenges

In the United States, clinics serving indigenous communities often don’t have pediatricians or pediatric nurses. Kids miss wellness checks and vaccines. Conditions like asthma or diabetes go undetected. The consequences can be life-threatening.

The federal government asked Boston Children’s for help. At South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Health Center, our pediatricians and nurses are caring for children and training staff to treat emergencies, support newborns and manage kids’ health needs. The Global Health Program is helping to build the local workforce with the region’s first pediatric residency program. Dr. Niescierenko and colleagues drew from global experiences to develop this model.

In 2017, Liberia had two pediatricians. Boston Children’s and the Liberian Ministry of Health launched a residency program. Today, the country has more than 30 pediatricians, with training led by local faculty. Equally important, caregivers have learned to treat childhood diseases, including malaria, typhoid fever and more.

In Bihar, India, most hospitals weren’t equipped to care for children with traumatic injuries. Local leaders wanted change. The Global Health Program and a humanitarian partner mentored doctors and nurses, who then trained their colleagues to respond to emergencies. The interventions worked. Children are being treated successfully, and Bihar is rolling out the improvements at 37 emergency departments serving 130 million people.

In addition to meeting local needs, our experts respond to humanitarian crises. They’ve delivered pediatric trauma training for 8,000 health care workers in Ukraine, mental health services for thousands of Syrian children and early childhood nutrition programs for millions in Africa.

“The Ryans’ extraordinary generosity enables us to substantially expand our efforts to raise the level of health care for every child, no matter where they live. We have much work to do, and with this gift, we’re positioned to make a sustained impact: locally, nationally and globally,” says President and CEO Kevin B. Churchwell, MD.