By Vanessa Orr

Dr. Maggie E. Fader’s love of medicine started early. Not only was her mother a pediatric endocrinologist, but her younger brother was an extremely premature neonate who required extensive medical care. As she grew older, she became involved in athletics, which piqued her interest in orthopedic surgery.

“There were a number of different options that I found interesting that led me toward medical school,” she explained. “Once I was there working with adults and kids, I decided that I loved working with kids the most.

“I found critical care exciting, but during my first hematology/oncology rotation, I really liked the relationships that I developed with the patients,” she continued. “It still has the feeling of critical care medicine—it’s still intense and requires critical care thinking—but you get to see the story from start to finish, hopefully following your patients as they grow up.”

Dr. Fader earned her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital and her pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Fader is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with subspecialty certification in pediatric hematology-oncology and is also board-certified in hospice and palliative medicine.

“There is a strong fellowship between palliative care and the delivery of oncology care,” she said. “It’s hard to do one without the other, as palliative care deals with pain management and symptom management.”

Now a leading pediatric hematologist/oncologist with KIDZ Medical Services, and based at the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Dr. Fader lives her purpose every day. She currently serves as the medical director of the Sarcoma and Solid Tumor Program.

“Most oncology patients face a lot of challenges dealing not only with their illness and its treatment, but with recovery from painful surgical procedures,” she said. “Palliative care is important to me as it gives my patients the best experience possible.”

While dealing with childhood cancer can be incredibly difficult, Dr. Fader appreciates the resiliency of her young patients.

“Pediatric patients are more positive than you can ever imagine; kids are naturally optimistic and very quick to see the bright side of things,” she said. “They are adaptable and strong, and if they can’t change a situation, they quickly adjust to it.

“Some patients have to have amputations, and the way they cope is so inspiring,” she added. “They want to know how fast they can get a prosthesis and get back on their feet.”

Outside of work, Dr. Fader spends time with her husband, four children, and extended family, and also volunteers with several cancer nonprofits. She has been on the board of the Children’s Bereavement Center for 10 years and also serves on the medical advisory board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. Dr. Fader also mentors fundraising groups for Cancer United and serves as the camp physician at Camp U.O.T.S. every year, which serves children with cancer and blood disorders.

“Unfortunately, in this field, and in medicine in general, there is always the chance for loss,” she says of her commitment to the Children’s Bereavement Center. “Having families where the parents have lost a child, or siblings have lost a brother or sister, is not infrequent.

“Losing a child is so unnatural, it’s often hard to move forward,” she added. “The bereavement center introduces these people to others who are suffering from something similar so that they can cope together. And their services, which include support groups, are free.”

Dr. Fader has been involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation® for the past eight years. She especially appreciates that it provides kids with a distraction and something to hope for that is not related to their illness.

“These kids spend a lot of time in the hospital, and this gives them a change of focus. They can look forward to something they really want to do, whether that’s a trip with their family, or meeting someone famous, or going on a shopping trip,” she explained. “It’s good for their mental health to have something to keep their minds off of pain and suffering for a while.”