Sarah Bush Lincoln is pleased to announce the addition of Pediatrician Shana Sewell, DO, to its medical staff.
Dr. Sewell comes to the community after serving as medical director/Pediatrician at Family Christian Health Center in Harvey, Ill. since 2007. Passionate about her profession, she said her greatest joy is probably being able to follow her patients from baby years to adulthood. “I enjoy talking with kids, answering their questions and guiding parents through their child’s growth and development. It’s a fun job and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she said.
Growing up in the south suburbs of Chicago, Dr. Sewell received a bachelor of science in psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, where she also earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling. Continuing to pursue her goal, she entered Midwestern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Chicago, where she earned her medical degree in 2001. She continued with four years of residency training in pediatrics at Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill.
Getting married and starting a family during medical school, Dr. Sewell is thankful for the strong family support she received. She credits her mother for not allowing her to let go of her dream. With a strong Christian faith, “a lot of prayer got me through the challenges,” she said. Her experiences during residency reinforced her love of pediatrics. Touched by children with cancer during her hematology/oncology rotation, “they had such a strong resilience and they were always smiling even in the midst of the pain they were enduring. They taught me so much. It was a humbling experience,” she said.
As an Illinois Department of Public Health Scholar during medical school, she aspired to practice in an underserved area upon completion of her training. She served as a pediatrician at South Park Pediatrics in Chicago for two years after completing her residency in 2004. Since 2007, she has been caring for children as well as managing a team of pediatricians at Family Christian Health Center, a federally qualified health center, in Harvey.
Ready for a new challenge, Dr. Sewell is excited to provide care at the SBL Pediatric Clinic, where she will join Pediatricians Thomas Snowden, MD, Amy Leifheit, MD, nurse practitioners Noelle Cope, APN, Eliza Smith, APN, and Laurie Mooney, APN and physician assistant Cari Fearday, PA-C. With a warm and compassionate approach, Dr. Sewell has a special interest in combatting childhood obesity. “I enjoy teaching children and empowering them to make healthy choices – the challenge is really to get the entire family onboard.”
To make an appointment with Dr. Sewell, call the SBL Pediatric Clinic at (217) 258-4006 or go to www.sarahbush.org.
