Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego has had a profound impact on our community since we opened our doors to treat 13 polio patients in 1954. Today Rady Children's provides a full spectrum of care to more than 250,000 children every year and is the region's only designated pediatric trauma center.
Our commitment to medical excellence is demonstrated through our state-of-the-art equipment, comprehensive programs and services, and superior medical team. We not only treat children when they are sick, we seek out ways to help keep them well. Our mission: "To restore, sustain, and enhance the health and developmental potential of children through excellence in care, education, research and advocacy" remains at the heart of all we do.
Rady Children's is extraordinary in another way too. It is a place where stars twinkle at night indoors; where mimes, musicians and storytellers comfort our patients; and where sick children smile when you think they wouldn't or couldn't. Here, children always come first.
The Center for Gender-Affirming Care, under the direction of Program Director Bixby Marino-Kibbee, LCSW, and co-medical directors Maja Marinkovic, M.D., and David Inwards-Breland, M.D., treats children, adolescents and young adults with gender dysphoria and related health care needs. We strongly believe that all youth deserve to have a medical home at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.
Gender dysphoria is a medical condition in which there is deep emotional distress that occurs when one’s assigned gender at birth and gender identity do not match. Being transgender, nonbinary or gender non-conforming is not a mental health problem. However, some transgender individuals have co-existing conditions, such as anxiety or depression.
Transgender, nonbinary and gender non-conforming youth are frequently discriminated against and may not get support and understanding from peers, friends and family. Finding care providers that are knowledgeable and familiar with treatment options can also be challenging.
Our mission is to provide comprehensive, compassionate, evidence-based care and support to transgender and nonbinary youth and their families. We utilize a multidisciplinary, family systems approach, bringing together mental health professionals, endocrinology and adolescent medicine to provide comprehensive care. Learn about our services.
While our treatment of gender dysphoria is based on the current guidelines from the Endocrine Society (J Clin Endocrinol Metab November, 2017 102(11):1-35) and World Professional Association of Transgender Health -WPATH (Int J Transgender, 13:165232, 2011), care is always individualized to best meet the specific needs of each patient.
As a non-profit hospital, we depend on our community to help fund critically needed care and services.
When you choose to register or support a fundraiser, you help children whom you may never meet but whose lives have been saved through your investment in our Hospital.
Truly, every dollar matters. Please help us by making an investment in the health of our community's children.
For more information please visit our Hospital website at www.rchsd.org or our Foundation website at www.radyfoundation.org.