Children's Choice Pediatrics

Photos by
Amber Boykin
Photography

Twenty years of serving
the pediatric community in McKinney is truly a blessing and a notable
milestone.

Why
Pediatrics?

The question is often posed to Dr. Cheryl
Eley about why she chose pediatrics to pursue as a career in medicine. She
fondly recalls a story told to her many years ago by her beloved, now
83-year-old mother. “I was sitting on the exam table at my own pediatrician’s
office at 10 years of age when I suddenly looked up at him and said, ‘I’m
going to be a doctor just like you when I grow up.’ I never swayed from
that.”

Humble
Beginnings

Shortly
after beginning her career in San Diego, California, in 1998, Dr. Eley was
inspired to one day own her practice. The opportunity presented to relocate
to Texas to do just that. It was on April 1, 2004 that the doors of
Children’s Choice Pediatrics were opened by its founder, Dr. Cheryl Eley, a
board certified pediatrician. The practice started in a temporary location
while the intended first office site was still under construction at the
medical office building at the Medical Center of McKinney. It was here where
the first patient of Children’s Choice Pediatrics was seen. “I saw my first
patient as a newborn (just days old), and now she is nearly 20 years old. The
bonds that ensue with patients and their parents mean the world to me.” The
Detroit-born pediatrician ties her career back to relationships, the most
important aspect of her work.

Being on staff at Baylor Medical Center of
McKinney allows Dr. Eley to be present shortly after a baby’s birth. “Once
I’m notified, I’m thrilled to examine the infant in the first 24 hours of
life. We bond and I educate parents prior to discharge home.” Subsequently,
office visits begin two to three days later with emphasis on support and
resources for parents in addition to anticipatory guidance. “The periodicity
of check-ups over the first two years is quite frequent because so much
growth and development is going on in those critical years of that child’s
life,” she said. Dr. Eley told us she sees herself as a partner with patients
and parents. “I provide care and comfort that not only kids need, but parents
need as well.”

Continued Growth

The continued growth of Children’s Choice
Pediatrics is largely attributed to the many referrals and recommendations
from their existing families. Dr. Eley is humbled, thankful, and grateful for
them to share the positive experiences they’ve had with the providers and
office staff. “As they grow, we grow. We outgrew the location at the medical
office building and are currently in a stand-alone building in Adriatica, a
beautiful, one-of-a-kind area in McKinney since 2010.”

Celebrating 20 Years in The Community | Children’s Choice
Pediatrics — Dr. Eley
and her staff

Staff

As is applicable to so much in life, few of
us get very far alone. Alongside her husband, Dominic, who currently works in
the roles of office and billing managers, in addition to a stellar staff, the
goal is to simply show compassion, commitment, and dedication to providing
high-quality medical care to children of all ages, ethnicities, and financial
backgrounds. “Of course, I want to say that I have the best staff ever and I
know that they’re an extension of me in the practice,” she added. “They are
respectful, competent, and confident in their abilities. It’s a team
approach.”

Dr. Eley is keen on continuing her tradition
of excellent care and inspiration for generations to come. All children are
viewed as the most precious gifts ever by Dr. Eley, and her nearly
14-year-old son is no exception. As 20 years have ticked by, she shows no
signs of exhaustion. She thrives on the smiles, hugs, energy, and resilience
of her young patients. Resilience, she said, is one her favorite qualities in
her patients. She likens her patients to flowers. This metaphor is very
accurate when describing her pediatric patients. Just as flowers come in an array
of colors and varieties, the same is true for children. Children blossom and
thrive when cared for and treated in the right environment. They are vibrant
and full of life when healthy, but in the face of acute illness, they can
appear to be sick and puny. However, with lots of loving medical care, they
go from being wilted to blooming all over again. It is these constantly
blooming flowers she is surrounded by each day that keeps Dr. Eley energized.
After all, who doesn’t like a beautiful bouquet of flowers?

Dr. Eley says she hopes to be a role model
for every patient, but particularly for patients of color and African
American girls to view her as a positive example as she walks in her purpose
using her God-given talents in this capacity.