Cat Outzen was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 18. At the cusp of childhood and adulthood, she felt pulled in two directions – after all, if her diagnosis had been three months sooner, her care would’ve been pediatric. Instead, Outzen found herself in aquatic therapy with much-older ladies, feeling like a fish out of water. She was tasked with giving herself injections at college, which she described as “growing up in a hurry.”
Through these experiences, Outzen developed curiosity about the difference between pediatric and adult medicine, an interest that would guide her career. After graduation, she accepted a marketing position at Appleyard Agency, and when Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital came onboard as a client, Outzen joined their marketing department, later taking the operations role at Studer Family Children’s Hospital. Today, Outzen is CEO of Children’s Harbor, a nonprofit organization offering support for children with serious illnesses and their families.
Founded at Lake Martin in 1987 by Ben and Luanne Russell, what started as a waterfront retreat for kids with medical challenges evolved into a comprehensive program with Children’s Hospital of Alabama. Children’s Harbor handles anything non-medical, according to Outzen, whether emotional or spiritual. The Family Center offers numerous resources, including counseling clinics; career and school services such as test prep and job training; and even everyday care like salons, sports facilities and a kitchen. Clinics include cardiology, rheumatology, pulmonology, endocrinology, behavioral, physical rehab for concussions or TBI, plus others.
“Each counselor has a specialty and works with physicians to understand the illness,” Outzen noted.
Typical weeks for Outzen are spent dividing time between the Family Center and the camp, which hosts numerous retreats. “We provide the space, but different groups run their camps,” she explained. “We make sure facilities are available, and we offer them without cost. We’re in the process of recruiting more camps as partners.”
During the quieter days of the pandemic, Outzen focused on plans, including a new clinic offering counseling for parents or siblings struggling with a child's mental illness.. Because Children’s Harbor doesn’t take insurance, families can rely on the program as long or often as needed.
Want to help? Though the Family Center is open to limited people during COVID, there’s always an opportunity to pick up pinecones — which hinder mobility — from 66 acres of land at Lake Martin. Donations are always welcome, as are gently used goods for the Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store.
“My mindset is, is it in the best interest of the child?” Outzen mused. “That’s how I approach everything.”