Special Olympics athlete Rigley Bowar’s healthy life has included regular visits with his doctor, Jennifer Haggar, M.D., a Sanford Health pediatrician who has known Rigley, 17, since he was a youngster.
Years ago, when a health insurance switch meant their young son with Down syndrome would be getting a new pediatrician, the Bowars had a big decision to make. Because Rigley had dealt with a variety of associated health concerns early in life, it was important they make the best healthcare choices.
Rigley’s mother, Christie Bowar, asked around and heard a lot of good things about Dr. Haggar. It turned out to be the right move for Rigley and his family.
“Rigley had been a very sick kid – he’d been through so much,” Christie said. “When we transferred our care, I was scared and nervous because we liked the doctor we had. But I’ve never once regretted the decision to make Dr. Haggar Rigley’s doctor. We see her at least twice a year – she has monitored us very well.”
Comprehensive care
The Bowars’ efforts to provide the best care for their child included making sure Rigley got to know his doctor. For all parents, it can be an effective way to monitor the health of their child.
Partnering with a pediatric provider at Sanford Health can address a child’s healthcare needs from newborns to young adults.
Sanford Health services include:
- Regular wellness checkups
- Preventive health, including immunizations and developmental and behavioral screenings
- Care for illnesses and injuries
- Health education
- Parenting support for a variety of child-related issues, illnesses and concerns
- Pediatric specialist referrals
Staying healthy
For Rigley, good health has provided opportunities. He recently participated in the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota as part of the Youth Leadership Experience.
It was a memorable time for Rigley. His role at the USA Games included helping construct a maze at the Olympic headquarters in Blaine, Minnesota, and helping youngsters find their way through it.
“I like working with young athletes,” Rigley said. “One of my favorite things was getting the kids through the maze.”
As his long-time pediatrician, Dr. Haggar knew all about Rigley’s opportunity with Youth Leadership Experience. She has kept up with his involvement in Special Olympics since he began participating.
“Rigley connects with young children so well,” Dr. Haggar said. “He’s such a positive influence and encourager. It makes so much sense that Special Olympics saw him that way and saw the opportunity to lift him up as a leader. He’s really encouraging as a friend, so I can see him also being an encouraging mentor.”
This level of familiarity demonstrates Dr. Haggar’s resolve to maintain a distinctive level of engagement with her patients. It also emphasizes the value of the Bowars’ intention to make Dr. Haggar an active and involved healthcare partner.
Rigley’s ability to keep Special Olympics a big part of his life, both as an athlete and as a leader, offers proof of the quality of his Sanford healthcare.
You want more proof? Just ask Rigley.
“Dr. Haggar is the best,” he said. “Every time I see her for my appointments I always talk to her about a lot of things. We make sure I’m doing things the right way. I’m so happy she is part of my life.”
Making a healthcare partner
Dr. Haggar sees young patients through many stages of life. As a pediatrician, in many cases she is the first to relay the importance of regular doctor visits.
“It can be anxiety-provoking to go the doctor, but if you know who the doctor is – if you’ve seen them before and had good conversations with them – it doesn’t feel like this big, new, scary thing,” Dr. Haggar said. “For patients, especially children, and children with special needs, when we have that consistent environment and relationship, it makes it easier to come in to see the doctor.”
Instead of just telling a child it’s time to see “the doctor,” a parent can refer to a doctor by name and be confident memories of past visits are positive.
“It can be, ‘Oh, we’re going to see Dr. Haggar. You remember her, right? You get a sticker when you’re done,’” Dr. Haggar said. “I’m not offering stickers to my older patients like Rigley, but overall, we really try to break down the barriers.”
Regular doctor visits as a child can be a great place to start in establishing a partnership with a health system that can last a lifetime. The same kinds of anxieties that can make a doctor visit uncomfortable as a child can persist into adulthood.
“One of my goals as a pediatrician is to help parents raise children who will be comfortable going to doctors as adults,” Dr. Haggar said. “We want to show them what it’s like. We want to show them how to do it. How do I check in? How do I talk to a nurse? How do I talk to a doctor? We want them as adults to feel like they’re equipped to enter healthcare and navigate the system.”
A practice job interview
For Rigley and many others, developing familiarity with one doctor can make healthcare conversations more efficient, particularly for children with special needs.
“If their baseline is not what is normal for all children, then it can be harder to detect a change. But if I’ve seen this child over time, I have a better understanding of what their normal is,” Dr. Haggar said. “We do not have to go through a bunch of questions every time. For Rigley’s visits I did not have to go through his surgery history every time because I was there. I was seeing him before and after his procedures.”
On a recent visit with Dr. Haggar, Rigley shared with her that he had a job interview coming up. So what does a primary pediatrician do in a situation like that? In Dr. Haggar’s case, they used part of their wellness visit to run through a practice interview.
“It was, ‘Hey, how about we pretend we’re doing an interview?’” Dr. Haggar said. “We had a great time with it. Then he got the job and I could ask him about it. It’s a way that he’s being successful as a young man and being able to show the skills he has.”
Because Rigley is now 17, he will be switching doctors from pediatrics to family or internal medicine. While that part of the process will not be easy for the Bowars or for Dr. Haggar, the foundation of care is now firmly established and the conversations about what comes next will include all of them.
“Dr. Haggar has been amazing,” Christie said. “I’m a nurse myself, so I’m going to be a huge advocate – I’ll be pushing for things if I think it’s right. She is always so responsive. She’ll say, ‘No, I think we’re OK, Christie,’ or ‘You know what, I think that’s a good idea.’ She knows us so well. We know she’ll set us up with a good match for our next provider.”
Finding a provider at Sanford Health
Your primary care provider is a trusted expert for medical care, from annual wellness visits to treatment for illnesses and injuries. At Sanford Health, you can build a relationship with a primary care provider who partners with you for a lifetime of care.
Sanford’s providers get to know you and your concerns to help you stay healthy and reach your health goals.
Learn more
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Posted In Children's, Family Medicine, Healthy Living
