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I want to take a moment to recognize an extraordinary group of PharmD students from the University of Utah and Roseman University of Health Sciences Colleges of Pharmacy who made a lasting impact at Utah’s Legislative Day on February 12 at their state Capitol. These future pharmacy leaders took the initiative to advocate for improved medication safety, presenting a compelling poster to state legislators that underscored the importance of pharmacy technician certification and training.

Their advocacy aimed to help Utah achieve an A-rating on the Emily Jerry Foundation’s National Pharmacy Technician Initiative Scorecard by pushing for stronger pharmacy technician certification standards. They highlighted the critical role that well-educated, career-oriented pharmacy technicians play in preventing errors and ensuring patient safety.

Last November, I had the honor of speaking to P1-P4 students at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy. As I do in nearly all my lectures to future healthcare leaders, I reminded them that the guardian angel logo of the Emily Jerry Foundation…featuring the likeness of my beautiful daughter, Emily…isn’t there just because I believe she’s my guardian angel (though I know she is!). She is their guardian angel too, representing the human side of their future careers in healthcare. We are all patients at some point in our lives, as are our loved ones. Keeping that perspective at the center of their work will make all the difference.

That’s why it was truly humbling to see Emily’s story included in their advocacy efforts. I am deeply grateful for their passion and dedication. Engaging directly with legislators and healthcare leaders is how real change happens, and I have no doubt that their efforts will shape the future of medication safety in Utah and beyond.

A special thank you to Senator Evan Vickers, a pharmacist himself, Dr. Krystal Moorman-Bishir, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP for her mentorship, the Utah Pharmacy Association (UPhA) and the Utah Society of Health-System Pharmacists (USHP) for supporting these remarkable students in their mission to advance patient care.

To all the students involved, your commitment to improving medication safety and saving lives from preventable errors is truly inspiring. I can’t wait to see the incredible impact you will continue to make in pharmacy and healthcare!

Thank you so much Germfree, for this incredibly kind tribute to my beautiful daughter, Emily. Your unwavering commitment to improving medication safety means more than words can express. It is through innovative solutions like the high-performance medication preparation technology systems, and tools, you develop that we can truly reduce the probability of human error in the pharmacy workflow…preventing tragedies before they happen and ultimately saving countless lives. Please continue forge ahead with this vital work, as these proven technology solutions will undoubtedly become the standard of care. Together, we honor Emily’s legacy by ensuring a safer future for all patients.

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Today, we remember and honor Emily Jerry on what would have been her 21st birthday. Emily’s life was tragically cut short at just 2 years old due to a preventable IV compounding error—an unimaginable loss that no parent should ever have to endure.

From this heartbreak, her father, Christopher Jerry, turned his grief into a mission: to ensure no other family experiences the same tragedy. Through the Emily Jerry Foundation, he has dedicated his life to patient safety advocacy, fighting for better pharmacy standards, and raising awareness about the critical importance of precision in medication preparation. Over the summer, we had the privilege of speaking with Chris about Emily’s story and the foundation’s impact. His strength, resilience, and unwavering dedication are truly inspiring.

As we remember Emily today on her birthday, we commit to continuing the work she inspired—to ensure every patient is treated with the care and safety they deserve. We invite you to watch Chris’s interview and join us in remembering a beautiful life taken too soon, but never forgotten. 💛

Click on the image below to watch the video.

Happy Heavenly Birthday, my sweet baby girl, Emily. Even though today you would be a 21-year-old young woman, you will forever be my “baby girl.” This time of year has always been incredibly bittersweet for me. Over the years, I’ve searched for another word to capture my feelings, but “bittersweet” remains the only one that truly expresses the deep mix of love, longing, and gratitude in my heart. I miss you more than words can ever convey, but I find immense peace knowing that you are with our Lord…and that one day, we will be reunited for all of eternity.

I remember that Friday morning in 2006 so vividly. Your mother and I made the difficult decision to admit you to the hospital for what was supposed to be your final round of chemotherapy. By God’s grace, we had received the miraculous news we had prayed for…the tumor had completely disappeared. This last treatment was meant to ensure that no residual cancer cells remained, so you could be discharged and come home, cancer-free. But instead of celebrating your recovery as a family that Sunday, you went home to be with the Lord just three days later, the victim of a tragic and preventable medication error.

In my devastation, I remember crying out, Why, God? I don’t understand. You just cured her, and now You’re taking her? But now, with time and faith, I see what I couldn’t comprehend back then…God always has the perfect plan, even when we can’t even begin to see it. As He promises in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”

From the deepest sorrow, God has brought so much purpose. Emily, your short time on this earth was not in vain. I am humbled and grateful that so many incredible caregivers and clinicians now refer to you as the “Gerber Baby” of patient and medication safety. Your story…the simple, human side of healthcare that we can all relate to…has touched hearts around the world, helping to prevent errors and save countless lives. Your legacy continues to live on in the hearts and minds of people around the world, truly making an impact, reminding us that we all receive healthcare at some point, as do our loved ones, and that safety in medicine is not just a goal, but a responsibility.

As your daddy, I am eternally grateful for the two beautiful years God gave me with you.

Happy Birthday, sweetheart. I love you always.
Daddy

I was truly honored to be invited back to Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, last Tuesday to speak on behalf of the Emily Jerry Foundation for an Interprofessional Education Event. Throughout the day, I had the privilege of delivering three consecutive 90-minute lectures on patient and medication safety. Attendance was required for students from Campbell’s nursing, pharmacy, and medical schools, with an estimated 200 students per session. However, I later learned that the actual attendance was closer to 250 students per session…meaning I had the opportunity to speak with approximately 750 future healthcare leaders!

A heartfelt thank you to Madison Bunting, a third-year pharmacy student pursuing her doctorate, for initially reaching out to see if I’d be interested in returning to Campbell. I’m also deeply grateful to my friend Pamela Edwards, Chair & Director of Nursing at Campbell’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, for organizing this hugely successful event. Their dedication to fostering interprofessional collaboration is truly inspiring.

One of my favorite aspects of these presentations is the Q&A session at the end, which always leads to insightful conversations. As I often do, I made it clear from the start that no questions were off-limits or too personal. Over the years, I’ve found that being open and transparent about every aspect of my journey creates a space for meaningful dialogue…and this event was no exception. Though it was a long day, it was also incredibly fulfilling, knowing that the Emily Jerry Foundation’s core mission was being advanced by engaging with so many passionate students.

What makes days like this so gratifying is my firm belief that these future pharmacists, nurses, and physicians will go on to play a critical role in preventing medication errors and improving patient safety. Their leadership and dedication will be instrumental in driving meaningful change in healthcare.

To cap off an already incredible and productive day, I was treated to a fantastic dinner at Heath’s Steakhouse with the outstanding executive leadership team and faculty from Campbell. I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity and look forward to staying connected with these bright and passionate students as they continue their journey toward becoming our leaders in patient safety.

I’m incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to represent the Emily Jerry Foundation during my recent visit to the University of Utah College of Pharmacy and University of Utah Health Hospital. Over two full days, I had the privilege of delivering four presentations centered on patient and medication safety to a remarkable audience of PharmD students (P1-P4), faculty, clinicians, and healthcare leaders.

The experience began Thursday morning with an inspiring discussion alongside clinician leaders and stakeholders from various modalities at the University of Utah Health Hospital. I was deeply impressed by their unwavering commitment to patient safety and their forward-thinking approach to implementing systems that effectively mitigate the risk of human error in clinical and pharmacy workflows. Our in-depth conversations explored collaborative strategies that I am confident will drive lasting improvements in safety across healthcare settings. We finished up a very productive and wonderful day at the college, in their L.S Skaggs Auditorium, where I was given the opportunity to provide a CE accredited presentation titled, “From Tragedy to Triumph – Mitigating the Risk of Human Error to Save Lives.”

On Friday, I had the honor of addressing two large groups of PharmD students. These future healthcare leaders embody the passion, dedication, and resolve needed to make medication safety their top priority throughout their careers. Their enthusiasm and proactive engagement were truly inspiring. I have no doubt their leadership will save countless lives by advancing medication safety practices and fostering a strong culture of safety in healthcare.

A heartfelt thank you to my friend, Dr. Krystal Moorman-Bishir, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP and her entire team for making this visit possible. I also want to express my gratitude to everyone I met from the University of Utah campus community for your warm welcome and for making this experience so impactful. It was truly an honor to work alongside such incredible individuals who all share the exact same vision for of a safer, brighter future in healthcare!

On behalf of the Emily Jerry Foundation, I had the incredible privilege of spending a few days at Banner Health in Phoenix last week, where I had the opportunity to share insights on High Reliability Organization (HRO) principles and the collective pursuit of zero preventable harm. The experience was truly inspiring!

The in-depth conversations I had with the pharmacy, nursing, and CMO teams before and after my presentations were both thought-provoking and very meaningful. It was evident in every discussion, just how deeply committed Banner Health’s entire team is to patient and medication safety. Their passion and unwavering dedication to driving significant, safety-focused change across their vast network of hospitals left a profound impression on me.

Reflecting on my own journey and the loss of my daughter Emily in 2006, I am reminded of the crucial impact proactive organizations like Banner Health have. By prioritizing the modification of core systems, processes, and protocols, they are setting a remarkable standard in preventing tragedies and improving patient outcomes. Though we may never be able to quantify the full extent of errors averted, the difference their vital work is making is significant and is ultimately saving countless lives!

Again, a heartfelt thank you to Mary Manning, PharmD, MBA, BCPS and Kristine S. for making this very productive and wonderful visit possible. I look forward to seeing the lasting impact of Banner Health’s commitment to cultivating a true Culture of Safety at all their facilities and supporting them on this important journey.

I’m excited to head to Arizona tomorrow morning for a series of speaking engagements for the Emily Jerry Foundation at Banner Health, a leading healthcare system with 30 hospitals across six states. The incredible caregivers at Banner are making remarkable progress in their journey to becoming a High Reliability Organization (HRO), implementing strategies designed to reduce the likelihood of human error and prevent tragic incidents—like the one that affected my daughter Emily in 2006. Their unwavering commitment to patient and medication safety is truly inspiring!

This week, I have the honor of addressing leaders at the Banner Health Pharmacy Services Medication Safety Event on Wednesday. In addition, I’ll also be presenting to their nursing staff during the “Start with Heart: Medication Safety Program.” Then on Thursday, I’ll conclude with a presentation to all Banner Health CMOs at a system-wide meeting, focusing on HRO principles and their path toward Zero Harm.

I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to these important conversations and want to sincerely thank Mary Manning, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, and Kristine S. at Banner for making this all possible!

On behalf of the Emily Jerry Foundation, I’m incredibly honored to be speaking at the University of Utah‘s College of Pharmacy in November. These sessions will focus on patient and medication safety and will be open to students, faculty, staff, preceptors, and alumni. A heartfelt thank you to my friend, Dr. Krystal Moorman-Bishir, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP, for this wonderful opportunity.

I’ll be speaking to the P1 and P2 PharmD students, who are already demonstrating the leadership and commitment needed to shape the future of healthcare and prevent medication errors. Pharmacy students have always inspired me. They are our future leaders, the ones who will continuously champion medication safety and make it the highest priority across all healthcare modalities, ensuring the best possible outcomes for every patient.

I’m confident that through the leadership of these students, countless lives will be saved from preventable medication errors—errors like the one that tragically took my daughter Emily’s life in 2006. Their dedication and expertise will play a pivotal role in advancing patient safety and ultimately saving countless lives during the course of their careers!

In addition to the student lectures, I’m also grateful for the privilege of delivering two CE-accredited presentations and look forward to sharing insights and discussing best practices in patient and medication safety with this dynamic and dedicated group!

During my visit to Germfree in Ormond Beach Florida, a few weeks ago, where I was invited to speak at their all-employee meeting, I also had the chance to do an interview. In it, I shared the heartfelt reasons behind my deep commitment to the work I’ve pursued so diligently over the years.

It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since I first began this incredible journey, following the path I truly felt called to take. This month marks 15 years since I founded the Emily Jerry Foundation, with the core mission of improving medication safety and preventing errors like the one that tragically took my beautiful daughter Emily from happening to others—actively working to be part of the solution to preventable medical errors and ultimately saving countless lives.

After having had the opportunity to witness firsthand, the profound dedication and vision of the entire Germfree team in developing their new Smarthood system, I’m more confident than ever that we can continue to come together to improve medication safety in IV compounding for all patients. This is why I’m so excited about the future of the new partnership between Germfree and the Emily Jerry Foundation. Our organizations are perfectly aligned with our core missions as we carry forward our shared passion for saving lives—a passion that clearly drives us all!

Watch the video on youtube at the following link (https://youtu.be/zlc-gttJ-BQ?si=y87slQ-wMcFKswuv) or in the embedded player below:

The week before last, I had the honor and privilege of speaking at an all-employee meeting at Germfree in Ormond Beach, Florida. It was a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to collaborate with this remarkable organization and their outstanding team, who have developed a cutting-edge technology solution for the complex sterile IV compounding process—one that truly promises to significantly improve medication safety overall. Companies like Germfree, offer the exact “technology tools” and systems I have long advocated for—tools that are proven to save countless lives by preventing the kinds of medication errors that tragically claimed my daughter Emily’s life in 2006.

Germfree‘s new Smarthood system is a highly innovative solution that integrates the horizontal laminar flow unit with a variety of seamlessly integrated peripheral devices used in conventional IV workflow systems. Their new design is completely software agnostic, which enables facilities to utilize their existing IV workflow software, while maintaining a clean & sterile workspace and consistent airflow.

Ever since establishing the Emily Jerry Foundation over 15 years ago, the primary mission has always been focused on preventing medication errors before they occur. This is why I have been such a vocal advocate for the smart adoption and implementation of technology like this in healthcare, as the essential tools to help eradicate the risk of “human error” in pharmacy workflows. This is precisely why I am so thrilled to align with the incredible team at Germfree, who share these same core values. EJF and Germfree are perfectly aligned, both organizations are extremely passionate about doing everything we possibly can to ultimately save lives!!