Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital Appoints Gudrun Aspelund, MD, as Chief of Pediatric Surgery Division

VALHALLA, N.Y. (February 6, 2018) – Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), recently welcomed pediatric surgeon Gudrun Aspelund, MD, as Chief of Pediatric Surgery. In her new role, Dr. Aspelund will lead the growth of the pediatric surgery division as it continues to provide the highest quality surgical care to pediatric patients and their families. Maria Fareri Children's Hospital is the go-to hospital for advanced pediatric care in the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County.

Dr. Aspelund brings to Maria Fareri Children's Hospital particular expertise in newborn anomalies, including congenital, intestinal, and abdominal wall defects, in addition to common hernia repairs and minimally invasive surgeries for conditions of the abdomen, such as appendicitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Aspelund is also the Pediatric Trauma Medical Director at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, which along with Westchester Medical Center is an American College of Surgeons-accredited Level I trauma center.

Most recently, Dr. Aspelund served as an attending pediatric surgeon at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and as associate program director of the pediatric surgery fellowship in Columbia University's department of surgery.

A resident of Scarsdale for 10 years, Dr. Aspelund now brings her extensive experience to the children of the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut. Dr. Aspelund acknowledges the stress that a child's need for surgery can place on the patient and family, and her approach to patient care prioritizes keeping the family well-informed and involved in the care process to help put the whole family at ease.

Board certified in general surgery and pediatric surgery, Dr. Aspelund, a native of Iceland, earned a medical degree from the University of Iceland Medical School in Reykjavik. She then completed a research fellowship and residency in general surgery at Yale University School of Medicine/Yale-New Haven Hospital and a fellowship in general pediatric surgery from the renowned Hospital for Sick Children/University of Toronto in Canada.

Dr. Aspelund earned a Master of Science degree in biostatistics/patient-oriented research from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Aspelund is married and has two daughters. She enjoys skiing, biking, hiking and travelling with her family in her leisure time.


Gudrun Aspelund, MD