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Pediatric partnership brings Disney magic to Rezen

Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children has been Rezen’s home away from home for more than a year. The 10-year-old was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare and life-threatening blood disorder. Last year, she received a bone marrow transplant and spent months in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Despite these challenges, moments of joy and comfort shine through her journey. When Rezen was nervous before a routine MRI, her child life specialists gave her a Disney Princess-themed Starlight Hospital Gown to add a little magic to her stay. The Walt Disney Company and the nonprofit Starlight Children’s Foundation bring Disney Princess-themed Starlight Hospital Gowns to pediatric hospitals across the nation, helping patients like Rezen feel more comfortable during treatments. Through this long-standing collaboration, Rezen has received numerous princess gowns, building up an impressive collection. In December, Rezen completed her princess collection, receiving a Moana-themed gown, and attended a special private showing of Moana 2, experiencing the movie’s adventure before its official release! Navigating a rare disease comes with immense obstacles, but collaborations like this bring light on difficult days. Disney-themed Starlight programs, along with her care team, help make Rezen and thousands of other pediatric patients feel the magic and inspiration every child deserves.  

Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Childrenaplastic anemiabone marrow transplantrare diseaseadvanced carespecialized care
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Specialized care team helps Brady overcome cancer

Athletic and energetic Brady began experiencing debilitating headaches and extreme fatigue when he was only 14 years old. His symptoms worsened, and a CT scan showed a blockage in his brain. Brady was admitted to Children’s Hospital New Orleans where doctors placed a shunt in his brain to address the blockage, and biopsied the tissue. Brady was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor called central nervous system (CNS) germinoma. Soon after his diagnosis, Brady underwent four rounds of chemotherapy to remove the germinomas. Through the intensive rounds of chemotherapy, Brady continued to get sick with strep and pneumonia, but he faced every new challenge with resilience and determination. Following his chemotherapy, Brady began daily radiation treatment for four straight weeks. Last September, thanks to the unwavering support from his family and care team, he completed radiation and rang the bell two times, signaling the end of his cancer treatment. Now, Brady is a freshman in high school, recently earning a spot on the honor roll. 

Children's Hospital New Orleanscancercentral nervous system (CNS) germinomaspecialized care
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Frank L. Aymami III

How a Young Athlete Overcame Guillain-Barre Syndrome

John was a senior in high school and a cross-country star. While he was training for the state championship, he felt his legs weaken. Just a few days before Thanksgiving, John was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy and needed to spend eight days on a ventilator as his respiratory system was shutting down. While at the hospital, he was further diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological condition where the immune system attacks the nerves. For months he was in and out of the hospital, but through persistent help from doctors, rehab, and new treatments, John recently ran a 5k with the hospital CEO, Lou Fragoso. From a 5-minute mile to a life-changing diagnosis, Children’s Hospital New Orleans made it possible for John to run again. 

Children's Hospital New OrleansGuillain-Barre Syndromespecialized care
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