At the end of summer, just as Theo was supposed to return to school, he instead settled in at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital for a heart transplant. Being away from school and friends, Theo began to get lonely. That’s when Seacrest Studios at Levine Children’s Hospital invited him to co-host BINGO. Seacrest Studios are broadcast media centers built within children’s hospitals, giving pediatric patients the opportunity to explore different forms of media through interactive programs at children’s hospitals. Theo had so much fun during his first interaction that he returned any time he wanted to laugh or make a friend. On Theo’s 100th day at the hospital, Seacrest Studios staff surprised him by dressing up as 100-year-olds! Thanks to the upbeat, exciting environment Seacrest Studios provided, Theo made many happy memories and some friends along the way. Theo successfully received his new heart, and although his hospital stay is now over, he still stops by Seacrest Studios when he has follow-up appointments. Creative, interactive programs like Seacrest Studios help make pediatric hospital stays – no matter how short or long – more enjoyable for pediatric patients like Theo.

At 14-years-old, Abby began to experience knee pain. As a gymnast, Abby and her family chalked it up to an injury but when the pain didn’t go away, Abby got an MRI which revealed a mass in her leg. A biopsy confirmed it was osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that tends to occur in children and young adults. If the osteosarcoma is not advanced, it can be treated by removing the affected limb and undergoing chemotherapy. Abby and doctors at Norton Children’s Cancer Institute wanted to find a treatment path that offered her the most mobility and decided to perform a rotationplasty instead of a full limb amputation. The procedure involves removing the bottom of the femur, the knee and the upper tibia, and then the lower leg is rotated and attached to the femur. The ankle becomes the knee joint and patients wear a prosthetic limb on their reattached foot. Abby had her rotationplasty and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Norton Children’s. Abby’s family is no stranger to Norton Children’s. Her younger brother received a heart transplant at the hospital, and Abby recovered in one of the same rooms her brother used while in the hospital. The family is comforted knowing the care team at the hospital will treat Abby like family and remain optimistic about Abby’s journey. 

Angelina was enjoying another day of fourth grade in January 2023 when she suddenly collapsed because of ventricular fibrillation (VF), a life-threatening arrhythmia that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. School nurses quickly intervened with CPR, paramedics defibrillated her heart, and she was later flown to Children’s Nebraska’s Criss Heart Center for surgery. There, a cardiothoracic surgeon placed an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in Angelina’s chest. Her ICD tracks and analyzes her heart rhythm and will deliver a shock to her heart if she ever experiences an irregular, life-threatening arrhythmia again. Because of the quick response from her school nurses, paramedics and the expert team at Children’s, Angelina is healthy and back in school. Her school also achieved a Heart Safe School designation through the hospital’s Project ADAM program in May 2023, ensuring advanced preparedness for an unexpected cardiac event with automated external defibrillator (AED) and CPR training and a practiced response plan that improves safety for students, staff and community visitors alike. Now 10 years old, Angelina has since returned to her active lifestyle, playing the violin and piano and participating in basketball, volleyball and dance. She and her family feel supported and prepared for her future thanks to the care Children’s delivered.

When Rai was born, her parents immediately noticed something was wrong. Rai was born with facial deformities and a notch in her right eyelid, and she was having trouble eating and breathing. By the time she was 11 months old, her condition had worsened. Her parents brought her to CHRISTUS Children’s, where a CT scan revealed Rai had a complex vascular ring constricting her esophagus and trachea, explaining her troubles with eating and breathing. Doctors also discovered she has Goldenhar Syndrome, which caused her craniofacial abnormalities. Using innovative techniques and equipment, her medical team conducted a successful effective yet minimally invasive surgery. After the procedure, she received close monitoring in the pediatric intensive care unit to ensure a smooth recovery. Rai has shown remarkable progress and is a lively and vibrant child. She will receive cosmetic surgery for her facial abnormalities once she turns two or three years old. Looking back on their time with CHRISTUS Children’s, Rai’s parents are extremely grateful for the supportive medical team and the incredible care she received.  

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. 

While Hudsyn was born healthy, once he was a few months old, he became increasingly uncoordinated, had weak muscle tone, and suffered migraines. His mom took him to Mary Bridge Children’s, where an MRI exposed syringomyelia, a fluid-filled cyst that grows in the spinal cord and can impact nerves. After the diagnosis, he underwent his first brain surgery, which didn’t alleviate his symptoms very much. About a year later, Hudsyn returned for his second brain surgery. Following this surgery, he relearned how to walk in physical therapy, but his migraines returned. A few months later, at only four years old, he underwent this third and most successful brain surgery. His surgeon guided him through each step of the way, forming an unbreakable bond with Hudsyn. After the third procedure, Hudsyn worked hard at physical therapy to relearn how to walk again. With determination and persistence, he finished physical therapy and was cleared to play sports! Now, he loves throwing balls and running but enjoys playing T-ball most of all. When he’s not playing ball on the field, Hudsyn loves dressing up as a doctor at home!