Isaac, better known as ‘Spike,’ is a top football player, attributing much of his success to the team efforts of Norton Children’s Orthopedics. In middle school, Spike was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, a knee pain that most commonly occurs in young athletes going through growth spurts. Doctors at Norton Children’s helped Spike manage the pain, but just as he was approaching high school, he severely fractured his femur with patella dislocation. After the fracture, Spike’s care team performed surgery and provided extensive rehabilitation, allowing him to return to football the following season. Each of these challenges could have derailed his athletic dreams, but his coordinated care team guided him through every step of recovery.  As soon as he stepped back on the field, he excelled as a player and became a team leader. The hospital’s team not only healed his physical injuries but also helped him navigate the emotional struggles associated with such setbacks. Today, Spike is set to continue his football career at North Carolina State University. He continues to visit his team at Norton Children’s to follow up on past injuries and set himself up for a healthy, successful future.