Rowan Humphrey is almost two years old and works hard every day to master a skill that might not come as easily for him due to muscular dystrophy, a disease that causes weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles. But because of KidStreet, a half-day therapeutic program delivered by Children’s Hospital Colorado, Rowan is learning new things every day. He works with occupational, physical and speech and language therapists, medical assistants, music and art teachers, care coordinators, nurses and clinical nurse specialists, mental health consultants, early child educators, and more – and gets to socialize with other children his age. The care team at KidStreet has given Rowan, who is nonverbal, a voice by working with him to use eye gaze technology to communicate. Through this work, Rowan is learning new ways to interact with those around him, allowing his world to expand and his impact on that world to grow.  KidStreet is funded by Medicaid, which makes this outpatient therapy option for children with medically complex conditions more accessible and affordable.

Diana was born with pseudo-obstruction syndrome, a chronic condition that prevents muscles in the intestines from contracting normally. At only four years old, Diana received her first intestinal transplant at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. While the transplant performed well for years, she eventually developed a severe rejection of her graft, which ultimately led to the removal of her intestines. For the following five years, Diana could not eat or drink independently and lived on parenteral nutrition (TPN) – an IV delivering liquid nutrients to her body. When she turned 16, she decided she wanted a better life. Diana received a successful multiorgan transplant of a liver, pancreas, and intestines. Today, Diana has no signs of organ rejection and spends her time enjoying life as a teen and is back to eating her favorite foods. Diana plans to attend nursing school so she can one day work in pediatric care.

Adam was born with a rare heart defect, one that typically requires a few surgeries to correct. Due to a continued weakening of his heart and a clotting complication, Adam didn’t just need reparative surgery, he needed a transplant. Because of his heart condition, Adam had spent much of his short life in the hospital. Through all his ups and downs, he maintained his silly demeanor – making those around him laugh. Adam and his family had to be cautious about infection prevention during the wait for a heart because even a cold or minor illness could delay the surgery. After a five-month wait, the team at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital got the perfect heart for Adam. He had a successful transplant and was able to go home three weeks later. Almost three years old now, he loves playing with cars and keeping up with his older brothers.

At a run-of-the-mill 19-week prenatal scan, Baylee and Louis found out that their daughter had spina bifida, a birth defect that causes the spinal column to form improperly. After weighing their options, Baylee underwent fetal surgery at the Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The delicate procedure required surgeons to open Baylee’s uterus and close the opening in the baby’s back. At first, it was unclear what their daughter’s future would look like. Spina bifida can result in brain abnormalities and mobility issues. But after their daughter Mason was born, it was clear that the procedure had been a success. Mason came out kicking and screaming, a positive sign of normal brain and bodily function. Now, Mason is 5 years old and continues to exceed doctors’ expectations and surpass developmental milestones. Mason’s family believes that the outcome would not have been possible without the doctors at CHOP.

Within days of his birth, Hataalii Tiisyatonii (“HT”) was diagnosed with Artemis-SCID, a serious form of primary immunodeficiency, also known as “bubble baby” disease. Children with Artemis-SCID lack a functioning immune system, making them much more susceptible to infections. Many children with the disease don’t live past their first birthday. When a bone marrow transplant – the standard treatment for the disease – wasn’t viable for HT, University of California, San Francisco pediatricians thought their clinical trial might be the solution. HT became the first child in the world with Artemis-SCID to receive gene-correction therapy. The trial and procedure were successful and after a long recovery, HT is now back home in Arizona loving life on his family’s ranch.

Chelsea Fredrickson was born prematurely; at only 26 weeks she was considered a micropreemie. Weighing only one pound nine-point eight ounces, she had to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Studer Family Children’s Hospital for two months. Today, her journey has come full circle. Wanting to provide the same care that saved her life, Chelsea is a registered nurse in the same NICU, where she cares for some of the smallest and frailest born babies. Like Chelsea’s first few months of life, these children are born extremely early and need extensive care. Every day, she cares for and treats these premature babies, offering them the opportunity for a fulfilling life. Chelsea enjoys connecting with families and sharing her story of being born prematurely, a symbol of hope that every child has a chance at a beautiful life.