At just 11-years-old Gretchen started experiencing dizziness, joint pain, and fatigue. At tennis practice one day, Gretchen fainted and upon further testing, she was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a blood circulation condition that can cause painful and sudden symptoms, like nausea and dizziness. Since her diagnosis, Gretchen has worked hard under the care of experts at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) to learn how to manage her symptoms. CHoR has a duo of doctors who are experts in neurogastroenterology and autonomic disorders. They have been instrumental in helping Gretchen understand how the body and brain interact and the role that plays with her diagnosis. Gretchen takes vitamin supplements, focuses on staying active, and works with a cognitive behavioral therapist to understand how her brain responds to pain. Through her hard work and dedication, Gretchen has overcome her anxiety about flare-ups and experienced many firsts including her first trip abroad to Ireland and graduating from high school.

Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular atrophy, a serious genetic neuromuscular condition, at birth, everyday tasks were a hurdle for Ashley. With debilitating muscle weakness and problems with voluntary muscle movements, it was unclear whether she would ever reach her goal of attending college and living independently. Thanks to the expertise of numerous specialists at Gillette Children’s including neurologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, physical medicine & rehabilitation providers and internal medicine and pediatrics providers, Ashley was able to receive specially tailored and cutting-edge therapies. Ashely’s dream of going to college became a reality thanks to the dedication of her complex care team. Therapeutic recreation and social work played supporting roles in connecting the medical pieces of her puzzle by using tools, strategies and educational interventions to plan for the logistics of going to college with a rare and complex medical condition. Now, Ashley has completed her sophomore year at the University of North Dakota, where she is pre-law, studying criminal justice. 

At 10 years old, Maria needed a life-saving procedure to fix her heart. She was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a congenital heart defect that causes episodes of rapid heartbeat, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. After spending several months at Riley Children’s Health, she underwent several heart ablation procedures to fix the irregular electric signals in her heart. More than a decade later, Maria is back at Riley, but this time as a doctor. Maria went on to attend medical school at Marian University. Maria’s experience at Riley gave her a second chance at life, and since then, she has been determined to give back, now providing care at the same hospital that cared for her. 

Mila was playing in her bedroom when she bumped her left forearm on the bedframe. An initial X-ray didn’t show any sign of fracture, but the bump continued to grow so Mila’s family got a second opinion from an orthopedic specialist who referred them to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville. She underwent additional tests which ultimately led to the diagnosis of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. After 10 weeks and two rounds of chemotherapy, the mass shrunk to a size where pediatric orthopedic surgeons were able to remove it all without having to amputate Mila’s arm. Mila underwent additional chemotherapy and completed treatment. She will be closely monitored for any sign of recurrence but, for now, she’s enjoying each day as it comes and was excited to get back to school where she is a star student. 

Amanda and Rob Calvin were set to welcome their first child as Rob navigated a challenging pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Due to complications from a pre-existing bleeding disorder and preeclampsia, Amanda delivered baby Finn prematurely. He weighed just 3 pounds and 13 ounces. Following months of care in the NICU at Children’s Minnesota, Finn qualified for a new one-of-a-kind program called The Kid Experts® At Home. Families are provided with a scale and a tablet equipped with an app that allows parents to input vitals that are then shared and monitored remotely by the baby’s neonatal team. Finn got to go home a month early, giving the family valuable time together with Rob. Finn has graduated from the program. He’s walking, hitting other major developmental milestones, and making new memories every day with his mom.

Lori and Clay Smothers were overjoyed when they found out they were expecting a baby. Shortly after, the excitement turned to fear when an omphalocele – a birth defect of the abdominal wall that causes some organs to grow outside the body – was identified during a 12-week ultrasound. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital’s Fetal Center monitored Lori closely throughout her pregnancy and helped make Easton’s delivery possible. Shortly after his birth, Easton was transferred to Le Bonheur’s NICU and was under the care of the hospital’s pediatric subspecialists until he was 19-months old and his omphalocele was surgically repaired. He is now 6 years old and loves spending time outside with his dad!