Isaac’s Impact
Children’s hospitals provide advanced care for the most complex conditions in environments specially designed for pediatric patients, allowing children like Isaac to thrive.
Joe Cascio
Our Stories
Every day, children’s hospitals help make moments possible. From providing access to the comprehensive care that children need to grow up to supporting children, teens, and their families with specialized treatment for some of the most complex illnesses. Discover more about the moments made possible by children’s hospital through patient stories from around the country.
Video Stories
Cami’s Courage
The specialized multidisciplinary teams at children’s hospitals ensure that children and teens – like Cami – can beat multiple complex conditions like cancer and heart failure.
Joseph’s Journey
The advanced, specialized care that children’s hospitals provide make moments – like Joseph beating pediatric brain cancer – possible.
Daniella’s Drive
With care delivered by specially trained pediatric clinicians, in environments designed just for children, children’s hospitals help children and teens – like Daniella – navigate complex medical conditions.
Featured Story
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.
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Specialized care makes Ashley’s dreams a reality
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.
Photo Credit: Mike Dickbernd
Patient becomes doctor at the same hospital that saved her life
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.
Star student returns to school after courageous cancer fight
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.
Unique program helps premature babies go home sooner
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.
From a life-threatening birth defect to a healthy 6-year-old
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!
Elizabeth Christian Public Relations
Meeting Milestones Thanks to Specialized Care
Joen was born with several complex medical conditions that needed immediate specialized care. He was born with a cleft lip, ear malformations, a heart defect, and encephalocele, a hole in the bone of his head. The El Paso Children’s Hospital was able to treat each one of Joen’s conditions because of the multidisciplinary teams that have been created, allowing a level of specialized care that did not exist in the area before. After several treatments and surgeries, Joen is thriving, meeting all of his milestones and enjoying life alongside his brothers and family in El Paso.
