When Samantha first started kindergarten, her mom, Vicki, noticed she wasn’t acting like herself. Her unusual behavior led to an emergency room visit where doctors discovered her glucose level was dangerously high. Samantha was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and within months came another difficult diagnosis: celiac disease. Samantha, however, stayed strong. Under the care and guidance of her team at Dayton Children’s Hospital, Samantha has learned to manage her life-altering conditions with extraordinary resilience. Throughout the seven years of her health journey, she has become a pro at continuous glucose monitoring and mastered the four daily insulin shots and strict demands that a gluten-free lifestyle requires. Her family rallied behind her, helping her carefully plan every meal and taking every step possible to prevent cross-contamination. Through it all, Samantha’s bright spirit has never dimmed. She proves that even in the face of complex health challenges, you can live a full, joyous life. 

When Lilly was only seven, she began experiencing bizarre symptoms, including a bloody nose that wouldn’t stop and unexplained bruises all over her body. Doctors initially believed she had Leukemia, but after months of testing, Lilly was diagnosed with aplastic anemia — a rare but serious blood disorder that occurs when bone marrow is unable to produce enough new blood cells. Doctors at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital helped Lilly through years of treatment, including treating her with medications, blood transfusions, and eventually a bone marrow transplant. Lilly is now 18 years old and is in remission thanks to the care she received at her children’s hospital. Lilly is a freshman at Davenport University studying to become a nurse practitioner. She hopes to one day work at the very hospital where she received care. Lilly says she is excited to reunite with some of the familiar faces who supported her through it all, but this time not as a patient, but as a practitioner.

After 4-year-old Livia had a hard fall on concrete while playing basketball with her dad and sister, she got up and dusted herself off. But soon after, she threw up, and her parents took her to Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, Minnesota, to be safe. They realized they’d made the right decision by bringing her in because the fall fractured her skull bone, causing blood to pool over her brain. Livia’s team of brilliant and caring doctors immediately performed surgery, stopping the internal bleeding and saving her life. After one overnight stay, Livia was cleared to go home. Livia has thrived since her procedure, beginning school and perfecting her bike riding. Her parents say she has experienced no lasting effects from her injury and is full of energy, all because of the care she received at the Mayo Clinic.

Mia was born five weeks early with only a 10 percent survival rate. She was soon diagnosed with Epstein Anomaly, a rare congenital heart defect. During Mia’s first eleven months of life, experts performed several surgeries and procedures to alleviate her frequent strokes and cardiac arrests. Doctors said she was one of the sickest newborns they had ever seen. But then something extraordinary happened. Mia celebrated her first birthday and then her second and third. And this year, she turned thirteen. Her team never gave up and provided frequent care during her first five years of life. Thanks to their care, Mia continues to reach remarkable milestones—inside and outside the hospital. When Mia turned ten years old, she and her family celebrated by raising money to support the development of innovative medical devices for patients with congenital heart disease. Now a teenager, Mia truly defies all odds. She still deals with health challenges, but her care team’s support at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital enables her to live an active, fulfilled life. 

Jeremy was born with Hemoglobin H Constant Spring, a blood disorder that affects his ability to produce healthy red blood cells. Because Jeremy is transfusion dependent, he visits Valley Children’s Healthcare every three to four weeks for blood transfusions. Along with administering these life-saving transfusions, his care team also provides genetic and nutrition counseling to ease additional symptoms. As Jeremy continued his care journey, he soon had a younger brother and sister by his side. Tinsley and Ryser also inherited the same condition, and the trio began navigating their diagnoses together. Since Jeremy’s parents had no prior knowledge they were carriers of the genetic condition, they are especially grateful for the clinical care and overwhelming support their team at Valley Children’s delivers. Today, Jeremy is as vibrant and playful as ever. From playing with action figures to building cities for superheroes, nine-year-old Jeremy’s boundless imagination is always coming to life.

When Bayliss was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer, her family was stunned. Her diagnosis, metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, is exceedingly rare, affecting less than 100 children in the U.S. every year. Thankfully, Bayliss received life-saving care at the Liver Tumor Program at Texas Children’s, one of the largest programs in the nation. When doctors first saw Bayliss, they found that her tumor was too large to be removed, and the cancer had spread to both lungs. She underwent a few rounds of chemotherapy at her local hospital and then returned to Texas Children’s to have her lung tumors removed. Despite the frightening prognosis, the care team at Texas Children’s gave her hope. They used a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together a diverse group of specialists and surgeons to provide the best quality of care. As part of the world’s largest children’s hospital, the Liver Tumor Program has access to the full range of subspecialty expertise – which is key for treating complex cases like Bayliss’. When her tumor wasn’t responding to the initial treatments, her doctors discussed trying a new medication. After one week on the drug, her health started improving across the board! Bayliss felt better than she had in months, and today, she is cancer-free!  She is thrilled to be back in school with her friends and will continue to see her team every few months for check-ups. Her family is grateful to Texas Children’s for saving Bayliss’ life.