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Preston donates to children’s hospital that helped save him

On his second birthday, Preston was in a near-fatal ATV crash. After the accident, he was immediately airlifted to Driscoll Children’s Hospital, where doctors discovered he had a traumatic brain injury. Suffering from two bilateral skull fractures, Preston’s brain was swollen and he was paralyzed on the right side of his body. Thankfully, his care team intervened swiftly, providing an initial brain surgery and a second procedure to help him regain mobility. After these successful surgeries, Preston began rehab, undergoing two years of intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Thanks to the team at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Preston can now walk, run, and talk and goes to pre-school! To celebrate his remarkable recovery and thank the hospital for providing life-saving care, Preston’s family and friends donated toys to Driscoll Children’s Hospital. With their generosity, more pediatric patients like Preston can experience comfort and joy during their hospital stay.

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Patient story with Ernesto Prieto during OT and PT appointments at the Burnsville Clinic of Gillette Children’s in Burnsville, Minnesota on Thursday, July 27, 2023.

Growing stronger every day with his specialized care team

Shortly after Ernesto’s premature birth, nurses discovered he had cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement, muscles, and posture. When Ernesto was six months old, his mother, Dalia, brought him to Gillette Children’s Cerebral Palsy Institute, one of the world’s top innovators in clinical care and research for patients like Ernesto. Here, he received an Infant and Toddler Development Evaluation to determine the best comprehensive treatment plan for his unique needs. As experts formed his treatment plan, the team outlined every medical service for Dalia, making her feel prepared and at ease. Now, at two years old, Ernesto regularly meets with an occupational therapist, physical therapist, and rehabilitation medicine physician. He continues to get stronger and exceed expectations. His therapists and physicians say he’s a delightful and social boy who works hard to improve his abilities. Today, Ernesto can be found zooming around on his gait trainer in the hospital’s therapy gym alongside his physical therapist. Dalia is excited to continue watching him grow and thrive with help from this team at Gillette Children’s. 

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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. 

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