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
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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A new heart means a new lease on life
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.
Fetal surgery for spina bifida helps Mason meet her milestones
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.
Barbara Riles for UCSF
History making gene therapy makes childhood possible
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.
From NICU patient to NICU nurse
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.
Gretchen takes on the world thanks to expert care
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.
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.
