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  • Sydney's story

    Article

    Sydney's story

    College sophomore Sydney’s life revolves around her online courses at Southern University (her dream school) where she’s majoring in mass communications.

  • A love letter to a future bone marrow donor

    Article

    A love letter to a future bone marrow donor

    Robert, a sickle cell patient at Children’s Health, is looking for a bone marrow donor. His mother writes a letter in hopes of encouraging people to participate in the National Marrow Donor Program to find the perfect match for Robert and kids like him.

  • A new heart restores Carlos’ playful spirit

    Article

    A new heart restores Carlos’ playful spirit

    In the summer of 2020, Carlos received the gift of a lifetime – a new heart. Karla and her husband Johnny are still in awe of what happened that day, just three months after they brought their 3-year-old son Carlos to Children's Health℠.

  • Allie's story

    Article

    Allie's story

    Allen High School senior Allie has loved dancing for as long as she can remember. A student at the Hathaway Academy of Ballet in Plano, she dreams of dancing professionally.

  • A brave girl overcomes a rare disease & gives back

    Article

    A brave girl overcomes a rare disease & gives back

    When Brentlee, age 5, was born, all signs pointed to a happy and healthy baby. Her mother Amber carried her to full-term, her delivery went smoothly and she scored great on the Apgar assessment often performed on babies at birth. It wasn’t until she began having difficulties feeding that her mom first suspected something may be amiss.

  • A family takes heart in their darkest days

    Article

    A family takes heart in their darkest days

    Like many new parents, when Miguel and Jacqueline were expecting, they dreamt about their child's future. Their hopes and aspirations grew as they prepared to welcome a new life into the world – and on February 22, 2018, their baby girl, Olivia, was born.

  • A family moves time zones to be closer to a pediatric expert in prune belly syndrome (PBS)

    Article

    A family moves time zones to be closer to a pediatric expert in prune belly syndrome (PBS)

    When Samantha was 12 weeks pregnant with her son Beaux, she and her husband, Chris, visited her doctor's office for a routine anatomy scan. For Samantha, who already had two children, it started off as a familiar appointment, identifying Beaux's hands and feet and even viewing all four chambers of his heart. But when it came time to view his other organs, Samantha's motherly intuition sensed something was wrong.

  • A family finds answers and support for brothers with muscular dystrophy

    Article

    A family finds answers and support for brothers with muscular dystrophy

    When Daniel was 5 years old, he began experiencing chronic stomach pain and had difficulty walking after playing for a particularly long period of time. Believing that he may have a food-related allergy, his pediatrician referred Daniel to Isabel Rojas, M.D., Pediatric Gastroenterologist at Children’s Health℠ and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern.

  • A childhood connection leads to a heartfelt career

    Video

    A childhood connection leads to a heartfelt career

    Erin Hunter, RN, BSN, underwent her first open heart surgery to repair a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot, or TOF for short, when she was just nine months old. She was referred to Children's Medical Center by her physician after her mom noticed she lacked the energy of a typical infant, especially during feedings, and her fingers and lips occasionally turned blue. She would go on to have six additional open heart surgeries by the time she was 11 years old.

  • A doctor's dedication and a patient's road to recovery

    Article

    A doctor's dedication and a patient's road to recovery

    On Jan. 21, 2006, 21-month-old Brayden accidentally drank a caustic chemical. The chemical caused third degree burns to his mouth, esophagus and stomach. Brayden was rushed to a local hospital in Tyler, Texas, where he was sedated and put on a ventilator to help him breath. The medical team there contacted Children's Health℠, requesting help due to the serious nature of Brayden's injury.

  • A football player captures his cancer experience in an inspiring music video

    Video

    A football player captures his cancer experience in an inspiring music video

    Davion is a high school student who enjoys spending time with family and friends. He loves sports, especially football, which he has played since he was 4 years old. As a junior, Davion played middle linebacker and was varsity captain. But a few months after the season ended, the talented athlete got unexpected news: He had cancer.

  • A dedicated athlete doesn’t let diabetes define him

    Article

    A dedicated athlete doesn’t let diabetes define him

    Anthony has always been an active child. He's played a variety of sports since he was 4 years old and never had any major medical concerns growing up. So when he started losing weight shortly before his 11th birthday, his parents, Laura and Raul, became concerned.

  • A dance with type 1 diabetes

    Article

    A dance with type 1 diabetes

    Lily spends every moment she can dancing with her studio. From hip hop to ballroom to tap, she competes in all types of dance. She's been a junior Texas Legends dancer, a mini Dallas Cowboy cheerleader and has placed in the top 10 of solo competitions.

  • A competitive barrel racer succeeds after pediatric hand surgery at Children's Health

    Article

    A competitive barrel racer succeeds after pediatric hand surgery at Children's Health

    Shylynne, known as "Shy" to her friends and family, has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She got her first horse, Shirley, to ride around in her backyard when she was just 4 years old. Around the time she turned 6, she discovered her passion: competitive barrel racing. This rodeo event for women times a rider while she completes a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, showcasing the athleticism and skill of both the horse and the rider.

  • A breath of fresh care for Matthew and his family

    Article

    A breath of fresh care for Matthew and his family

    Planes, trains and automobiles are just a few of Matthew's interests. He spends his days playing outside with his older brother, and his parents describe him as a happy child. You'd never know he fought courageously for his life – before he was even born.

  • A boy, and his dog, live every day to the fullest

    Article

    A boy, and his dog, live every day to the fullest

    Easton was 4 years old when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It was a day his mother, Lexie, will never forget. "He had been feeling off for the last few months – always hungry, constantly thirsty and several nighttime accidents," she says. "We just figured he was going through a growth spurt."

  • A multidisciplinary care team helps Carson overcome critical health challenges

    Article

    A multidisciplinary care team helps Carson overcome critical health challenges

    When Carson was born, nearly everything he ate made him sick. His mom, Stephanie, tried 10 different baby formulas before she finally found one that worked. His pediatrician suspected he was suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a blood test soon determined Carson was also allergic to five different foods.

  • Hope's story: Born ready to overcome

    Article

    Hope's story: Born ready to overcome

    High school freshman Hope has had enough surgeries to know exactly what to do when she wakes up from a procedure. She focuses on the people around her, slowly taking in one and then another.

  • Bella's story

    Article

    Bella's story

    Paint was right there for the two-and-a-half months Bella stayed at Children’s Health and received treatment for anorexia.

  • H'lyia's story: A resilient teen, her dedicated mom and their medical journey

    Article

    H'lyia's story: A resilient teen, her dedicated mom and their medical journey

    High school senior, H'lyia, 17, is one of those kids whose schedule is packed with activities. Throughout high school, she’s been an active member of the mock trial team. She participates in the National Honor Society and Top Teens of America, a youth program that focuses on cultural, academic and civic activities.

  • Amelia thrives thanks to the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence

    Article

    Amelia thrives thanks to the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence

    To know Amelia is to love her. She's bright, articulate and has never met a stranger. Looking at this bubbly 4-year-old, one would never guess her complex medical history. Amelia's adoptive mother, Robin, says this alone is a testament to the care that Amelia has received at Children's Health. In fact, Robin says that if not for the quick actions of the Children's Health foster care clinic years ago, Amelia would most likely not be alive.

  • Preparing your teen with T1D for life after high school

    Article

    Preparing your teen with T1D for life after high school

    Graduating high school is a major milestone for all teens. Whether they plan to go to college in the fall, enroll in a technical program or embark upon a career, it’s a time of significant change and transitions.

  • A young girl born with airway issues finds healing at Children's Health

    Article

    A young girl born with airway issues finds healing at Children's Health

    When Laura was pregnant with her twin daughters, Marlee and Lambert, a routine sonogram revealed an issue with Lambert's development in utero. After a number of tests and screenings, a cardiologist at UT Southwestern determined that while Lambert's heart was functioning normally, it was rotated on a different axis than a typical heart. Additionally, an MRI uncovered that one of Lambert's lungs was not developing properly and that her esophagus was not connected to her stomach. Instead, her esophagus and trachea were connected in several spots due to a condition called tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), which was causing additional fluid to leak into her lungs instead of her stomach.

  • A young boy with EoE finds comprehensive care at Children's Health

    Article

    A young boy with EoE finds comprehensive care at Children's Health

    Just before his fourth birthday, Liam began experiencing some gastroenterological issues. He had trouble keeping his food down and would often choke while eating, an issue his parents were familiar with since Liam had struggled with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, as a newborn.

  • A young GERD patient gets answers after 10 years

    Article

    A young GERD patient gets answers after 10 years

    For the past 10 years, Gentiana and her family have searched for answers to chronic gastroenterological issues she has dealt with since birth. As an infant, Gentiana suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Since then, she has seen a number of pediatricians, and her symptoms included difficulty swallowing, an itchy throat, abdominal pain and poor appetite. Each time, her doctors prescribed medications to help relieve the symptoms, but the issues never really went away.

  • A teen's long journey leads to hope and helping others with Crohn's

    Article

    A teen's long journey leads to hope and helping others with Crohn's

    For Maddie, art has always been a much-needed outlet to manage life's stresses. Whether drawing to decompress after a challenging day at school or painting her way through the pressures of being a teenager, her artistic passions have helped her through some difficult times – including living with Crohn's disease, a battle she has fought for nearly a decade.

  • A patient facing severe GI issues gets answers and gains confidence

    Article

    A patient facing severe GI issues gets answers and gains confidence

    Mark is a happy middle schooler who likes playing basketball and hanging out with friends. However, an intestinal condition once prevented him from enjoying these everyday activities. Mark's parents, Jessica and Mitch, had spent years searching for a solution that would improve their son's quality of life before finally finding the answers and support they were looking for at Children's Health.

  • An active teen manages his ulcerative colitis and prepares for adulthood

    Article

    An active teen manages his ulcerative colitis and prepares for adulthood

    When Josh was 13, he and a handful of his teammates got sick during a soccer tournament in Asheville, North Carolina. But while his friends easily recovered, Josh's symptoms worsened drastically over the next three weeks, causing him to miss school and lose a significant amount of weight.

  • A little girl with celiac disease finds healing through changes in her diet

    Article

    A little girl with celiac disease finds healing through changes in her diet

    Hadley had always experienced trouble sleeping and intermittent stomach pain, but it never really concerned her pediatrician because she was still growing and gaining weight. However, by the time she turned 7 years old, her parents decided it was time to figure out what was going on. Her father had recently been diagnosed with celiac disease so Hadley's parents thought it was a good idea to rule it out, since the disease can be hereditary. They were living in Arizona at the time so they visited their local pediatric hospital for blood work and an endoscopy. Both confirmed that Hadley had celiac disease, just like her dad.

  • A young boy with celiac finds support at Children's Health

    Article

    A young boy with celiac finds support at Children's Health

    Caleb is a joyful 6-year-old who loves LEGO, all-things-Disney and his dog Sebastian. He wants to be a firefighter when he grows up so he can help people, and his mom, Sarah, a pediatrician, describes him as "one of the kindest people I've ever met." Like many other families, Caleb and his family enjoy pizza and movie nights most weekends with just one exception – Caleb's homemade pizza is gluten free, a necessity since he was diagnosed three years ago with celiac disease.

  • A second opinion at Children's Health provides answers for a patient living with Crohn's disease

    Article

    A second opinion at Children's Health provides answers for a patient living with Crohn's disease

    When Nolan was just 8 years old, he and his brother were chasing each other around the house when all of a sudden he grabbed his stomach, bent over and yelled out in pain. His mom Tina, who happened to be in the room at the time, asked him what was wrong, but Nolan just shrugged it off. After suggesting he try to use the bathroom, Tina discovered that Nolan was having abnormal bowel movements and had been for quite some time.

  • A young ballerina doesn't let injury hold her back

    Article

    A young ballerina doesn't let injury hold her back

    Hannah has felt "at home" on the dance floor since she took her first ballet class at just 2 years old. Over the years, she has expanded her repertoire to include tap, jazz and hip-hop, but her first love of ballet – and now pointe – is evident. The 14-year-old trains around 23 hours a week at a Dallas-area dance studio.

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