Meet Our Patients
There's no one better to describe the special care St. Louis Children's Hospital provides than our patients and their families. They can tell you not only about their medical problems, but also about the concern, comfort and expert treatment they received at our hospital. From bone marrow transplants to cerebral palsy to liver disorders, our patients and their families have had a front row seat for some of the most advanced pediatric care in the country.
Bone Marrow Transplant Program
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that's the case, one of Adiba Islam's most recent masterpieces tells a story about strength, courage and beauty.
Seven-year-old Justin Kramer loves to play baseball; he’s also king on the kickball court; and a collector of coveted Yu-Gi-Oh cards (the latest craze in the Pokemon phenomenon). Thanks to a stem cell transplant, he’s a happy, healthy child.
To witness a miracle is one of life's rarest and most extraordinary blessings. Stevie Sipes has witnessed two. Stevie's journey began in 2003, when she noticed a painful bump on her head.
Brain Tumor (Neuro-Oncology) Program
Anthony Bechelli’s heroes are musicians like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. He’s a musician who appreciates the classics.
When Brandon Dennis was diagnosed with a brain tumor at five-years-old, the last thing on his parents’ minds was his hearing. After brain surgery, two years of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation, the cancer went away. But slowly, in the years that followed, Brandon’s hearing also began to go away.
Courtney Phinney will spend the rest of her life making good on a promise – a promise she credits for making the rest of her life possible.
If you ask Leah Biskup, she'll tell you she's an ordinary teenager -- studying for mid-term exams at St. Louis University, hanging out with friends and carrying out the daily social rituals of a 19-year-old from University City.
Center for Cerebral Palsy Spasticity
In 1987 at the University of Virginia, pediatric neurosurgeon T.S. Park, MD, sought to decrease the cerebral palsy spasticity of 5-year-old Sara Kate. He performed a new and somewhat controversial procedure that made her more comfortable and enabled her mother to better manage her care.
A baby's first step is a proud and joyous milestone for moms and dads, but for parents of a child with cerebral palsy, it can represent a dream that may go unfulfilled. Three-year-old Sa'Reena Kyle overcame exceptional obstacles before she learned to walk. It may have happened later than most kids, but she is walking tall now -- and quickly catching up with her peers.
Tyler King is just four years old, but his determination is inspiring. For the first four years of his life, Tyler has encountered challenges that most adults would find difficult.
Center for Foot Disorders
When a prenatal ultrasound revealed that Sara and Aaron Trombley's unborn son had congenital vertical talus, they already knew where they would go. Just 18 months earlier, their firstborn son, Ashton, was born with the same foot deformity.
Even before Alexis was born, she was diagnosed with a foot deformity known as clubfoot. Her parents sought treatment with pediatric orthopedic specialist Dr. Matthew Dobbs.
Colin was diagnosed with clubfoot the day he was born. Colin was treated immediately with no relief. Then his mom learned about Dr. Matthew Dobbs at St. Louis Children's Hospital, who specializes in bracing to correct clubfoot.
Ethan's journey with clubfoot began when he was diagnosed with clubfoot in the womb. He was just ten days old when he began treatment with Dr. Matthew Dobbs at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Like his mom, Sam was born with the foot deformity known as clubfoot. But after her experience with painful surgery as a child, Allison decided to bring Sam to pediatric orthopedic specialist Dr. Matthew Dobbs for non-surgical treatment known as the Ponseti Method.
Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Institute
Born with a cleft lip and palate, and living with joint issues, Andrew Range has overcome his medical challenges and will play ball at Busch Stadium.
Paiton was born with hypertelorism, a condition associated with multiple craniofacial anomalies, including abnormally-spaced eyes.
Matthew Roche has a rare disease called Crouzon syndrome, which causes the skull bones to fuse prematurely. This leads to cranio-facial deformities including bulging eyes and dental problems. Matthew has had multiple surgeries to try and normalize his appearance. Now that he is full-grown, he is ready for a full reconstruction.
One look at Landon Snethen, and you can tell there’s a lot going on in that head of his. Landon is a happy, busy 1-year old boy, but when he was only three weeks old, his family had real concerns.
Cochlear Implant Program
Kennedy is just one example of the many brave kids whose lives have been changed thanks to a surgery performed at Children's Hospital. Kennedy was born with cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that can cause birth defects in unborn babies, including hearing loss, as it did in Kennedy’s left ear.
Luke Morra is just like any 18-month-old boy. He loves dancing to music. He enjoys swimming and running through the sprinkler outside with his brothers. He’s constantly learning and points at things he finds interesting. He responds when his parents call his name.
David was born with cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that rarely causes obvious illness. However, it can damage the nervous system, including causing hearing loss, as it did in David. At age 4, he was fitted for hearing aids, and by age 6 he was completely deaf.
In January, Joshua Webb, 13, underwent a cochlear implant at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The surgery itself wasn’t an unusual occurrence at the hospital. The Cochlear Implant Team has an international reputation for treating hearing loss, and it has performed more than 575 pediatric cochlear implants since the mid-1980s.
Critical Care Medicine/Pediatric Intensive Care (PICU)
Joe and Cecilia Detwiler were critically injured in a motor vehicle accident near their family farm. After months of rehabilitation following a brain injury for Joe, and a nearly severed leg for Cecilia, both are alive, thriving and providing proof to their loved ones that miracles do happen.
Richard and Rita Teague had never given trauma credentials much thought until the night their sixteen-year-old daughter, Anna, was airlifted to St. Louis Children’s from the site of a devastating motor vehicle accident.
Down Syndrome Center
Doctors discovered that Marcy had severe leakage in her left atrioventricular valve and her heart function was deteriorating. Further evaluation revealed problems with the electrical system of her heart.
Emergency Medicine
Joe and Cecilia Detwiler were critically injured in a motor vehicle accident near their family farm. After months of rehabilitation following a brain injury for Joe, and a nearly severed leg for Cecilia, both are alive, thriving and providing proof to their loved ones that miracles do happen.
Epilepsy Center
The journey for Lucia and her family has been a long and challenging one over her short life. By the time Lucia was 3, she was experiencing as many as 15 seizures a day. But following a hemispherotomy, this now-7-year-old has been seizure-free.
General Surgery
Nick eats like a typical 14-year-old boy, listing common favorites like steak, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, pizza and breadsticks,. “He eats like crazy,” says his mom, Angela Peppers.
Only four months into pregnancy, Mary Vicente discovered it would take all of her family’s faith and strength to fight for Dave’s life. Dave was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and congenital diaphragmatic hernia when he was still in my womb.
Baby Grace is celebrating her first birthday. After a year of fear and uncertainty, her mom and dad say they're finally ready to exhale.
It’s not often a 5-year-old patient looks forward to trips to a hospital, but that is the case with Carter Casey and his visits to his friends in the Pediatric Acute Wound Service (PAWS) at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Carter first came to PAWS at age 4 with what initially was thought to be a perirectal abscess.
Heart Transplant Program
When four-month-old Haevyn Stoddard's heart began to fail, doctors put her on a heart-lung machine. When that wasn't enough to sustain her, a new transport service offered at St. Louis Children's Hospital served as her lifeline.
At less than 4 months of age, Evan Wells was the first patient at St. Louis Children’s Hospital to receive a heart transplant from a donor with a different blood type. It’s called an ABO-incompatible heart transplant. Evan has type O blood and received a heart from a donor with type A blood. This rare procedure took place on August 31, and Evan is currently listed in critical but stable and improving condition in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Hematology/Oncology Services
For many people, the month of September represents a return to classes and to schoolwork. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. So for survivors like Brooke Cantwell, it means so much more.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that's the case, one of Adiba Islam's most recent masterpieces tells a story about strength, courage and beauty.
Anthony Bechelli’s heroes are musicians like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. He’s a musician who appreciates the classics.
When Brandon Dennis was diagnosed with a brain tumor at five-years-old, the last thing on his parents’ minds was his hearing. After brain surgery, two years of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation, the cancer went away. But slowly, in the years that followed, Brandon’s hearing also began to go away.
Imagine yourself trying to maintain a straight-A average in school, practice competitive tap, jazz, and modern dance for twenty hours a week, juggle time with friends and family at the same time your body is being compromised by an undetected tumor. Thirteen-year-old Clare Blase did all of that and more for several months as she was battling the side effects of Cushing’s Syndrome and Adrenocortical Carcinoma—cancer of the adrenal glands.
Courtney Phinney will spend the rest of her life making good on a promise – a promise she credits for making the rest of her life possible.
Nine-year-old Kaitlyn Holste is a competitive gymnast. And like most dedicated athletes, she didn’t let a minor cough and some mild fatigue get in the way of her training. But last October, when she complained about difficulty breathing, her mom took her to the hospital near their home in Effingham, Illinois.
Four-year-old Krystabelle Wiles is so happy and outgoing—she always seems to “spread a little sunshine” wherever she goes. Since the day she arrived as the very first baby of the New Year at Farmington’s Parkland Health Center, she has won people over with her sunny, go-with-the-flow personality. These traits are serving her well as she battles embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma—a form of muscle cancer.
If you ask Leah Biskup, she'll tell you she's an ordinary teenager -- studying for mid-term exams at St. Louis University, hanging out with friends and carrying out the daily social rituals of a 19-year-old from University City.
Daniel Tavernaro just turned four. And his birthday party was a smash! Dozens of friends celebrated at the Chuck E. Cheese’s in Daniel’s hometown of Weir, Kansas.
Seven-year-old Justin Kramer loves to play baseball; he’s also king on the kickball court; and a collector of coveted Yu-Gi-Oh cards (the latest craze in the Pokemon phenomenon). Thanks to a stem cell transplant, he’s a happy, healthy child.
Mary Swenson knew it wasn’t good news when her pediatrician’s office called her at 6:30 in the evening with the results of her eight-year-old son Brandon’s blood tests. “They told me to get a pen and paper to take some notes. My doctor said that something wasn’t quite right with his blood work and that they had already scheduled an appointment at St. Louis Children’s Hospital for 10:30 the next morning.” Within 24 hours, Brandon was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.
There’s nothing Braydon Nugent likes more than spending time at his great-grandparents’ farm. That’s why his mom Emily was so concerned when she noticed how listless her normally energetic almost-four-year old was during a weekend at the farm in August of 2010.
No matter how old you are, it is difficult to live with a chronic illness—especially one as unpredictable as sickle cell disease. Thirteen-year-old Alexis Gordon understands—she was diagnosed with Sickle Beta Thalassemia when she was two months old.
To witness a miracle is one of life's rarest and most extraordinary blessings. Stevie Sipes has witnessed two. Stevie's journey began in 2003, when she noticed a painful bump on her head.
9-year-old Madeline overcomes brain tumors to dance competitively and hold lemonade stands benefiting research
He survived cancer not once, but three times. This twelve-year-old discusses his battles with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue and muscle, as well as cancer of the thyroid. Today, you can catch up with the A student on the basketball court, the baseball field or in the kitchen cooking dinner!
Liver Care and Transplant Center
Jacob Gibbs is doing well, just a few months after becoming the youngest baby to receive a liver transplant at St. Louis Children's Hospital. He also is among the youngest babies in the world to ever receive a transplanted liver.
Just mention a child’s name to her grandma or grandpa, and you’re sure to get smiles, photos and countless stories. But Selma Wilham has a story that tops them all. When her granddaughter Kourtney was 7 months old, Selma loved her so much that she gave her a part of her liver.
A baby in a Minneapolis suburb needed a liver transplant, so his mom called St. Louis Children’s Hospital to ask about a second opinion to double-list her son.
Despite repeated assurances from her pediatrician, her mother could not understand why Emery was draining eight ounces of formula every three hours and still not gaining weight. She also knew that the yellow tint to the whites of her eyes were outside the range of “normal.”
A dream came true for 11-year-old Austin Sprock. All his life, Austin had to stick to a low-protein diet. He had Maple Syrup Urine Disease, a rare inherited disorder causing an inability to process protein properly. The name comes from the sweet odor of the urine. If untreated, the disease is life-threatening, and severe disability and paralysis can occur.
Just about any parent would gladly trade places with their sick child – anything to make them feel better. That’s how Leah Gleason wound up a patient herself, in a room at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She was on standby to donate part of her liver to then five-year-old daughter Lucie.
Lung Transplant Program
Eight-year-old Aiden was born without a palate, only one eye, one nostril and one lip. He developed lung problems when he was three months old. After extensive genetic testing at several major medical centers, the only thing doctors know about Aiden’s condition is that they really don’t know how to define it.
A newborn baby from Michigan is being kept alive at St. Louis Children’s Hospital with an artificial lung, the first time such a device has been used as a bridge to a lung transplant for a child this small.
After a childhood of hospitalization in Dallas, it was time for Myka Glennie to die. Cystic fibrosis and further lung complications as she grew older had taken their toll. During her nine months of hospice care as a young teen, her parents made arrangements with a funeral home and picked a cemetery plot.
Neurocritical Care Program
It was just another day at the park, playing softball with her friends, when Lily had a tragic accident that forever changed her life. She was running back to the softball field when she fell backwards and hit her head on concrete.
Since age 9, Greg has divided his time between two passions: baseball and music. His pitching progressed to the point that coaches put him on the mound in games against major opponents last year, when he was a freshman at Vianney.
Just after noon on January 30, 2010, Sherry Mitchem picked up the phone. “They said Drew had an accident.” She remembers. “I thought, ‘Oh, he hurt his arm or leg.’ I never imagined it was going to be such a traumatic event.”
Neurofibromatosis (NF) Clinical Program
Elana Loftspring was twelve when she decided to send care packages to children in need of comfort and care. Now, after seventy packages and more than a year later, Elana has reached children from all over the world.
When Roberta Miller’s 7-year-old daughter, Jolene Green, required surgery to remove a tumor compressing her airway, she knew St. Louis Children’s Hospital was where her daughter needed to be.
Neurology Services
As a child, Jake was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rapidly-worsening form of muscular dystrophy caused by a defective gene for dystophin, a protein in the muscles. Despite being in a wheelchair for more than ten years, Jake still participated in all the things kids love to do growing up including swimming, going to camp, riding horses and playing his favorite game – baseball.
As a mother whose child, 13-year-old Jack, does not communicate verbally, Ann Schrooten is quick to point out that there is much more to Jack than the wheelchair, trach and medical equipment that accompany him.
Neurosurgery Services
In 1987 at the University of Virginia, pediatric neurosurgeon T.S. Park, MD, sought to decrease the cerebral palsy spasticity of 5-year-old Sara Kate. He performed a new and somewhat controversial procedure that made her more comfortable and enabled her mother to better manage her care.
Anthony Bechelli’s heroes are musicians like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. He’s a musician who appreciates the classics.
Courtney Phinney will spend the rest of her life making good on a promise – a promise she credits for making the rest of her life possible.
If you ask Leah Biskup, she'll tell you she's an ordinary teenager -- studying for mid-term exams at St. Louis University, hanging out with friends and carrying out the daily social rituals of a 19-year-old from University City.
The journey for Lucia and her family has been a long and challenging one over her short life. By the time Lucia was 3, she was experiencing as many as 15 seizures a day. But following a hemispherotomy, this now-7-year-old has been seizure-free.
A baby's first step is a proud and joyous milestone for moms and dads, but for parents of a child with cerebral palsy, it can represent a dream that may go unfulfilled. Three-year-old Sa'Reena Kyle overcame exceptional obstacles before she learned to walk. It may have happened later than most kids, but she is walking tall now -- and quickly catching up with her peers.
One of the first things the Mayhers did after Hannah joined their family was take her to St. Louis Children’s Hospital because they were uncertain of her long-term diagnosis and if she’d have a chance to walk or have the independence so many children count on.
Born with spina bifida and paralyzed from the waist down, this busy second-grader doesn’t let anything get in his way and always has a smile on his face.
In the traumatic delivery, Ariel suffered a brachial plexus injury, when her right arm was pinned behind her back in her mother’s birth canal. Brachial plexus injuries occur in about one in 1,000 births.
Tyler King is just four years old, but his determination is inspiring. For the first four years of his life, Tyler has encountered challenges that most adults would find difficult.
He survived cancer not once, but three times. This twelve-year-old discusses his battles with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue and muscle, as well as cancer of the thyroid. Today, you can catch up with the A student on the basketball court, the baseball field or in the kitchen cooking dinner!
Newborn Medicine/Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Baby Anna spent the first few weeks of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Louis Children's Hospital. She was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
Baby Grace is celebrating her first birthday. After a year of fear and uncertainty, her mom and dad say they're finally ready to exhale.
Lyndsey's babies suffered from Twin Twin Transfusion Syndrome, which means the amniotic fluid was not evenly distributed between the babies - causing one baby to have dangerously high levels.
Baby Chasin was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He had his first surgery at St. Louis Children's Hospital when he was only a few days old, and the second just a few months after that.
Sara's twins shared an amniotic sack and were not receiving the same fluid levels. If not corrected, her babies risked heart failure or death.
Michelle’s doctors at the Fetal Care Center wanted her to carry Logan to full term, but also wanted to make sure she delivered where experts were on hand to manage his illness, double outlet right ventricle, immediately.
Baby Luke was born with a rare brain malformation called polymicrogyria. He was diagnosed before he was born, giving his family the opportunity to learn about the disorder, and be fully prepared to care for Luke after he arrived.
Noah’s condition was stable while in utero. It wasn’t until after he was born—when his circulation transitioned to his own heart and lungs—that his health would be in jeopardy.
Learning they were going to have twins was a pleasant surprise for Michelle and Joe McGrew. Learning those twins had a condition called Twin-Twin-Transfusion Syndrome was also a surprise that created a lot of anxiety throughout Michelle's pregnancy.
Ophthalmology Services
Call it a mother's intuition. Christine knew something was wrong with her baby Cory's left eye from the day he was born. "He just didn't seem to be using it as much as his right eye," she says.
Orthopedics
When a prenatal ultrasound revealed that Sara and Aaron Trombley's unborn son had congenital vertical talus, they already knew where they would go. Just 18 months earlier, their firstborn son, Ashton, was born with the same foot deformity.
It was just after Clara Dawson’s first birthday when her family noticed something different about her little legs. One leg seemed to be longer than the other.
Even before Alexis was born, she was diagnosed with a foot deformity known as clubfoot. Her parents sought treatment with pediatric orthopedic specialist Dr. Matthew Dobbs.
Colin was diagnosed with clubfoot the day he was born. Colin was treated immediately with no relief. Then his mom learned about Dr. Matthew Dobbs at St. Louis Children's Hospital, who specializes in bracing to correct clubfoot.
Ethan's journey with clubfoot began when he was diagnosed with clubfoot in the womb. He was just ten days old when he began treatment with Dr. Matthew Dobbs at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Lucas crushed his finger between a 15-pound weight and a piece of wood. The ring finger on his left hand was split open and we could tell it was broken.
Like his mom, Sam was born with the foot deformity known as clubfoot. But after her experience with painful surgery as a child, Allison decided to bring Sam to pediatric orthopedic specialist Dr. Matthew Dobbs for non-surgical treatment known as the Ponseti Method.
By the time 14-year old Yorlene Reyes came to St. Louis from Honduras, her spine was deformed with a severe 132-degree curve.
Pediatric Acute Wound Service (PAWS)
It’s not often a 5-year-old patient looks forward to trips to a hospital, but that is the case with Carter Casey and his visits to his friends in the Pediatric Acute Wound Service (PAWS) at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Carter first came to PAWS at age 4 with what initially was thought to be a perirectal abscess.
Plastic Surgery
Born with a cleft lip and palate, and living with joint issues, Andrew Range has overcome his medical challenges and will play ball at Busch Stadium.
Seven-year-old Blair Partain is a fist-full of energy. Whether she’s bouncing on the trampoline, trying on costume jewelry or playing with her Barbie dolls, her mom says she’s a bona fide princess.
Paiton was born with hypertelorism, a condition associated with multiple craniofacial anomalies, including abnormally-spaced eyes.
A ten-year-old from south-central Missouri not only has a smile on his face after a devastating accident that nearly killed him, he has a new face altogether.
When Roberta Miller’s 7-year-old daughter, Jolene Green, required surgery to remove a tumor compressing her airway, she knew St. Louis Children’s Hospital was where her daughter needed to be.
Lucas crushed his finger between a 15-pound weight and a piece of wood. The ring finger on his left hand was split open and we could tell it was broken.
Matthew Roche has a rare disease called Crouzon syndrome, which causes the skull bones to fuse prematurely. This leads to cranio-facial deformities including bulging eyes and dental problems. Matthew has had multiple surgeries to try and normalize his appearance. Now that he is full-grown, he is ready for a full reconstruction.
These days, Mia can usually be found coddling one of her many dolls, participating in the activities of any good mother — feeding, kissing and holding her babies. According to the 18-month-old’s parents, Amy and Ryan Ramkhelawan, it is remarkable to see their little girl do something as simple as carry her doll around their Lilburn, Georgia, home.
One look at Landon Snethen, and you can tell there’s a lot going on in that head of his. Landon is a happy, busy 1-year old boy, but when he was only three weeks old, his family had real concerns.
Rheumatology
Eight-year-old Aiden was born without a palate, only one eye, one nostril and one lip. He developed lung problems when he was three months old. After extensive genetic testing at several major medical centers, the only thing doctors know about Aiden’s condition is that they really don’t know how to define it.
Sickle Cell Disease Program
No matter how old you are, it is difficult to live with a chronic illness—especially one as unpredictable as sickle cell disease. Thirteen-year-old Alexis Gordon understands—she was diagnosed with Sickle Beta Thalassemia when she was two months old.
Spina Bifida Clinic
One of the first things the Mayhers did after Hannah joined their family was take her to St. Louis Children’s Hospital because they were uncertain of her long-term diagnosis and if she’d have a chance to walk or have the independence so many children count on.
Born with spina bifida and paralyzed from the waist down, this busy second-grader doesn’t let anything get in his way and always has a smile on his face.
Surgical Services
Nick eats like a typical 14-year-old boy, listing common favorites like steak, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, pizza and breadsticks,. “He eats like crazy,” says his mom, Angela Peppers.
When Tiffany Morris was twenty weeks pregnant, her doctor delivered some scary news: her unborn baby had an omphalocele. “It was discovered at my routine ultrasound. My first reaction was shock—and then tears. I immediately hit the Internet to learn everything I could about this condition.”Initially, what she discovered was pretty frightening.
Joe and Cecilia Detwiler were critically injured in a motor vehicle accident near their family farm. After months of rehabilitation following a brain injury for Joe, and a nearly severed leg for Cecilia, both are alive, thriving and providing proof to their loved ones that miracles do happen.
The Center for Spinal Disorders
By the time 14-year old Yorlene Reyes came to St. Louis from Honduras, her spine was deformed with a severe 132-degree curve.
The Heart Center: Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery
At 8 months old, Correy Nehring was diagnosed at St. Louis Children’s Hospital with complex congenital heart disease consisting of a hypoplastic right ventricle with tricuspid atresia.
Only four months into pregnancy, Mary Vicente discovered it would take all of her family’s faith and strength to fight for Dave’s life. Dave was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and congenital diaphragmatic hernia when he was still in my womb.
When four-month-old Haevyn Stoddard's heart began to fail, doctors put her on a heart-lung machine. When that wasn't enough to sustain her, a new transport service offered at St. Louis Children's Hospital served as her lifeline.
Eight-year-old Aiden was born without a palate, only one eye, one nostril and one lip. He developed lung problems when he was three months old. After extensive genetic testing at several major medical centers, the only thing doctors know about Aiden’s condition is that they really don’t know how to define it.
Amanda and Armando Morales were ecstatic when they discovered they were expecting a baby in 2006. Yet the ultrasound they had when Amanda was 18 weeks pregnant squelched their joy and replaced it with worry.
McKenzi's Carmack's face has magical powers. When she widens her saucer-blue eyes to a full twinkle, and adds the toothy grin of an aspiring two-year-old, the forces mysteriously combine to draw people near her. They can't help it. Gazing into her eyes is enough to melt your heart. But gazing into her heart -- that was what really hurt.
Seven-year-old Phoenix Weaver is breathing easier these days. A car accident two years ago in her home town of Nixa, Missouri left her paralyzed from the neck down. She uses a wheelchair. Until a few weeks ago, she needed a ventilator 24-hours a day to help her breathe.
When parents talk about their child’s transplant, they’ll use words like “miracle,” “answered prayer,” or “life changing.” But when it comes to talking about the organ donor and his or her family—words are hard to find. That’s because they know their child’s life was saved at the same time another family faced a heartbreaking loss.
At less than 4 months of age, Evan Wells was the first patient at St. Louis Children’s Hospital to receive a heart transplant from a donor with a different blood type. It’s called an ABO-incompatible heart transplant. Evan has type O blood and received a heart from a donor with type A blood. This rare procedure took place on August 31, and Evan is currently listed in critical but stable and improving condition in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Four-year-old Kallie Finn and her dad have a lot in common. They both have dark hair; they like playing Candyland; and they’ve both had a heart transplant at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
If you ask Marik Lingo about her heroes, she’ll name three. The first is her little sister Tessa, the second, her oncologist and family friend Dr. Gale, and the third is St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the cardiothoracic surgeon who performed her heart transplant.
When you look at 14-year-old Jamie Chilese, it’s hard to believe that less than two years ago, she was so sick. Today, this healthy 8th grade girl loves to spend every spare minute outside; she swims, she hunts and goes fishing whenever she can.
When Roberta Miller’s 7-year-old daughter, Jolene Green, required surgery to remove a tumor compressing her airway, she knew St. Louis Children’s Hospital was where her daughter needed to be.
Katelyn has a defect called complete AV canal. Instead of four separate chambers, she had a hole in her heart where all the blood - oxygenated and non-oxygenated – ran together.
Michelle’s doctors at the Fetal Care Center wanted her to carry Logan to full term, but also wanted to make sure she delivered where experts were on hand to manage his illness, double outlet right ventricle, immediately.
Doctors discovered that Marcy had severe leakage in her left atrioventricular valve and her heart function was deteriorating. Further evaluation revealed problems with the electrical system of her heart.
When two-year-old Michael Habbe checked into St. Louis Children’s Hospital, his family was expecting the fight of their lives. What they got, they say, was a miracle.
Noah’s condition was stable while in utero. It wasn’t until after he was born—when his circulation transitioned to his own heart and lungs—that his health would be in jeopardy.
When Zac Egleston was 16 years old, he did something very few young people typically do. He listened to his body and sensed something was wrong.
Because of the timing of his hospitalization, Quinton, still recovering from a heart transplant, would miss the annual Polar Express party at his school. As a substitute, the Child Life team decided to throw him his own party.
Thomas and Quinton share a very special bond at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Both boys used a Berlin Heart as they awaited a heart transplant.
The Bartons kept a close eye on their 11-year-old son, thinking he might be fighting the flu or something else because of a rising fever. Even their dog, Peyton, seemed to sense Tysen’s distress when she jumped on his bed and seemed to be telling everyone that something was wrong with her buddy.
Transplant Services
When four-month-old Haevyn Stoddard's heart began to fail, doctors put her on a heart-lung machine. When that wasn't enough to sustain her, a new transport service offered at St. Louis Children's Hospital served as her lifeline.
Transport Services
When four-month-old Haevyn Stoddard's heart began to fail, doctors put her on a heart-lung machine. When that wasn't enough to sustain her, a new transport service offered at St. Louis Children's Hospital served as her lifeline.
Trauma Services
It was just another day at the park, playing softball with her friends, when Lily had a tragic accident that forever changed her life. She was running back to the softball field when she fell backwards and hit her head on concrete.
Seven-year-old Blair Partain is a fist-full of energy. Whether she’s bouncing on the trampoline, trying on costume jewelry or playing with her Barbie dolls, her mom says she’s a bona fide princess.
Since age 9, Greg has divided his time between two passions: baseball and music. His pitching progressed to the point that coaches put him on the mound in games against major opponents last year, when he was a freshman at Vianney.
A ten-year-old from south-central Missouri not only has a smile on his face after a devastating accident that nearly killed him, he has a new face altogether.
Just after noon on January 30, 2010, Sherry Mitchem picked up the phone. “They said Drew had an accident.” She remembers. “I thought, ‘Oh, he hurt his arm or leg.’ I never imagined it was going to be such a traumatic event.”
Joe and Cecilia Detwiler were critically injured in a motor vehicle accident near their family farm. After months of rehabilitation following a brain injury for Joe, and a nearly severed leg for Cecilia, both are alive, thriving and providing proof to their loved ones that miracles do happen.
Richard and Rita Teague had never given trauma credentials much thought until the night their sixteen-year-old daughter, Anna, was airlifted to St. Louis Children’s from the site of a devastating motor vehicle accident.
Urology Services
One of the first things the Mayhers did after Hannah joined their family was take her to St. Louis Children’s Hospital because they were uncertain of her long-term diagnosis and if she’d have a chance to walk or have the independence so many children count on.
Born with spina bifida and paralyzed from the waist down, this busy second-grader doesn’t let anything get in his way and always has a smile on his face.
Williams Syndrome Center
19-year-old Tim Schmitt has many hobbies and interests, including a love of music and St. Louis Cardinal baseball. St. Louis Children’s Hospital has been part of Tim’s family since he was born with a rare genetic disorder called Williams syndrome.
