Keaton was diagnosed at age 5 with chronic osteomyelitis, a severe and potentially incapacitating infection of bone and bone marrow. This rare condition has caused him to experience countless infections and surgeries, intense pain and swelling. At age 10, Keaton got an infection in his foot and doctors commented that it was the most severe infection they’d seen in a child, and also that he has the worst case of arthritis they have seen in a child. The infection affected the cartilage in Keaton’s ankle and broke it down resulting in his ankle becoming bone on bone. As a result, his bones are fusing and applying pressure on other joints and he will likely need an ankle replacement in the future. The severity of his condition leaves him extremely susceptible to serious infection and has endured more rounds of antibiotics than anyone his age should ever have.
This young man has experienced a lot of pain and his parents have also endured many ups and downs with his hospital stays and attempting to keep him safe from infections. In spite of it all, Keaton is an active kid who loves gym class and aspires to be a pro athlete. While Keaton still can’t do everything other kids do for fear that the infection might come back yet again, he’s making the most of his time to be a kid and Wishes & More was here to support him by granting his recent wish to visit Disney World! A few of his favorites were getting a strawberry milkshake every day at Give Kids the World Village and riding the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios. Mom recalls, “To take a family vacation and forget about all the issues we’ve dealt with was incredible!” We’re so grateful we could play a role in helping this family heal after enduring so much and wish Keaton continued success in keeping more infections at bay.
