Seven-year-old, Lilah has struggled all her life with an extremely rare genetic disorder that is destroying nerve cells in her brain and spinal cord. She is one of only 10 people in the US with this disease – but she has beaten the odds by her will to stay alive and and has outlived her […]
Last September, Chris & Christine became concerned about their 9-month old son, Brice, because he had become irritable and appeared to be in pain. A trip to their pediatrician resulted in a diagnosis of an ear infection and, yet, a couple weeks later, he still wasn’t the healthy, happy baby they knew. Back to the
Marques was born with congenital heart disease and had his first open heart surgery at just 12 days old. With continued monitoring, he was able to live a relatively normal life for the next 14 years and then things began to change. He started to have issues with breathing, chest pain, high blood pressure and,
Eliana’s parents knew they would adopt a child someday and after the birth of their 4th biological child they knew the time had come. These incredible parents traveled halfway around the world to the see the little girl they knew had special needs. But when they arrived at the Philippines orphanage, they discovered that the
Meet Willow! This outgoing, creative girl loves being in front of a crowd – whether she is singing, dancing or acting in a play, she is the life of the party. Despite her daily struggles with a gamut of spinal and bladder issues and constant monitoring for recurring infections, Mom describes her as “brave, happy
Remember Samson, the sweet and happy boy who has spent his life in and out of treatments because of his serious congenital condition? You may remember this little cutie from the video we posted of him receiving his official Wish Approval Letter (https://tinyurl.com/vop7jme). We’re happy to report that after all of the anticipation, Samson’s Disney
Nolan is a firecracker of a kid! He is always moving and loves anything that is big or loud! Monster trucks and trains are “the best” and he sleeps in a car bed, so you can guess that he loves cars as well! Nolan was born with a rare genetic mutation and severe muscular dystrophy.
Meet Jake… and Josh! If you weren’t told, you would never know that these athletic 16-year-old twins have struggled all their lives with significant, genetic heart conditions. These great guys are athletes and are a dynamic duo who are always at each other’s side – even on the baseball field! Jake and Josh play on
Eighteen-year-old Abigail had just started college at UWEC for Athletic Training when she received the diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma. She has had to put her long-awaited college dream on hold and focus instead on resting and allowing her intense treatments to take effect. These treatments have taken a toll on Abbie both emotionally and physically
Meet Rory! This artsy, creative teen recently endured a reconstructive surgery on her mouth, just one of the major health issues that she deals with due to her condition – Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. When Rory was six-years-old, she was diagnosed with this rare genetic condition and it has caused numerous issues for this kind young lady,
Like many teenagers, Rikki needed to have her wisdom teeth removed; however, when she went in for this routine surgery, she didn’t expect to hear that her jaw bone was deteriorating. The oral surgeon immediately took a biopsy, and when the results came back – Rikki learned that she had Ewing Sarcoma. Rikki’s life soon
Thirteen-year-old, Makena, is a delightful young lady who struggles daily with a very rare chromosomal syndrome resulting in developmental delays and a hole in her heart. Makena’s communication is very limited, but Dad knows exactly when she likes something because of her sweet smile and contagious giggle! She loves participating in lots of activities –
Tia was a fighter from day one. She and her twin were born at 24 weeks gestation and both overcame many obstacles in their first year. Mom shared that Tia fought especially hard for every ounce of freedom that she could get and through it all, she had a smile on her face. She also
Caleb has spent the last year in and out of the hospital after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He has endured 33 rounds of radiation and year-long chemotherapy treatments. His tumor is intertwined with much of his brain, and only a small portion could be removed so, unfortunately, the remaining mass is inoperable. However,
Meet Bowdenn! He is a typical, active one-year-old who loves to be outside swinging and playing . This little guy is an only child, and his diagnosis of Neuroblastoma rocked his family’s world. Cancer isn’t something that anyone wants to hear, and for first-time parents, Allie & Austin, their baby’s diagnosis was terrifying, and the
This past Easter, shortly after her 17th birthday, Paige came down with a severely high fever accompanied by a sore throat, stiff neck, and upset stomach. Oh no – COVID-19! No, that test came up negative. Mono? Strep? – also negative. Doctors continued testing, and to everyone’s surprise and dismay, cancer was the official diagnosis.
At just one month old, Rowan’s parents rushed her to the hospital with what they thought was a severe infection. However, after multiple tests, Rowan was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Her parents endured endless sleepless nights as they watched their baby girl spend 179 days in the hospital experiencing NINE lumbar punctures, FOUR bone
During the Summer months leading into her sophomore year, Megan started to feel run down and found out she had pneumonia. After 6 weeks of treatments, she wasn’t feeling well but she still went to her first day of school and her parents scheduled a doctor’s appointment right after the school day ended. Doctors were alarmed
Out of nowhere, after living an active and healthy life, 13 year old Jade suffered a traumatic seizure. After this crippling event, she was diagnosed with severe intractable epilepsy and she was placed in a medically induced coma so her medical team could run tests and locate the source of the problem. They woke her
Just short of his first birthday, this adorable little boy was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor – resulting in large growths on each of his kidneys. Asher immediately got started on a chemo protocol and his tumors responded well; however, he then developed Nephrotic syndrome. This condition damaged his kidneys to the extent that both
On his special wish day, Julian not only had the chance to see acres of cool cars at the Withrow Car Show, he was also brought on stage and surprised by Advisory Board member and ESPN Broadcaster, Clay Matvick, with the news that his wish was approved and coming true! Julian was born with a rare genetic
Daxus’ parents wrote on his wish application that they had come up with his name prior to getting pregnant. As their anticipation and love grew, so did their tiny in utero baby who kicked for spicy foods and kept Mom’s mind on him constantly with his activity in her belly. Sadly, Mom experienced a traumatic
When Anella was born, she appeared to be a happy and healthy little girl. However, as she aged, it became apparent that something was seriously wrong. A visit to the neurologist became the first of many appointments searching for a diagnosis to explain the seizures, vision loss, and lack of development in this precious child.
In May of 2012, little Ethan was born with a host of health care issues that would forever affect him physically, emotionally, and developmentally. He was put up for adoption in Florida and in December of 2012 he was adopted into a loving family in Minnesota. Knowing that he would need a high level of
