At 18 months old, my physical therapist noticed I was showing early signs of a condition that needed attention as soon as possible. When my physical therapist suggested my family schedule an appointment with an orthopedic team, my family came to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware; I was diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy. I’m now 12 years old and love my care team at Nemours. Dr. Peter Gabos and Dr. Jason Howard mapped out a plan for muscle lengthening and surgical femur/tibia reconstruction. The road to recovery was both a mental and physical battle that I will never forget. Some days it’s a challenge getting around with leg braces and very tiring, but I’m determined. All the doctors and physical therapists are so nice and helpful. They push you to do more than you thought you could, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. I’m hoping that I […]

Just Keep Dancing — Summer’s Story
Tammy noticed her daughter’s size difference from a young age. Summer was consistently smaller than her peers growing up, but her parents and pediatrician never suspected a serious issue. When Summer was about 7 years old, the family took a trip to Disney. Unlike their previous vacations, Tammy and Erik realized that Summer was struggling to keep up. This behavior was concerning because it was not the norm for their bubbly, energetic daughter. Unfortunately, Summer’s limp worsened, she experienced immense stiffness and hip pain, and she struggled to do what she loves most: dance. After an attempt at physical therapy, many x-rays and testing, Summer was diagnosed with Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia (MED) in August 2020. MED is a rare genetic disorder that effects the development of the joints in the legs. Her doctors recommended Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware to see orthopedic surgeon Dr. Will Mackenzie and orthogeneticist Dr. Mike Bober. […]