ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley

When Courtney was pregnant with her son Brendan, her physician noticed something was off. During an ultrasound, they discovered that Brendan had an enlarged bowel, which can be a sign of cystic fibrosis. When Brendan was born in November of 2022, he was immediately placed in the NICU. “This was already planned and why we delivered in the Advanced Delivery Unit at Nemours Children’s Hospital,” explains Courtney. “The team was remarkable. Dr. Chou and our nurse, Mo, made a nerve-racking delivery as easy and seamless as possible. It was nothing but a great experience, considering the circumstances.” At only a day and a half old, Brendan had surgery. “During the surgery, they found that a part of the bowel had twisted on itself, causing it to not function properly,” says Courtney. “That day, they removed 30 cm of bowel and started the use of a colostomy bag. Then we had a 6-week healing […]

Witness the incredible journey of Connor, a 12-year-old boy with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, as he overcomes challenges, undergoes surgeries, and becomes an ambassador for Brace for the Race and Ninja Warrior Course.

Natalie had always been an active teenager with a love for surfing, skiing, and running. She would often spend her weekends hitting the slopes or catching waves at the beach with her friends. Determined, Natalie worked hard to become the best athlete she could to achieve her goals. However, during a routine check-up at her pediatrician’s office, Natalie received some unexpected news. She had adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to curve. Her pediatrician referred her to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware to meet with Dr. Suken Shah, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Despite the busy nature of the hospital, Natalie was treated with kindness, patience, and respect. Dr. Shah took the time to talk with her and understand her as a person, not just a patient with a medical condition. He mapped out a care plan for her scoliosis to get her back to her active lifestyle. At […]

When Riley was born, she was diagnosed with a rare bone dysplasia that made her bones irregular in size and shape. As she grew, the dysplasia began to manifest itself in her spine, and she was diagnosed with congenital kyphoscoliosis at just one year old. For the next five years, Riley saw a specialist in Massachusetts and had to wear a brace for over 18 hours a day for six years. When Riley’s family moved to Pennsylvania for a new opportunity, they were referred to the amazing team at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. There, they met with Dr. William Mackenzie, who continued to provide Riley with the best care possible. As time went on, she had to undergo several casts, and implantation of magnetically controlled growing rods. This surgery, a complex procedure performed by both Dr Mackenzie and Dr. Suken Shah, pediatric orthopedic spinal surgeon, was successful to maintain the […]

Madelynn was 7 days old when the pediatrician called her mom, Rebekah, around 6pm in the evening (never a good sign). Rebekah knew right away that something was amiss. The pediatrician mentioned cystic fibrosis and said they should do some testing on baby Madelynn. She was 14 days old when she went for her first sweat test. Rebekah was petrified holding her newborn while electromagnetic currents were taped on Madelynn’s arm. Then, they had to sit in a hot room, hoping for Madelynn to produce enough sweat to test for sodium chloride levels. The waiting was awful. Early the next morning, they received a call from the pediatrician, stating they had a 3pm appointment with the pulmonologist. This is when Madelynn’s journey with CF began. When Madelynn was 7 years old, her family found out that one of her original CF doctors was retiring. Additionally, her family had recently moved to […]

Mercy was diagnosed with a giant omphalocele and pulmonary hypertension, received exceptional care from the medical team at Nemours Children’s Hospital, made her parents feel comfortable and provided attention from every department that cared for them.