ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Nemours Children’s Health, Florida

A middle-schooler who survived leukemia and a college student managing thyroid cancer traveled to Washington, D.C., to talk to members of Congress about the importance of pediatric healthcare that accounts for the whole child, and why federal support is essential.  When Leah Tomaszewski was 8 years old, climbing stairs and riding bikes started to become a struggle. She was getting bloody noses that would not stop, and at school she was falling asleep at her desk. Her parents, Jessica and Jeremy, recognized that something was not right and took her to her pediatrician at Nemours Children’s Health. After a few tests, her pediatrician recommended they head to the emergency room.   That night, the Tomaszewski family drove to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware.  “I definitely remember not feeling myself,” Leah said. “I remember thinking something’s wrong.”  Her intuition was correct. Within days, she was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was in third grade.   Two years later and nearly a thousand miles away in Lakeland, Florida, 17-year-old Sunny Iskra was sitting at a coffee shop during her senior year of high school. Her mom, Liz, reached across the table and […]

Discovering you’ve been referred to a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist can feel overwhelming at first, but understanding this pivotal step in your prenatal care journey can transform uncertainty into empowerment. Whether you’re facing a high-risk pregnancy, managing a chronic condition, or simply need specialized monitoring, an MFM specialist brings advanced expertise to support both you and your growing baby. Here’s what that referral means and what you can expect next. What is Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM)? Maternal-fetal medicine specialists are dual-board-certified obstetricians with advanced training in high-risk pregnancy, and many people also use the term high-risk obstetrician for MFM specialists. There’s an additional layer to the MFM meaning beyond just the acronym. The hyphen in maternal-fetal medicine represents medicine that treats maternal and fetal health as fundamentally linked. It’s an approach to care that recognizes you can’t truly focus on outcomes for the baby without also caring for the mother, and […]

For the Ayscue family, their journey began with fear and uncertainty. “I had a typical pregnancy with Branson,” their mom explained. “But when he was born, he was very lethargic and not able to take much from a bottle.” At just 3 days old, Branson was transferred from their local hospital to a children’s hospital, where he was diagnosed with nonketotic hyperglycinemia, or NKH. The family was told not to expect him to survive infancy. Months later, on the way to the emergency room once again, they decided to try Wolfson Children’s Hospital with its long-standing collaboration with Nemours Children’s Health in Jacksonville, Florida instead. “That day completely changed our lives,” she said. The neurologist on call, Dr Rappoport, had just seen another patient with NKH. “We could not believe a doctor so close to home had followed a kid with the same diagnosis as ours. We knew then we […]

Sometimes it’s the unexpected turns that lead us to the discovery of strength. For 15-year-old Mercy, a student at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, her world was turned upside down during a routine volleyball practice. A simple jump over a track hurdle during conditioning ended in a devastating ACL and meniscus tear, stripping away her identity as an athlete and leaving her with more questions than answers. With a family history of positive experiences at Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, Mercy’s mom knew exactly where to turn. Her older brothers had received exceptional care at the hospital, and she had no doubt that Mercy would receive the same level of expertise and compassion. The hospital’s reputation for excellence in pediatric care, combined with its role as the Official Sports Medicine Providers for The Bolles School, made it the ideal choice for Mercy’s care. Upon arriving at Nemours Children’s, Mercy and […]

Aiden’s life was changed forever when he received bone anchored hearing aids at Nemours Children’s Health. Born with  hearing loss, Aiden has worn hearing aids since he was just 5 months old. His family moved to the area when he was 5 years old, and it was at this time that he started receiving treatment at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida. Recently, during his junior year of high school, Aiden underwent surgeries with Dr. Cedric Pritchett for bone anchored hearing aids on both ears. “My audiologist was doing an audiogram and said, ‘Hey, maybe this isn’t working. Have you ever considered doing Osia implants?’” shares Aiden. “In essence, it was a shot to hear better, so I leapt on it.” Being his first surgery, Aiden recalls the initial apprehension he felt beforehand, saying, “I’m not going to lie, I was scared out of my mind.” However, he found the procedure to […]

At just 14 years old, Anzlie has faced significant challenges, yet she remains determined and strong. A first-year high school student, Anzlie has a passion for animals, even raising chickens in her backyard. She is an athlete and a dedicated student in the International Baccalaureate program, balancing academics with volleyball and CrossFit. Anzlie also manages both Type 1 diabetes and scoliosis, two conditions that require continuous care.   Anzlie’s journey with Type 1 diabetes began shortly after she finished first grade. Her mother noticed that Anzlie was excessively thirsty and had lost weight, prompting them to consult a doctor. The diagnosis was confirmed, and they were quickly referred to Nemours Children’s Health, where Dr. Larry Fox and a supportive endocrinology team helped them learn to manage the condition. Anzlie quickly adapted to monitoring her blood sugar and adjusting insulin.   Despite the challenges of diabetes, Anzlie embraced an active lifestyle. She participated […]