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Celebrating Advocacy: Sickle Cell Stories of Strength at Family Advocacy Day 2025

Nemours Children’s Health patients Naheim Smith and Reign Jefferson were both diagnosed with sickle cell disease at a young age. Thanks to treatment at Nemours, Naheim has been cured of sickle cell disease, and Reign is now better able to manage the disease and is thriving.   On June 11 and 12, Naheim and Reign joined the National Office’s Federal Affairs team on Capitol Hill, along with Dr. Stephanie Guarino, a hematologist/oncologist at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, as a part of the Children’s Hospital Association’s annual Family Advocacy Day.    Naheim’s and Nevaeh’s Story   Naheim was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when he was under a year old. During his early childhood, he experienced pain crises and strokes, which led to many hospital visits at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. After one stroke, his doctors discovered he had Moyamoya disease – a rare disorder caused by blocked arteries at the base of the […]

From Patient to Purpose: Isabella’s Story

At just 2 years old, Isabella was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and life-threatening condition that began in her back and later spread to her right leg. The aggressive nature of the disease required intensive medical intervention. Physicians at multiple hospitals had to perform surgeries to remove infected muscle and tissue, a process that was both physically and emotionally taxing for Isabella and her family. Following the surgeries, Isabella was placed in a medically induced coma for two months to give her body the best chance to heal and fight off the infection. When she finally emerged from the coma, the next phase of her journey began. She was transferred to a third hospital, where she underwent physical rehabilitation and skin grafting to repair the extensive damage to her back and leg. Despite the challenges, Isabella’s resilience and determination shone through, and she made significant progress in her recovery. […]

Headache Awareness Week – Ella’s Story

At 15, Ella Wright had been battling painful headaches for years when she was eventually diagnosed with accommodative infacility. She went through months of eye therapy, and while her eyes began focusing correctly, the headaches still didn’t go away. That’s when her family returned to the doctor this time, they were referred to Nemours Children’s Health in Jacksonville, Florida. Before Nemours, Ella struggled with frequent, debilitating headaches. Her family described her as “relying on over-the-counter medication more than five days a week just to get through the day. After school, she’d go straight to bed, needing a dark, quiet room to cope with the pain.” The constant discomfort affected her mood, her energy, and her ability to enjoy daily life. We live in Georgia and weren’t familiar with Nemours,” her family said. “But everyone there has been wonderful. Dr. Janet Leon, Nemours pediatric neurologist, is outstanding—she’s a great listener, very […]

Care Worth Following: Rylee’s Story

Born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) – a diaphragm condition that has led to asthma, gastroparesis, and scoliosis – 14-year-old Rylee has been in her fair share of doctor’s appointments. Through family moves and changing health systems, one thing has remained constant throughout Rylee’s care: Dr. Joseph Khoury. “We first met Dr. Khoury in Birmingham, AL,” shares Rylee’s mom, Allison. “We’ve followed him to different hospital locations for treatments with scoliosis from her birth defect. Her treatments started when she was 6 months old with Mehta castings for a year and a half and then began providence brace(s) until her bone age stopped growing.” Rylee and her family discovered Nemours Children’s Health, Lakeland when Dr. Khoury began working at the practice. “We followed our wonderful orthopedic specialist to Nemours,” says Allison. At Nemours Children’s, they’ve connected with an expert team of specialists that have become like family. “We have thoroughly […]

Following His Dreams: Kollin’s Journey

At 12 years old, Kollin isn’t letting anything slow him down. A lifelong patient at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, Kollin’s journey to his narcolepsy diagnosis started when he found himself constantly exhausted. “My father has narcolepsy, so when I was tired all the time, my mom requested to have a sleep study done,” Kollin shares. A sleep study, also called a polysomnogram, is an overnight test that helps doctors diagnose sleep disorders, including narcolepsy. During the study, sensors are placed on different parts of the body to monitor breathing, brain activity, heart rate, and movement while a child sleeps. It provides essential information to guide treatment and improve sleep health. “I really don’t like sleep studies because of all the wires and goop in my hair,” shares Kollin. But after his second long sleep study, the results were clear—he had narcolepsy, just like his dad. The diagnosis meant he could […]

Jenna: Thyroid Cancer

“Dr. Gannon and the whole team changed my life … Dr. Berman is incredible at what she does. She saved my life and I’m forever grateful for her.” – Jenna, patient When I was 13 years old, I went for a routine well visit. My doctor was doing an examination on my neck and noticed my thyroid felt enlarged. She sent me to get labs and an ultrasound. My labs confirmed that I had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Then, we received the results from my ultrasound. It showed that I had two thyroid nodules. I had a small one on my left side, and then a bigger one on my right. The border of the nodule was irregular and calcified. This looked suspicious. I was referred to a Nemours endocrinologist, Dr. Doyle. He told my mom and I that he recommends another ultrasound and to visit another endocrinologist who specializes in treating […]

All About Walking Pneumonia (Mycoplasma Pneumonia) in Kids

Between colds, the flu, and other viruses, lots of kids get sick in the fall. This year it could be due to a lung infection called walking pneumonia that’s becoming more common, especially in young children. It’s also known as mycoplasma pneumonia since it’s often caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae. While usually mild, it can still make kids uncomfortable and cause breathing problems. Here’s what you need to know about this rising health issue. What is walking pneumonia? Walking pneumonia is a kind of bacterial infection that affects the lungs. It tends to cause milder symptoms than other forms of pneumonia, so children who have it feel well enough to walk around instead of staying in bed. This is why it’s called “walking pneumonia.” How common is walking pneumonia in kids? Each year, about 2 million people get walking pneumonia. Since spring, the infection has been more common than […]

From Diagnosis to Triumph: Ny’Jour’s Journey

From diagnosis to triumph, Ny’Jour’s complex medical journey involving heterotaxy and heart complexities received compassionate care from Nemours Cardiac and Maternal-Fetal Medicine teams.

Scoliosis Awareness Month: Kalani’s Story

Under the expert care of our dedicated team in Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, Kalani embarked on a path of treatment for juvenile idiopathic scoliosis and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) at 6 years old. Her journey began in July 2023 when her mother, Monica, noticed a slight curvature in Kalani’s back. Concerned, they sought answers from orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Lovejoy at Nemours Children’s. “An X-ray confirmed that her back had a curvature and an MRI was ordered out of caution to make sure there was not an underlying issue causing the curve,” shares Monica. “The MRI showed she had lesions/tumors believed to be caused by NF1. Following the MRI results, Dr. Lovejoy referred Kalani to oncology and genetics to confirm the diagnosis and begin treatment. When we had a follow-up with Dr. Lovejoy at the end of October 2023, an X-ray showed the curve in Kalani’s spine had gotten worse […]

RCDP Awareness Day: Elias’s Story

Brittany and John found themselves navigating uncharted waters when their son, Elias, was diagnosed with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP) type 1. RCDP is a rare skeletal dysplasia that affects the body’s ability to produce plasmalogens which are essential for cell structure and nervous system function. Their journey began with the unexpected—low amniotic fluid during Brittany’s induction with Elias at 37 weeks. What followed were suspicions of cerebral palsy, only to discover skeletal differences and cataracts as well. It wasn’t until Elias was ten months old that the diagnosis of RCDP was confirmed. Before Nemours Children’s Health, life for Brittany and John was a whirlwind of uncertainties and challenges. “Our main struggle before diagnosis & coming Nemours was feeding issues,” share Brittany and John. “First, we didn’t realize Elias had a rare form of dwarfism, so we weren’t sure why he wasn’t gaining weight. Second, he developed a bottle aversion at […]

A Heart to Remember: Brayden’s Heart Transplant Story

When Brayden was born, he was premature and was having a hard time gaining weight. His family took him to weekly weight checks with little to no change taking place. After a change of pediatricians, they were told he had a heart murmur. Brayden and his family were referred to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware for further evaluation with the cardiac team. Brayden was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, requiring the initiation of medication to observe his response. With additional testing, the diagnosis of Barth Syndrome was confirmed. Barth Syndrome is a rare condition that causes an enlarged and weakened heart, weakness in muscles, frequent infections, and more. Due to his inability to gain weight, a G-tube, otherwise known as a  Mickey button, was placed to provide extra calories and nutrition to Brayden which overnight feeds. Brayden received yearly cardiac catheterizations to monitor the function of his heart. In December 2014, when […]

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