Morgan and Clint never expected their journey to parenthood would include their son being diagnosed with a rare and complex congenital heart defect. But with determination and The Kid Experts®, their heart warrior Colton has fought through the many challenges he’s faced in his young life.
Temi was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and placed on a heart transplant list only a few weeks after her birthday in 2023. She’s been in the cardiovascular care center (CVCC) at Children’s Minnesota with her family by her side ever since wishing for one thing - a new heart.
The twins were born three months premature with their patent ductus arteriosus’ (PDA) still open. The Kid Experts at Children’s Minnesota developed a standard guideline and protocol for preterm babies requiring transcatheter closure of their PDA, meaning Madison and Peyton were in the best hands possible.
Lillian Puls’ complex medical journey would be considered a long road for a kid of any age – let alone someone who is not even 2 years old.
Just one day after Carter entered the world, his care team performed what would be the first of 13 surgeries during the first 13 months of his young life. One operation was the first of its kind in the state of Minnesota.
From the outside, Matty looks like your typical 14-year-old who loves sports, especially hockey. But all his activities had to come to an abrupt stop when he was first diagnosed with ITP, a platelet disorder that can make bleeding from a cut or injury hard to stop.
For 10-year-old Riley and his family, the summer was not the break they were hoping for. In early June, Kacy and Cody got the news that their son had a rare form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They were understandably sad and hoping it was all a bad dream. But from the beginning, the family decided they were going to face cancer head on and focus on staying positive.
Naziere “Naz” Evans has been in and out of the hospital more times than he can remember. Each time he was admitted, it was for the same thing – severe pain and anemia requiring transfusion caused by sickle cell disease; a condition that 20-year-old Naz was born with. But he's not letting the disease stop him from pursuing his goals in life.
Alexa and her family were one of several families cared for at different children’s hospitals across the country chosen to participate in the Children’s Hospital Association’s (CHA) Family Advocacy Day 2023.
Each year, approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a heart problem, making congenital heart defects (CHD) the most common type of birth defect. Camp Odayin provides a fun, safe and supportive camp experiences for young people with heart disease and their families – like Riley.