Children's Miracle Network Hospitals^®

Treated at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Tampa, FL.

You would never know by looking at Gavin that he spent the first five years of his life battling debilitating ailments and undergoing countless treatments for an undiagnosed disease. Gavin was just three months old when he started experiencing persistent high fevers, rashes, vomiting, and blood in his intestinal tract. Early tests confirmed elevated liver enzymes and inflammatory markers in his blood. Gavin received treatment for his symptoms, but nothing seemed to cure the cause. When he was just two years old, Gavin had surgery for his kidneys at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The surgery was successful, but Gavin continued to suffer from his ailments. For the next three years, Gavin endured several colonoscopies, biopsies, and MRIs without a definite diagnosis. At five years old, after discovering ulcers throughout Gavin’s intestinal tract, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease- an inflammatory bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation in the intestinal tract. Crohn’s disease is rare in young children and often undetectable. Today, he receives IV infusion treatments every four weeks and is living a much healthier life. Gavin is an 12-year-old who loves all things golf-related, riding roller coasters, swimming, reading, and has a zest for life.

Thanks to the support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Gavin received a diagnosis and receives ongoing infusion treatment help improve his quality of life.

Treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Toledo, OH.

Two weeks before Myla’s sixth birthday she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Myla’s diagnoses came during the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, Myla’s dad had to wait out in the van while they remained in the emergency room. It was through a video call that he heard the words “your child has cancer.” Myla initially spent ten days in the hospital where she had surgery to have her port placed, receive her first few rounds of chemotherapy, and many blood transfusions. After her release from the hospital, Myla began experiencing severe neuropathy. She had difficulty walking, using her hands, and her vocal cords were becoming paralyzed. Myla tested positive for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). Two weeks later, she was sent home with many mobility and occupational therapy devices to help her regain her independence.

Today, Myla is nine and has returned to things she loved to do before her diagnosis- like riding a bike, doing ballet, and going to school. Myla keeps a smile on her face and takes things one day at a time!

Thanks to donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Myla had access to the therapies, specialists, and equipment that helped her overcome leukemia and get back to all her favorite activities.

Treated at Golisano Children's Hospital in Fort Myers, FL.

At just 20 months old, Libbiana (Libbi) was diagnosed with stage 2 Wilms tumor in the height of the pandemic. On the day that Libbi was planning to ring the bell to celebrate being cancer-free at Golisano Children’s Hospital, her family learned that the cancer had come back and that it was growing rapidly. It consumed Libbi’s entire abdominal and pelvic area, compressing her bladder, intestines, and lungs. Despite strong chemotherapy, the tumor wasn’t shrinking. A risky and complicated surgery became the only option for her survival. Thankfully, by the time Libbi turned three, she had beat Wilms tumor twice. Over the course of 150 nights and an additional 150 days in the oncology clinic, Libbi overcame major emergency surgeries, being on a ventilator, blood and platelet transfusions, the removal of a kidney, intensive chemotherapy, and so much more. Today, Libbi is five years old, cancer-free, and healthy. She and her family love to share her story to give hope to other families.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals ensured that Libbi and her family had the care and support they needed as she fought to beat cancer.