Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champions

Champions is a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals program that brings attention to the important work being done at its 170 children’s hospitals. It does this by honoring 51 remarkable kids who have faced severe medical challenges, and helping them tell their stories.

The Champions program designates a child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals every year. The 2011 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including genetic diseases, organ transplants and traumas, as well as various types of cancer.

The Champions travel for a week in October, first to Washington, D.C., where they traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to the White House. They then take a private chartered flight, provided by Delta Air Lines, to Orlando, Fla. There, champions meet Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals sponsors, hospital representatives and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Lancaster Family




Hi to everyone out there! My name is Michelle my husband is Ken and Gracy is the new Champion child of Idaho. We would like to send a thank you to St. Lukes Hospital, and Childrens Miracle network. We are so honored to have this opportunity to represent Idaho! Were looking forward to a wonderful trip and great fun with our daughter Gracy and are very blessed. Hope to share this exciting experience with you. God Bless The Lancasters

Gracy's Story

Gracy
Age 5

Idaho
St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital

Heart condition

Five-year-old Gracy has an “owie” on her heart. That’s the way she describes Wolff Parkinson White syndrome, a heart condition in which she has extra electrical pathways in her heart that can lead to episodes of rapid heart rate.

From birth to age four, medications helped Gracy manage her heart rate, until one morning Gracy unexpectedly went in to full cardiac arrest.

Doctors attempted several cardiac ablations to fix her arrhythmia, but the procedures were unsuccessful. Gracy’s pathways are so rare that doctors were left with only one option: a very risky open heart surgery.

Four days after surgery, Gracy was on her feet roaming the hospital hallways, and she hasn’t slowed down since. Gracy will continue to be monitored, but so far she’s made excellent progress. She shares her sunny personality wherever she goes, proving that she will cheerfully overcome whatever obstacles come her way.