33^rd Annual Miracle Tournament and Celebration Dinner

Treated at CHOC Hospital in Orange, CA.

Cash was 13 years old when he was playing football in a park and collapsed on the field. He went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics arrived within minutes. After repeated shocks and IV medication in the local emergency room, he was transported to CHOC Hospital to receive care from a recently formed collaboration between CHOC and UCLA Health pediatric heart specialists. The specialists diagnosed Cash with an anomalous left coronary artery (ALCA), a rare condition that disrupts the flow of blood to the heart. Since only one percent of the population is born with it, sudden cardiac arrest during exertion may be the first sign of ALCA and that’s what happened to Cash. He spent 33 days at CHOC Hospital before he was stable enough to go home. Now 15, Cash manages his condition with medications to support optimal heart function. Cash does his best to stay positive, spends time with family and friends, and enjoys traveling to new places.

Thanks to support for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Cash was able to receive life-saving surgery and highly specialized care.

Treated at Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY.

During Joseph’s newborn screening, a blood test flagged a rate metabolic genetic disorder, called galactosemia. Galactosemia prevents the body from breaking down the sugar galactose, causing it to build up in the blood and wreak havoc on organs. While waiting for further test results, Joseph was admitted to the emergency room with a fever, and at that point had become septic, which eventually resulted in meningitis. Doctors prescribed him strong antibiotics, which was lifesaving, but unfortunately caused unilateral hearing loss.

Because of galactosemia, Joseph must adhere to a strict diet. There currently is no treatment or cure for galactosemia, only dietary restrictions. His family has become creative chefs, finding new recipes and workarounds to meet Joseph’s dietary needs.

Today, Joseph is 12 years old. He enjoys soccer, swimming, riding his bike, and playing fortnight. Last year, Joseph obtained his black belt in taekwondo.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals help patients and families like Joseph’s receive ongoing, specialized care.

Treated at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, FL.

After a seemingly healthy pregnancy, Jaxon’s parents were told not to worry by medical providers by a few early signals that something seemed off. Thankfully, his uncle noticed the ridge along Jaxon’s forehead and did not believe the triangular shape of Jaxon’s head was caused by the trauma of delivery. At two weeks old, a CAT scan confirmed Jaxon’s metopic craniosynostosis, where the soft spot at the top of his head had been prematurely fused together in the womb. Jaxon’s parents took him to the renowned Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Brain Institute. At seven months old, Jaxon underwent an eight-hour cranial procedure at Nicklaus Children’s. Despite the challenges, he was in good hands, even combatting other anomalies such as the misalignment of the eyes, a hole in his heart, a horseshoe-shaped kidney, and more. Given the range of birth defects their son faced, Jaxon’s parents’ genetics testing at Nicklaus Children’s confirmed that he had a rare gene mutation in CDK13. There wasn’t much known about CDK13 at the time. Today, nearly 300 cases have been identified globally. For now, Jaxon’s parents treat each symptom as it arises. He struggles with tasks requiring the use of his hands and motor skills, and his ADHD and moderate autism made everyday life and academic tasks challenging. And yet, he continues to make remarkable progress in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Jaxon’s resilience and carefree, fun personality positively inspires all the lives he touches.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals support the clinical institutes and personalized care that allow Jaxon to make remarkable progress on his journey.