33^rd Annual Miracle Tournament and Celebration Dinner

Treated at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, OH.

Before Annie was born, doctors suspected she might have osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic condition that causes extremely fragile bones. She had a dozen broken bones when she was born via C-section and spent her first week in neonatal intensive care. When her OI diagnosis was confirmed, Annie’s parents were grateful to learn about the Skeletal Dysplasia Center at Akron Children’s Hospital, where they found a clear path forward to help their daughter thrive. Throughout her life, Annie has had many broken bones, along with many casts and surgeries. To help with frequent fractures, she has rods in her legs that act as internal splints and receives regular infusion therapy to help strengthen her bones. In addition to fractures caused by OI, Annie’s heart, lungs, brain, skull and spine are monitored by specialists as well. She fondly refers to her care team at Akron Children’s as her “sidekicks” because they’ve been with her every step of the way. Now 9 years old, Annie is a courageous, determined girl who inspires everyone around her.

Treated at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, VA.

When Tucker was 5 years old, he hit his head in a fall. His mom and dad took him to the emergency department at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) as a precaution, to ensure he didn’t have a concussion.

At CHKD, doctors discovered something much, much worse. Tucker, who seemed perfectly healthy to his family, had a cancerous tumor the size of a lime growing in his brain. He needed surgery immediately to remove the mass.

The next months were grueling for Tucker’s family. But through everything – as Tucker recovered from brain surgery, learned to walk and talk again, and bravely endured chemotherapy and radiation – the medical team at CHKD was by their side, supporting them on the tough days, and celebrating each milestone.

Treated at Dayton Children’s Hospital in Dayton, OH.

For 7-year-old Vanessa, having cystic fibrosis (CF) doesn’t define her. When she was diagnosed with CF as a newborn, Vanessa’s parents already knew it was a possibility since their oldest son also has CF, an inherited condition that affects the lungs and digestive system. Thankfully, they already had a strong care team in place at the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Vanessa’s family knew her expert care team would be proactive with her treatment to help her thrive. “The Dayton Children’s team jumped in right away to not only start caring for Vanessa but to also begin building a treatment plan designed uniquely to her,” says her mom, Michelle. “They knew exactly what Vanessa needed and continue to partner with us to ensure that our daughter gets the right care.” Vanessa’s care team, which includes pulmonologists, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, clinical dietitians and pharmacists, now feels like a part of their family. Vanessa is confident in who she is and likes to share her motto: “Be accepting of all because everyone has something different about them.”