33^rd Annual Miracle Tournament and Celebration Dinner

Treated at Duke Children's in Durham, NC.

At 18 weeks pregnant with twins, Stephanie learned something was wrong. Braeden, “Baby B,” was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, one of the most severe congenital heart defects. The prognosis was unclear. After researching options, Braeden’s parents chose to go with Duke Children’s, where he could receive the outpatient care he needed close to home. In advance of his birth, the staff gave them a tour of the facilities and set up meetings with their surgeon to ask questions. Over the next couple of years, Braeden returned to Duke Children’s for heart catheters and two more big surgeries, and his parents found comfort in nurses and doctors who truly cared. The medical teams continue to find innovative ways to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome so more kids like Braeden can live their lives to the fullest. Now Braeden is nine years old and his sense of humor makes everyone around him smile.

Thanks to the support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Braeden received world- class medical care close to home at Duke Children’s.

Treated at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, 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 Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center in Waco, TX.

Identical twins Audrey and Ella were born nine weeks premature, and each weighed two pounds. They spent several weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Hospital. Despite their early arrival, the twins were healthy, and their early interventions were very minimal. However, when they were one year old, a routine doctor’s visit led to a referral to a plastic surgeon at McLane’s Children’s Hospital who found both of their skulls were developing in a triangular shape. This condition, Metopic Craniosynostosis, happens when the bone plates that make up the skull fuse too early and can lead to vision, learning and behavioral issues. Audrey and Ella required a Cranial Vault reconstruction/reconstructive surgery at 17 months old. After their ten-hour procedure, the doctors confirmed that they did not need any additional surgery. Today, the twins are six-years old and are growing and thriving. With their scars hidden beneath their hairline, you would never know of their condition.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals helped to purchase the equipment used for Audrey and Ella’s Craniosynostosis Cranial Vault reconstruction/reconstructive surgery.