33^rd Annual Miracle Tournament and Celebration Dinner

Treated at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA.

Isabelle (Belle) was adopted from China when she was 19 months old. Her parents knew she had a potentially devastating blood disorder called thalassemia, but they were comforted that a top ten children’s hospital would be waiting for them when they got home. Doctors at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh began treatment right away. Since she had beta thalassemia major, the most severe form of thalassemia, Belle had a mediport placed and began a routine of ongoing blood transfusions. To mitigate the risk of an iron overload, which could affect her liver and heart, she takes two medications every morning and every evening. Today, Belle is a happy 12-year-old who loves her hospital days because she gets to bring her two favorite stuffed animals, play Uno, and do arts and crafts with her favorite Child Life specialists. She loves having sushi for lunch in the hospital cafeteria. Belle is a cheerleader and a runner. She has joined band and choir at school.

On the days Belle returns to the hospital, the services provided through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals help her spend time creatively.

Treated at Valley Children's Hospital in Madera, CA.

Davey Jean was born with a rare genetic disorder called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q) and was faced with many 22q-related anomalies including congenital heart defects, cleft palate, developmental and speech delays, etc. At 30 weeks in utero, she was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a compilation of four heart defects, and required open-heart surgery soon after her birth. By the time she was three years old, she was still non-verbal and used American Sign Language to communicate. Her parents learned that she had conductive hearing loss and would need ear surgery to help drain the fluid causing it. Davey Jean also went through two complex surgeries for her Atypical Submucosal Cleft Palate, which made it nearly impossible for her to form sounds and words. The ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department at Valley Children’s, along with the plastic surgery, audiology and speech therapy teams, all joined in an effort to help with Davey Jean’s hearing issues and speech delays. Today, she is able to communicate using words. Now ten years old, Davey Jean has already undergone five surgeries at Valley Children’s. She continues to see multiple specialists at Valley Children’s, as well as physical and occupational therapy. She is very active and enjoys playing with her friends and doing gymnastics. She loves going to the park and playing with her toys and her dog, Tater Tot.

Thanks to support from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Davey Jean has been able to get the surgeries and critical care she needed.

Treated at Children's Health in Dallas, TX.

When Jenifer was 20 weeks pregnant, she learned that her baby's, heart was on the right, instead of the left side of his body. This meant he would need surgery shortly after birth to help his blood flow properly. Kaleb's parents chose Children’s Health because not only would they have an expert surgeon, but an entire care team dedicated to their baby’s health. Kaleb was born six weeks early with a heart defect that impacted the way blood flowed through his lungs, meaning his pulmonary veins, which carry blood from the lungs to the heart, weren't working well. Kaleb’s doctors made the difficult decision to try a surgery that had only been performed once, unsuccessfully. Kaleb underwent surgery at 9 days old – placing two stints to keep oxygenated blood flowing throughout his body – and it worked so well that the procedure has become the standard of care for all babies born with this heart defect. He also lives with heterotaxy syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can affect the development of important systems like the heart and gastrointestinal tract. Living with heterotaxy is difficult, unpredictable and requires long-term monitoring and care. But Kaleb’s care team and family do everything they can to keep him as healthy as possible, so he can focus on regular kid things — like swimming, Legos, Minecraft and learning everything he can about U.S. presidents. Every Halloween, Kaleb dresses up as a different U.S. president. He also loves animals, especially his Goldendoodle. “Her name is Jefferson, after President Thomas Jefferson. And yep, she’s a girl,” Kaleb said.

Thanks to donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Kaleb had access to an innovative, life-saving heart surgeon and care team.