33^rd Annual Miracle Tournament and Celebration Dinner

Treated at UNM Children’s Hospital in Albuquerque, NM.

Natalie’s cancer journey began at the age of ten when her mom noticed her daughter’s visual impairment. She was diagnosed with an Optic Pathway Glioma, a type of cancer that is difficult to treat and can also affect the pituitary gland. After two chemotherapy sessions, the tumor had completely disappeared, and her family rejoiced. She continued chemotherapy for another year as neurologists monitored Natalie.

A few months later, an MRI identified an area of concern and a biopsy confirmed Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a different, more aggressive brain tumor. She immediately and courageously began treatment again, including 30 rounds of proton therapy radiation and 42 rounds of oral chemotherapy.

Although her treatment worked, she was left with hemiparesis, the weakness of her right side weakness, which required two years in physical and occupational therapy. Recently, an MRI detected a new area of concern, this time, in Natalie’s brain stem. To get a biopsy, Natalie needed major surgery to access the tumor through her cerebellum. Doctors found a Germinoma tumor and her family was relieved to learn that the condition is very treatable. Now, Natalie is bravely facing months of chemotherapy again at UNM Children’s Hospital.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals benefited Natalie’s highly tailored care throughout her journey.

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

At the age of three, Carah was diagnosed with childhood-onset fluency disorder (also known as stuttering). While most children outgrow a stutter by the age of 5, Carah did not. In 6th grade, a substitute teacher mocked her in class, leaving Carah spiraling with her self-esteem and confidence plummeting. She mentally and emotionally struggled and didn’t want to go to school. Carah saw countless speech therapists over the years but never felt there was a right fit as the focus was placed on her speech fluency and less on the deep, lingering emotional trauma she was experiencing. That changed when Carah turned to Dayton Children’s Speech Therapy Program. “...from the time we walked through those speech therapy doors, they took the time to actually talk with Carah and dug deeper to the parts that people can’t see. And helped Carah in learning tools and techniques to navigate those feelings and mental roadblocks,” her mom said. Carah will always have a stutter; however, she’s learned that her condition does not steal the power of her own voice. One way she’s doing that is by educating her former middle school by giving a keynote speech every year, now part of her school’s curriculum, about stuttering, understanding yourself and your feelings, and bullying. “Stuttering is a part of me, but it doesn’t define me. I have a lot of goals set for the future and I’m just getting started,” Carah said.

Thanks to donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Carah received life-changing support from Dayton Children’s Speech Therapy Program, helping her self-esteem grow as she navigates Child Onset Fluency Disorder.

Treated at Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers, FL.

At just 20 months old, Libbiana (Libbi) was diagnosed with stage 2 Wilms tumor in the height of the pandemic. On the day that Libbi was planning to ring the bell to celebrate being cancer-free at Golisano Children’s Hospital, her family learned that the cancer had come back and that it was growing rapidly. It consumed Libbi’s entire abdominal and pelvic area, compressing her bladder, intestines, and lungs. Despite strong chemotherapy, the tumor wasn’t shrinking. A risky and complicated surgery became the only option for her survival. Thankfully, by the time Libbi turned three, she had beat Wilms tumor twice. Over the course of 150 nights and an additional 150 days in the oncology clinic, Libbi overcame major emergency surgeries, being on a ventilator, blood and platelet transfusions, the removal of a kidney, intensive chemotherapy, and so much more. Today, Libbi is five years old, cancer-free, and healthy. She and her family love to share her story to give hope to other families.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals ensured that Libbi and her family had the care and support they needed as she fought to beat cancer.