Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champions

Champions is a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals program that brings attention to the important work being done at its 170 children’s hospitals. It does this by honoring 51 remarkable kids who have faced severe medical challenges, and helping them tell their stories.

The Champions program designates a child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals every year. The 2011 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including genetic diseases, organ transplants and traumas, as well as various types of cancer.

The Champions travel for a week in October, first to Washington, D.C., where they traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to the White House. They then take a private chartered flight, provided by Delta Air Lines, to Orlando, Fla. There, champions meet Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals sponsors, hospital representatives and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Julia's Story

Julia
Age 12

Delaware
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

Severe Food Allergies


For Julia, eating a big scoop of her favorite ice cream is more than a treat for her taste buds. It’s proof that something truly remarkable has happened.

After years of battling a life-threatening milk allergy, Julia participated in a cutting-edge study at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. The study was aimed at teaching the immune system to tolerate the allergen with increasingly higher doses of the allergenic food over time. For Julia, the oral immunotherapy was a resounding success. She was the first child to be cured of a milk allergy, opening up a whole new world of possibilities.

Julia still has to contend with other severe food allergies, including eggs and peanuts, as well as asthma and an inflammatory disease of the esophagus. She has been rushed to the emergency room for a near-fatal allergic reaction more than once. Though she must keep emergency medical supplies with her at all times, Julia doesn’t let her allergies rule her life. She’s a top student, a champion on her speech team, a star in her dance company, and a beacon of hope to kids with severe food allergies.