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.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Carla's Story
Carla
Age 5
Massachusetts
Children’s Hospital Boston
Premature Birth, Cerebral Palsy
Born in the Dominican Republic at just 25 weeks gestation and weighing only a pound, Carla arrived with energy and determination. Doctors told Carla’s parents that she was too small to survive, but Carla quickly proved them wrong. “They knew that she was special,” says Carla’s mom.
Carla’s premature birth resulted in a long list of permanent medical complications, including: cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease, brain hemorrhages, vision impairment, several blood transfusions, and motor and speech delays. When she reached ten pounds, Carla came to Children’s Hospital Boston to receive more care for the bleeding in her brain, and a permanent shunt was put in place shortly before her first birthday.
There is no stopping Carla as she determinedly learned to walk before the age of 2, despite her cerebral palsy. Less than a year later she walked all two miles in NSTAR’s Walk for Children’s Hospital Boston, a walk to raise funds for pediatric care at Children’s. Now 5-years-old, Carla demonstrates to those around her that disabilities are just a label.
“Carla is a bright, engaging young lady who is a powerhouse of energy and lives life to the fullest,” says her physical trainer. At school she expresses concern and love for her classmates, inspiring them with her contagious personality. Carla may have arrived a bit early, but she came prepared to do everything she wants in life.
Age 5
Massachusetts
Children’s Hospital Boston
Premature Birth, Cerebral Palsy
Born in the Dominican Republic at just 25 weeks gestation and weighing only a pound, Carla arrived with energy and determination. Doctors told Carla’s parents that she was too small to survive, but Carla quickly proved them wrong. “They knew that she was special,” says Carla’s mom.
Carla’s premature birth resulted in a long list of permanent medical complications, including: cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease, brain hemorrhages, vision impairment, several blood transfusions, and motor and speech delays. When she reached ten pounds, Carla came to Children’s Hospital Boston to receive more care for the bleeding in her brain, and a permanent shunt was put in place shortly before her first birthday.
There is no stopping Carla as she determinedly learned to walk before the age of 2, despite her cerebral palsy. Less than a year later she walked all two miles in NSTAR’s Walk for Children’s Hospital Boston, a walk to raise funds for pediatric care at Children’s. Now 5-years-old, Carla demonstrates to those around her that disabilities are just a label.
“Carla is a bright, engaging young lady who is a powerhouse of energy and lives life to the fullest,” says her physical trainer. At school she expresses concern and love for her classmates, inspiring them with her contagious personality. Carla may have arrived a bit early, but she came prepared to do everything she wants in life.
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