In early 2017, Kristen MacKellar had just finished nursing her 3-month-old baby boy to sleep. A snuggly baby, she typically nursed Samuel in her bed and later transferred him to his crib for safe sleep. Though on this day, he was especially tired and she didn’t want to disturb him. But when she stepped away […]
At Akron Children’s, we believe in the power of personal stories to provide support and inspiration. We encourage you to share how we’ve touched you and your family, and by doing so, allow our online community to learn from your experiences.
Wren Patterson like “a whole new baby” after heart repair
The day after Wren Patterson was born in October, doctors were concerned about a heart murmur and her low blood oxygenation. An echocardiogram at Aultman Hospital in Canton showed the reason. Wren had a congenital heart defect called tetralogy of Fallot, characterized by 4 malformations that robbed her of adequate blood flow to the lungs […]
Sibling bond: Brother donates lifesaving stem cells to big sister
Research shows that having a sibling is good for your health. For 4-year-old Alayna Numbers her little brother proved to be a lifesaver literally. On September 24, Alayna received a bone marrow transplant to treat aplastic anemia (a rare condition where the body stops producing new blood cells) with marrow harvested from her 18-month-old brother, […]
Our top “In the Moment” posts from February 2020
There were some touching stories of children overcoming their health challenges sprinkled amongst our top February “In the Moment” posts. We invite you to take a glance at those you may have missed, or a second peek at those you’ve already enjoyed. 1. We provided this chart to help parents figure out if it is […]
2-year-old Kent boy helping blaze the trail for rare enzyme disorder
After 3 years of marriage, Amanda and Vanessa Burke decided they were ready to try their hand at parenting. The women, who reside in Kent, both faced unstable home lives as children and wanted to help families who were struggling, and kids who needed the security of a stable home. In 2014 they made the […]
Innovative treatment brings life-changing pain relief to Gianna
Middle schooler Gianna Pennell is making up for lost time. Diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) in January of 2018, she was unable to attend classes at Norton Middle School during her entire 6th grade year. The pain was so great, she couldn’t wear shoes. Her parents, James Pennell and Amanda Duskey, were unable […]
