Patient Stories
How Wyatt became the smallest baby to undergo PDA closure at Boston Children’s
In June 2023, at 22 weeks pregnant, Madisen went into labor with twins. Her care team in New Hampshire transferred her to a maternal-fetal medicine center in Boston in hopes of delaying delivery, but Gavin and Wyatt arrived within hours. “Things just evolved quickly,” Madisen says. “I delivered Gavin first, and Wyatt about two and ... Read More about How Wyatt became the smallest baby to undergo PDA closure at Boston Children’s
Patient Stories
How the stars aligned for CeCe’s spinal cord tumor care
Last spring, 6-year-old CeCe was on vacation in Florida when she told her parents, Mike and Mary, that her neck hurt. After the family returned home to the Chicago area, her neck pain persisted despite Tylenol and rest — and she developed another concerning symptom. “We noticed that she wasn’t using her right hand to ... Read More about How the stars aligned for CeCe’s spinal cord tumor care
Patient Stories
Thriving — not just surviving — as an adult with esophageal atresia
Willa Barnett has a story to tell — and it’s a big one. At 26, she’s experienced a slew of serious health challenges since she was born with VACTERL association. In this group of growth anomalies, certain parts of the body don’t form properly during fetal development. This can lead to problems with the vertebrae, ... Read More about Thriving — not just surviving — as an adult with esophageal atresia
Patient Stories
Hope in a new home: A family’s journey with HHT
When Yeiden Pérez Camacho imagines the future, he sees himself on a basketball court. At 13, he’s already an award-winning athlete in several sports, including basketball, volleyball, tennis, and table tennis. His 8-year-old sister, Adienee “Adi” Pérez Camacho, is a budding gymnast who loves cooking and crafting with her family. Yeiden and Adi grew up ... Read More about Hope in a new home: A family’s journey with HHT
Patient Stories
Rh alloimmunization: A family’s experience across two pregnancies
After her second child was born 14 years ago, Erin was convinced she’d never have another baby. Not because of her age or because she didn’t want to grow her family, but because of the painful prenatal experience that had stayed with her for years. Erin had developed alloimmunization, a condition in which the immune ... Read More about Rh alloimmunization: A family’s experience across two pregnancies
Patient Stories
The only way through it: How Sebastian learned to manage chronic pain
Sebastian Sachs is passionate about theater production and team sports, two unrelated activities that have a lot in common. Both require a dedicated group of people working toward one common goal — something that could also be said about Sebastian’s experience learning how to manage chronic pain. “It felt like I was on a medical ... Read More about The only way through it: How Sebastian learned to manage chronic pain
Research
Beyond average-based medicine: HIE as a blueprint for data-informed care
Historically, outcome prediction in medicine has followed a familiar formula: run a clinical trial, publish the results, guide care based on averages. The model has served for decades, despite its limits. In neonatal care, where decisions can carry lifelong consequences, averages are often insufficient. That’s why Ellen Grant, MD, MSc, director of the Fetal Neonatal ... Read More about Beyond average-based medicine: HIE as a blueprint for data-informed care
Patient Stories
Stay chill, show up, move forward: Nolan’s journey with ITP
At 18 years old, Nolan Ryan is an all-around athlete. Between basketball, football, and lacrosse, sports have shaped his daily life for years. He’s a true team player who shows up to every game with humility and dedication, whether he’s on the field or sitting on the sidelines. Like most student-athletes, Nolan had to balance ... Read More about Stay chill, show up, move forward: Nolan’s journey with ITP
Research
Nanoparticle drug combo treats venous malformations
Venous malformations are abnormally shaped veins that develop when the cells lining the blood vessels grow too fast when they aren’t supposed to. Children can be born with them, and as the child grows, the venous malformations can get bigger. Venous malformations are a type of vascular malformation that can range from small and superficial ... Read More about Nanoparticle drug combo treats venous malformations
Research
Biventricular repair linked to better outcomes in superior-inferior ventricles treatment
The complexity of superior-inferior ventricles — a condition in which one ventricle is positioned on top of the other — has often limited surgical treatment. But Boston Children’s heart specialists recognized an opportunity to make treatment for the rare condition more accessible to children. Their solution has been a procedure the hospital is at the ... Read More about Biventricular repair linked to better outcomes in superior-inferior ventricles treatment