When Lance was 4 years old, he was diagnosed with an inoperable high-grade cancerous tumor in his brain stem that was compressing his spine. His treatment included chemotherapy, radiation, two surgeries, and peptide vaccine injections as part of an institutional vaccine study at his hospital.

Doctor’s deemed Lance’s reaction to the vaccine injection miraculous; and he is doing better each day, with no growth of his tumor.

Described as a very approachable child, Lance’s robust laugh and steadfast determination readily attracts people to him. However, Lance credits his full head of crazy curls — which he describes as “brown cotton candy” — for his personality.

Lance loves to play video games and enjoys playing Miracle League baseball, where he’s earned himself the nickname of “Lightning Lance.” He is also a proud new puppy owner, and looks forward to spending time with his new furry friend.

How donations helped Lance at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC:  

CMN Hospitals donations have vastly enhanced the countless hours Lance and his family have spent at the hospital, helping to provide pet therapy and child life programs — services that help heal not just the child, but the entire family.

11/18/15 11:11:46 AM — The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis 2015 Children’s Miracle Network with Laney Kate, Nurse Judy and Dr. Jackson
Photo by Shane Bevel

When Laney Kate’s parents found out they were having a baby girl, it wasn’t all happy news. Her stomach was forming in her chest with no space for her lungs to grow.

At birth, Laney Kate entered the neonatal intensive care unit. Two days later, she experienced respiratory failure and was placed on an ECMO machine, which provided her cardiac and respiratory support. Shortly thereafter, her stomach ruptured and the risky, yet critical, decision was made to perform surgery while still connected to the machine. Miraculously, after 34 days in the hospital, Laney Kate was the first ECMO patient to leave her hospital with no oxygen support, monitors or feeding tubes.

Now, Laney Kate is thriving. She enjoys the company of all animals and has become the “lizard queen” of the family — catching many eastern collared lizards.

How donations helped Laney Kate at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis:  

CMN Hospitals funds purchased the ECMO machine that saved Laney Kate’s life by providing her with cardiac and respiratory support.

Doctors determined that Carson and his mother could lose their lives if he wasn’t delivered immediately. He was born at just under 26 weeks, weighing only 1 pound 12 ounces.

At 6 days old, Carson suffered a brain bleed that affected both sides of his brain. Thirteen months later he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. With 25 percent of the right side of his brain no longer working, and the left side covered in scar tissue from the bleed, Carson has had multiple surgeries, including another irreversible surgery that threatened his ability to walk.

Despite the challenges he’s faced since birth, Carson is always positive and is driven to try harder each day. He recently realized he was different from his peers, but doesn’t let anything slow him down. He knows he has to be stronger, or as he describes it, “I’m bringing my real game now.”

How donations helped Carson at Children’s Hospital Colorado:  

CMN Hospitals donations support the hospital’s rehabilitation department where Carson undergoes occupational and physical therapy. Funds also support various services, research and pediatric equipment benefiting kids like Carson.

When first encountering Logan, you might be met with a growl. That’s simply dinosaur language for “hello” in his world. It’s a world where a rambunctious boy can play basketball, be a human bowling ball and ride a bike through his hospital’s garden, despite having a rare genetic condition.

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease is a central nervous system defect of the brain that affects mobility and speech skills. Today, there are only 1,000 known cases.

Logan participates in speech, physical and occupational therapy sessions every week and receives Botox injections to improve spasticity in his legs every four to six months. He also sees a pediatric neurologist every six months on top of annual visits with a neuro-ophthalmologist and a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. It’s a lot for a child. But that doesn’t stop Logan from having an infectious smile, a joyful laugh and a “can do” attitude.

How donations helped Logan at McLane Children’s Scott & White:  

CMN Hospitals donations help pay for Logan’s ongoing occupational services every week as well as the MRI and X-ray machines used to test his bone density, hips and ankles. Future contributions will support renovations to the hospital’s therapy facilities.

Isaiah was born fighting for his life. Delivered two months early, without a jaw, he lacked breathing passages and was deprived of oxygen for 15 minutes. Doctors weren’t sure he would survive. He did, and he’s been a fighter ever since.

While Isaiah might look a little different, others quickly learn he’s like any other teen. His bright personality and cheerful smile can light up a room with a single expression.

Isaiah celebrates being “one of a kind.” He even turned down an opportunity to have a jaw built, finding it unnecessary. He hopes people will see past his physical appearance and take the time to get to know him as a person. All he wants is a fair chance in life, and hopes to help others who are sick or look different.

How donations helped Isaiah at Phoenix Children’s Hospital:  

CMN Hospitals donations support the Hope Fund which helps launch critical new programs, purchase essential equipment, conduct cutting-edge research, provide charitable care, and do much more for kids like Isaiah.

Meet Steven the Stoma, Ivan the IV and Peter the PICC line. No, these aren’t characters from the next animated blockbuster — they’re the names of Amy’s body parts and medical appliances. Naming the devices used for her procedures is one way this teenager has kept her positive attitude in the face of multiple diagnoses, the most serious being chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

This rare disorder alters the intestinal tract so nutritional requirements cannot be met. Amy’s medical team described her condition as more severe than that of other children with the same condition. She required seven inpatient hospital stays over eight months, which included numerous tests, scopes, scans and ultrasounds.

After a last-resort procedure, Amy’s prognosis is good, and her positive personality is still intact. She enjoys hiking and movie marathons with her best friend. Amy hopes to eventually become a doctor.

How donations helped Amy at UNM Children’s Hospital:  

CMN Hospitals donations provided Amy access to the Beads of Courage program, which helped her to track the milestones of her treatment and talk about what she was experiencing with friends and family.

A boating accident led to a 75-day stay at the hospital for Drew, where he recovered from multiple soft-tissue injuries and marine-bacteria infections, as well as damage to his spleen, liver, diaphragm, kidneys, lungs and femur.

Doctors and nurses were impressed by Drew’s persistent “can-do” attitude and his concern for others, despite what he was going through himself. He has a great outlook on life and hasn’t let his traumatic experience get him down. Drew is a happy and goofy child who makes people laugh daily.

For Drew, it was never a question of whether he’d walk and run again; he was determined to do both and pushed through the pain. He is an inspiration to others and draws from his faith to see him through. “Since God saved me,” said Drew, “I know he has a purpose for me, and I can’t wait to find out what that purpose is.”

How donations helped Drew at The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart:  

CMN Hospitals’ funds are helping to pay for a building expansion at Drew’s children’s hospital. Donations also cover equipment like syringe pumps and a transport ventilator, which helps stabilize kids like Drew between surgeries.

While his condition adversely affects his ability to walk, one of Jordan’s favorite hobbies is running. It’s a perfect example of his optimistic attitude toward life. He commonly says, “Don’t give up.” The motto is particularly meaningful to this teenager who has heeded his own advice on multiple occasions.

Jordan started life with a fight when he was born 12 weeks premature. A few months after his first birthday he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. At age 7, his diagnosis evolved to spastic diplegia, a distinct type of cerebral palsy affecting about 22 percent of all diagnoses. It means Jordan has an especially high level of constant tightness and stiffness in his lower extremities.

Jordan has received care at his member CMN Hospital since he was 3 years old. Now an active teenager, he still receives treatment in the form of physical therapy and injections that improve his ability to move.

How donations helped Jordan at Batson Children`s Hospital at the University of Mississippi Medical Center:  

The facility where Jordan receives physical therapy for his unique type of cerebral palsy is able to keep its doors open thanks to donations made through CMN Hospitals and other initiatives.

Big deal. Little deal. These are the potential scenarios into which Hayden and his mom categorize each of his hospital visits. Realistic expectations help manage his fear; the kind of conversations only a brave child could endure.

Hayden has seen the operating table 11 times. In addition to that, he’s had countless procedures under deep sedation and various other diagnostic testing. Born with a series of birth defects, Hayden’s parents didn’t even get to hold him before he was immediately transported to another facility two hours away for specialized care.

It’s not an ideal situation for a child, but Hayden has yet to let the pressure of his condition get him down. Through smiles — and sometimes tears — he shows gratitude for the care he receives. He’ll likely be treated for the rest of his life; however, advances in medicine may contribute to his future well-being. Until then, this camping and sports lover has a positive prognosis.

How donations helped Hayden at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center:  

The specialized care that Hayden requires is made possible by charitable donations. Previously only available at distant facilities, care for all his medical needs is now provided locally thanks to the staff and equipment CMN Hospitals donations support.