Meet Champion, Jensen

When Jensen was just seven months old, his parents’ world turned upside down. One night, they awoke to the terrifying sight of their baby struggling to breathe. In a panic, they rushed him to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, a Children’s Miracle Network hospital, where doctors diagnosed croup and stridor—a dangerous narrowing of the airway. Though he was discharged the next day, the episodes returned without warning, each one more frightening than the last. As Jensen grew, more challenges surfaced: painful gastrointestinal issues, severe reflux that made eating nearly impossible, and Duane syndrome affecting his eye. "Every time he’d eat, he’d throw up," his mom remembers. Over the years, Jensen underwent scopes, procedures, and multiple surgeries, including one to correct his reflux at age six—a turning point that brought relief and fewer hospital visits. Through it all, donor-funded Child Life Specialists helped transform fear into fun, making hospital stays less scary. "They always made him feel safe," his mom says. Today, Jensen is 11 years old and thriving. Known for his big smile and even bigger hugs, Jensen dreams of becoming CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital so he can keep fighting for kids just like him, every single day.