From her very first breath, Kendalyn has been a fighter. Born six weeks early, she faced immediate feeding struggles that never resolved. Every bottle brought pain, swelling, and tears until doctors at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, a Children’s Miracle Network hospital, discovered the cause: Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction. In this severe condition, the intestines can’t move food through the body. To survive, Kendalyn was placed on IV nutrition through a central line. This is her lifeline, but also a source of constant fear. Each fever means rushing to the hospital, and every infection carries the risk of sepsis. Over the years, her diagnoses grew to include chronic pancreatitis, lung disease, and neurogenic bladder, requiring surgeries and an ileostomy bag she lovingly named "Lulu." With the help of her care team, Kendalyn found pride in her journey. While she spends months of each year in the hospital, she refuses to let that define her. She transforms her hospital room into a place of joy, painting nurses’ nails, throwing dance parties, and sharing art therapy crafts with other patients. Her bright personality and compassion bring hope to everyone around her. Thanks to donations, Kendalyn has access to life-saving medications and vital programs like Child Life, music therapy, and art therapy. These moments of normalcy give her the strength to face her pseudo-obstruction with courage. Now 11, Kendalyn loves ballet, robotics club, her service dog Reggie and teaching her classmates about her medical complexities with confidence. "Kendalyn doesn’t get normal," her mom says. "But because of Primary Children’s and community support with Children’s Miracle Network, she gets something even more important: she gets to dream, to laugh, and to live."
Primary Children’s Hospital helps champions like Kendalyn.
Every Children’s Miracle Network® hospital has a local Champion with an incredible healthcare story. Read more about their journeys, the specialized care they received and the difference it’s made in their lives.
Every donation helps kids like our Champions get the care they need at their local children’s hospital. From funding specialized equipment to advanced research and child life programs, your support helps these hospitals deliver the best possible care for all kids and families in their communities.
