September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. But What does ‘awareness’ really mean? To become aware? To obtain new knowledge? To gain a new perspective? To become informed? To become concerned or even empathetic to an unfamiliar situation? The concept of awareness can take on many faces, and its perception can change depending on the person […]
Erin McCloskey, 11, has been a regular at Seattle Children’s her entire life. First diagnosed with a rare heart defect, a genetic specialist at Seattle Children’s later discovered she had fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). FOP is a complex condition that turns tissue, ligaments and tendons into bone that is outside the typical skeletal structure. Eventually, […]
Liesel Von Imhof, 18, came to Seattle Children’s from her home in Anchorage after learning the reason for her migraines: a ping-pong ball–sized tumor in the middle of her brain. In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, here she shares her journey of diligently working to achieve her goals despite recovering from brain tumor surgery […]
A lot can happen in a month. A patient can beat their illness. A crawling baby can take their first steps. And a nursing student can learn skills that will save lives. The latter is certainly happening with students from Heritage University, who have visited Seattle Children’s in two waves this summer. The university, which […]
In honor of National Dog Day, On the Pulse is recognizing a special four-legged volunteer who has provided comfort to patients at Seattle Children’s every week for more than 11 years. If Abe had the ability to talk, he would likely share powerful stories about the thousands of kids he has met throughout his 11-year […]
Parents may notice a renewed focus on screening for hypertension at their child’s next well-child checkup thanks to new guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). While hypertension, or high blood pressure, is common in adults, many people are unaware that approximately 3.5% of all children and adolescents also have the condition. If […]
As a resident at Seattle Children’s, Dr. Alex Kula brings a unique perspective to patient care: his own history as a youth with a serious illness. Here Alex shares how his uncle gave the ultimate gift, and why the experience drives him to help sick children live healthy and fulfilling lives. I was 15 years […]
On Thursday nights this summer, 7-year-old Arabelle Laddusaw is saddling up alongside other children and teens to compete in the Tomorrow’s Rodeo Champions’ summer rodeo series in her hometown of Billings, Montana. As she sits up straight and grips the reins of her horse in anticipation of the chute opening, her cerebral palsy is the […]
For Leslie and Jeremy Barnett, Grayson’s black and white Converse Chuck Taylors represent a happy ending to a tough first chapter of life for their son, who weighed just 1 pound when he was born 18 weeks premature last November. It took eight months and overcoming tremendous adversity for Grayson to grow into the tiny […]
It’s common for parents of young children to worry about the unexpected accident that may occur while they’re out in public. But for the Henderson family, being prepared for the unexpected was something that lasted well beyond the early years of childhood. Whether it was attending a family gathering or simply dropping by the grocery […]