Josie, with her father, Luis, first came to Seattle Children’s when she was 2 months old.
Josie came to Seattle Children’ Emergency Department when she was 2 months old after acquiring a virus and going into respiratory distress. She was also in the beginning stages of heart failure.
Statistically, she was lucky to have made it that far.
Before birth, Josie was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a life-threatening condition caused by an extra chromosome that disrupts the typical pattern of development in significant ways. Only about 5 to 10% of children with Trisomy 18 survive beyond their first year of life.
“I didn’t expect her to live that long,” said Josie’s mother, Jenny Castillo. “I hoped we would at least have a few days or weeks with her, and we’ve been thrilled with all the time we’ve had.” Read full post »
Kendall Stark was born with giant omphalocele, a condition where her liver protruded from her body. Now at 14 years old, she is a champion gymnast.
At 14 years old, Kendall Stark’s athleticism shines through her gymnastics medals and trophies that sit proudly on her shelf.
Glancing at this display, it might be hard to believe that the same young girl, who can bend, flip and dismount off the uneven bars eight feet from the ground, was born with a condition where her liver protruded from her body.
Kendall’s mother, Kyra Stark, was just 24 weeks pregnant when she was told by a doctor in her hometown of Billings, Montana, that her baby would be born with a condition called giant omphalocele.
Omphalocele is a type of abdominal wall defect where the intestines or other organs grow outside of the baby’s body and is covered by the layers of the umbilical cord, which forms a sac around them. It can vary in size and babies born with giant omphalocele face the risk of lung disease caused by organs squeezing against the lungs.
Ever wonder what it’s like to walk in the ‘shoes’, or rather the ‘paw prints’, of a furry friend? In honor of National Dog Day, On the Pulse is featuring one of the incredible canine and human companion pairs that bring joy and comfort to the hospital each week through Seattle Children’s Visiting Dog Program.
Hank, the 5-year-old, 78-pound Old English sheepdog, may seem like an unlikely visitor strolling through the colorful halls of Seattle Children’s, but he’s there for one important reason — to put as many smiles on the faces of young patients as possible.
The shaggy canine with a slow strut makes his rounds visiting patients in different units of the hospital every other Thursday of the month alongside his trusty human companion, Tom Whalen.
During their visits, the “Tom Hanks” duo carry a celebrity-like status, frequently being stopped in the hallways by patients, parents and staff for a quick pet on the head or simple greeting.
From his calm demeanor, soulful stare and wag of the tail each time he encounters someone, it’s clear that Hank, a registered therapy dog who has been visiting the hospital for two years, is skilled in comforting those that he meets.
Nina was at Seattle Children’s selling her art to raise money for the hospital when a chance encounter reunited her with Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen, the doctor who performed her life-saving operation.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen and his former patient Nina Jubran share two important skills: As a surgeon and an artist, they both have great attention to detail and hands that are used to doing very delicate work. They also have another profound connection: Ellenbogen saved Nina’s life 12 years ago today when she came in for neurosurgery to remove a dangerous brain tumor.
Nina, 22, is an artist and a student at the University of Washington studying sociology. In her spare time, she makes and sells delicate clay figurines like miniature scenes of penguins fishing, ornate bouquets and families of teddy bears. To thank Ellenbogen for saving her life, Nina made him clay figurines 12 years ago of a teddy bear and puppies that still sit on his desk.
Recently, Nina was at Seattle Children’s selling her figurines to raise money for the hospital when a chance encounter reunited her with the doctor who performed her life-saving operation. Ellenbogen was having a busy day with surgeries, and he went out for a quick cup of coffee before heading into his next operation.
“When I saw Nina, my heart skipped a beat,” Ellenbogen said. “It made my day to run into a former patient. I am so proud that she is out there being successful and doing what she loves. That is what drives me as a doctor.” Read full post »
In February, Madison Fairchild, 7, waited patiently with her family in a pre-op exam room at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
As they waited for Madison to be taken into surgery she asked one question: “Are they going to take all the bad things out?”
The simple answer was yes, thanks to a new procedure pioneered at Seattle Children’s that uses a common household item to remove tumor-like growths called venous malformations: super glue.
That’s right, super glue.
Seattle Children’s is currently one of only two centers in the country to offer the new, revolutionary procedure. Read full post »
When Mick Hullinger was born, the atmosphere in the birthing room was not what Leah Hullinger, a first time mother, had envisioned. Although all the ultrasounds had come back normal, as soon as Hullinger’s baby was placed on her chest, she realized something was wrong. Mick was born with bladder exstrophy, in which the bladder doesn’t grow correctly and sticks outside the abdomen, a rare disorder that happens in about 1 in 30,000 babies.
Mick was whisked away by ambulance to a specialty hospital in Salt Lake City, where the family lived.
“It was a whirlwind,” said Hullinger. “I checked out of the hospital only 12 hours after giving birth. I needed to be by his side. I never pictured this would happen; it’s not what you imagine when you’re having a baby.” Read full post »
This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, we’re sharing stories about mothers who have found hope through difficult diagnosis and became advocates for other parents and families.
Kristen Moriarty of Missoula, Mont., was 22 weeks into her pregnancy with her daughter, Onora, when a routine visit to their OB-GYN turned into shock and concern. Onora was diagnosed with omphalocele, a rare condition in which the intestines or other organs grow outside of the baby’s body and the umbilical cord forms a sac around them.
Moriarty and her husband had a big decision to make – where would they go to receive care for their little girl? Montana wasn’t an option, so they packed up all their belongings and moved. Read full post »
Kara Strozyk was expecting a normal ultrasound at a routine prenatal appointment with her OB-GYN in Olympia, Wash., 19 weeks into her pregnancy. What should have been one of the best days of her life, quickly turned into one of her worst. “How does he look?” Strozyk asked the ultrasound technician.
The ultrasound image revealed the unthinkable, an abnormality with the baby’s stomach, small and large intestine, spleen and liver; they appeared to be in his chest. Strozyk was in disbelief. Her baby was prenatally diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a hole in his diaphragm, a potentially life-threatening condition.
The advice she received only added more fear to the diagnosis: “Stay off the internet.” Read full post »
They say that life is all about the little things, and for the Otolaryngology care team at Seattle Children’s Hospital, this statement holds true more often than not. Each year more than 150 children find their way to the Seattle Children’s Otolaryngology clinic to have some kind of household object, or “foreign body,” removed from their ear, nose or throat.
These objects, while sometimes but not always small, and ranging from coins to button batteries, have become part of a unique collection that hangs in Dr. Kathleen Sie’s office. It’s a collection that she hopes will raise awareness for parents and caregivers about the prevalence of many dangerous household items that often hide in plain sight.
Elizabeth doesn’t let Crohn’s slow her down, enjoys hiking.
Elizabeth McIntosh, 19, has been through a lot to get to where she is today. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, one of the most common types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), at age 2, she felt like she was never going to be able to have a normal life – one uninterrupted by Crohn’s flare ups and debilitating abdominal pain.
But after undergoing surgery to remove more than three feet of her colon, she’s finally living the life she’s always hoped to live and wants to offer support to others living with Crohn’s.
“Never lose hope,” said McIntosh, who’s been a patient at Seattle Children’s since diagnosis. “You may have a long journey ahead of you, but you always have to have hope. It will get better.” Read full post »
Hank, the 5-year-old, 78-pound Old English sheepdog, may seem like an unlikely visitor strolling through the colorful halls of Seattle Children’s, but he’s there for one important reason — to put as many smiles on the faces of young patients as possible.
When Mick Hullinger was born, the atmosphere in the birthing room was not what Leah Hullinger, a first time mother, had envisioned. Although all the ultrasounds had come back normal, as soon as Hullinger’s baby was placed on her chest, she realized something was wrong. Mick was born with 
Kara Strozyk was expecting a normal ultrasound at a routine prenatal appointment with her OB-GYN in Olympia, Wash., 19 weeks into her pregnancy. What should have been one of the best days of her life, quickly turned into one of her worst. “How does he look?” Strozyk asked the ultrasound technician.
