OUR MIRACLE CHILDREN
We dance for the miracles we can make in the lives of Baystate patients.
Learn more about lives that you can change with your support!
SHANE
Guillain Barre Syndrome/ Three-year-old Ryan Caney was a typical rambunctious kid but two years ago his family discovered that he could not walk one day.
Two years ago, Ryan came down with a cold and began to complain that his feet hurt. Over days, this started to work its way up his body causing him to stop walking. He was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)- a rare neurological disorder where your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous system.
BRIELLA
NICU baby/ Briella’s mom went to what she thought was a routine checkup, where she was immediately brought to the hospital for an emergency c-section because the cord was wrapped around Briella’s neck. Briella spent 2 weeks in the NICU.
Connor
Connor was diagnosed with Down Syndrome when he was 3 weeks old. Three days after he was diagnosed he woke up in the morning congested was brought to the pediatricians office where they found a mass in his stomach. After exploratory surgery they found out that it was a case of an absorbed twin. His mom was pregnant with identical twin boys, miscarried one and it absorbed into Connor. At 14 months old Connor developed 2nd degree heart block and had to have a pacemaker implanted. He almost didn’t make it but Baystate saved his life!
GIO
At three years old, Gio was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Stage IV and spent most of his childhood between treatments and doctors’ appointments at Baystate Children’s Hospital. At age three, Gio received a stem transplant. He finished his chemotherapy treatment in 2012 and had a special cancer-free birthday party to celebrate! He likes to tell people, “Don’t give up, there is hope and faith, and I went through it!”
LINA
Carmelina, or "Lina", and her twin brother Giovanni were born at 36 weeks. Lina suffered from oxygen depravation and was later diagnosed with an intellectual disability from the umbilical cord around her neck. From there, Lina had spinal surgery for tethered cord syndrome at 18 months, and then later spent a lot of time at Baystate to control her epilepsy. At five, she was diagnosed with "failure to thrive", a condition indicating insufficient weight gain or loss. With Baystate's help, Lina was diagnosed with 16P11.2 duplication disorder, a gene condition that explains her seizures, speech delay, autism tattered cord, "failure to thrive", and short stature. Despite her challenges, Lina has always found a way to give back, help others, and inspire those around her.
EVIE
When Evie was born, doctors discovered she had been born with microcephaly, which is enlarged ventricles in her brain. This caused other complications as a baby and she spent time in the NICU as a result. Thanks to the care she and her family received from Baystate, today Evie is a graduate of the NICU and was recently released from neurosurgery!
