33^rd Annual Miracle Tournament and Celebration Dinner

Treated at Penn State Health Children's Hospital in Lancaster, PA.

When Benjamin was born a month early, medical staff realized immediately that he wasn’t crying or breathing correctly. “Everything that could be wrong with his lungs seemed to be wrong,” said Ben's mom, Danielle. He was transported by a pediatric ambulance that was funded by Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, which had the highest level NICU and a high-oscillating ventilator that could save his life. Because Benjamin’s condition was so critical, a doctor explained that he may need a form of life-support called ECMO, a machine that was also purchased by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “I remember signing the consent for the ECMO and asking the doctor if we have to go to ECMO, and that doesn’t work, is there anything beyond that? And she said no. Knowing that we were at that point was very scary,” shared Danielle. “But he’s a strong guy. He rallied and did so well.” A few weeks later, Benjamin was able to go home, and today is a happy, healthy kid! Benjamin loves baseball, soccer and Cub Scouts. He loves trains, bridges, and building things with Legos. He also loves the Pittsburgh Steelers and got to go to Pittsburgh to attend his first game!

Thanks to donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Benjamin received life-saving care with the use of a pediatric ambulance and ECMO machine, allowing him to live a healthy life.

Treated at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, TX.

Paislie lights up the room with her bright smile and big energy, but there was a time when things weren’t so bright in her life. After searching for answers to explain the sudden loss of movement in her leg, Paislie was diagnosed was acute lymphoblastic leukemia. At four years old, Driscoll Children’s Hospital became ‘home’ for Paislie and her family. She began an intense chemotherapy regimen while celebrating her birthday and the holidays in the hospital. As with any child with cancer, Paislie experienced several highs and lows throughout her treatment and even came close to losing a kidney. Thankfully doctors at Driscoll were able to able to provide her with the lifesaving care she needed to not only treat her cancer but also to save her kidney and send her on a path to creating more milestones. Paislie rang the bell to mark her last chemotherapy treatment at six years old. She continues to receive follow-up care at Driscoll’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, and her prognosis is good. Today, Paislie is back to doing what she loves – riding horses, cheerleading, and spending time with friends and family.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals helps fund important hospital programs such as Child Life, where specialists make sure kids like Paislie are comfortable, entertained, and at ease before procedures.

Treated at Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey.

Thirteen-year-old Gabriella (Gabby) was running at track practice when suddenly she felt her left arm drop on her last lap. After she lost feeling in her arm, she quickly lost sensation in her left leg and fell to the ground. Gabby was rushed to the pediatric unit of a local trauma center. The hospital immediately took her for a CAT scan, which revealed a brain bleed. After several tests, the doctors diagnosed Gabby with a rare brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) rupture in her right frontal lobe.

She had to wait 10 days for a craniotomy to remove the AVM because they needed the blood to settle in her brain. A few days after surgery, Gabby was transferred to Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) for inpatient therapy. AVMs cause stroke-like symptoms, in Gabby’s case, paralysis of the left side of her body and facial weakness. For 19 days in a pediatric intensive care unit, Gabby couldn’t move or sit up. During the five weeks she spent at CSH, Gabby received physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapies, including aquatic therapy and targeted ways to help her walk again and smile symmetrically. Gabby arrived wheelchair-bound and successfully walked out of CSH on her own. Since then, started practicing soccer and lacrosse again.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals helped Gabby benefit from various forms of therapies that supported her road to recovery.