In 2012 Bailey was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and underwent a procedure called a rotationplasty where a portion of her right limb with the cancer was surgically removed, while the remaining portion of the limb was rotated and reattached to become her knee joint. After she finished treatment, Bailey began playing wheelchair basketball and she made Team USA in 2018. Since then, she has competed in the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, won a gold medal at the U25 World Championships in Thailand and won a silver medal at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. Today, Bailey has been cancer free for almost eight years and she looks forward to competing in the Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan in 2021.
A few friends wanted to share well-wishes with our patients in honor of national pediatric cancer awareness month.
Join us for the virtual 2020 Sickle Cell Disease Education Day on 9/26. This year's theme is Sickle Cell Disease—It's Virtually a New World—and will include educational talks and discussions with Children's physicians and staff, breakout sessions and Q&A sessions with the speakers and a specialized breakout session for teenagers.
Attendance is free with registration: choa.org/sced
When Dani was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 13, one of the things she was most nervous for was losing her hair as a side effect of her chemo treatments. After Dani’s dad helped her shave her head, she realized she liked rocking a bald head. Yolanda, Dani’s mom, described this milestone as a freeing experience—like a weight was lifted off her daughter’s shoulders. Today, this artistic, soccer-loving 14-year-old is thrilled to have her design featured on the 2020 Atlanta United FC September Scarf of the Month.
Heather was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma at age 15 and remembers the hope and resiliency that the staff at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center instilled in her for her future. After enrolling in a clinical trial and undergoing a double BMT, Heather was discharged from the hospital on her 16th birthday. Heather’s cancer treatments lasted through college and today she credits doctors and staff for motivating her to succeed. Heather recently completed her MPH at the Rollins School of Public Health and at graduation her Children’s doctor was in the front row. Today, Heather is cancer-free and works at Children’s alongside many of the same doctors that treated her as a teenager; this past spring she celebrated her 15th “cancer-versary” since diagnosis. (Note: This photo was captured in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic began.)
Last year, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl announced a historic $20 million gift to our Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center inspired by former patient Anna Charles "A.C." Hollis. In its first year of operation, the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund provided $4 million to fund five new clinical drug trials in the fight against childhood cancer. Join us in thanking them for their continuous support.
CHICK-FIL-APEACHBOWL.COM
Peach Bowl LegACy Fund Celebrates Successful First Year - Peach Bowl
As Pediatric Nurses Week comes to a close, we wanted to celebrate all our nurses who make a difference in the life of our patients, day in and day out.
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
October 8 at 6:43 PM ·
At just 10 months old, Ansley was diagnosed with leukemia. Throughout her nearly four years of treatment, Ann, one of her nurses, became part of her extended family. Three decades later, they're working alongside each other at Egleston—the same hospital that brought them together all those years ago.
SarahBeth was 2 years old when she was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor. Shortly after diagnosis, she had surgery to remove part of her liver and her right kidney. Now 14-years cancer free, SarahBeth is an avid dancer and big Atlanta Braves fan.
Spotted: Brielle donning her cape for #CapeDayATL!
When Christina was diagnosed with cancer, she wasn't sure what to expect from her inpatient stay, but her nurses instantly made her feel comfortable.
"The fifth floor has become my home away from home and my nurses are to thank for making it that way for me. I can not be more thankful for the impact they've had on my life."
Please join the Children's family in thanking Arthur Blank for this transformative gift for Georgia's kids!
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
October 12 at 6:45 AM ·
It's an exciting day in Children's history: The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has made a generous $200 million gift to name our new hospital. Opening in 2025, the Arthur M. Blank Hospital is the largest healthcare project ever in the history of Georgia. Please join the Children's family in thanking Arthur Blank for this transformative gift for Georgia's kids!
Learn more: https://www.choa.org/give/updates/news/arthur-m-blank-hospital-naming-press-release
For years, the Ashford Park community has rallied around two of their own, and this year was no different. The Brookhaven community raised $1,650 to purchase masks for staff. Patients Mary Tipton and Caroline joined members of the community to drop off masks outside of Scottish Rite.
Our doctors are dedicated, passionate ... and award-winning! Earlier today, Dr. Bill Woods, former chief of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Chief Executive Officer Donna Hyland and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Lucky Jain. Please join us in congratulations Dr. Woods!
School doesn't stop for patients when they visit the hospital. Thanks to a generous donation from Passion City Church, our patients received back packs filled with school supplies to keep on track during their stay.
Dan Amos, Chairman and CEO, Aflac says it best, "Together we're a force of hope."
Three years ago, Reese and her family received the best news: She was cancer-free. Today, the Rivera family continues to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research through Reese’s MaGIC Fund. During Children’s annual Cape Day celebration, Marietta Center for Advanced Academics (MCAA) held a fundraiser earmarked for pediatric cancer. Behind these masks are ear-to-ear smiles from the Rivera family and Dr. Tricia Patterson, the school principal.
Sometimes a comforting paw is the best medicine, just ask Gavin. Born with Von Willebrand disease, a blood disorder in which blood does not clot properly, and Von Hippel-Lindau, a rare genetic disease that causes tumors to develop throughout the body, Gavin is no stranger to Children’s. After a recent surgery to remove a tumor in his spinal cord, a visit from Tidings served a welcome distraction for Gavin. “Tidings is the sweetest dog I’ve ever met; I forgot all about my pain while he was in my presence.”
The badge says it all.
Kassey knew something was wrong when she couldn't play more than 10 minutes in a soccer game without getting winded. After several tests at Children’s, the 12-year-old was diagnosed with Severe Idiopathic Aplastic Anemia and started taking various medicines to tell her bone marrow to produce more cells. Today, the preteen is celebrating after saying “peace” to all of her medications.
The holidays may look different this year, but that didn't stop Kenni from celebrating the magic of the season. Last night, this 3-year-old ovarian cancer warrior was the VIP at the Macy's Great Tree Lighting ceremony at Lenox Square. She had a very important job to do: pressing that big red button to light the tree! Now, thanks to Kenni, Atlanta is officially in the holiday spirit.
The 4th annual Peach Bowl Touchdowns for Children’s fundraising campaign has officially kicked off. Last year “Team Lex” raised $18,992, more than any other group, and was awarded the 2019 Anna Charles “AC” Hollis T4C Trophy during the 2019 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl game. There are multiple ways to get involved, including setting up a pledge-per-touchdown amount or making a one-time donation to Children’s. It's not too late to start!
Around here, we witness signs of hope—big and small—every day.
Duncan is a 17-year-old brain tumor survivor. Throughout his time as an active patient, he found himself always carrying a “go bag” with him containing frequently needed items during long clinic appointments and/or inpatient stays. For his Eagle Scout project, he wanted to give back to his fellow Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center families in a meaningful way. His initial goal was to raise money to purchase items for 50 go bags, but he surpassed his goal and wound up donating 100 go bags. He was thrilled to have a chance to give back to a place that has meant so much to him and his family.
Deck the halls with leis and grass skirts
Fa la la la la, la la la la
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Thank you to The Live A Yes Foundation for donating materials to decorate the halls.
Nine years ago, Anna made a special delivery of dreidels and menorahs to a family friend who was receiving treatment at Egleston. Last night, the tradition continued with Anna bringing love and light to our halls in advance of the first night of Hanukkah.
In partnership with The Good Works Project, Lexy was excited to visit Egleston with wagons filled with toys and activity kits for her fellow patients. She also provided items for the glam cart, picked out essential oils and fuzzy socks - an item she was fond of during her inpatient stays. Happy Holidays from Lexy!
James was 16 when he was diagnosed with ALL. He finished treatment about a month before heading off to college, and due to the compassion and education he received from his own care team, he knew he was meant to study nursing. After a few years in adult oncology, he made his way to Atlanta and to his role as a Patient Teaching Coordinator/Fertility Preservation Nurse.
In his words, “I’m able to capture both sides of the journey, upfront teaching in the early days of treatment and long term planning for life and family building after cancer or blood disorders treatment. By meeting with patients and families – who sometimes feel like they are in a tailspin and in a stage of shock – I can try to put them at ease and empower them through education." Our families are so fortunate to have James on their team.
Happy Huladays from our family to yours!
Big sister, best friend and now lifesaver. When sickle cell disease rendered Reagan in need of a bone marrow transplant, her older sister, Kennedi, was honored to learn she was a match. In October, Kennedi gave Reagan the gift of life—and together they became the 100th matched-sibling bone marrow transplant for sickle cell disease to take place at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
During her freshman year of high school, Sofia was diagnosed with AML and was told a bone marrow transplant would be the next best step towards remission. When her fully-matched donor was unable to donate bone marrow just days before her transplant, her sister Bella, a half-match, jumped at the calling to donate her healthy cells to Sofia. Within hours, Bella was at Children's at Egleston for additional testing. Within 48 hours, doctors were able to harvest her life-saving transplant cells, and on Jan. 10, just two days after Sofia was originally scheduled for her transplant, Bella gave her sister the gift of life. “I think it was really cool that Bella was my donor,” said Sofia. “People always say you share blood with your family. Well, Bella and I really share blood now. It meant more coming from my sister than from another donor.”
Now at age 16, Sofia has been removed from all transplant restrictions and is off all transplant-related medications. She just got her driver’s license, and today marks one year since she received her bone marrow transplant.
This holiday season, we had to cancel our annual Delta North Pole trip, but we were determined to still find ways to bring the holiday cheer to our patients and staff throughout December. With the help from many incredible sponsors, we provided activity boxes to several families, fun DIY activities for patients in the hospital, decorated the units with holiday décor and even brought sweet treats to families and staff. Thank you to the several sponsors who made it possible: Delta Air Lines, The Live A Yes Foundation, Samsara, GreenSky, Lookout Dumpsters, Inc John Frix, Orangetheory Fitness, and Jimmy and Helen Stratigos Carlos and Family.
Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center updated their website address.
Last fall, Dr. Bill Woods, former chief of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Chief Executive Officer Donna Hyland and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Lucky Jain. Before he received his award, current and former colleagues surprised Dr. Woods via video to share memories of working with him. Take a look.
Today on World Cancer Day we recognize and celebrate our patients, families, nurses, child life specialists, researchers, scientists doctors and all those involved throughout the treatment process.
Eight Children's employees, including two of our very own, are gearing up for the experience of a lifetime: an all-expenses-paid trip to Super Bowl LV in Tampa! Congratulations, Andrea and Dori!
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
February 3 at 6:50 PM ·
Dori Longley, clinical nurse, and Andrea Nowlin, pediatric nurse practitioner
“When I saw a call from an unfamiliar Children’s number come through on my phone, I thought I must be getting called in to float to another unit,” Dori said. “Needless to say, I was in complete and utter shock to find out my name had been chosen and I was actually going to the Super Bowl!” As excited as Dori was to hear the good news, she says she was even more thrilled to tell Andrea, her plus one for the trip. “Andrea is a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fanatic and I knew there would be no one more excited to attend this game than her!” Dori said. “When I called to tell her we won the trip, several physicians and nurse practitioners put us both on speaker phone because everyone wanted to hear her reaction. She screamed! She was so shocked and happy, she started crying. We’re both very excited—it’s going to be a blast!”
At 10-years-old, Kale Corbett was enjoying a classic American childhood. All of what seemed typical came to an abrupt halt as his family noticed a change in his typical performance on the football field. Kale was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and the prognosis was grim. Without the love and generosity of a marrow donor, Kale's chances of survival hovered around fifteen percent. Fortunately, he found his match, and while the return to 100% was a long one, he returned to athletics just one year following transplant. Today as a high school senior, Kale excels in the classroom and participates in three sports. Motivated by his care team's support and compassion at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and the selfless actions of his donor, Kale has been inspired to pursue an education in medicine. As he explores the medical field, his goal is to in some way help kids who are going through something similar to his journey.
To assist with the cost of college tuition, Kale created a video about his journey and submitted it to the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway. As one of over 93,000 entries, Kale knew the chances of winning were slim. His entire family rallied behind him to pitch in with the recording and editing process. A couple of months later, Kale received the exciting news that he was among the 21 students selected as the recipient of a $50,000 scholarship.
Last year, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center diagnosed over 500 kids with cancer – a diagnosis that no family should have to face. Today, on International Childhood Cancer Day, will you join Lex in supporting the research and resources at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center? Donate today: give.choa.org/rbc
We first introduced Sofia and Bella back in January during the 1 year anniversary of Sofia's bone marrow transplant. But today, we encourage you to take a deeper dive into the love and bond between the two sisters.
When Dontavious was just 1 year old, he was diagnosed with sickle cell disease and began receiving treatment at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Over the years, Dontavious has been hospitalized 200 times since his diagnosis, and he’s experienced several serious complications from the condition. Now at 13-years-old, Dontavious is committed to bringing awareness about sickle cell disease. As one of 2,000 patients treated for sickle cell disease at Children’s each year, Dontavious hopes to inform and educate his community about sickle cell disease through advocacy. “With sickle cell disease, it’s all about self-care,” said Dontavious. “If you don’t take care of your body, then you can end up sick or in the hospital. Drink water, eat fruits and vegetables, and just try to stay healthy.”
Meet Aries, the newest—and fluffiest—addition to the team at Egleston. Aries will lend a paw to help patients cope during outpatient treatments and provide support and snuggles to our inpatient families with his primary handler Jessica and his secondary handlers Stephanie and Leslye. We can’t wait to watch Aries make memories with our patients families. Please join us in giving Aries a warm, tail-wagging welcome!
After 4 years of treatment and one bone marrow transplant, Jaxx rang the end-of-treatment bell after he walked out of the BMT unit one last time. Although hidden behind his mask, Jaxx's smile says it all.
After evidence of slow blood clotting at birth, Everett was diagnosed with Factor VII Deficiency, a rare genetic bleeding disorder that he shares with his dad. His blood lacks the normal amount of factor seven protein, so the typical toddlerhood bumps and bruises are more complicated and risky for him. Even though contact sports are off the table for Everett, he still enjoys horsing around with his two siblings. Aside from extra caution when he's playing, nose bleeds and bruising, Everett lives a very happy and normal life is thriving thanks to the care he's received from Dr. Sidonio at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. During Bleeding Disorder Awareness Month, we're celebrating this rare, but remarkable journey this two-year-old has experienced.
Peyton was 15 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia. After two BMTs and CAR-T treatment, Peyton returned to high school for her senior year. Inspired and encouraged by her oncologist, Dr. Sharon Castellino, Peyton applied to college at UNC Chapel Hill. A few months later, Peyton was accepted and began her freshman year. Last week, Peyton found out she was accepted to UNC’s nursing program and couldn’t be more excited to begin her journey.
In Peyton’s words, “Everything my nurses did for me made me want to care for people in the future. The way my nurses went out of their way to love on me and make me feel special makes me want to work that much harder to do the same for future patients.”
March is Child Life Month and we are sending a whole lot of love to our Child Life Specialists, who bring joy, laughter and support to kids fighting cancer. Child Life Specialists promote advocacy and education through preparation and play, all while empowering patients and families to tap into their inner strengths. They bring comfort and understanding to kids by sharing information about their diagnosis in ways they can comprehend. The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center created port shirts with built-in snaps—like the one Alexis is wearing here—to make port access easier and help promote positive coping by giving kids some control during procedures.
Do you have a Child Life Specialist you want to recognize? Give a shout out in the comments below.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! To help fund lifesaving childhood cancer research, Children's employees Christie Powell, Pauline Newlands and Anne Grabowski shaved their heads at the 20th annual head-shaving event for St. Baldrick's Foundation. While a very different environment this year at Union 16 Salon, it was no less meaningful and special for everyone involved. So far, this year's team has raised more than $16,000 to fund pediatric cancer research. Learn more about this event and how to donate: https://www.stbaldricks.org/teams/mypage/130876/2021.
SAT, OCT 2 AT 7:00 AM EDT
Swim Across America - Atlanta Open Water Swim
After Paul was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in August 2020, The Zone quickly became his favorite place to visit in Scottish Rite. His favorite activity? The air hockey table. Paul’s family saw how important the air hockey table was in helping him pass the time during long hospital stays that they decided to donate a new air hockey table around the holidays for Paul and the other kids in The Zone to enjoy. Who’s ready to challenge Paul to a game?
837 days of treatment.
24 transfusions.
3 surgeries.
2 proud parents.
1 ecstatic Andrew celebrating the end of his journey.
Have you heard? Jojo is one of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Honorary Construction Managers. He recently took a behind-the-scenes tour of Arthur M. Blank Hospital construction. Check out his experience: https://youtu.be/J6ZlCIdLVvA
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
March 24 at 7:21 PM ·
Dreams do come true, and this photo is proof. Just days before his second birthday, Jojo was diagnosed with a cancerous spinal tumor. On his eighth birthday, this avid construction fan helped us unveil the first look at the in-progress Arthur M. Blank Hospital. https://youtu.be/J6ZlCIdLVvA
