Effie Georgia and Tom were parents to be of twins- Effie and Aris. However, sixteen weeks into her pregnancy, she and Tom learned that Effie had a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a life threatening disorder in which insufficient development of the diaphragm leads to lungs so…
Brianna Brianna started her life fighting, fighting for a chance to live. Her future was in question only five weeks after her birth. Brianna became very ill and eventually was seen by the University of Florida physicians at Shands…
Ashley, Brittney and Caitlin were born 27 weeks premature and each weighed less than two pounds. The fight for their survival began from the moment their mom was transported to Shands Children’s Hospital at the University of Florida to undergo an emergency Caesarean section to deliver the girls. Immediately after…
During his last physical before leaving Shands Children’s Hospital at the University of Florida, UF physicians discovered a serious heart murmur in two-day-old Wyatt Thomas. His parents, Ann and Johnny Thomas, welcomed Wyatt into the world on Aug. 13, 2009, and were ready to go home to Wyatt’s six brothers…
Cat Chennell’s grandmother, Lila Johnston, wept when asked how it felt to see Cat play like a normal 9-year-old girl. “Your heart just explodes into crying,” she said as she paused to gather herself. “It’s just so hard to put into words. It’s amazing.” For all the glow that Cat,…
Every Aug. 4 the Rosenberg family celebrates the day of a thousand kisses to remember when his life was saved. Two-year-old Bryan Rosenberg lay in his hospital…
Physician passes away, but his gift will continue to give Admitted to Shands at the University of Florida in October 2009 for acute myelogenous leukemia, Richard Laucks, M.D., valued the help and support he found through Shands at UF chaplain Alan Bower’s daily Catholic Mass. Dr. Laucks passed away…
Mary Ellen Bentham, pictured during the mid-90s when she was receiving breast-cancer treatment at Shands at UF and pictured today. “I am excited about the groundbreaking treatments…
Scott Dameron, a cancer survivor from Palm Coast and Shands patient, and his wife Deborah Buckner. In March 2003, Scott Dameron noticed a very small bump on his right forearm. In…
Michael was diagnosed with a brain tumor called fibrillary astrocytoma, grade II at the age of 8, when he had begun to show significant symptoms; he had lost the use of his right arm and was dragging his right foot. Michael’s parents had been given little hope until they…
