Stories & Outcomes

Discharge days are bittersweet at Blythedale Children's Hospital. While we miss the children we become so close to over the course of their treatment, our hearts soar when they are able to return to their families and their communities. We are proud to share some of their stories.

Jonathan's Journey

A complex diagnosis improved through the efforts of an interdisciplinary team.

Blanca knows her son Jonathan is a strong fighter. Just three months into her pregnancy, Jonathan was diagnosed with aortic valve canal and trivial left and trivial right aortic valve regurgitation, pulmonary hypertension, intrauterine growth restriction, short limbs, hydronephrosis, and Trisomy 21...

Tags:

  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Complex Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
  • Complex Chronic Conditions
  • Post Acute Neonatal Care
  • Specialized Feeding
  • Trisomy 21
  • Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Feeding Disorders
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Brandon's New Heart

Brandon is an 11-year-old who lets nothing slow him down - not even a heart transplant. He was born with multiple congenital heart defects, including heterotaxy, a rare condition which is characterized by septal defects and valve disorders, and an inability to productively return blood from the...

Tags:

  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Pre/Post Organ & Stem Cell Transplant
  • Congenital Heart Disease

Resilient Raymond

Micro-Preemie Masters Movement as Inpatient and Outpatient

Raymond has got some serious moves. The 14-month-old can roll over, push himself up to a sitting position and even use both hands to play with toys. Some pretty impressive skills considering what he had to overcome. In January 2018, an unexpected pre-term delivery brought him into the world at just...

Tags:

  • Post Acute Neonatal Care
  • Specialized Feeding
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  • Micro Preemie
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
  • Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)
  • Chronic Lung Disease
  • Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
  • Hypothyroidism

A Journey of Hope

"No family ever expects to be in this situation. You just don't think it can happen to you." Did you know 45% of our patients are under the age of one? Follow the extraordinary journeys of a few of Blythedale's smallest and most fragile infants, as their families prepare to bring them home... for...

Tags:

  • Post Acute Neonatal Care
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Specialized Feeding
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Extreme Prematurity
  • Micro Preemie
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Acquired Brain Injury

Wondrous Wadeem

International Heart Transplant Patient's Journey Spans Continents for Cardiac & Pulmonary Care

How far would you go for the best medical care for your child? For five-year-old Wadeem and her family, the answer was half a world away. Diagnosed with complex congenital heart disease at birth, Wadeem underwent multiple cardiac reparative surgeries in her home country of Saudi Arabia and, later...

Tags:

  • Pre/Post Organ & Stem Cell Transplant
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Complex Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
  • Complex Chronic Conditions
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Chronic Lung Disease

Amazing Abby Overcomes Cardiac and Pulmonary Challenges

Nearly One, Infant Heads Home for the First Time

Abby has always amazed her parents and medical teams. The full-term baby was born in April 2017 with a prenatal diagnosis of an atrioventricular canal (AVC) defect and critical coarctation, both congenital heart defects. And within the span of only nine days, Abby underwent two reparative heart...

Tags:

  • Post Acute Neonatal Care
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Congenital Heart Disease

A Fighter With Heart

Rebecca's Brave Recovery from Heart Transplant

Rebecca has always been a fighter, even before birth. The 12-year-old was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect. Throughout her life, Rebecca has endured a variety of procedures related to her diagnosis, but none prevented her from enjoying her activities...

Tags:

  • Pre/Post Organ & Stem Cell Transplant
  • Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Complex Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
  • Heart Transplant
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Acquired Brain Injury
  • Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)

Messiah Comes Home

“He is our first child, giving us a run for our money,” said Chappisha Morgan, smiling as she pulled a small shirt over her three-month-old son Messiah’s vertical chest scar. Messiah’s dad, Terrance Mackie, was packing up their belongings for a big family “first”. Their baby boy was going home. “We...

Tags:

  • Post Acute Neonatal Care
  • Specialized Feeding
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Preemie

Unlocking the Future

Learn more about Blythedale's Assistive Technology program, and how it's changed the lives of four extraordinary patients.

As technology continues to advance, children with special needs are becoming increasingly more integrated into the world around them. Blythedale's comprehensive Assistive Technology program, one of only a few such programs in New York State, is opening doors for children like Barbara, Ashley...

Tags:

  • Assistive Technology
  • Complex Chronic Conditions
  • Neuromuscular Disorders
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Congenital Anomalies
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Stroke