Stories & Outcomes

Rahul was preparing to enter his senior year at Briarcliff High School last August when he lost control of his motorcycle while biking with friends. He sustained a very severe traumatic brain injury and was in a minimally conscious state when he was admitted to Blythedale Children’s Hospital...

Meredith, a five-year-old with a rare form of epilepsy, doesn't let her diagnosis stand in the way of her happiness. "She's a very personable, smiling, energetic little girl that wants to interact with her world," said JeanMarie Florkowski, O.T.R, A.T.P., an occupational therapist...

Ana Rivera found out she was pregnant on Halloween in 2020. She and her partner, Diana Vasquez, started preparing for the next chapter in their lives and their new arrival. However, on April 8, 2021, at just 26 weeks’ gestation, River Omari Rivera was born weighing a mere 2 lbs., 2 oz. and...

Meet Max, an aspiring content creator who - at age 12 - is taking on the world while recovering from congenital heart disease and an hypoxic brain injury. Max attends the Robert Stone Day Hospital at Blythedale Children’s Hospital which offers a specialized program for children who are able...

When asked about who Noah is, his mom, Katy, replied, “Noah is an amazing little boy. Well, I shouldn’t say little boy anymore because he’s 15, but to me he’s always going to be my little boy.” Noah was born prematurely at just 24-weeks’ gestation and was...

On Valentine’s Day in 2020, 14-year-old Charlie was playing basketball with his friends when he suddenly felt tingling in his hands and fingers. He tried to call his parents, but his hands went numb, and he dropped his phone. “At that point I was completely paralyzed,” recalled...

Eight-month-old AJ was born with both Down syndrome and Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects. Shortly after his birth, AJ required major surgery to improve blood flow to his heart. His complex condition necessitated both a tracheostomy (a surgically...

Cody and his sisters, Mackenzie and Abigail, were born prematurely at 27 weeks at Westchester Medical Center. Cody was in distress as a result of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and was born with chronic lung disease typical of premature birth and required CPAP ventilation. He weighed a mere...

Leo was admitted to Blythedale when he was 18-months old after being born with giant omphalocele, a rare birth defect in which the internal organs develop in a sack outside the abdominal wall. Leo required complex medical care for his complicated condition and intensive physical, occupational,...

Despite their differences, four former preemies share a remarkable common bond at Blythedale Children's Hospital. Meet "The Blythedale Four" and learn about the threads that tie their lives together at New York's only post acute neonatal care rehabilitation center.