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Pediatric Patient Story

A More Normal Life for Luke

Almost 34 weeks into her pregnancy, Megan’s water broke. Panicked, knowing that she was about to deliver early, she was rushed to the hospital. It was not long before first-time parents Megan and Ryan welcomed twin boys, Luke and Jett, to their family in October 2021. After the boys’ surprising…

Keeping Thea All Smiles

Althea “Thea” Brown is all smiles. And her spunky personality along with her curiosity for the world around her will undoubtedly bring a grin to your face…

Living With Gastroparesis

When Melanie Dickens was 10 years old, she fell off a pair of stilts and injured her left leg. The injury triggered complex regional pain syndrome and led to complications by revealing underlying issues with her autonomic nervous system from her genetic mutations — which are still poorly understood.

Kashton’s Story

When a fall left Kashton with severe burns, UF Health pediatric surgeons provided the specialized care he needed to get back on his feet……

Burn survivor resumes life as an active teenager

Tyrone Crawford Jr. loves sports. Coming from an athletic family, the Tallahassee teenager played his first football game at age 6. It was a passion that would continue through his middle and high school years.

The Story of a Warrior Princess

It was Labor Day weekend 2016. Lauren Seiler and her husband, Andy, were looking forward to spending the weekend with their three-year-old son and Andy’s family. Andy’s parents had rented a lake house on Marion County’s Lake Kerr, not too far from where the Seiler’s live. Lauren was 34 weeks…

Miss K’s Choppers

Nothing gives Kendall Lewis, better known as Miss K, more joy than seeing “her” helicopter flying high in the sky. And by “her” helicopter, we mean the ShandsCair chopper that serves the UF Health Shands Hospital.

Family travels from Russia to UF for baby’s lifesaving surgery

David Kays, M.D., a pediatric surgeon at UF&Shands, the University of Florida Academic Health Center, treated Russian mom Elena Akmanova’s newborn, Eva, after the baby was diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a condition that prevents proper development of the lungs.

Another chance for Olivia

Watching a Barney DVD in her bed, Olivia Salinas looks like a typical preschooler, except for the tracheostomy tube in her neck. But the 3-year-old girl from Tampa made history May 2, becoming the first child with Pompe disease in the world to have surgery to implant a diaphragm pacing…