2011 Patient Story: Eden Grace Franson
At 2 weeks of age, Eden Grace Franson visited the pediatrician for a well child visit. Although Eden expressed Trisomy 21, she appeared perfectly healthy. The pediatrician heard a gallop in Eden's heartbeat and immediately sent her the Seattle Children's Hospital ER. That afternoon Eden was admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at SCH. Eden was diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy, but unlike most Trisomy 21 patients, her heart failure was not due to a structural abnormality. Eden's heart failure likely resulted from an Enterovirus infection to her heart, causing myocarditis and cardiomyopathy.

Eden's team of heart failure specialists including Dr. Boucek, Dr. Law and Dr. Kemna all came to know her unusual case very well. And each doctor brought a unique and innovative perspective to her care. Eden has also been diagnosed with Craniosynostosis and will require skull surgery when she is one year old. Eden was in the hospital for 2 months before she was stable enough to come home, and she has been on oxygen and continuous feeds through an NG tube since. Eden continues to show small improvements in her heart function, however, most of her improvement shows in her beautiful smile and increasing physical strength. Eden lives at home with her beautiful sisters Elyn and Erin and parents Daniel and Shannon.

2010 Patient Story: Olivia Schroeder
Olivia Schroeder is a little girl who enjoys reading, camping, and creating fairy houses from things that most of us would put in the wastebasket. She loves her two cats (Coco and Felix), anything that is little, and the Cat Warrior books. Olivia also loves water – swimming in it, playing with it, but mostly drinking it. This is because she has Bartter’s Syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disorder that interferes with her body’s ability to balance electrolytes.

Olivia was diagnosed with Antenatal Bartter’s Syndrome by Dr. Sangeeta Hingorani at Children’s Hospital when she was 3 years old. The diagnosis provided an explanation for Olivia’s premature birth, her chronic vomiting and inability to gain sufficient weight during her first 2 years of life, and her unquenchable thirst for water. But more importantly, this diagnosis led to the development of a treatment regimen that helps Olivia live an active and joyful life.

Olivia visits Dr. Hingorani and her team in Nephrology every 4 months to make sure her potassium and other electrolytes are being properly managed by her medications. She also has regular ultrasounds of her kidneys to track their growth and development. Olivia’s family is grateful for the excellent care that she continues to receive at Children’s Hospital.

2009 Patient Story: Colton Sandhofer
Colton Sandhofer was diagnosed with Rhabdomyoscarcoma, a tissue cancer, when he was 11 years old. His journey began when he found a lump in his wrist. Initially, Colton was sent to a physical therapist. Within weeks doctors realized his tumor was cancer and he was immediately sent to Seattle Children’s to start treatment.

Colton endured a year of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries, and almost always had a smile on his face. Colton is now cancer free and continues quarterly checkups at Children’s. He is in the 9th grade at Tolt Middle School and is an avid athlete, excelling at both football and baseball. Colton lives in Duvall with his mom Tracie, dad Brian and younger brother Trent.

2008 Patient Story: Logan Lewis
Logan Lewis was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer at the age of 5 in the summer of 2007. Neuroblastoma is a disease in which malignant cells form in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest and spinal cord.  In the beginning of July, 2007, Logan began limping and running a fever which lead to several trips to Children’s hospital for a diagnosis.  Throughout this time, Logan’s mom, Kelly, was due to give birth at the end of the month.  A definitive diagnosis of neuroblastoma came on July 26, 2007. Logan’s baby brother, Peyton was born 4 days later on July 30

Dr. Julie Park supervised Logan’s treatments and numerous stays at Children’s Hospital.  He endured 6 rounds of chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumor, a stem cell transplant, radiation, and an experimental treatment.  Logan always handled his treatments with a smile and a positive attitude. 

Logan is now eight years old and is happy, loving, confident and full of life! Logan’s parents are thankful to the staff at Children’s for their amazing care.

For more information about Logan Lewis please visit his website

2007 Patient Story: Thomas Bailey
Thomas Bailey was diagnosed with stage 3 neuroblastoma cancer at the age of 8 months. Neuroblastoma is a disease in which malignant cells form in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest and spinal cord. The cause of the tumor is unknown and symptoms can vary. Often, children experience few symptoms until the cancer has spread to the bones and bone marrow making treatment prolonged and difficult.

Thomas' cancer was discovered during a routine exam for a bad chest cold. He was immediately admitted to Children's Hospital in August 2005 under the care of Dr. Julie Park. He initially spent 10 days in the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance wing where she determined his course of treatment would be several months of chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the diminished tumor. Treatment went well, especially due to the advances in pediatric cancer, cutting-edge drugs to combat nausea, and the meticulous care of the Children's Hospital staff.

Thomas is now six years old and is completely cancer free.

2006 Patient Story: Kelty Pierce
Kelty Pierce has been a patient at Children's Hospital since she was a year old. At the time of her birth in December, 1997, she was diagnosed with Developmental Dysplacia of the Hip, the abnormal growth of the hip joint (DDH). After her first unsuccessful surgery at eight weeks-old, and a year of follow up treatment in Tacoma, Kelty came to see Dr. Mohammad Diab in Children's Orthopedic Clinic. He determined Kelty needed more surgery and she went in January, 1999 for the first of five surgical procedures. Between the ages of two months and five years-old, Kelty had six surgeries, each one followed by a body cast, cast changes and numerous hospital stays.

Dr. Diab left Children's in 2002 and Kelty is now under the care of Dr. Vincent Mosca. She sees him annually, and although she is stable and in no pain, more surgery is imminent. Kelty's hip sockets are not normal - never will be completely, so she is destined for dual hip replacements once she is fully grown. It is our hope to put that off long enough for technology to make that procedure less invasive and more permanent.