Meet Cheston

Cheston has had a long and complex medical journey. His first visit to Phoenix Children’s was when he was 3 months old. At 18 months old, he was diagnosed with autism. Various other diagnoses followed over the years, including epilepsy and an anxiety disorder. 

Cheston’s mom, Hope, says that Cheston has had great care from everyone at Phoenix Children’s, from the front desk staff to the doctors and nurses. The members of his care team show Cheston that they understand him, and they make time to listen to his concerns. He has anxiety about being in the hospital setting, and Child Life, a philanthropy-funded program, has been instrumental in making him feel more comfortable there.

His advice to other kids who may be nervous about coming to Phoenix Children's is that it's OK to be scared. “I was scared, too, but I faced my fears, and now I’m going to teach you not to be scared of the hospital. Trust me, you’re going to like the hospital,” he says.

Now 13, Cheston enjoys writing books, coding, animation, watching movies and playing the piano. He loves to create storyboards to organize his thoughts for his books, coding projects and video animations. He has published over 15 books and was a featured local author at Barnes & Noble Chandler. He also started making T-shirts to advertise his books.

Autism is Cheston's superpower, and he proudly says, “I am great just the way I am.” He wants other kids to know that they are great just the way they are, too. He often shares that message in his books, which are available in the Emily Center, Phoenix Children's pediatric health library.    

As a longtime Phoenix Children's parent, Hope wanted to give back to the place that has played such an important role in her son's life. She joined the Neuroscience Parent and Family Advisory Council, a group that advocates for patient families, and she currently serves as its chair. She encourages other families to take advantage of the resources available at Phoenix Children's, such as those in the Emily Center—which, thanks to philanthropic support, are available at no cost. “They have amazing resources for free,” she says.

Hope says that Cheston's medical journey has changed her for the better. “After Cheston was born, I had to lean on others for support,” she says. “I found a group of people that were so supportive and helpful. I am just so overwhelmed with gratitude at the amount of love and support we receive on a daily basis.”