Stories

How Philanthropy Fuels Healing and Inspiration

Jonathan is a miracle baby. At birth, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome and with three holes in his heart. Jonathan struggled to gain weight for months, which he needed to do before he could have heart surgery. While the surgery was successful, specialists at Phoenix Children’s then found that he had a tethered spinal cord. Then COVID-19 hit and everything shut down.

It’s October—for every Halloween aficionado, that means: pumpkins, candy and costumes! The staff from Spirit Halloween has opened 22 stores across Arizona with all of your Halloween needs, they make the holiday that much more special for the kiddos at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, with 13 years of giving and more than a million raised in support of our Child Life Team.

My first exposure to Phoenix Children’s was going for a tour when my wife was pregnant with our first child. My nephew had been born prematurely about 15 years before that, and passed away at 17 days. It was remarkable to see how much progress had already been made in caring for preemies during that time – and it made me understand the importance of investing in healthcare.

Following a 30-year career as an English teacher, June Olsen now spends her time as a hospital volunteer in her retirement. After losing several members of her own family, June realized that she missed being close to children, and she especially wanted to give something meaningful to kids in Phoenix.

My son was about six years old when a pediatrician referred him to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He’d become very sick, to the point that he needed a feeding tube when he was admitted. It turns out his body was basically poisoning itself – the kind of thing no parent wants their child to live through. But I knew right away that we were in the best of hands at Phoenix Children’s, and my precious boy recovered under their watchful attention.

After surviving cancer that had its onset in childhood, Peter Volny was motivated to make life better for children and youngsters fighting deadly diseases like cancer. Never one to let grass grow under his feet, Peter veered away from a law school path into – of all things – auto racing. He has had a passion for cars all his life. A number of years ago, Peter and his wife were invited to a cheque presentation event at Phoenix Children’s by a friend who was a major donor to the Hospital. His first visit to Phoenix Children’s was a life-changer…

When our precious four-year-old daughter Olivia Rose was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, my wife Becky and I were terrified. We lived in a remote mountain town, and our local hospital just wasn’t equipped to treat Rose. So, on Halloween in 1995, with a very sick, frightened child, we made the four-hour drive to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Henry was just 2 and a half when he underwent a complex surgery for a large brain aneurysm. During surgery, his aneurysm fully ruptured and Henry suffered a major brain hemorrhage, causing a stroke. He spent 10 days in a medically induced coma and 4 weeks in the PICU before beginning rehabilitation.

Teenagers can be as challenging to tame as wild horses. But Hope Doyle’s dad says he’s grateful for his eye-rolling, know-it-all 19-year-old. There was once a day when he was told his bright, rough-and-tumble daughter — an honor student and avid equestrian — might never be able to backtalk him again.

Since being diagnosed with leukemia at age two, Raymundo had relapsed three times. But Teresa never stopped fighting. Even when her son was so sick that he couldn’t eat; when life-threatening infections made him too weak to receive treatment; and when Raymundo was near death after months in the intensive care unit; even in those moments, Teresa felt hope.

Meet Frank, one of our interfaith Chaplains at Phoenix Children's Hospital who provide compassion and counsel through life’s difficult moments.

We realize these are challenging times, but we also know that a bit of good news can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. That’s why we are sharing moments of good news from the hospital, to remind you that even in this time of social distancing, you are not alone.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the history of M3F, how the festival supports the Music Therapy Program at Phoenix Children's Hospital, and what it takes to put on one of the largest festivals in the Southwest.

While initial reports to the Noonans indicated Lucy’s heart was healthy, Colin and Charlene decided to see Dr. Lindblade — their fetal cardiologist at Phoenix Children’s —again.

One brave battle inspires support for his furry friends

It’s hard for most kids to wait for anything. But for 10-year-old Lily Rios, the wait on something a lot more important than dessert or a new game was even tougher – she needed a brand new kidney.

Life with Spina Bifida only slows him down a little

It all started when Olivia was just four. Spunky, with a skyrocketing IQ, their youngest, precocious daughter told her mom she was going to faint at their grandmother’s house in Pinetop.

7-year-old Leighton is like most kids. After school she juggles a full roster of sports – hockey and baseball are her favorites. (Her dad’s a former MLB pitcher and her mom, a coach and manager of a league of girls’ softball teams). But she’s not like most kids in that a diagnosis in May stopped all the juggling balls as she underwent surgery and chemotherapy at Phoenix Children’s.

On his special day, Carlos’ nurses also signed a pair of boxing gloves for him to take home. He was lifted up by his mom and dad to ring the bell. His extended family members cheered him on, decked out in their Disney shirts, ready for the trip to follow. They were ready to step out of the ring and back into all that Carlos has to look forward to –a trip to Disney, a new baby brother or sister and NO MORE CHEMO!

Cancer treatment isn't for the weak, just ask Xani. Her strength carried her to hit an incredible milestone in her journey. #StepUpWithPCH

Adri has been a fighter throughout her treatment to knock out cancer. Listen to her voice as she sings her fight song.

Most teenage girls love make-up tutorials. 15-year-old Kate Campa is no exception – and yet fighting blemishes and acne aren’t her biggest challenges. While she’s creating the perfect contour, she’s also fighting cancer.

It is an image he can’t get out of his mind. “It was horrific. She just was kneeling on the ground and crying. That memory still breaks my heart. It was her baby floating in that pool, and there was nothing she could do.”

Unbreakable. Through it all – the stress, the exhaustion, the worry, the fear — it’s the word that comes most to mind for Annie Lucero. Unbreakable, because in the midst of their shattered dreams for their baby, there was hope. They’ve had to bend, but they’re not broken. But their precious little boy’s heart was. And that’s where their story began.

Imagine you’re 6 years old. After a terrifying accident, you were pried from a car, whisked into an ambulance and rushed to the trauma center at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. All you can see are glaring lights and the faces of people you don’t know. Doctors are urgently giving orders. Nurses are putting a mask over your face and needles in your arm. You can‘t breathe; you’re disoriented, and no one knows your name yet. Your tears spill over and you begin to panic. Then, a Child Life Specialist enters the room. Everything changes.