Children's Hospitals Family Advocacy Day 2008

Dorothy May Aragones, Brooklyn, NY

Watching 8-year-old Dorothy turn cartwheels and flip head over heels, it’s hard to believe she’s the same girl who underwent three open heart surgeries to correct a congenital defect that left her heart with two chambers instead of four. Only a faint “zipper” scar on her chest tells the story of those surgeries, including the complex Glenn/Fontan procedure that cardiologists at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian performed to redirect blood flow through her heart.

Now Dorothy has so much energy that when she isn’t showing her mom her latest gymnastics moves, she’s racing her classmates or drawing colorful pictures.

Leave a comment to cheer on Dorothy as she travels to Washington, DC to champion children's health issues.

Stephanie Rodriguez, Chicago, IL

At age 7, Stephanie was diagnosed with panhypopituitarism caused by a brain tumor. Doctors at Children’s Memorial Hospital treated her with heavy doses of chemotherapy and radiation and Stephanie treated them to her beautiful singing voice.

Now in remission, Stephanie is determined to graduate from college. Not surprisingly, this talented young woman with a heart of gold is helping patients at Children’s Memorial and other children’s hospitals by bringing her joyous melodies to patient fundraising and awareness events around the world. Stephanie’s ability to hold her head up high in the face of adversity inspires everyone she meets.

Leave a comment to cheer on Stephanie as she travels to Washington, DC to champion children's health issues.

Justice Thomas, Brookville, OH

If you pop into Dairy Queen in Brookville, OH, you may be lucky enough to get served by Justice. Working with her family, which owns the shop, this seventh grader helps out with “Miracle Treat Day,” when The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton employees get treats delivered to the hospital. It’s one way the family thanks the pediatric experts there who have treated Justice since the day she was born weighing only 2 pounds, 3 ounces.

As she grew, she developed an illness that causes her to throw up blood. But the hospital’s specialists are ensuring that Justice, who raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network, has a future as bright as her smile. Not only does Justice want to be a pediatric nurse, she hopes to become president and CEO of Dayton Children’s.

Leave a comment to cheer on Justice as she travels to Washington, DC to champion children's health issues. You also can follow Justice's new blog: http://daytonchildrens.blogspot.com/

Matt Shisler, Silver Lake, OH

Asked how her son’s life would be different without Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, mother Nora replied, “I hate to think about it. Rainbow Babies saved Matt’s life.”

A “gentle giant” at 6’3, the friendly 16-year-old had a brain tumor successfully removed when he was in the first grade. Matt calls the scar on the back of his head a “badge of honor” — but you can hardly slow him down enough to catch a glimpse of it. He plays the baritone in his high school marching band, keeps statistics for the boy’s basketball team and is on the honor role. Matt also owns his own lawn mowing business with the motto “mowing lawns is an art form, not a job.”

Leave a comment to cheer on Matt as he travels to Washington, DC to champion children's health issues.