Miracle Stories
These are the stories of just a few of the children that Children's Miracle Network Richmond has been able to help through their member hospitals, Children's Hospital and VCU Children's Medical Center.
Noah, Age 3
Noah was born with CHARGE syndrome. CHARGE refers to a specific set of birth defects ranging from mild to life-threatening. Its name comes from the first letters of the syndrome’s common features which include coloboma, heart malformations, narrowed nasal passages, and ear abnormalities. The cause is unknown.
Carmen, Age 15
A child with JRA often has chronic inflammation in the joints which can restrict movement and cause tenderness and pain. Because there is a tendency to avoid pain by not using the affected joints, certain muscles can weaken over time which may result in limited motion or permanent contraction of the joint. As a child grows, there is also a risk of abnormal bone development because the inflamed joints can alter the growth patterns of the bones.
Shayveona, Age 3
Shayveona experienced a severe traumatic brain injury in July 2008 when her head hit a couch during a pillow fight at her babysitter’s house. Her mother, Sue, was initially told her daughter would not likely “wake up, focus or be aware,” but she says Shayveona started to show signs of alertness soon after coming to the TCU at Children’s Hospital the following September.
Matthew, Age 7
Matthew was born on March 23, 2001 with a heart defect so rare that less than 1% of children born with heart complications will suffer from it. Today, Matthew is a very determined young man who welcomes his treatments and understands that working hard will make him stronger.
Dominic, Age 6
Dominic was born with Biliary Atresiain, a rare condition in newborns where the common bile duct between the liver and small intestine is blocked or absent.