Most summers while growing up, Evelyn Caldwell, age 17, enjoyed going to the beach with her family. They always had a good time visiting the North Carolina seashore. But when she was 12, something strange happened. While swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, Evelyn broke out in hives. “I was in the water up to my […]
Adult support group creates safe space for burn survivors
Although the event that forever changed her life occurred 26 years ago, Sissy Norris still vividly recalls the details of the day. “I was working on a van that needed a new electric fuel pump,” said Sissy, who with 6 older brothers was well versed in car mechanics. “I accidently slammed the hood shut with […]
Neurofibromatosis has taken a lot from Josh, but he comes back stronger
Remarkable. Resilient. Hard-working. These are just a few of the words used by Josh Yacklin’s providers to describe him. Now 20, Josh has been challenged pretty much from his earliest days with neurofibromatosis, a condition which causes the growth of tumors along nerves in the skin, brain and other parts of the body. They can […]
Hear Dakota’s heart-warming story about a well visit that saved his life
While our son, Dakota, was born at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic — in the winter of 2021 — we were ecstatic he was healthy with no cause for concern. Weighing 9 pounds and measuring 22 inches long, he was every bit the pure joy our family had waited 42 weeks for. In his […]
Teenager discovers she is “allergic to the cold”
This winter, Gabby Conrow, 17, isn’t quite sure what to expect when the weather turns cold and snowy. In August, 2023, Gabby was diagnosed with cold urticaria, a rare medical condition that causes her to develop a painful, itchy rash when she is exposed to the cold. “Being out in the cold is one of […]
Despite his physical challenges, 19-year-old is fulfilling his dream of harvesting America’s vast farmlands
Cooper Meshew has certainly had his ups and downs in his 19 years but, right now, he is up – way up in the seat of a John Deere row crop tractor in Valentine, Nebraska. Cooper, who was diagnosed at age 10 with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a degenerative nerve disease, checked off a “bucket list” item […]