Sharmba Varner begins her workday at 4:30 a.m. and, for this mom of four, including two children with special needs, life rarely pauses for one minute until her early evening bedtime. That’s fine with Sharmba. Even though having a daughter on the autism spectrum and a son with Down syndrome means days filled with extra […]
Brothers burned in house fire develop special bond with their nurse
On a recent visit to Akron Children’s to get sized for new compression garments and undergo laser surgery procedures, Arthur (Artie), age 8, and Alan Curtis, age 9, raced down the hall to embrace licensed practical nurse Stacey Cool. Stacey, who cared for the boys last year when they were severely burned in an explosion […]
After shocking Prader-Willi diagnosis, baby Jayda is progressing by leaps and bounds
Warren native Michele Hampton’s pregnancy was typical: She had common pregnancy discomforts, a growing belly (and swollen ankles) and a baby that was developing normally. In fact, it was very similar to her first healthy pregnancy, so when Michele was induced at 40 weeks, her and her husband, Andrew, were excited and eager to meet […]
A high-fat medical keto diet can be life-changing for children with epilepsy
A diet where generous amounts of oil, butter, mayonnaise and heavy cream are encouraged may sound odd but it’s keeping dozens of Akron Children’s patients seizure free and restoring normalcy to their lives. That makes parents and doctors big advocates of the medical keto diet for children whose seizures do not respond well to […]
Massillon 7th grader doesn’t let cerebral palsy slow him down
Camren Offenberger is a bit of a celebrity in his hometown. A big fan of Ohio’s winningest football team, the Massillon Tigers, he served as the team’s honorary captain from 2017-2019 from ages 7 to 9. Now 13 years old and a 7th grader at Massillon Jr. High School, Camren is getting ready to launch […]
Surgeries to correct knee and hip deformities allow 16-year-old to resume life pain-free
A sophomore at Lisbon’s David Anderson High School, Isabella Cornwell plays the flute in the marching band, dances and acts in school plays. She looks like the picture of health, but her appearance belies a debilitating lifelong battle with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Isabella’s mom, Virginia Barborak, first noticed something was amiss when Isabella was […]
