Mady Sirlouis, age 11, is a bit of a frequent flier – adept at both back handsprings and trips to Akron Children’s for frequent broken bones. “She breaks a bone every year,” said her mom, Autumn, “She’s broken both arms and both legs multiple times, but that doesn’t stop her from doing back flips and […]
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 […]
Local girl spreads joy and awareness through her YouTube channel
Born with Prader-Willi syndrome, a complex genetic condition that affects many parts of her body, Sabrina Hart, age 10, hasn’t let it slow her down. The 4th grader at Green Intermediate School is a cheerleader, swimmer and equestrian among other things. No stranger to Akron Children’s, Sabrina has been a patient of orthopedic surgeon Dr. […]
New year brings new hope for Ukrainian parents seeking spine surgery for their daughter
Like all of her fellow Ukrainians, Nadia Tsyukh’s life was suddenly enveloped in fear and uncertainty when Russia invaded her homeland last February. Nadia, her husband, Vasyl, and daughter Dianka, lived in Drohobych, a city near Lviv in northern Ukraine. As they followed daily news of the bombings, war atrocities, and disruption of daily life, […]
Post-scoliosis surgery, Salem teen ‘courts’ return to the sport she loves
Following a routine tonsillectomy at age 13, Sadie Dennison wasn’t quite herself and her observant mom took notice. “I had some complications that made me lose my appetite,” said Sadie. “I got really bony, and as a result my mom noticed that my shoulders looked crooked.” Sadie’s mom, Michelle, who used to work with […]
5 facts about scoliosis every parent should know
If your child has a sideways spinal curve that’s shaped like the letter “S” or “C” they have a condition called scoliosis. While the cause of most childhood cases of scoliosis are idiopathic or unknown, neuromuscular conditions like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy can cause kids to develop it. In some instances, scoliosis runs in […]
