Landen Lester, 18, has spent the last several months at Norton Children’s Hospital waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. While other seniors were gearing up for prom, senior week and graduation, Landen was undergoing treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy and adjusting to life with a ventricular assist device. But one thing he wouldn’t miss? Graduation. Thanks…
Less than a year ago, Lylah Curry experienced numerous severe injuries in an accident and was unsure if she’d ever be back on a softball field. “Now, as I step into the [batter’s] box, all I can think is, ‘Thank God I’m able to play,’” Lylah said. A devastating accident Lylah’s life changed in an…
Jordan Jones loves a good battle. The multisport athlete at Louisville Collegiate School thrives against the toughest competition on the court or the field. But another battle threatened to derail not only her passion for sports, but also the opportunity of being a normal teenager. At age 7, Jordan began experiencing migraine headaches. For nearly…
At 14 years old, Kadence Holthouser was already making a name for herself on the volleyball court. Known for her exceptional skills as a defensive specialist, she was a standout as a freshman at Henry County High School in New Castle, Kentucky, about an hour’s drive northeast of Louisville. Volleyball isn’t just a sport; it’s…
Five-year-old Henry Jones of Salem, Indiana, is one tough kid. He’s been on the heart transplant list for well over a year, eagerly waiting for the right match to come along. Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition where the left side of his heart is underdeveloped, Henry’s heart doesn’t pump blood the way…
Little fingers curled around ours as we waited in Room 3 in the early hours of Jan. 29, 2025. Blocks, Bluey and books splayed on a hospital blanket on the floor; tiny, socked feet with hearts stitched on the ankle strolled down the hall of Norton Children’s Hospital. Our daughter was about to undergo open…
Just days before her 1st birthday, Emersyn Lucas was attacked by her family dog, leaving her with severe injuries. Now, at 2 years old, Emersyn has made a full recovery and recently visited the nurses who played a pivotal role in her healing process. In Dec. 29, 2023, Harley, the family dog, who had always…
As an extreme preemie born at 24 weeks, Myla Hawkins faced uncertain odds for survival. It was a long journey in the Norton Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with a care team that remained dedicated to providing lifesaving care during a series of medical emergencies. Myla overcame all these obstacles and is now…
Before Leeland Brady was born, his parents never knew if they would see their little boy thrive. Before birth, he was diagnosed with two life-threatening conditions that would require many months of critical care in the Norton Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The family, from Lebanon, Kentucky, spent nine months with Leeland in…
Mica and Samantha Baker of Bowling Green, Kentucky, are the parents of four children, all boys, with August “Auggie” Baker being the youngest. For all their children, annual well-child visits with their pediatrician are routine to make sure everyone is healthy and hitting milestones. “Auggie started out the healthiest among his siblings,” Samantha said. Life…
At age 5, Jakob Quenzer was diagnosed with ganglioglioma, a rare and slow-growing benign tumor in his brain. Thanks to a bicycle accident leading to a scan at his local urgent clinic, the tumor was found early. “Upon arrival at the local urgent clinic, we learned that a total of four boys were being seen…
Eight-year-old Skylin Williams, from New Albany, Indiana, is celebrating the new year in a way she once thought was a distant dream — at home with her family, thanks to a lifesaving heart transplant. After a difficult journey filled with uncertainty, Skylin has a story that serves as a testament to resilience, hope and the…