Father’s “American Idol” journey takes a turn as newborn son has heart surgery at Norton Children’s
When Christian Brown stepped onto the “American Idol” stage, he was standing in the spotlight he’d dreamed about since childhood. Music had carried Christian from small stages in Franklin, Kentucky, all the way to a golden ticket, yet it was becoming a father right before his audition that reshaped everything he knew about dreams, purpose…
Read Full StoryOn Day 2 of Life, a 7-Hour Spine Surgery Gave Lucinda a Chance at Life
When 1-year-old Lucinda Owens claps her hands, waves hello, and sits up to play with her books, her parents see a miracle. The toddler from Jeffersonville, Indiana, who was born with the most severe form of spina bifida, is now reaching milestones once thought impossible, thanks to a groundbreaking surgery and multidisciplinary care at Norton…
Read Full StoryA nurse’s son needs a heart transplant: Their story is a reminder of why compassionate care matters
Dane was born fighting. At just 1 week old, he underwent complex open heart surgery. And now, at just 6 months old, he and his family are facing their greatest challenge: waiting for a heart transplant. On March 13, 2026, Dane officially was listed for a heart transplant at Status 1A, the highest priority level….
Read Full StoryElaina rings the bell
There once was a girl named Elaina who had just turned 3 and was getting ready for big-girl school. She was nervous, but excited. Her mom noticed she was starting to walk on her tiptoes, but she thought it was just anxiety. She was also very pale, even though she called herself an “outy-outy girl”…
Read Full StoryAfter beating childhood cancer, former patient inspired to ‘give back’ and become a nurse
Newborn survives undiagnosed transposition of the great arteries with care team that didn’t give up
Ashlie Paulin and her family were expecting a joyful Christmas in Louisville when her son Booker was born on Dec. 23, 2021. Instead, they had to hope for a Christmas miracle that their baby boy would survive. Doctors discovered baby Booker had a serious heart condition that went undetected during Ashlie’s pregnancy. Suddenly, it was…
Read Full StoryComplex congenital heart disease
Hattie Etling’s heart journey began before she was born, with a diagnosis so complex it required advanced planning, innovative imaging and a highly specialized heart team. Hattie was diagnosed before birth with heterotaxy syndrome and complex congenital heart disease. Her care team at Norton Children’s Heart Institute knew her untypical anatomy would present extraordinary challenges….
Read Full StoryFrankfort, Kentucky, boy’s high blood pressure reveals hidden heart condition
Reviewed by Mary T. Killian, M.D., and Bahaaldin Alsoufi, M.D. Written by Courtney Hirz, a Frankfort, Kentucky, resident and mom to Noah, a young boy with a heart condition It started like any other childhood illness. In November 2024, my 5-year-old son Noah came home from school feeling sick. We assumed it was just another…
Read Full Story
Born way too early, baby celebrates a homecoming just in time for 1st holiday outside the hospital
On a seemingly normal July day, Charles and Samantha Rockwell never imagined their lives were about to change forever. Samantha, who was not even four months pregnant, had just finished a long, 15-hour workday when she began feeling stomach pains. “I thought maybe it was nothing,” she recalled. “But two hours later, we were holding…
Read Full StoryEva’s journey: Breathing easier, thanks to Norton Children’s
When Eva Orlanka Taylor arrived in Kentucky from Haiti at just six years old, she brought with her more than a new name and a new home. She carried an illness no one had fully explained, one that had shaped her early childhood. At Norton Children’s, her family finally began to uncover the answers, and…
Read Full StoryFrom micropreemie to football fan: Madden Baechle’s journey with hydrocephalus
Madden Baechle was born at just 25 weeks’ gestation, weighing 1 pound, 10 ounces. He spent 152 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Norton Children’s Hospital, facing life-threatening complications and undergoing 13 surgeries. Today, those NICU struggles feel like a distant memory, as 11-year-old Madden recently stepped onto the field at Western…
Read Full StoryHospital’s live camera system offers comfort and connection to babies’ families
When a baby needs specialized care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) the hospital stay can last for months, and sometimes far from home. Now, a new program at Norton Children’s offers a way for families to stay connected to their NICU babies — even from afar. AngelEye is a secure camera system installed…
Read Full Story