Earlier this fall, Northwestern Mutual held a contest for pediatric hospitals to host a hands-on camp experience for children. As a result of votes, Norton Children’s Hospital was one of 10 children’s hospitals to receive a $5,000 grant to bring the joy and feeling of camping to children unable to travel due to their health….
Three-year-old Camila Lopez climbs out of her hospital bed and makes her way to a bench. “Let’s play!” she says, as she begins pulling oversized blocks from a bucket and stacking them one by one. “Mommy, look what I built. It’s a rocket ship!” Her beautiful, long brown hair dangles down her back, swaying with…
Thirty months ago, our family woke up one Sunday morning and went swimming with our seemingly healthy 12-year-old son. Little did we know when we left our house that morning, Matthew wouldn’t return home for two weeks. From the pool he went straight to the emergency room at Fort Knox after a baseball-size lump appeared…
An old proverb advises that it’s not glittering weapons that fight the fight, but a hero’s heart. Bob Wilkinson, R.N., probably understands this better than most. A former combat soldier, Bob, 63, served in the Army for 20 years. After retiring as a first sergeant, he began a career in nursing. He has spent the…
For families with a history of certain cancers, storing a baby’s cord blood can be an attractive option. Is it right for you? And how do you go about it? Cord blood contains stem cells that can be used if someone needs a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Stem cell transplants treat leukemia, lymphoma,…
Signs and symptoms of cancer in children can vary and the warning signs may not always be obvious, according to Ashok B. Raj, M.D. Dr. Raj is an oncology and hematology specialist with Norton Children’s Cancer Institute, affiliated with the University of Louisville. He shared some common symptoms parents should watch for and have checked…
For many people, listening to music is a way to tune out everyday noise. Music can relieve stress, increase energy levels and have a powerful effect on emotions. If listening to music can positively impact someone, then imagine what creating music can do for someone fighting a life-threatening disease, such as cancer. September is Childhood…
“I did not know what to say when the doctor came and told me that I had cancer. I was like, ‘No, this can’t happen to me,’” Indarius Walker recently told a reporter. The 16-year-old was describing how he reacted to learning he had osteosarcoma. “Osteosarcoma is a form of cancer that primarily impacts those under age 25…
Life was normal for Louisville high school student Clay Collins, 16, until one day this past spring when he felt extreme tired. He didn’t think much of it at first. However, his mother, Carrie Collins, knew it was unlike her son to be so fatigued. She suggested he go to a doctor. Clay went to…
For the fifth consecutive year, Aiden’s Legacy has joined forces with Texas Roadhouse restaurants in the Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana area to host a fundraising event. The amount raised this year surpassed all other years — totaling $40,037.27. Part of the money raised is used to purchase Legos that will be distributed to children…
The terms of the bone marrow transplant donation meant Matthew and his donor couldn’t know each other’s identities for a year. Now they can meet.
Seven-year-old Bradley Roberts has a heart of gold and a gargantuan goal. “I’m going to raise $2 million to help kids at Norton Children’s Hospital,” Bradley said. He considers it a perfectly attainable goal, and we wouldn’t dare underestimate him. In just one day he raised $1,500. “We have 20, 30, 40, no — 150…