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Patient Stories
At Children’s National Hospital, we provide compassionate, professional care to thousands of patients every year. Our patients come from all over the United States and from more than 20 countries around the world. They have many different conditions and experience unique paths on their treatment journeys – but through it all they experience the same level of warm, family-centered care. Discover our patients' stories to understand their journey and see how it may relate to your own.
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Emily's Story
Genetic Disorders and Defects
Emily's Story
Genetic Disorders and Defects
In 2012, Emily Rose Wagner was born in Boston, and her parents were beyond thrilled to have their second child. The first few months after Emily was born were a dream come true for the entire family.
Isaiah's Story
Airway & Lungs
Isaiah's Story
Airway & Lungs
A young boy and his family confront and manage asthma successfully through Dr. Stephen Teach's IMPACT DC Asthma Clinic.
Jared D.'s Story
Crohn's Disease
Jared D.'s Story
Crohn's Disease
Eighteen months after Christopher and Julie Dobry had their son Jared, they noticed something was not right. He was experiencing intense stomach discomfort and digestive issues that seemed to only worsen over time. For years afterward, they traveled from doctor to doctor trying to find the right diagnosis.
Nadia’s Story
Heart
Nadia’s Story
Heart
Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a rare heart condition in which the heart muscles are too stiff and can’t relax to fill and pump the correct amount of blood to other parts of the body. For Nadia, this not only meant that her intestine function was compromised, causing nausea and vomiting, but her lungs also had to work in overdrive.
Gino's Story
Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
Gino's Story
Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
When Dieana was getting her 19-week obstetrical ultrasound, she got some unsettling news about her son, Gino.
Chip's Story
Heart
Chip's Story
Heart
When Chip was born just three days after Christmas, his family was excited to welcome their new son into the world. But things immediately took a turn for the worse.
Mollie's Story
Heart
Mollie's Story
Heart
The day Mollie Inman was born, everything about their baby seemed normal to her parents. However, what was in store for the next couple of days proved to be very challenging for the family. The next day , Mollie’s doctors discovered something wrong with her heart.
Abagail's Story
Hydrocephalus
Abagail's Story
Hydrocephalus
Every day is hydrocephalus awareness day for me - Abagail’s mom
Avery's Story
Newborn Neurologic Disorders
Avery's Story
Newborn Neurologic Disorders
Faced with an APGAR score of one, which indicated Avery was struggling, the team quickly recognized the infant had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), one of the most severe complications that can affect full-term infants.
Katheryn's Story
Stomach & Digestion (GI)
Katheryn's Story
Stomach & Digestion (GI)
Around Thanksgiving during her sophomore year of high school, Katheryn felt like throwing up after dinner. She began to throw up regularly, but frustratingly didn't know why. After seeing multiple doctors, Katheryn was finally diagnosed correctly.
Serenity's Story
Truncus Arteriosus
Serenity's Story
Truncus Arteriosus
Two-year-old Serenity is a normal toddler with a not-so-normal story. She has a long scar in the middle of her chest (her “boo boo”) that represents the three open heart surgeries she had before her second birthday.
Xavion's Story
Skin Disorders
Xavion's Story
Skin Disorders
Sometimes a mom’s intuition is all it takes to get her child to the right physician. When 8-year-old Xavion Chisley developed a fungal infection on his toe, his mother, Nikki, immediately took him to see a dermatologist who removed his toenail to treat the infection. However, when Xavion’s toenail grew back, the infection had not diminished but actually appeared to be spreading to his foot.