Kosair Kid: Maddy
Kosair Kid Maddy wants you to know, “I’m beautiful!” This happy, silly little girl likes to have fun, and loves her doctors.
She also enjoys dancing and singing, especially to her favorite song, ‘Fearless’ by Taylor Swift. And Maddy has been as fearless as a four-year-old can be facing a very scary diagnosis… leukemia.
Maddy has spent several extended stays in the hospital for B-cell leukemia treatments. Doctors hospitalized her for four weeks leading up to Christmas before allowing her to go home, only to be admitted for three more weeks in January.
“She’s had surgery to place a port, countless blood and platelet transfusions, severe nausea and vomiting, and hair loss,” said her dad, Jesse, who serves his community on the Lexington Fire Department. “She lost some mobility and couldn’t run or get up after sitting. Most importantly, she couldn’t do the simple things a kid does, like play outside.”
Your gift to the Kosair for Kids Financial Assistance Program lets them know that someone is on their side.
“You are truly a blessing in our darkest days. Your donations help lift a huge burden,” said Jesse. “We have often stressed about how to pay for all of Maddy’s medical care. We’ve talked about selling our vehicle. Your kindness helped us worry less and focus more on her care than the bills piling up.”
Kosair Kid: Caden
At 18 months old, doctors diagnosed Caden with a rare, progressive disorder called spinocerebellar ataxia type 5. The condition affects his central nervous system and leads to incoordination of the hands, arms, and legs and impaired balance when walking. Due to his condition, Caden is unable to stand or walk independently. As the disorder progresses, it can also impact speech and fine motor skills, among other things. The rarity of the disease means Caden’s medical team is unsure what his future will look like.
“Caden's diagnosis put us in a very dark place. We felt alone, scared, and fearful,” said Matt, Caden’s dad. “But from start to finish, Kosair for Kids has been so kind and gracious to us.”
Navigating life with their child’s rare disorder has been challenging and costly. Medical bills to see specialists and obtain necessary equipment quickly add up, and working out the logistics of going places with Caden takes a lot of planning.
“The Kosair Kids Financial Assistance Program help is life-changing for us,” Matt said. “We hope your donors know that they have allowed us to focus our time and resources on Caden without the financial stress of trying to find ways to pay for his equipment.”
With your support, Kosair for Kids has provided Caden with accessibility equipment including a new ramp at their home and a van modification. The ramp and van modification led to something Caden’s parents could never have imagined.
“For the first time in his life, we saw our son get out of the car and walk into our house with his gait trainer by himself. It was such a precious moment that we will never forget,” his mom, Alex, shared.
Kosair Kid: Jaxson
“Jaxson runs every day because of Kosair for Kids,” says Carrie, mom to Kosair Kid Jaxson.
Jaxon was born without a tibia bone in his right leg, a dislocated knee, and an extra bone in his foot. Doctors advised Jaxson’s parents that he would need his leg amputated when he turned one year old.
“We were in shock, scared of this big life-changing surgery he was going to have,” said Carrie. “Not knowing exactly what his life would look like, it was a scary time.”
Carrie was not sure her boy would ever walk, let alone run. As he grew and the hope of one day walking grew a little brighter, another question loomed on the horizon. How would the family afford the expensive prosthetics needed to give their boy hope?
“We did our best to afford the first prosthetics, but he quickly grew, and the costs put a tremendous strain on us,” Carrie explained.
Thanks to your generosity, Jaxson has received updated prosthetics and replacement parts when needed. At only 9 years old, he will need new prosthetics as he continues to grow and develop.
Carrie wants you to know of her deep gratitude to you for your support. “Thank you! Your kindness through giving allows Jaxson to just be a kid, to run and play with his friends like a normal little boy. It means so much to our family.”
Kosair Kid: Maison
At first glance, Kosair Kid Maison appears to be a typical, active 3rd grader who enjoys playing with dinosaur toys, riding his bike, and playing tennis. You wouldn’t know it, but Maison faces a rare and invisible disease. Thanks to your generosity, he continues to get the help he needs, but doctors fear his journey may take another frightening turn.
Doctors diagnosed Maison with Severe Chronic Neutropenia, a rare blood disorder characterized by abnormally low levels of neutrophils. Here’s how Maison described it to us: “Do you know what a white blood cell is?” the boy asked. “I don’t have any. That means I can’t fight off infections.”
Any time Maison reaches a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, his mom, Tracy, must rush him to the emergency room for medical protocols to ensure he does not have an infection that could kill him.
Thanks to kind-hearted donors like you, Kosair for Kids has relieved some of the burden on Maison’s family. The Kosair Kids Financial assistance program covered the cost of Maison’s critical medical care, something Tracy said lifted their family up when it felt like they had hit rock bottom.
“If it weren't for Kosair for Kids, our family would be submerged in medical debt. We wouldn’t have the hope to continue searching for answers. The financial assistance has helped us get back on our feet,” Tracy said.
Kosair Kid: Addi
“I can ride my bike with only one arm!”
Kosair Kid Addi really wants you to know her fun fact. This inspirational seven-year-old is filled with wonder and love. Mom Sara and Dad Justin call her their spunky, active, and helpful little girl, but they weren’t always sure it would be that way.
Addi was born with amniotic band syndrome, which resulted in the loss of her left arm from the elbow down and indented skin markings on her legs. Sarah and Justin were completely unaware of the situation until Addi was born eight weeks prematurely.
“We were shocked to learn of her diagnosis and how ‘normal life’ was going to look for her in the future,” said Sara. “We had lots of unanswered questions, to say the least.”
Addi’s condition required multiple surgeries to correct the band on her legs. Your generosity removed her family's financial worry.
“Thank you! Without you, Addi would not have been able to get the medical treatment she needed,” Justin said. “It was a relief knowing that she could have the medical procedures she needed when we could not pay for it.”
Thanks to your generosity, Kosair Kid Addi is thriving. She enjoys dancing, jumping on a trampoline, and reading her favorite book “Green Eggs & Ham.”
Kosair Kid: Levi
Levi is a resilient little boy who enjoys strawberry and banana yogurt, Daniel Tiger, and being a big brother.
When Levi was diagnosed with leukemia at three years old, his parents, Ashley and Jon, felt lost and terrified. No one is prepared to learn their child has cancer. With Jon in dental school and Ashley working full time in addition to having a newborn at home, the thought of what was to come was overwhelming and scary.
“The fear of Levi’s future, the time that was needed for treatment, the unexpected financial stress was all too much for us to bear,” Ashley explained.
The Petries found relief when they learned about the Kosair Kids Financial Assistance Program. The help they received from your donations allowed them to focus on Levi’s care without financial worry. Your generosity also allowed them to tend to their newborn and keep Jon on track to graduate.
Like all parents, the Petries hope their son will live a long, healthy, and happy life. They’re inspired by Levi’s resilient spirit and grateful you have made this fight easier for them to endure.
Ashley had this message for you, our wonderful donors: “We are so thankful for your kindness and generosity. We are beyond grateful for your help in such a stressful time of our lives.”
Kosair Kids: Miller and Jaxon
The Taylors are parents to two Kosair Kids – brothers Miller IV and Jaxon were both diagnosed with hearing loss at a young age.
At three years old, Miller’s parents noticed a speech delay and frustration in their son. Audiologists performed a sedated ABR hearing test, which determined he had bilateral hearing loss. That came as a shock to his family because he had passed his newborn screening.
“We were sad and afraid. Afraid for the future and what that looked like for Miller. I felt guilty for not knowing sooner,” explained Mom, November.
Miller’s journey helped audiologists diagnose his brother Jaxon with bilateral hearing loss earlier, as a newborn. Thanks to your generosity, both brothers received the hearing aids needed to excel and follow their dreams.
“The Kosair Kids Financial Assistance Program funding prevented a delay in treatment for our children,” explained Dad, Miller III. “Kosair for Kids has been a blessing. When Miller has lost hearing aids or needed new aids, you’ve always been there to help with the high cost of the aids after insurance coverage. Kosair for Kids deeply cares about children in the community. The staff are friendly and caring and put the kids first.”
Kosair Kid: Luciana
Luciana is an intelligent, creative, and funny little girl who loves Christmas stories, playing soccer, and telling jokes in Spanish. You’d never know it by her sweet smile, but Luciana has battled a life-altering disease.
What started with a fever culminated in a leukemia diagnosis at three years old. It came as a shock because Luciana was an otherwise healthy and energetic child. Her parents, Karla and Adan, suddenly feared they could lose their only child.
Through the Kosair Kids Financial Assistance Program, funded by your generosity, Luciana received the best urgent medical treatment possible without adding additional burdens on her family. It brought them peace and relief during an uncertain time.
“If it weren’t for Kosair for Kids, we would not have been able to cover the cost of Luciana’s treatment,” Adan explained.
Luciana wants to grow up to become a pediatric oncologist and help kids like her who are fighting cancer. Karla and Adan hope their self-determined princess grows into a healthy and compassionate adult who helps others the way strangers have helped them.
Karla wants you and others whose compassion allowed them to concentrate on what is most precious in their lives to know this, “I would like to thank them from the bottom of our hearts since we were able to focus more on the well-being of our daughter without thinking about the financial difficulties of her treatment. Thank you for being there for us!”
Kosair Kid: Sloane
You are making a difference for Kosair Kids and families like the Grants — Katie, Nick, and their daughter, Sloane.
Katie and Nick do not define Sloane by her special needs, but by the milestones she reaches, and their hopes and dreams for her future. Even when they share stories of their hardest days with Sloane — from her diagnoses of a heart defect and Down syndrome to her traumatic brain injury that affected her development — they always focus on the joyful moments. Katie and Nick cherish special moments as Sloane shows progress thanks to therapies she receives at Kosair for Kids' grant-supported organizations.
Sloane has access to crucial therapies — including equine, aqua, feeding, speech, and physical — which help her progress every day through Kosair for Kids' grant-supported organizations. Now, she is moving her arms and legs more, holding her head up, and working on rolling over. Sloane also has costly medical equipment and care she needs thanks to the Kosair Kids Financial Assistance Program.
“It is a relief knowing that we have Kosair for Kids' community of support,” Katie said. “Sloane is getting everything she needs, because of you all.”
