Miracle Stories
CMN of Greater Kansas City
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Chloe's Story
As with all expectant Moms, there is the thrill and excitement of bringing a new life into the world, combined with the anxiousness that everything will be normal and go “according as planned.” The latter was certainly not the case for Vicky Wayman when she found herself in the KU Medical Center high risk clinic near the end of her second trimester. Her baby daughter was at only 26 weeks gestation when the doctors had to do an emergency C-section. Vicky had lost all of the amniotic fluid in her body, literally causing her baby to suffocate.
Baby Chloe was born weighing just 1.75 pounds. Chloe spent the first few months of life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at KU Medical Center Pediatrics. “The doctors at KU saved my daughter’s life twice” Vicky explained. At only 3 weeks of age Chloe coded twice; she had kidney complications due to the shock of being born so premature and problems with her lungs. Chloe required the help of a breathing machine continuously for the first few weeks of life. “I remember it was the last week of April when they took her off the machine and she breathed on her own for 6 hours!”
By March, Chloe weighed 2.8lbs and has continued growing healthier and stronger each day. Vicky recently told us “Chloe has grown into a beautiful little girl. She came home August 14 and is doing so good. She’s only had one hospital stay since then and that was due to a cold she got. We will never forget the care our Chloe received at KU…they saved our baby’s life.”
America's Story
When America was born with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, scoliosis and club feet, it was clear that she'd face tough times in life. But no one knew then just how tough this little girl could be.
America's parents were told that their daughter would never be able to sit up, crawl, talk or feed herself. However, America defied the odds when she sat up on her own at age 1 and crawled on her arms soon after. Before she was 2 years old, America was happily chatting away. But there is one thing she won't do: America will never say "I can't." Instead, she takes her time and continues to try.
America was referred to KU Medical Center for neurological surgery and continues to show her resilient spirit. People in her community are amazed at how smoothly and quickly she zips around in her customized wheelchair. America shows that being in a wheelchair doesn't mean you can't be independent and happy. America even loves to dance in her wheelchair and does gymnastic moves on the therapy bars at St. Francis Health Center. Her family has been told that America is going to change the wheelchair world. After every barrier she's already broken, it's safe to say that America will make those changes and more.
Christopher's Story
At two years old, Christopher woke up with what appeared to be a broken leg. He was limping severely and was rushed to his local hospital. X-rays and tests showed no broken bones, and he was referred to KU Medical Center.
After many exhausting days and tests, doctors determined that Christopher had Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a devastating cancer that's difficult to treat.
Christopher’s family and doctors were determined to fight this cancer! After lengthy chemotherapy treatments and a bone marrow transplant, he is now an active five-year-old boy ready to start kindergarten in the fall!
Christopher makes frequent follow-up visits to KU Medical Center to ensure he is still cancer-free. Because of your donations, the academic research was possible to call Christopher a miracle!
Keith's Story
Written by Keith's Mom, Melissa
On October 22, 2006, my husband and I welcomed our first little miracle into this world. Keith William was born on time and under the presumption that he was completely healthy; with the exception of a minor heart murmur. However, at two months old Keith was diagnosed with a Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) that would require open heart surgery to be fixed. It’s a pretty regular procedure that is performed in children with congenital heart defects such as our son’s. But Keith’s journey has been anything but normal. His first open heart was on April 4th, 2007. He pulled through it very well, and the asvd was fixed. However, he went into partial heart block due to some nerve damage caused by the surgery, and required the implantation of a pacemaker before he was able to leave the PICU. We were also told that during his first surgery the surgeon had discovered that his mitral valve would at some point need to be replaced.
Keith has received continuous care from a wonderful doctor, Anitha Parthiban, and her awesome team of amazing KU Medical Center nurses and techs! After Keith’s surgeries and even before Keith had to have echocardiograms to monitor his heart condition. Dr. Parthiban has always, and continues to, go out of her way to make him and us as parents comfortable with these treatments and tests. » Read more
Taryn's Story
Written by Tracy Robinson, Taryn's Mom
"My daughter, Taryn Robinson, age 6, is a cancer survivor, having finished treatment for Leukemia in October 2008. I can remember a day back in college that I was in my apartment watching TV. There was an infomercial on the television. We have all seen these and have felt the emotions of sadness, seeing young children hooked up to IVs, bald heads, with dark circles under their eyes. I remember thinking to myself "Thank God that would never happen to me" as my family had no history of cancer. Well, I was wrong about that never happening to me.
In September 2006, Taryn, then 23 months old, was diagnosed with T-Cell ALL (a type of childhood leukemia). After a number of weird symptoms over a period of a few weeks, including tiredness, low grade fevers and lastly bruising and a mysterious rash – petechia (pin sized bruises), I made Taryn an appointment with a pediatrician. After running tests on her blood we were told she had leukemia. Taryn's white blood count was 560,000, normal is under 11,000 (99% of her blood was leukemia cells). We immediately left for the KU Med Center in Kansas City for treatment, per the recommendation of her doctor. My husband and I had no idea what this diagnosis meant and just how sick our little girl was, we soon found out. We spent a week in the Pediatric ICU trying to get blood counts under control and making sure her organs, which were in distress, were going to continue functioning. We started chemotherapy within the first couple of days the leukemic white cells were starting to disappear. After three continuous weeks in the hospital we returned home and began our two year treatment regimen.
Having spent many nights in the hospital for chemotherapy treatments, treating blood infections, and receiving radiation, we waved goodbye to cancer on October 7, 2008. Taryn took her last dose of chemotherapy that day.
Although this is not the path we would have chosen for our family, we have found so much to be thankful for during this journey. We had such wonderful doctors and nurses at KU Med caring for Taryn, a terrific family and network of friends to weather the storm with us, new friends who were facing a similar journey, and we had each other. Because of this journey, we will always have a different outlook on life and appreciation for each other and all those who helped us along the way."
