By: Krysten Brenlla

Growing up in a small town in Arkansas, Candace Ashcraft, 35, always dreamed of becoming a mother. She knew she wanted a family with her husband, Kyle, but the journey to parenthood proved far more difficult than they expected.

After being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common hormonal and metabolic disorder that causes irregular periods and small cysts on the ovaries, Candace knew it might take time.

“With PCOS, you don’t ovulate correctly, so I knew when it became time to start a family, it might be difficult,” she said.

Candace never gave up on becoming a mom, even through countless medications, multiple rounds of fertility treatments, and emotional ups and downs.

“It took us 10 years, but it was so worth it,” she said. “I was determined. I didn’t care what it took. I was going to have my baby.”

On their 10-year anniversary, Candace and Kyle finally received the news they were hoping for: she was pregnant.

But just as her dream became reality, Candace battled yet another challenge.

While on a trip to the Florida Keys with her mother, sister, and aunt, Candace suddenly began to feel sick, and it quickly escalated into an emergency.

At just 23 weeks and six days pregnant, Candace was rushed to The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial for emergency care. Within hours of arriving at the hospital, she underwent an emergency C-section.

On March 6, 2025, her son, John Tray, was born – just one day away from being viable for survival in the NICU – weighing a little more than a pound.

“If you go through the pictures on my phone, you’ll see the pool, the beach, key lime pie – and then the baby being intubated,” she said. “It was the scariest moment of my life. He could fit in your hand.”

John Tray was immediately admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Holtz Children’s Hospital, where Candace spent months at his side.

“You don’t know anything about the NICU until you have a baby that needs to be there,” she said. “Every day was hard, especially with a 23-weeker.”

John Tray faced a lot of medical challenges, including time on a ventilator, feeding through a special IV, and other complications common for very premature babies.

But through it all, John Tray fought for his life – and Candace found strength in the care team around her.

“When John Tray first arrived in the NICU, he was very sick,” said Jaqueline Couceiro, a NICU nurse at Holtz Children’s. “I was privileged to be his lead nurse, and I witnessed so many of his milestones – I was the first to put on his clothes, I witnessed his first bottle, and so many other firsts alongside Candace and her entire family.”

Every day, John Tray grew bigger and healthier. Over time, the NICU team helped Candace and Kyle through so many milestones: their first kangaroo care session, or skin-to-skin contact with the baby outside of the incubator; the removal of his feeding tube; and the most defining moment: breathing completely on his own.

“Just seeing my baby with nothing on his face, breathing on his own, thriving – it was amazing,” Candace said.

“It’s just amazing what you take for granted.”

“It’s really a multidisciplinary approach with the NICU team and the doctors,” Couceiro said. “We really work together to make sure all of our babies grow, develop, and continue to thrive in the NICU. And developing those close relationships with our babies and their families makes it all the more special when you see how far they’ve come.”

After spending 118 days in the NICU, John Tray was ready to go home.

“The doctors, fellows, residents, and nurses all became like family,” Candace said. “The entire team really included you and made you feel like you were still the baby’s mom, even though the baby needed a lot of clinical care. I was so excited to change his diaper or just feed him – they taught me everything.”

Despite the hardships, Candace held tightly to her faith.

“I remember sitting in the room after I had him and just saying, ‘God, I can’t handle this. You’re going to have to help me,’” she said. “So I just took it one day at a time.”

Today, nearly a year later, John Tray is thriving – he’s hitting new milestones, full of personality, and defying expectations.

“He’s done amazing,” Candace said. “People can’t believe it when I tell them he was born at 23 weeks. He truly is a miracle, and he wouldn’t be here without the teams at Jackson.”

By: Ruelle Champion

At 16, Charlize Lopez kept busy. As a Key West High School student, she played softball and golf, performed in the theatre troupe, and served as a leader in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC).

“She’s one of those kids whose life is just non-stop,” said Rick Lopez, Charlize’s father.

But everything in Charlize’s life changed on the first night of a JROTC training academy in St. Petersburg, Florida. In June 2025, she was rushed to an area hospital with yellow skin and eyes. Her parents were nearly halfway to St. Petersburg from Key West to be with her when they got another call that Charlize was being airlifted to Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

She was diagnosed with Wilson Disease, a rare genetic condition that causes copper to build up in the body, particularly in the liver, and can develop into life-threatening organ failure.

“Most of the time, patients don’t know there are any symptoms until they’ve had Wilson Disease for many years,” said Jessica Hochberg, MD, a pediatric transplant hepatologist at Miami Transplant Institute (MTI), an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth – University of Miami Health System.

Charlize needed a liver transplant immediately and was listed under the care of Dr. Hochberg and the pediatric liver team at MTI.

“It can be a shock when patients are diagnosed; especially someone like Charlize who’s so active and full of life,” Dr. Hochberg said.

Less than a week after arriving at Holtz Children’s, on June 17, a match was found. Akin Tekin, MD, a liver transplant surgeon at MTI, took on her case. Within a few hours, Charlize’s new liver started working. She was discharged and made the drive back home eight days later.

“It was like a miracle,” said Winnie Lopez, Charlize’s mother. “She rang the bell and everything seemed perfect.”

But a day later, Charlize’s recovery got complicated. She got a viral infection while on anti-rejection medications, lost control of her legs at one point, and was readmitted to Holtz Children’s multiple times.

“She lost a lot of weight in just nine days,” Winnie said. “She looked so sick and weak but the love from the nurses and doctors was heartwarming.”

After a few months, Charlize recovered. She was homeschooled for her junior year of high school, began physical therapy to rebuild her strength, and reunited with some of her friends. To her parent’s surprise, she also ran two 5Ks.

“It was like she was reborn,” Rick said.

Charlize begged Dr. Hochberg and the team to give her the green light to return to Key West High for her senior year. Since then, she’s eased back into her everyday life and even landed the lead role in her high school’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical.

“I want to still be myself and have a college experience,” Charlize said.

The 17-year-old has her eyes set on days that include her passions—singing, acting, and playing golf.

Through high school graduation and every milestone to come, Rick and Winnie will make sure that Charlize accomplishes anything she sets her mind on.

“She’s just going to be a better, stronger person because of this,” Winnie said.

“If she can overcome this, she can do whatever she wants in life,” Rick added.

By Carla Palmer

June 22, 2025, was a normal summer Sunday for the Smith family. Brandon Smith was barbecuing, Tiffany Smith was back-to-school shopping on her phone, and the kids, 8-year-old Dylan and 13-year-old Olivia, were playing in the pool.

“The kids were competing with who could go back and forth the longest while holding their breath in the pool,” Tiffany said. “Dylan, being fearless and resilient, had to outdo his sister.”

The day quickly turned into a nightmare when Tiffany realized the pool had fallen silent.

“He tried to hold his breath a little too long, and that’s what caused him to pass out. I was the one who found him in the pool,” she said. “And I found him because it was too quiet. It’s never quiet in my house. It wasn’t one of those scenes out of a movie where somebody is splashing around, asking for help.”

Just minutes earlier, Brandon had gone inside to change. When he heard his wife scream, he ran outside to see Tiffany holding an unconscious Dylan.

“Before I did anything, I just said a prayer. I laid him flat and started CPR. Tiffany called 911,” he said.

Both Brandon and Tiffany are CPR-certified and knew exactly what to do. Meanwhile, Olivia ran to nearby houses for help.

Luckily, one of the neighbors remembered that a few doors down lived someone who works in the medical field.

“The adrenaline kicked in,” said Lissette Medina, a physician assistant for Shriners Children’s Orthopedic Center at UHealth Jackson Children’s Care. “It was the most scared I’ve ever been in the 16 years of my career.”

Medina rushed over, identified herself, and took over CPR, continuing chest compressions for more than seven minutes until paramedics arrived.

“The clinical part of my brain was what kept acting,” she said. “But my biggest fear was knowing Dylan’s life was literally in my hands. Something came over me and just told me to act.”

Paramedics arrived and inserted a breathing tube before taking Dylan to Jackson South Medical Center, where doctors stabilized him. He was then transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Holtz Children’s Hospital.

When Dylan arrived at Holtz Children’s, he was in critical condition. He had suffered a cardiac arrest caused by drowning, and the medical team’s biggest fear was that his brain wasn’t receiving enough oxygen.

Doctors warned the family that even if they could save his body, his brain function might not recover.

“I unfortunately had to tell the parents that I wasn’t really sure if they would be leaving the hospital with Dylan,” said Kathryn Swaby, MD, pediatric intensivist at Holtz Children’s and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

As part of his treatment, Dylan was enrolled in a research study evaluating whether therapeutic hypothermia, a technique that cools the body, could help protect the brain after cardiac arrest.

“That’s not something available everywhere,” Dr. Swaby said. “Dylan’s family allowed us to try it to see if it might make a difference, and there’s a possibility that it may be one of the things that influenced his outcome.”

Dylan was also placed on a ventilator to help him breathe, and was given medication to support his heart and blood pressure.

“Dylan is remarkably lucky and a very resilient child,” said Asumthia Jeyapalan, DO, an attending physician in the Holtz Children’s PICU and Associate Professor, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

“While he was able to recover from his submersion injury, he was noted to have some neurologic deficits that did require rehabilitation.”

He spent three weeks in the PICU, gradually being weaned off life-sustaining treatments. Afterward, he continued his recovery at Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial, where he spent six days a week doing speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

Before every exercise, the 8-year-old would quietly say, “I’ve got this,” showcasing the fiery spirit his parents know well.

“He catches snakes and lizards, climbs trees without looking, and fishes like a pro,” Brandon said. “He’s our firecracker.”

Despite the severity of Dylan’s condition, his recovery defied the odds. He made remarkable progress, showing clear improvements in his breathing, heart function, responsiveness, and memory.

After more than two months in the hospital, he was discharged on August 29.

Through the challenges, one beautiful thing emerged: an unbreakable bond between the Smith family and Medina.

“As traumatic as this was for all of us, I will forever be grateful to them; for the way they accepted me into their family and trusted me with their child,” Medina said. “That’s the greatest gift anyone could receive, as a practitioner, parent, and person.”

The Smiths say their gratitude extends far beyond just one moment or person. It’s shared with every member at Jackson who helped them through their most difficult moments.

“‘Thank you’ doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Brandon said. “They held us up when we couldn’t hold ourselves. They were our lifeline.”

“They were our heartbeats through it all,” Tiffany added. “They gave us a second chance.”

By Carla Palmer

On April 21, 2025, Neamiah Johnson was just 18 years old—one of four siblings, the varsity basketball captain at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School, and newly enlisted in the Marines. With prom and graduation just a month away, his future was wide open.

But at 9 p.m. that evening, his life changed in an instant.

While helping clean out his mother’s car, Johnson was shot four times in a drive-by shooting. His family thinks it was a case of mistaken identity, but no arrests have been made.

“With that first bullet, I screamed and just fell to the ground,” Johnson said. “My mom ran outside, and I just told her, ‘I can’t feel my legs.’”

Johnson never lost consciousness. As he waited for the ambulance, he remembers his neighbors gathering around him, praying.

He was transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where a multidisciplinary team was ready to act.

“He was unable to move his legs, which immediately told us he likely suffered a spinal cord injury,” said Julie Valenzuela, MD, a trauma surgeon at Ryder Trauma. “These can be long-term, devastating injuries.”

Johnson was rushed into emergency surgery. Doctors identified a tear in his liver, injuries to his right lung, and blood in his chest. Following surgery, he was admitted to Jackson Memorial’s intensive care unit (ICU), where he was closely monitored.

Dr. Valenzuela also serves as the medical director of Jackson’s Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program, which supports patients affected by community violence.

“The goal is to intervene at a very vulnerable point in their recovery,” she said. “That way, we provide a sense of safety, support, and connect them with the services they will need moving forward.”

Dr. Valenzuela works closely with Kawanakee Thompkins, the program’s lead social worker, to ensure patients, like Johnson, and their families receive comprehensive support.

“This incident occurred at their home, so their sense of safety was completely shaken,” Thompkins said. “Our program was able to provide safe housing for Neamiah, his mother, and his three siblings in a hotel until he was discharged from the hospital.”

After his time in the ICU, Johnson was transferred to Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial, where he began intensive rehabilitation.

“I first met Neamiah through his chart—a young patient coming in with a gunshot wound who was paralyzed,” said Logan Waller, one of Johnson’s physical therapists. “When I walked into the room, I expected someone very upset and distraught. But that’s not what I found.”

Instead, Waller was met with a patient determined to move forward.

“He was smiling, optimistic, already trying to sit up and move,” Waller said.

The rehabilitation team set a meaningful goal: to get Johnson home in time for his high school graduation. When that goal was met, Waller attended the ceremony and watched Johnson receive his diploma.

Looking ahead, Waller believes Johnson’s potential remains limitless.

“In terms of the future, the chair changes nothing,” he said. “He still wants to pursue basketball in some form, and whatever path he chooses, he’s going to excel.”

If you ask the now 19-year-old where he sees himself in the future, his answer comes without hesitation.

“I see myself on a billboard, on a talk show, a TED Talk,” Johnson said with a smile. “Every situation, no matter if it’s good or bad, something good will come out of it.”

Now in college studying psychology, Johnson says he’s slowly reclaiming the life he once thought was out of reach.

“Everything I thought I wasn’t going to have, I’m just getting it back—just slowly falling into place,” he said. “Driving again, going everywhere I would like to go.

A big part of that is my mom—she helps me with everything.”

He also credits his care team at Jackson for shaping not only his recovery, but his attitude.

“This is an amazing hospital—they really played a part in how my mindset is,” Johnson said. “They saved my life. I’m just blessed for everybody.”

For Dr. Valenzuela and the team who cared for him, Johnson’s journey has left a lasting impression.

“We were all so impressed by his vitality and resilience,” she said. “I have yet to see someone his age with such maturity in his approach and understanding of his injury. He truly reminds us why we do what we do—and helps us be better, not just as caregivers, but as people.”

By Carla Palmer

For more than 25 years, Sean Riley has supported Jackson Memorial Hospital in a variety of roles — from mental health to landscaping — today, he works in supply chain, helping ensure the hospital has what it needs to care for patients. His routine was simple: a 15-minute scooter ride to work, followed by a short walk to his office — located, as it would turn out, just beneath Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial.

On June 30, 2025, that routine was suddenly interrupted.

After three days of feeling dizzy and not himself, Riley woke up on a Monday morning planning to go to work as usual. Over the weekend, he had fallen off his scooter while riding with friends at a slow speed, brushing it off as dehydration. But when his symptoms didn’t improve, he made a small but crucial decision: instead of riding his scooter, he drove the less than 10 minutes to the hospital “just in case.”

As soon as he walked inside, Riley noticed something was very wrong. He kept drifting to one side, and the room felt like it was spinning. His supervisor immediately recognized the signs and had him admitted for testing.

The diagnosis: ischemic stroke.

An ischemic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked, cutting off the blood supply. It accounts for about 87 percent of cases, making it the most common stroke type.

“I had damaged nerve endings on the right side of my brain, which caused loss of function on the left side of my body,” Riley said.

Soon after arriving at Jackson Memorial, he began losing feeling on the left side of his body — just the beginning of a long recovery journey.

“I almost completely lost all function on my left side. I couldn’t move my leg, my foot, my arm,” Riley said. “You know it’s there, but you can’t do anything with it.”

Doctors treated and monitored him closely for several days, managing his blood pressure and ensuring he wasn’t bleeding heavily before he could begin rehabilitation. On the third day, he was transferred to Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial, where his recovery officially began.

There, Riley worked with occupational and physical therapists Monday through Friday, determined to regain his movement.

“Sean came in with a lot of energy, which is very difficult to have at this stage,” said Ariana Gutierrez, Riley’s occupational therapist. “I went in every morning at 7:30 a.m. — most of my patients don’t want to wake up that early — but he was already ready to go. We were the first people in the gym every day.”

When Riley first arrived, he couldn’t lift his arm over his head. Movements that once felt automatic had become impossible on the left side of his body. While his speech and facial movement were unaffected, Riley was determined to regain full function. He worked day and night with that goal in mind.

That dedication made all the difference.

“By the time he left inpatient rehab, I knew he was ready for outpatient therapy — and I knew he was going to excel,” Gutierrez said.

After discharge, Riley began outpatient therapy, working closely with Jill Munro and other physical therapists.

The focus shifted to rebuilding strength and endurance.

“When he came in, he wasn’t able to run or do many of the things he could do before,” Munro said. “We worked on strengthening, and eventually, he was able to jog on the treadmill at a pretty decent speed for long periods of time.”

His therapy included squats, step-ups, calf raises, leg presses, and other strength-building exercises.

“For every session I had with her, I would leave sweating,” Riley said. “She really helped bring me back.”

Both Munro and Gutierrez agree that what set Riley apart was his attitude.

“He’s a go-getter,” Munro said. “He did everything we asked him to do, he is a super motivated human.”

“Having the attitude Sean had makes all the difference,” Gutierrez added.

Today, Riley is back at work, once again walking the Jackson Memorial corridors — a testament to early recognition, comprehensive care, and his relentless determination.

“Everybody did what they were supposed to do to get me to where I’m at today,” Riley said. “I can be nothing but thankful.”

By: Krysten Brenlla

Emily Shipman, 35, shares an inseparable bond with her 8-year-old daughter, Bella. Alongside her husband, the two do everything together – from managing their family’s small mom-and-pop shop in their hometown of Key West to traveling the world.

That bond grew even stronger when Bella got the news she had always hoped for: a baby sibling was on the way.

“My daughter and I left for Italy on May 28, 2024, and we were going to be gone the whole month of June,” Shipman said. “It was June 1 when I found out I was pregnant.”

Shipman and her family were excited for their newest addition. But, an 18-week ultrasound appointment in Key West showed a concerning diagnosis that changed everything.

“I just remember that the ultrasound tech kept looking at something, and she went to go get the doctor,” Shipman said. “The doctor came in, looked at the ultrasound, and told me that my baby had spina bifida. I didn’t even know what that meant.”

Spina bifida is a condition that happens when a baby’s spine doesn’t form properly during early pregnancy, leaving part of the spinal cord exposed to the outside. Normally, the spine closes around the spinal cord like a protective tube. But in spina bifida, the spine stays open and exposes the spinal cord, which can cause problems with the spinal cord, nerves, and the brain, leading to issues with movement, sensation, and even brain development.

“Within one minute, I was told that I wasn’t going to have a normal child, and that my baby would more than likely be wheelchair-bound,” Shipman said. “It was pretty much painted that I was going to have a vegetable baby.”

Despite the devastating diagnosis, Shipman never gave up hope. Her OB-GYN referred her to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, who explained that an in-utero spina bifida repair might be possible.

“We typically offer in-utero repair of spina bifida between 22 and 26 weeks of pregnancy,” Dr. Ruano added. “The mother is placed under general anesthesia, and through a small C-section-like incision, we open the uterus and carefully expose the baby’s back. A pediatric neurosurgeon, in this case Dr. McCrea, then closes the defect. This procedure can significantly improve the baby’s brain structure and reduce the risk of further nerve damage or fluid buildup in the brain.”

Shipman and her family decided to move forward with the procedure. On October 22, 2024, she became the first patient to undergo in-utero spina bifida repair at Holtz Children’s.

Just two months later, on December 31, 2024, Shipman and her family rang in the New Year with their newborn son, Luey. When he was born, his back was completely closed, and the hindbrain abnormality was fixed.

Luey received specialized care in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Holtz Children’s Hospital, where a dedicated team of neonatologists, nurses, and specialists ensured he had the strongest start possible.

“It’s very unique that God gave me this opportunity to help those babies before they’re born,” Dr. Ruano said.

As Luey grows, he’s receiving care by Dr. McCrea and a multidisciplinary team in the Holtz Children’s Comprehensive Spina Bifida Clinic.

“We’re really excited to see who Luey becomes, and what he does,” Shipman said. “We’re also so excited to see the impact the fetal surgery had on him. I can’t thank the teams at Jackson Memorial and Holtz Children’s enough.”

By: Krysten Brenlla

At just 14, Jake Alexander Kleppen is known on Instagram as a “victorious warrior” – a title he’s earned by facing cancer not once, but twice.

“I never felt any symptoms – all we noticed was my eye,” he said. “It was swelling a lot, and I was originally diagnosed with hypertropia when I was 8.”

Hypertropia is a condition where one eye turns upward. But when Jake’s pediatrician took a closer look, she noticed something was off. She sent him to the emergency room for testing, where doctors made a life-changing discovery.

“He was actually suffering from Ewing sarcoma,” said Marisel Jarrin Kleppen, Jake’s mother. “Never did I imagine we would leave the hospital with a cancer diagnosis.”

Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive soft tissue cancer that usually appears in the limbs, hips, or chest. For Jake, it appeared in his eye, which is extremely rare.

“At that point, he was already stage three,” Marisel said. “Had we waited any longer, who knows what would’ve happened.”

Thankfully, in September 2019, Jake found a specialized pediatric cancer team at Holtz Children’s Hospital.

“We targeted his cancer with 11 months of chemotherapy and 31 rounds of proton beam radiation, which is very precise,” Marisel said. “It affected the symmetry of his face, vision, teeth, and even cognition. But still, he fights through that – he’s super smart and never gives up.”

Eventually, Jake rang the bell at Holtz Children’s – he was cancer-free. He returned home to his family and friends, celebrating nearly five years of remission.

“I felt so free – I felt amazing,” Jake said.

But toward the end of 2024, after a week at Civil Air Patrol camp, Jake felt sick.

“I gave him Advil, and told him to go to sleep. The next morning, he woke up in a puddle of sweat,” Marisel said. “I knew immediately that we had to go to the hospital.”

In December, Jake was diagnosed with his second form of cancer – leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer where abnormal white blood cells crowd out the healthy ones, making it hard for the body to fight infections, stop bleeding, or carry oxygen.

“They did the blood test, and they noticed that his white blood cells were basically non-existent,” Marisel said. “All his numbers were low, and in my head, I didn’t want to think it was cancer. But I just knew it wasn’t normal.”

Jake was referred back to Holtz Children’s to fight cancer a second time.

“Unfortunately, the leukemia was caused by the treatments he received to fight off his original cancer,” said David Crawford, MD, director of pediatric stem cell transplantation at Holtz Children’s and UHealth – University of Miami Health System. “But Jake will be a unique child who survives two different malignancies.”

His new treatment plan included chemotherapy and a targeted drug called blinatumomab, which uses the body’s immune system to attack leukemia cells, in hopes of reaching remission.

Once Jake was in remission, the search for a bone marrow donor began – and against all odds, his brother, Justin, was a perfect match.

“The first time Jake was diagnosed with cancer, I was devastated,” Justin said. “I couldn’t believe he had to go through this a second time, but I knew I had to stay strong. When I found out I was a match to be his bone marrow donor, I was so excited.”

On May 12, 2025, after months of preparation that included immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and full-body radiation, Jake was ready for his bone marrow transplant.

“Being Jake’s donor is going to give us a bigger and better bond, and I’m just excited for him to get better afterward,” Justin said.

“Having Justin as my donor means we’re really blood bonded now,” Jake said. “I’m so grateful.”

Within six weeks, Jake’s team hopes he’ll be able to go home. And within a year, they’re optimistic he’ll fully recover with a new immune system from his brother.

“At Holtz Children’s, we have outstanding pediatric cancer care and cutting-edge treatment options,” Dr. Crawford said. “Jake and his family are wonderful people – we’re hopeful that he’ll survive this and feel like himself again.”

“I tell other kids who may be going through something similar to always see the good in everything,” Jake said. “It’s not going to be easy, but always try to find the silver lining, and you’ll be okay. I know I will.”

By: Krysten Brenlla

When Chase Cooper, 20, was just 2 years old, he was diagnosed with a congenital kidney and urinary tract condition. One of his kidneys was filled with cysts – a condition called multicystic dysplastic kidney.

Additionally, the other kidney had a blockage where the ureter, a thin tube that carries urine from each kidney to the bladder, didn’t develop normally.

“My family knew from the minute I was born that I would have problems with my kidneys,” Cooper said. “They knew that I’d eventually need a transplant.”

To find the best treatment options, his family sought care at the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI), an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth – University of Miami Health System.

After an extensive evaluation, the multidisciplinary team found that Cooper was eligible for a kidney transplant, and he was placed on the list.

For 10 months, he received at-home peritoneal dialysis. However, on a Wednesday evening in 2010, Cooper’s family got the call they longed for – there was a match.

Five-year-old Cooper and his loved ones rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he underwent his kidney transplant, performed by Gaetano Ciancio, MD, chief medical officer and director of the kidney and kidney-pancreas transplant programs at MTI.

The surgery marked the beginning of a new chapter, but it was far from the end of Cooper’s medical journey.

“Even if someone has a healthy kidney after transplant, the medical process doesn’t stop,” he said. “Taking care of it is one thing, but sustaining it for 15 to 20 years is the real challenge.”

However, despite the obstacles throughout his life, the team at MTI has been Cooper’s guiding force.

“Chase’s case is remarkable – many pediatric transplant recipients require multiple transplants over the years, yet Chase’s kidney has lasted an impressive 15 years,” said Marissa Defreitas, MD, a pediatric nephrologist at MTI. “However, the challenges extend beyond the kidney itself. As a side effect of the anti-rejection medications, Chase developed diabetes, along with gastrointestinal complications.

Despite these hurdles, he continues to push forward with the unwavering support of his family and the team at Jackson and MTI.”

As he grew older, Cooper began to advocate about the urgent need for organ donors, speaking at school events and debate tournaments. Throughout his kidney transplant journey, he also developed a passion for encouraging young people to register as organ donors.

“I think every day about the people on the transplant list who need an organ – just like I needed a kidney,” Cooper said. “It’s a tremendous gift – I wouldn’t know where I’d be if I didn’t get that kidney. That’s what Jackson does best – they give people another opportunity to live life to the fullest.”

Now a political science major at Lynn University, Cooper’s committed to making a difference. He hopes to continue advocating for organ donation through community efforts and speaking engagements.

“During Donate Life Month in April, I tell people – check the box. You can save eight lives in one day,” Cooper said. “We need more people who are willing to donate because too many people are waiting for their second chance.”

By: Krysten Brenlla

Sandra Senkow has always embraced an active lifestyle – she loves the outdoors, riding bikes, and spending time with her family.

Two years ago, Senkow’s life took an unexpected turn when she began experiencing symptoms that would later lead to a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

“It all started after knee surgery when my boyfriend noticed subtle changes in my movements,” Senkow said.

With a family history of Parkinson’s, the 59-year-old was concerned. She sought medical advice, undergoing a series of tests before receiving a definitive diagnosis.

The news was a shock, but Senkow was determined to face the challenge head-on.

“My symptoms primarily affected my walking,” she said. “My aunt had Parkinson’s disease, so when I got the diagnosis, I knew I needed to be proactive to manage the condition.”

With the help of her family, Senkow explored various treatment options, including Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT), a specialized, high-intensity program designed to help people with Parkinson’s improve their movement and speech by retraining the brain with specific repetitive exercises.

After some research, her family found the LSVT program at Jackson North Medical Center, where she met her physical therapist, Sabrina Cherelus.

“When I first saw Sandra, she exhibited common Parkinson’s symptoms, including rigidity, slowed movement, and walking impairments, like uneven steps,” Cherelus said. “Although she hadn’t experienced falls, she was still a fall risk. That’s when we decided LSVT BIG would be a great intervention for her.”

LSVT BIG is a program designed to help patients with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions regain movement control. Over the course of four weeks— four sessions per week— Senkow worked with physical therapists on different exercises, which incorporated seven daily exercises that were tailored to her needs.

“The LSVT BIG exercises are designed to retrain the brain and create new pathways to compensate for Parkinson’s-related impairments,” Cherelus said. “Sandra was incredibly consistent and motivated. She kept up with her home exercises and always came in ready to show her progress.”

By the end of her therapy, Senkow had achieved measurable results. She transitioned from a medium fall risk to a low fall risk, regained her natural walking ability, and returned to walking four to five miles regularly.

“It was night and day from when she started,” Cherelus said. “She not only met her goals, but also gained a tool to manage her symptoms. Parkinson’s is a lifelong condition, but with science, technology, and therapy, we can help patients maintain their mobility and independence for longer.”

“I want to keep Parkinson’s at bay as long as I can by staying active and using the techniques they taught me,” Senkow added. “The therapy was fantastic, and Sabrina was great. I’d tell anyone with Parkinson’s to sign up for LSVT—it makes a real difference.”

By: Miranda Torres
“You probably will never have children”, are words Richardy Blanchard, 40, heard in her early 20’s after being diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. After two decades of irregular menstrual cycles, she was shocked to discover she was pregnant.

Due to her diagnosis and age, Blanchard began seeing a high-risk maternal fetal medicine doctor along with her OB-GYN to create a prenatal care plan. During a routine check-up at 18 weeks, the ultrasound tech discovered Blanchard had an incompetent cervix, meaning her cervix was too short to support a pregnancy.

The doctor told Blanchard, “This is an inevitable abortion and you’ll be lucky if he survives another week. But we’ll catch it next time for your next pregnancy.”

“He didn’t know everything it took for me to get to this point to be a mom,” Blanchard said. “It was so dismissive.”

Blanchard sought a second opinion and found The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial. After reading a patient testimonial about a mother who gave birth to two healthy babies after having a cervical cerclage, or procedure to help keep the cervix closed, she knew The Women’s Hospital team would be equipped to care for her and her baby.

At 19 weeks, Blanchard began having unusual discharge and visited the emergency room at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The doctor explained that because of her open cervix, her amniotic sack was protruding, posing a risk for sepsis, a potentially lethal reaction to an infection that can lead to organ failure. The options included inducing labor, which would mean the baby would be stillborn, or leaving the hospital because her pregnancy was not yet viable. It was then she met Devita Price, APRN, director of professional practice at The Women’s Hospital.

“As a healthcare professional, I empowered her to listen to her gut and her body and reminded her we are here to help along the way and keep her educated on ALL her options,” Price said.

Blanchard decided to go home and trust that God would make a way for her to have this baby.

During her ER visit, Blanchard also met Pouya Abhari, MD, FACOG, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at The Women’s Hospital. Dr. Abhari promised that once Blanchard reached 22 weeks gestation, the earliest stage of viability for a baby, he would admit her and care for her until it was time to deliver her baby.

Once she was admitted at 22 weeks, Blanchard’s cervix was already 3 centimeters dilated.

The high-risk team was monitoring her and her baby daily for signs of preterm labor and infection.

Additionally, a counsellor was brought in several times to speak with Blanchard and address her mental wellbeing. Maternal mental health is a priority at Jackson, especially among Dr. Abhari’s team at The Women’s Hospital.

“We want mothers to feel like they are still being focused on and taken care of as a person, outside of being an expectant mom,” Dr. Abhari said.

At 30 weeks, Blanchard’s water broke and she went into labor naturally. The Holtz Children’s Hospital NICU team was present during the labor to ensure her baby would receive the necessary care from the moment he entered the world.

“The synergy between the delivery and NICU team was something I had never seen before. It was perfect, I couldn’t have dreamed of a more perfect birth,” Blanchard said.

Samuel Gerdes was born healthy, answering all of Blanchard’s prayers.

“When I held my son, I felt God was with me,” she said. “I was holding him while he was crying, and I felt so grateful for the gift of being a mom.”

While in the NICU, Samuel never required oxygen and took to bottle feeding quickly with donor milk, allowing him to gain weight and reach his milestones. Blanchard spent every available moment by his side.

“Being a first-time parent and this being her miracle baby, she was a great advocate and had thoughtful questions,” said Rebecca Jones, MD, a NICU hospitalist at Holtz Children’s. “For us it’s something we do every day but for these parents, it’s something they experience just one in their lifetime, so it’s important for us to give them time and space to take it all in and answer all their questions.”

Two months later, Samuel was discharged, finally going home to be surrounded by his family.

“Throughout this journey, I have experienced the best and worst of the healthcare industry,” Blanchard said. “Thank you to every doctor who answered my questions, celebrated every day with me, learned my son’s name, and embodied God’s love.”