What Makes Us Different

Greatest Gifts

Tyler Scheid and his mother, Cindy, both know what it's like to be a transplant patient. They've both had kidney transplants. And they say organ donation is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone.

Competitive Spirit Unbroken

Helping Teens Manage Migraines

Jenna Weber spent her high school years fighting headaches. At 18, she considers herself a success story because of the coping skills she learned at the Headache Center at Cincinnati Children's.

Helping Families in Need

When Elene Lester took custody of her grandson, Jakob, she was unemployed and didn't have diapers or formula, much less a stocked pantry. When she brought Jakob to Cincinnati Children's for an appointment, physicians identified the family's needs and put them in touch with resources.

Turning Burdens into Blessings

When Cole Jackson was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age 13, he held onto it like a secret. Nearly a decade later, he is putting his efforts into a mentoring program so other patients don't have to suffer alone.

Teen Sees Past His Stroke

Adam Zust is a high school senior who survived a stroke. A year after collapsing on a treadmill, he wants his recovery to be an inspiration to people.

Life After Childhood Stroke

Aiden Putnam was just 7 when he collapsed playing laser tag. He had a stroke. And with the help of Cincinnati Children's, he relearned how to walk and talk and tell about how his family never lost hope.

Making Little Moments Special

Six-year-old Brody Muskopf was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that is destroying his muscles. His mom says the pain makes the good times that much better.

Researching Rare Eye Condition

Sean Dougherty, 21, has cone dystrophy, a condition that deteriorates his vision. Researcher Tiffany Cook, PhD, says meeting him gives her tremendous insight into how she might be able to help find a cure.

Technology Helps Communication

Joanna Bendel communicates with something she calls her "talker." She has apraxia, a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for her to speak and be understood. But she wants people to know she still has a lot to say.

Listening for a Whisper

Joe Kastner has paralyzed vocal cords and speaks in a whisper. And his gift to his family is that he has made them better listeners.

Support for Severe Allergies

Andrew and Julie Sieber's sons all have some form of severe allergy, but Ethan and Jacob are diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis. It is an allergic inflammatory condition that can make the esophagus swell.

Family Races to Beat Cancer

Annie Coyle was in the sixth grade when she found out a golf ball-sized lump in her throat was cancerous. But with the help of her doctors and family, Annie beat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Straightening Out Scoliosis

A mother's instinct told Courtney Strotman something was wrong with her baby. Five months later, doctors diagnosed Addyson with infantile scoliosis. Orthopaedic surgeon Peter Sturm, MD, recently brought the Mehta casting technique to Cincinnati Children's. "It's less invasive, and it works."

Accident Tests Determination

Alison and Tim Delgado met in medical school. But just five months after they married, an accident tested their love and their determination — and ultimately affirmed their strength.

Child Fights Back

Ashtyn Carrier was 7 when she was diagnosed with a rare immune-system disorder called Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, better known as HLH. Ashtyn and her dad talk about their experience leading up to the transplant.

Music Therapy Helps Patient

Brian Schreck pioneered the pediatric music therapy program at Cincinnati Children's four years ago, primarily as an outlet for cancer and rehab patients. His fan base includes kids such as Christopher "Critter" Smith, who died in April 2011 at age 13 after battling his second relapse of leukemia.

Bonding Over Talk of Cancer

Clifton Hon crossed paths with Amy Elam, both employees at Cincinnati Children's. Elam's daughter has been battling cancer for nearly a decade and Hon is in his fourth year of overcoming colon cancer. They forged a friendship and found a way to help each other through the ups and downs of cancer.

Coming Out of a Coma

Deanna Carr jokes that she talked her son out of a coma. Devin Carr was almost 12 when a speeding pickup truck struck him, sending him into a coma for a month. Doctors did not expect him to live, but his mom had a feeling he would pull through.

Robotic Legs Give Parents Hope

Dillon Rosenlieb has cerebral palsy. His parents hope that a machine called a Lokomat can train his muscles and his mind to do the real thing on his own.

Epilepsy Doesn't Define Teen

Erin Grasty began suffering seizures when she was 10. That's how the lively 16-year-old began what she calls her "e-coaster," or epilepsy roller coaster. Erin, a frequent visitor to Cincinnati Children's, has learned how to manage her condition and educate classmates about epilepsy.

Therapy Dogs Bring Kids Smiles

Something special happens when Abby enters the building. The mood lightens. People stop and smile. Conversations begin. Abby Golden Doodle, a therapy dog, looks like she's smiling back at everyone who smiles at her.

Immanuel's Story of Hope

When Immanuel Vaughn arrived early, on Christmas Day 2008, they knew he would be even more special. He struggled not only with being premature but also with liver cancer. His parents looked to experts at Cincinnati Children's for specialized treatment.

Life From a Different Angle

Cincinnati Children's employees Jan Borgman and Tina Ulanowski talk about providing care and support for families struggling with a child who is dying.

Gingerbread Man's Tradition

Listen to Jeff Geoppinger talk about how his family started the tradition of bringing a gingerbread house every year to nurses at Cincinnati Children's. Now the Geoppingers are getting another generation involved -- their son.

Jovante Woods' Story

Jovante Woods suffered an asthma attack in August 2010 so severe that it killed him. His parents talk about what they didn't know that could be a lesson for other parents.

Chiari Brain Malformations

Jacob and Dylan have a rare Chiari brain malformation. Dr. Crone performed surgery on both boys and helped the Fitzpatricks identify and define the unknowns of the condition. The family has made it their mission to help other families going through the same journey.

Patient and Nurse Connect

Mallory Hopper was about to have spine surgery when she made a connection with Angela Strader, a nurse at Cincinnati Children's.  Not only have they had the same surgery at the same age, but they even had the same surgeon, Dr. Alvin Crawford.

Maria Hoffman Shares Her Story

Maria is a long-term patient at Cincinnati Children's with chronic renal failure. She talks with her nurse Lena Riley about her experience and memories as a young patient at the hospital.

Ellee's Bone Marrow Gives Life

Max, who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, needed his sister's bone marrow because his own did not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. But Max is back on his grade school basketball team, healthy as ever.

Teen Counts Her Blessings

Meggie was born with a very rare disorder called HSAN II (Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy, type 2) which calls for visits to Children's Hospital.  She says, "Children's has been there for me for all these years, and best of all, I know they will be for many more."

Project SEARCH Teaches Skills

As a young adult, Nakiea Spaulding became one the first participants in Project SEARCH, a program founded at Cincinnati Children's that teaches job skills to people who have disabilities. Now, at 37, Nakiea Spaulding still works with the program as a supervisor and lead lab courier.

Let's Get this Party Started

Paige Alessandro had a vascular disorder that affected her spinal cord. Paige and her family never focused on her limitations. And although her life was short, they still celebrate the courageous way she lived.

Send in the Clowns

Motivational clown Paul Miller, founder of Circus Mojo, has come up with a program called Mojo Medicine to give hospitalized kids a fun outlet. Miller has a grant to study the effects his performances have on patients. And if the sound of laughter is any indication, this kind of medicine is working pretty well.

Getting Better Is Like a Prize

Payton Stephens, a 9-year-old Cincinnati Children's patient who has a history of immune infections, says getting better "feels like you've got a prize." Despite her medical struggles, her mom says she always has a smile on her face and is determined to encourage sick kids to get better.

Dad Gives Son a Precious Gift

E. coli food poisoning quickly worsened into a disease that began destroying Preston Henson's kidneys. His dad, Gerald, made the decision to donate one of his kidneys, and the transplant was successful.

Patient Inspires Oncologist

Regan Arnold was diagnosed with something called lymphangiosarcoma, a lymphatic blood-vessel cancer that is almost unheard of in kids. Despite it all, Regan kept an amazing attitude.

Braving the Storm

A tree branch hit Ryan Korengel in the head during a wind storm, and his traumatic brain injury was so serious his family feared for his life. Thanks to his doctors and therapists at Cincinnati Children's, Ryan pulled through.

Battling a Skin Disease

Shane DiGiovanna has never gone a day in his life without bandages. He was born with a rare skin condition known as EB, or epidermolysis bullosa. The family relocated to Cincinnati so Shane can be treated by specialists such as dermatologist Anne Lucky, MD, an expert on the disorder.

Teen Inspires Insight

Sydney Sanborn was a 9-pound baby whose shoulder was pinched in the birth canal, leaving her with brachial plexus palsy. After receiving surgery at the Brachial Plexus Center, she made a comment to doctors that led them to rethink about how the arm communicates with the brain after a nerve injury.

Patient Prepares to go Home

Taylor Brown has lived at the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati for three years, waiting for life-saving transplants. And she is on the road to recovery. She has found a home away from home at Cincinnati Children's, but is ready to go home through her own front door.

Learning What Life Is About

Asia Werner was born 9 weeks premature with a defective heart. Without a transplant, her family feared she wouldn't live past her first birthday. That was when her family learned of another family's loss 500 miles away. Asia got his heart. Today, she is an 11-year-old who considers her donor as close as a little brother.

Disease Brings Family Closer

Michelle Gardner was 17 when her son, Mikel Dijak, was born two months too early. He spent his first six weeks at Cincinnati Children's and was diagnosed with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. Dealing with the disease has made them all grow up and realize what being a family is all about.

ParentTOUCH Connects Families

Early Treatment Pays Off

Fixing AND Preventing Injuries

When Katie Landgrebe broke her femur, she came to the Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center for physical therapy. The training helped lead the team to a winning season and helped the sports medicine program at become known not just for helping injured athletes — but also for preventing them altogether.

Future Storm Chaser

From his room on the oncology ward, Eli Wilkening has been looking out the window, ready to chase some storms. The outlook for Eli is looking good. He is scheduled to finish his cancer treatments in August and put his bout with leukemia behind him.

Talk Show Dream Comes True

8-year-old Josh Mack, who dreams of becoming a talk show host one day, said he wished he could interview the head of the hospital. His doctor told him he could make that wish happen. That's how the Josh Mack Show with special guest Michael Fisher came about.

Samantha Morissey's Story

Watch a video as Samantha describes her experience with Ewing's sarcoma and how it has made her a stronger person.

Weight-Loss Surgery Helps Teen

Dustin Holston is 21 years old and can finally say he has learned how to feed himself properly. After receiving a  gastric sleeve operation, Dustin is now 160 pounds lighter and credits the surgery for saving his life.

Overcoming Eating Disorders

Kacy and Stacy Cluxton became dangerously thin and their worried parents brought them to Cincinnati Children's for help. After years of treatment for anorexia nervosa, the twins are now helping to promote the eating disorder program at Cincinnati Children's and the new inpatient psychiatric unit at the Lindner Center of HOPE in Mason.

Quinceañera Inspires Fitness

For nearly three years, Karina Montes has imagined what she would look like when it came time for her quinceañera. Her mom brought her to Cincinnati Children's when she was 12 to help her transform from an overweight child to a healthy teenager. This is the story she shared with dietitian Barb Lattin.

Technology Helps Siblings

Emma and Nick have Spinal Muscular Atrophy, an inherited disease that causes loss of motor function. Their family helps run a foundation to find a cure, and they come to The Perlman Center at Cincinnati Children's for therapy that helps them beat the odds.

Blessed with Parents' Kidneys

When Life Gets Put on Hold

Surgery Saves Boy's Life

When a gastroenterologist from Cincinnati Children's was visiting Romania, he noticed a sickly, malnourished baby with Hirschsprung disease. With the help of doctors from Cincinnati Children's, Beni came here to the Colorectal Center for care that saved his life.

Colorectal Center on the Map

Payoff Is a Smile

Mary Showman searched the internet for help for her daughter, Heather, who has suffered from tuberous sclerosis since she was a baby. Her mom found help at Cincinnati Children's. Heather's parents credit doctors with saving her life. Her doctors say it's rewarding just to see Heather smile.

Personalizing Medicine

Meron Azage and Katie Armstrong came to Cincinnati to be part of one of the few genetic counseling graduate programs in the country. They describe themselves as "medical translators" who have a background in psychology and science and will be able to help families understand genetic disorders.

Medical Staff Gives Back

After 12 trips to Haiti, Gail McMonigle connected with people she loves. Others from Cincinnati Children's, including Cornelia Gonsalves and Dr. David Franz, joined the last trip. They helped open a world of medical care to people who needed it and found satisfaction in helping a world beyond their own.

Child Becomes an Inspiration

Regina Juergens was born with odds stacked against her. But after more than 100 hospital procedures, her complications are manageable. Regina is 4 and is beating the odds. She goes to preschool and makes friends everywhere she goes.

You've Got a Friend

Callie Talbot was 8 when she first came to camp for cancer kids. Years later, she helps other campers keep a positive perspective.

Future 'Cowboy Hematologist'

Cameron Noe dreams of starting a ranch someday. But his biggest dream is to help find cures for diseases.

Growing Up with Hemophilia

Drew Barry grew up avoiding daredevil. Having hemophilia shaped who he became and taught him to be responsible.

Learning to Laugh Again

When will an oncologist take you joyriding on a golf cart? When you are a cancer patient at summer camp, like Cody Harrison.

Kids with Sickle Cell Disease

Summer camp is one of Zion Coleman's favorite times of the year. It's when he gets to reconnect with friends who has dickle cell disease.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

LeCarol Baston brings a little bit of summer camp back to the hospital with her son when she sings camp songs to get through blood draws.

Positivity Inspires Nurses

Nurses fight to take care of Bailey Walker. The 8-year-old lymphoma patient says it's her positive attitude that makes her so popular.

Reality TV Teen to Role Model

People recognize Zeke Angel from the MTV reality show "True Life - I'm Allergic to Everything." His next role, he says, is to lead the fight for a cure.

High-Risk Pregnancy Worries

Shannon and Andy Perdue worried before their daughter's birth that something might be wrong. They consider what happened next a miracle.

Colorectal Surgery Success

Doctors repaired Aubrey Clark's internal plumbing so she could get back to the business of just being a kid.

The Burden of Depression

A couple of years after her dad committed suicide, Sam Potter wanted her life to be over, too. Treatment at Cincinnati Children's turned things around.

Taking on Spina Bifida

Amelia Murphy was born with spinda bifida. It's made her the bravest person her family knows.

Unplug the Kids

John Hutton, MD, a part-time pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's and owner of a local children's bookstore, is on a mission to get kids out from in front of the TV and keep littles ones "screen-free" until age 3.

A Family with Heart

When Sarah (Steel) Anderson went into cardiac arret at 12 years old, little did her family know it would uncover that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy runs in the family.