The Memorial Tournament Golden Cubs Program is designed to recognize the strong, driving spirit and optimistic outlook of each patient that inspires not only their family and loved ones, but the entire community. Each year, 9 current or former patients from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, called Golden Cubs, have the opportunity to take center stage for pre-tournament events, meet PGA TOUR professionals and have VIP Tournament experiences.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Give Now
Donate to our life-saving research and care
The Memorial Tournament Golden Cubs Program is designed to recognize the strong, driving spirit and optimistic outlook of each patient that inspires not only their family and loved ones, but the entire community. Each year, 9 current or former patients from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, called Golden Cubs, have the opportunity to take center stage for pre-tournament events, meet PGA TOUR professionals and have VIP Tournament experiences.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Give Now
Donate to our life-saving research and care
The Memorial Tournament Golden Cubs Program is designed to recognize the strong, driving spirit and optimistic outlook of each patient that inspires not only their family and loved ones, but the entire community. Each year, 9 current or former patients from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, called Golden Cubs, have the opportunity to take center stage for pre-tournament events, meet PGA TOUR professionals and have VIP Tournament experiences.
The Memorial Tournament Golden Cubs Program is designed to recognize the strong, driving spirit and optimistic outlook of each patient that inspires not only their family and loved ones, but the entire community. Each year, 9 current or former patients from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, called Golden Cubs, have the opportunity to take center stage for pre-tournament events, meet PGA TOUR professionals and have VIP Tournament experiences.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Meet Amelia
Meet Cade
Meet Hayden
Meet Jalen
Meet Logan
Meet Neil
Meet Nylah
Meet Pax
Meet Reid
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung. Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all. Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety. Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio. Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased. As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH 7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future. In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom. Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre. Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception. At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option. Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer. Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
Name: Amelia Age: 6 Hometown: Delaware, OH
Eighteen weeks into her pregnancy, mom-to-be Lani had an appointment with a High- Risk Pregnancy specialist to find out the gender of her baby. Soon after learning that a resilient little girl, they will soon name Amelia, was coming their way, a doctor delivered the news that she had congenital lobar emphysema, a rare respiratory disorder in which air can enter the lungs, but cannot escape, causing over inflation of the lobes of the lung.
Following the diagnosis, weekly ultrasounds were scheduled. With each passing week Amelia’s condition was worsening and they soon learned that the best place for Lani to deliver was at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. February 8, 2016, they were met in the lobby by their care team. Soon after delivery, Amelia needed surgery. A few hours later, Amelia met her parents. Though the surgeon removed 68% of her left lung, she was doing very well. She stayed in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 28 days, spending several days on a breathing machine. Today, the bubbly 6-year-old loves movies, especially “How to Train Your Dragon,” and is looking forward to starting kindergarten.
Name: Cade Age: 7 Hometown: Dublin, OH
Cade is a pretty typical kindergartener. He loves to swim, and just this year he started competing in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments. But if you take a closer look under a microscope, it becomes clear that this seven-year-old is not so typical after all.
Cade was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in May of 2018, shortly after his third birthday. ITP was causing excessive bruising and internal bleeding over his entire body. A light head-bump resulted in a hematoma. He often had cuts on his hands and arms. Through it all, Cade never complained but his parents searched for answers, and often dealt with questions about their son’s safety.
Cade’s treatment course started with a steroid, but he had difficulty taking the medication. He then moved to receiving his medication via infusion and has seen his platelet counts rise and fall but the family remains hopeful. Though he knows he must be careful when playing and refrain from getting too rough, Cade is not slowing down.
Name: Hayden Age: 11 Hometown: Temple, TX
Hayden is a Texan who loves her family, every animal she sees, and riding horses. She has also suffered from rumination syndrome since birth, although she was not officially diagnosed until she was 5. Living in central Texas, her family took her to several hospitals throughout the state looking for answers. After many tests, they visited a specialist in Dallas who decided to study the frequency of Hayden’s rumination. The test showed that Hayden was ruminating (regurgitating into her mouth) about 120 times a day. Her parents were worried about the potential damage to her esophagus and the risk of developing pneumonia. As her parents continued to seek a remedy, their doctor said the only option for treatment was a hospital in Ohio.
Her parents were hesitant about traveling so far but they scheduled an appointment to meet with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rumination Team in the Fall of 2019. The specialists ran tests and spent time with the family to make sure Hayden understood how to correctly do diaphragmatic breathing. In the spring of 2021, she began the therapy sessions that changed her life. Today, Hayden rarely ruminates in her mouth, and when she does feel like it’s going to happen, she can stop it in her esophagus. Now 10 years old, Hayden loves learning and is currently learning about pediatric cardiology.
Name: Jalen Age: 13 Hometown: Columbus, OH
Jalen loves sports. He loves to play them, to watch them, to talk about them. But when the pandemic shut down many of the sports he played, he stopped being quite as active as usual. And when his father passed away unexpectedly, the joy he got from sports was gone. His mom began keeping a close eye on him and thought it was just a phase and that he’d slowly get back into them. However, as Jalen continued to spend more time gaming, his physical activity decreased, and it seemed like overnight his weight had significantly increased.
As things began to open back up, Jalen lacked the motivation to get back into activities and participate, instead just going through the motions. When he was referred to Nationwide Children’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs, Jalen’s mom was relieved. With Jalen being a pre-teen, she knew if he could get guidance and support from someone else to become active and have fun doing it, his habits could change. After about two weeks, he seemed to enjoy the activities and not even realize he was working out. He slowly began to see improvements in the physical activities that he was participating in which just added to his confidence. Jalen is a gentle, kind, and caring soul. The encouragement, care, and guidance he received from Nationwide Children’s staff, along with what he was receiving at home, just continued to build his morale. Jalen and his mom know this is a lifelong process but are thankful that this program was a stop on his journey.
Name: Logan Age: 7 Hometown: Commercial Point, OH
7-year-old Logan is everywhere. One day, you might find him on the baseball diamond, and the next, he’s practicing karate. And when’s he not doing one of those, he’s probably trying to catch Pokémon in his neighborhood. So, you would probably never have guessed that Logan was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 19 days old and had a balloon valvuloplasty at 5 months old. Logan has yearly check-ups with The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and fortunately has not needed additional interventions, although a possible valve replacement is in Logan’s future.
In January 2021, Logan was hospitalized and diagnosed with type I diabetes. This condition can be very frightening for families but Logan’s mom, Lisa, shares the Nationwide Children’s staff has been amazing, always educating and answering any questions they have. She noted several members of the endocrinology team are also type 1 diabetics and they bring real-life experiences to the expert care they provide. The team and family worked together to quickly get Logan stabilized and he was on an insulin pump not even a year into diagnosis, a true sign of the team fighting for Logan.
Name: Neil Age: 16 Hometown: Dublin, OH
Neil is an entertainer. His great sense of humor has him laughing and joking with Nationwide Children’s Hospital staff every time he’s admitted or must visit the emergency room. And since he was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia on January 11, 2019, that’s been quite often. After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus that would not go away, this diagnosis—a rare type of leukemia—was devastating to Neil and his family. When Neil learned his diagnosis, he was scared and surprised. “I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy—a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” says Kelly, Neil’s mom.
Throughout Neil’s treatment, he remained positive, although he has faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight. Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again. He plays in several bands at his high school, enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and is interested in doing theatre.
Neil will be in treatment for more than two years, but he has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor. He loves telling stories and jokes to any audience and wants to help other kids going through the same thing or facing similar challenges.
Name: Nylah Age: 12 Hometown: Lewis Center, OH
It took a while, but Nylah is coming around to enjoying gym class. It wasn’t that long ago that she hated exercise and sports. Maintaining a healthy weight has been challenging for Nylah since early elementary school. For years, the insensitive comments from her classmates took a toll on her mental wellness, and she became very conscious of her body image. She began to withdraw from enjoying certain activities with her family. The pandemic allowed her parents to finally see the impact on her self-perception.
At the end of 2021, Nylah was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Her family doctor referred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Play Strong and Healthy Weight and Nutrition programs. After her involvement in the Play Strong program, Nylah’s demeanor, character, and self-esteem flourished. Before, Nylah hated sports, outdoors, and healthy competition. After just a few weeks in the program, Nylah began to share how she was open to competing and enjoyed gym class. She now had the desire to exercise more at home with her family and even asked to try out for cheer and volleyball at school. She accepted the advice and guidance of the staff from the healthy children program and followed it closely. The Play Strong program truly helped Nylah transform her mind and love of self.
Name: Pax Age: 11 Hometown: Somerset, OH
Pax may mean “peace,” but this Pax is a fighter. Two days before Christmas, 2013, Pax was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The medical team discovered an 11cm tumor that surrounded his left kidney and was wrapped around his aorta and many other blood vessels in his abdomen. After several tests, biopsies, and the insertion of a chemotherapy catheter in his chest, Pax began chemo less than one month later. After four rounds of intense treatment, Pax’s oncologist shared some very difficult news with the family. He said the chemotherapy was not working and without surgery Pax would die within one year. The only option at this point was to attempt a life-threatening surgery. Initially, the doctors did not want to attempt an operation due to the location of the tumor. Now, there was no other option.
Pax’ surgery was as difficult as they expected. He lost his left kidney in the process and was in the ICU on the ventilator for several days. After two weeks in the hospital, he was able to return home. However, he suffered a clot in his aorta and had to receive injections twice a day for the next three months. The clot severely impaired blood flow to his legs for over 24 hours, which caused nerve damage and severe pain. He was fitted with braces and had to learn how to walk all over again. He regained his strength and balance fairly quickly, but the pain still causes difficulty for Pax if he plays too hard. Pax, a determined fighter, completed his chemotherapy and rang the end of treatment bell in June of 2021.
Name: Reid Age: 15 Hometown: Delaware, OH
Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in 2011. He endured six months of chemotherapy and more than 15 surgeries, including tumor and lymph node removals, a skin graft, and a lung biopsy. Currently, Reid is stable and follows up with the oncologist every couple of months to monitor any potential tumor growth. Reid has remained positive and full of life throughout his fight with cancer.
Reid is now in high school and is actively on a path to pursue a career in medicine to help kids like so many at Nationwide Children’s have done for him.
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