Our patients' stories

Coronary Artery Anomaly: Quinn's Story
Quinn was diagnosed with a type of coronary artery anomaly called anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) and treated by the Cardiac team at CHOP, giving him a better chance at survival.

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Caila's Story
Caila was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and treated at CHOP by the Cardiac Center team, which is at the forefront of diagnosing and treating HLHS.

Penile Reconstructive Surgery: Hadi's Story
Hadi’s family sought help around the world. They found it at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where Hadi underwent successful penile reconstructive surgery.

Ventricular Septal Defect: Nora's Story
Diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect at 2 days old, Nora had open heart surgery a month later at CHOP's Cardiac Center.

Tracheal Stenosis and Lung Anomaly: Paige's Story
Paige had severe tracheal stenosis, a life-threatening airway narrowing. Doctors recommended major surgery – a fix made riskier since she had just one lung.

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Lily’s Story
Lily was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and underwent several surgeries at CHOP's Cardiac Center to treat the complex congenital heart defect.

Transposition of the Great Arteries: Max's Story
Born with transposition of the great arteries, a life-threatening heart defect, Max was saved by open heart surgery at CHOP's Cardiac Center.

Omphalocele: Charlie's Story
One of the first patients treated by CHOP's Center for Fetal Diagnosis & Treatment, Charlie underwent seven surgeries to repair a giant omphalocele.

Stuttering: Calvin's Story
When Calvin didn't grow out of his stuttering after years of speech therapy, his parents sought specialized care from the Stuttering Program at CHOP.

Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM): Max's Story
Before he was even born, Max Nazzaro’s treatment for congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) began at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM): Roberto’s Story
Roberto Rodriquez Jr. was the first-ever fetal surgery patient at CHOP, undergoing a prenatal procedure to remove a lung lesion in 1995.

Giant Omphalocele: Jackson's Story
Casey and Bryan Kirsch were determined to give their son Jackson every chance to live a healthy life when they learned that he had a giant omphalocele.

Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome: Laurel's Story
After months of debilitating pain, Laurel found relief, support and healing from the Center for Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Spina Bifida and Fetal Surgery: Sean's Story
Prenatally diagnosed with myelomeningocele (MMC), the most severe form of spina bifida, Sean Mulligan underwent fetal surgery at CHOP to repair the birth defect.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH): Cora's Story
After learning their baby had CDH, the Pappas family traveled from Tennessee to seek care at CHOP's Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment in Philadelphia.

Spina Bifida and Fetal Surgery: Audrey's Story
Audrey Rose Oberio was prenatally diagnosed with myelomeningocele (MMC), the most severe form of spina bifida. She became CHOP's 1,000th fetal surgery patient.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Peyton's Story
Peyton Laricks underwent successful surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to repair a prenatally diagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
Gardner Syndrome: Felix's Story
When Felix, who is from Caracas, Venezuela, was diagnosed with Gardner syndrome, a condition that often leads to colorectal cancer, his parents found him the best care at CHOP.

Spina Bifida and Fetal Surgery: Mia Lisa's Story
After a poor spina bifida prognosis, Mia Lisa underwent fetal surgery for spina bifida at CHOP, where surgeons repaired the opening her spine before birth.
Bronchopulmonary Sequestration (BPS): Luke's Story
Luke Kelly came to CHOP for lifesaving care after being prenatally diagnosed with a type of lung lesion called bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS).