Patient Stories
Published on February 21, 2020
Geoffrey Von Der Ahe, 18, who has been a patient at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles since birth, says living with a heart defect has made him want to give back to other kids—and study medicine one day
Published on February 7, 2020
How Noa outran three heart surgeries—and retinoblastoma
Published on February 6, 2020
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy so severe he was tripping over his own feet, Brady came to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for treatment. The result? A “night and day difference,” says his mom.
Published on January 16, 2020
She thought she had the stomach flu. It turned out to be a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. After undergoing surgery at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Kaira is now flourishing.
Published on January 8, 2020
15-year-old Diobeth has faced – and conquered – unthinkable health hurdles, including a brain mass and stroke. He went from being unable to walk or speak to being fully communicative and mobile, thanks in large part to the healing power of music.
Published on December 17, 2019
Imagine back pain so debilitating you can’t even get out of bed. For 18-year-old Eric, an innovative surgery finally provided relief and the chance to pursue his dreams.
Published on November 27, 2019
What’s the first thing Kairi did after getting her new liver and kidney? Eat chocolate, of course. And then go swimming. And then start on everything else her revived body had been denied for so long.
By Jeff Weinstock
There are three-hanky stories, and then there are... Read More
Published on November 26, 2019
By Jeff Weinstock
It wasn’t the standard goo-goo ga-ga or ma-ma da-da, but to his parents the strained, gravelly hehhh that Rio produced inside a patient room at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles was operatic.
Patrick and Holly had not heard Rio’s voice for nine months... Read More
Published on November 14, 2019
Thanks to a groundbreaking treatment, children who once faced inevitable blindness now have a chance to regain—and retain—their sight.
By Eunice Oh
Like many 7-year-olds, Olivia is a burst of energy. She loves riding her bicycle, ice skating, traversing obstacle courses,... Read More
Published on October 24, 2019
A pacifier that plays a sweet lullaby encourages baby Jayla to learn the skills she needs to feed and self-soothe By Marla LehnerIn December 2018, Lynette gave birth to her daughter, Jayla, at a local hospital near their home in Littlerock, California. Moments later, the newborn... Read More
Published on October 7, 2019
Brothers Walter (left) and Lloyd
How Lloyd’s Little Brother Overcame a Skull Condition and Became the Coolest Kid at the Playground
By Michael Y. Park
It wasn’t an easy thing to explain to a 3-year-old, and even now, Sarah and Dan aren’t sure how much of what they were... Read More
Published on October 1, 2019
In an indoor rock-climbing class for patients with hand differences, a wall is just part of what they’re learning to surmount.
By Jeff Weinstock
“Take!”
For the fourth time Akira has called out the one-word cue, prompting her rock-climbing instructor, Quinn, serving on... Read More
Published on September 9, 2019
Hemophilia hasn’t slowed down 3-year-old Braxton—thanks to doctors from CHLA
By Matt Villano
Roughly 20,000 people in the United States live with hemophilia, a bleeding disorder in which blood lacks the requisite protein to clot normally. Few have lived with the condition... Read More
Published on August 29, 2019
By Sara Nafie
To countless families, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is a home away from home. That is certainly the case for Quinn, born Dec. 4, 2018, and her parents, Quinshae and Keith. Soon they hope to take their daughter home to Riverside, but for now, CHLA is the... Read More
Published on August 23, 2019
Two doctors' research into an obscure field changed this 3-year-old’s life
by Michael Y. Park
It was obvious there was a problem as soon as Oliver was born.
Oliver’s birth in 2015 was already complicated—he was in a breech position and had to be delivered via a cesarean... Read More
Published on August 16, 2019
In the concluding half of this two-part story, a CHLA family learns whether their home survived the Woolsey fire, baby Max’s cleft lip is repaired, and Max’s mother tries to sort through the aftereffects of 10 days of trauma. (Read Part 1.)
By Jeff Weinstock
Lauren’s... Read More
Published on August 14, 2019
In this special two-part story, a CHLA family endures an extraordinary 10-day odyssey, confronting consecutive human tragedies—the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting and the Woolsey fire—while their premature newborn remains in intensive care and awaits surgery for a cleft... Read More
Published on July 11, 2019
The dawning of gene therapy at CHLA saved a 5-year-old girl from inevitable blindness.By Jeff WeinstockYou will have to grant a parental pardon to Heather for her momentary excessive permissiveness, allowing her 5-year-old daughter to race down the block after dark, free from... Read More
Published on June 5, 2019
Leah found a new future at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, which offers the most advanced care for the tiniest patients and their mothers, even before birth.
By Candace Pearson
At only 2 days old, and 5 lbs., 3 oz., Leah Faith commanded the attention of the two dozen... Read More
Published on June 4, 2019
By Katie Sweeney
If you see 4-year-old Adrian obediently eating his vegetables at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, you can be sure of one thing: It’s almost time for him to go to the hospital’s new epilepsy playroom.
“We’re able to negotiate almost anything with him if it’s... Read More